9 Beach Party

Harper's POV

In the days since breaking up with Matthew, I thought I would feel terrible, but time does heal all wounds. Angelo often invited me out; he was a gentleman and understanding, and many of my uncertainties were quickly resolved. Eventually, I even found the breakup somewhat relieving.

I also gave careful consideration to my father’s suggestion. He said that, aside from any idea of an arranged marriage, he thought Angelo was a good person. I agreed and started to consider the possibility of us dating.

This morning at school, Matthew came to apologize. Having dated him for a while, I knew very well what kind of person he was.

When we were together, I liked his pride and the way he shone; those were good qualities. But when his pride turned into arrogance and started to hurt me, I began to hate it. He was a conceited person, and for him to swallow his pride and apologize was as rare as rain falling upward. But I didn’t care anymore about someone who had betrayed me.

As I was still wondering why he was apologizing, a girl quietly told me that Matthew had been taught a lesson. Her boyfriend was also on the football team, so she had heard about it.

Immediately, Angelo came to mind. My heart filled with gratitude and a touch of warmth. He genuinely cared about my feelings.

As soon as school ended, I ran to find him and thanked him. He was startled for a moment before smiling and saying he just wanted me to be happy. Maybe the atmosphere between us was too good because he then asked if I would be willing to be his girlfriend.

I had just ended my last relationship, and even though Angelo was a good person, I didn’t have the courage to jump into another romance right away.

He was considerate, sensing my hesitation, and suggested we try things out slowly. I could see he was accommodating me, and it made me feel respected.

“Alright, let's give it a shot.”

And so, like many young couples, we tried doing things together—crafting, camping, buying matching outfits, sharing a dessert...

Over time, I also learned more about his work. Like Marco, his family had significant influence in North America. He was set to take over soon and become the head of his family. He said he wanted to dominate the North American mafia.

I didn’t understand much about mafia affairs, but I knew that our families were currently working together, so I often saw Marco at various parties—like right now.

Today, everyone decided to go to the beach. I had brought a white bikini, but as soon as I came downstairs, Marco demanded I change.

Who brings a suitcase full of swimsuits?

I was annoyed. Seeing his gloomy face only made me angrier.

Angelo entered with a light jacket just then, saying Marco was just worried I might catch a cold, and helped me put on the jacket.

Marco’s expression soured even more, and I dragged Angelo out. Mom and Dad were happy that Angelo and I were getting along well. They had no idea what Marco was so upset about.

I was used to it. Marco never gave me a pleasant expression whenever we met.

“Don’t be mad.” Angelo pinned back a stray strand of my hair.

Looking into his ocean-colored eyes, I found myself distracted. Compared to Marco, he was like a little angel.

How could there be such a difference between two people?

Forget it, I don’t want to think about it anymore. Angelo greeted a blonde girl approaching us and then pulled her over.

“This is my sister, Sophia. You two are about the same age. She just got back from the UK and will be transferring to our school soon. You guys could be friends.”

After that, he went off with the guys to surf.

Sophia was a beautiful girl with a stunning figure, looking very much like Angelo. She handed me a glass of pineapple juice. “You’re Harper, right? I’ve heard so much about you from my brother—he talks about you nonstop.”

Hearing someone tease me about Angelo made me a little shy. I took a sip of the juice to hide my blushing face.

“You’re so cute!” she suddenly said, then casually pulled off my jacket.

“With a figure like that, why hide it? I brought a really pretty swimsuit. Come on!”

Her smile was gorgeous, and she eagerly pulled me toward the villa.

…

“Sophia… Are you sure this is okay?”

I had changed into the swimsuit she’d given me, covering my chest and turning away from her.

“Oh my God! Darling, you look amazing!” she gasped, covering her mouth.

It was a light blue bikini, much more revealing than my original one. My lower half was almost just a thin string tied around my hips, with a small piece of fabric covering me. The top was only two flower-shaped pieces barely covering my n.ipples.

I felt so exposed, but Sophia kept complimenting the outfit, so I reluctantly walked out.

The guys were coming toward us, some of whom I’d seen at the previous party.

They were all chatting and laughing, and I suddenly felt the urge to back out. Marco had already been like that just from seeing my original swimsuit. If he saw me now, I didn’t know what he’d do.

But Sophia, unaware of what I was thinking, dragged me along happily to meet them.

“Marco, Angelo, look—Harper looks so beautiful!”

All eyes turned toward me, and everyone seemed to freeze.

They all knew about the Moretti family’s stepdaughter. Some of them had seen me at parties, and others hadn’t.

Some of the guys started to whistle, which felt strange. I looked to Angelo, who didn’t seem fazed, standing beside me and telling me I looked great.

I couldn’t pinpoint why, but something felt off. Many people assumed our families were heading toward an alliance, so they became more brazen with their cheers.

Forcing a smile, my eyes unintentionally met Marco’s. That strange feeling brought on by everyone’s cheering was immediately doused with cold water.

Sophia pulled me away. “Come on, let’s go have fun by the sea.”

We reached the beach. The sight of the ocean lifted my spirits, but when it came time to swim, I realized I was a bit afraid.

“I’m sorry, Sophia. I can’t swim, so I can’t join you guys.”

“There are floaties here. You can just drift along.”

Not wanting to spoil everyone’s fun, I grabbed a float and stayed by the shore. During that time, a few guys came by to ask me about Angelo.

Our dating had already led to assumptions that our families would form an alliance.

I pushed away the nagging feeling I couldn’t quite name. I should be happy—Angelo was a great person.

What I didn’t know was that, not far away, a few people were watching me, having a secret conversation.

I was too naive back then. And soon, things will take a turn.