Chapter2- FIRST MEET.
926 Words
The Ocean stretched endlessly. It's
Deep blue blends almost perfectly with the sky.
Trianna stood at the ship's railings, her sketchbook and pencil clutched in her hands. Just embarrassing the chill ocean breeze, trying to find out how she could draw.
She's never been on a ship before, she's barely even been out of Texas. But with the discounted vacation, she felt deep inside that she'd made the right choice.
Another reason they had Peace was because she had sent quite enough money to her siblings, enough to change their mom's meds and take care of other things. How she got the money, well, work miracle.
"Beautiful isn't it?"
The voice started her. Smooth, confident. The type that made you turn even before you wanted to. Trianna glanced sideways. The man who stood a few feet away looked like he came right out of a magazine cover.
Tall, broad-shouldered, dark hair neatly styled, his white see-through shirt could reveal a perfect tanned skin underneath. Everything about him radiated ease—the kind of ease only wealth and power could buy.
“Yes,” she said softly, lowering her eyes back to her sketchbook. Men like him didn’t talk to women like her, at least that's what she thought.
But he didn’t move away.
Instead, he leaned against the railing, looking at the horizon. "Nothing could possibly beat the ocean view, it's not just about the view, there's a feeling it brings, ermm... The type that could humble even the wealthiest man here. Peace."
Trianna blinked. His words, voice, and humility weren’t what she expected. She looked at him again, curiosity stirring. His face was perfectly sculptured;she could tell that by his sharp jawline alone, the bump of his Adam's apple jerked with every swallow he took.
“I’ve never been to the ocean before,” she admitted. “Feels… unreal.”
He turned, and for the first time their eyes met. His was an intense, deep shade of gray.
“First time traveler?”
She nodded, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. “You could say that.”
His gaze shifted to her sketchbook.
"you draw?"
At this point, she couldn't help but blush a little. "Well," she said, scratching her eyebrow, "just for fun."
"May I?" he said, hand gesturing to the book.
Her first instinct was to refuse. No one aside from her mom really saw her art the way she saw it. But something about him felt different, so she slowly handed it over.
He flipped through the pages one at a time, studying the rough sketches of city skylines, lakes, famous landmarks, and other dreamlike places. He nodded his head in amazement. "You're talented," he looked at her and their eyes met again. "I'm impressed."
Heat rushed to her cheeks, goosebumps in her arms.
“You don’t have to say that.”
Most people see the world as it is. Artists see the world as it could be. That’s rare, "he said, handing the book back to her.
Trianna swallowed, unsettled by how his words slipped past her defenses. She wanted to ask who he was, but before she could, a sharp voice called from behind them. "Luise! I've been looking all over for you.
A tall, elegant woman in designer sunglasses swept toward them, her heels clicking against the deck. Every strand of hair is perfectly in place. She hooked her arm through his in a way that made Trianna a little uncomfortable.
"There's an event going on in the VIP lounge, everyone is waiting for you." She pulled down her sunglasses and gave Trianna a dismissive glance.
Luise. The name echoed in Trianna's head. That's when she realized they didn't even know each other's names. He gave the woman a polite nod. “I’ll be there shortly.”
She frowned but didn't say anything, just walked away with every step portraying confidence.
When she was gone, Trianna forced a laugh. “Looks like you’re important.”
His mouth quivered with a smile that didn’t quite reach his eyes. “Some days I wish I weren’t.”
And just like that, he pushed off the railing and walked toward the lounge, leaving her in the silence she hadn't noticed a few minutes ago.
Alone again
Later that evening, Trianna sat alone in the dining hall, picking at her food. Most passengers mingled in groups, dressed in outfits that screamed wealth. She felt out of place in her simple sundress, like anyone else who had wandered into someone else’s dream.
Then she noticed him again. Luise, at a table across the room, surrounded by men in suits and women in glittering dresses. He laughed politely at something, but his eyes looked distant, tired. He caught her staring for the briefest moment and gave her a sharp smile.
Her heart stopped for a moment, then started beating fast. What was she doing? This was ridiculous. He was clearly someone powerful, probably rich beyond imagining. And she? Just a waitress from Texas with an overworked heart and too many responsibilities.
Still, when she opened her sketchbook later in her cabin, she found herself sketching not the ocean, not the skyline—but the curve of his jaw, the quiet intensity of his eyes, the way his presence made her forget she was ordinary.
She didn’t know it yet, but Luise Vegan had noticed her more than once that night. And for the first time in a long time, the billionaire who had e
verything felt like he’d found something money couldn’t buy.
- Writer
