CHAPTER 25
OLIVIA
I’d let Bianca pick the dress for me, dangerous, I know, but tonight, I had to admit she’d nailed it.
Midnight blue, strappy, cut in all the right places without tipping into “trying too hard.” For once, I didn’t look like I’d sprinted straight off the court with sweat still clinging to me.
Tonight, I looked… well, like someone’s elegant sister.
I’d been mid-conversation with one of William’s cousins when William himself appeared, all polite smiles and that steady, calming energy that made you understand exactly why Bianca had chosen him.
“Olivia,” he said, leaning just enough to draw me out of the circle. “There’s someone I’d like you to meet. My sister. And… some of her friends.”
I smoothed my dress out of habit. William led me through the crowd, past the laughter and clatter of plates, toward the firelight where a small group stood waiting.
His sister, Georgia, I remembered Bianca mentioning, was easy to spot, tall, self-assured, with the kind of grin that suggested trouble.
And beside her, two figures I hadn’t expected to see in a million years.
My chest tightened so hard I forgot how to breathe. Alexandra Cadiz. Here. At Bianca’s engagement party. Of all the beaches in the world, she had to show up on this one, tonight, at my sister’s side.
I froze, pulse sprinting. It was ridiculous, but it felt like the universe was laughing at my expense.
“Liv, this is my sister, Georgia,” he said warmly.
Georgia turned, all sunshine confidence, and thrust her hand out. “Finally. World No. 1. Not bad for a party guest.”
I managed a laugh, though my palms were clammy. “And you’re the sister William can’t stop bragging about. Nice to finally meet you.”
“Please,” she said with a roll of her eyes. “I’m just here to drink cocktails and keep William from embarrassing himself. Tonight is about Bianca and him, not me.”
I might’ve relaxed, if I hadn’t shifted my gaze an inch to the side.
Cassandra stood poised beside Alex, tall and impossibly put-together. Her blonde hair caught the firelight, and that calm, unreadable expression she wore made it impossible to tell what she was really thinking.
She offered me a small, courteous nod. “Hello, Olivia. Nice to finally meet you.”
And Alex… she looked straight at me. Her hair was pulled back in that effortless way, sharp lines of her jaw catching the glow from the lanterns. “Olivia.”
My stomach dropped. Seeing her stand there next to Cassandra. My jaw ached from holding the smile in place.
Before I could even think of a response, Georgia jumped back in, oblivious to the ice in the air. “These are my friends, Cassandra, Alex. We go way back. I had to drag them here with me.” She laughed like it was nothing.
But to me? It was everything. The shock. The ache. The jealousy I hated myself for.
I finally found my voice, thin and careful. “Welcome. Both of you.”
And for the first time in forever, I wished desperately for an escape route.
Cassandra caught my eye briefly, polite, almost reassuring, then tilted her head toward the bar. “We’ll let you and Georgia talk,” she said lightly. And just like that, they drifted off without fuss, leaving space that somehow felt like it was closing in instead of opening up.
Georgia turned back to me, her voice soft. “Looks like it’s just us for now.” She was easy to like, bright, quick with a joke, and grounded in a way that felt familiar. I found myself smiling for real as we talked about the setup.
But my focus wavered. Again and again, my eyes betrayed me.
Across the room, Cassandra was in full performance mode, gesturing wildly, her French accent lilting with every punchline.
And Alex was leaning in close, champagne flute in hand, her head tipped back in laughter that rang too bright, too easy.
Not once did her eyes flick my way. Not once.
I told myself it didn’t matter, that she had every right to laugh, to drink, to forget. But something sharp curled in my stomach all the same.
I hated the way my chest tightened at the sight. Hated how my fingers clenched around the stem of my own glass.
I forced a laugh at something Georgia said, my smile stretched thin. Georgia’s eyes flicked to me knowingly, and before I could school my face, she gave my arm a quick squeeze.
“I’ll be right back,” she murmured, her voice gentle but firm. “Better check on those two before they charm the whole bar staff and get drunk.”
I nodded, pretending to sip my drink, though all I could taste was jealousy burning bitter on my tongue. And as Georgia disappeared into the crowd toward them, I couldn’t help but feel that every giggle, every clink of their champagne glasses, was meant to test me.
“Stop staring, Liv. People will notice.”
I jumped, almost spilling my drink. Bianca had appeared at my side. She followed my gaze for half a second, then sighed, lips quirking in something halfway between sympathy and amusement.
“So that’s the person, huh?” Bianca said softly. Not unkind. Just a fact.
Heat rushed to my face. “Bee..”
She held up her hands. “I’m not judging. I’m just saying what’s obvious. You’ve got two choices: you can stand here, sipping champagne and torturing yourself all night, or…” Her eyes flicked meaningfully toward Alex. “You can talk to her.”
Before I can even form a protest, Bianca is already stepping back. “And on that note,” she says, smirking, “I’m leaving you to it. Don’t waste this, Liv.”
I pressed my lips together, staring into the rim of my glass like it might swallow me whole. Anything to keep from watching Alex lean closer to Cassandra again, that smile breaking me open in places I swore I’d already sealed shut.
And somewhere in that slow, aching collapse, the decision began to form, fragile and reckless: I’d have to face her tonight. One way or another.
Before I could talk myself out of it, I set the glass down, smoothed the fabric of my dress, and stood. My legs felt unsteady, like walking out to serve at match point in a final, except this wasn’t tennis. This was worse.
The bonfire crackled louder as I crossed the sand, the heat meeting the fire already running in my veins. Cassandra spotted me first, but it was Alex who froze, her laughter cutting off mid-breath. Our eyes locked, and for a split second, it was just us, no party, no people, no months of silence.
“Olivia,” she said, my name clipped but laced with something I couldn’t name.
I lifted my chin, forcing steadiness I didn’t feel. “Alexandra.”
Cassandra glanced between us, all too knowing, while Georgia took the cue and slipped away, dragging Cass with her under the excuse of “checking the drinks.” Subtle as a sledgehammer.
I folded my arms, mostly to steady myself because my pulse had gone completely rogue. “So… you’re here.”
She shifted, scratching the back of her neck the way she always did when she felt caught out. “Georgia invited me,” she said quietly. “She didn’t want to come alone, so I tagged along.” she exhaled, almost awkward.
Her eyes flicked to mine, soft, careful. “I swear, I had no idea this was your sister’s engagement party. If I’d known…” She trailed off, shaking her head faintly. “I never would’ve walked in like that.”
My pulse roared in my ears. I wanted to touch her. Instead, I breathed out slowly, daring myself to stand there, daring myself not to run.
“I just… didn’t expect you.” I managed, my voice barely steady.
Alex’s expression tightened, guilt flickering across her face. “I should probably go. I didn’t mean to…” She exhaled, struggling. “Liv, I’m sorry. For being here. For making this awkward.”
She took half a step back, already bracing to leave. And something in me panicked.
“Wait.” My hand lifted before I could stop it. “Alex… wait.”
She froze. I swallowed, finding the courage somewhere under all the noise in my chest. “Can we talk?” I asked, the words trembling out. “Please?”
She blew out a breath, glancing toward the crowd. “This isn’t the place.”
And she was right. Too many eyes, too much noise. She jerked her chin toward the far end of the beach, past the glow of lanterns, where the sand turned quiet and the only light came from the stars. “Come with me.”
I didn’t hesitate. The moment Alex turned, my feet moved after her. No second-guessing, no waiting for courage to catch up. I just followed, letting her lead us away from the music and into the quieter edges of the beach.
When we stopped, it was just the two of us, the sea stretching endlessly and black.
“What did you want to talk about?” Her voice was soft, almost tentative.
She looked… unsure. Like she didn’t want to assume anything, didn’t want to push me into saying something I’d regret later.
Her eyes searched mine gently, carefully, as if the wrong word might shatter whatever fragile truth we were circling.
I took a shaky breath, forcing my voice steady. “I… I just wanted to talk. About us.”
“Us?”
“Yeah,” I said quickly. “Nico and I—we’re not… anything. He’s just my friend. And you… you’re not a distraction, Alex. Not ever.”
Her gaze held mine, gentle but insistent, like she was trying to see past all the layers I hadn’t said aloud. “Then just be honest with yourself.” she murmured.
I opened my mouth, but no words came. The silence between us was alive, pulsing. Alex’s face, her stupid, beautiful face, looked torn between relief and heartbreak.
Her voice was low, trembling, almost fragile. “I’ve been in love with you since… forever, Olivia.”
My pulse hammered in my ears, and for a second, I could barely breathe.
“I wasn’t always brave about it. Always keeping to myself, never saying the things I felt, because I knew… I knew it could never happen. You were so bright, so untouchable, and I… I was just me. Watching you from the sidelines.”
My throat went dry, and I could feel tears pricking at the edges of my eyes.