Chapter 27 Twenty Seven
The next morning arrived bright and calm.
Soft sunlight spilled through the curtains, painting the room in warm gold. Outside, the air carried the scent of the sea and blooming flowers... peaceful, calm, and almost enough to make Izzy believe everything was fine. Almost.
She sat by the window with a cup of tea in her hands, watching the waves roll slowly toward the shore. It was beautiful, but her mind was far away. She hadn’t slept much. Every time she closed her eyes, her thoughts wandered back to last night... to Dominic, his voice, his message, and the way her heart had ached when she didn’t reply.
Her phone lay on the table beside her. She picked it up again, staring at the message that still sat on the screen.
“Meet me. East gate. Ten minutes.”
Her chest tightened. For a moment, her thumb hovered over the text... part of her still wondering what would’ve happened if she had gone.
But then she sighed, shook her head, and pressed delete.
Not this time.
She wasn’t going to let Dominic pull her back into that same storm.
Today was important... it was the day of the outreach program, the part of the retreat she had actually been looking forward to. Everyone would be visiting nearby orphanages to donate supplies and spend time with the children.
It was the kind of work that reminded her why she loved her job... it felt real, human, meaningful.
She showered quickly, dressed in a simple white shirt and light blue jeans, and tied her hair back into a neat ponytail. She slipped on a pair of sneakers, packed her tote bag with snacks, notebooks, and bottled water, and headed downstairs.
The lobby was already buzzing with activity. Groups of people gathered near the waiting buses, chatting and laughing as they sipped coffee. The smell of freshly baked pastries filled the air, mixing with the soft hum of music playing in the background.
Izzy smiled faintly when she spotted Adrian near the front desk, his sleeves rolled up as he joked with two other staff members. He caught her eye and waved cheerfully, his easy smile making her feel a little lighter.
Then she saw him.
Dominic.
He was standing near the side entrance, giving quiet instructions to one of the event organizers. Even from across the room, he looked composed and in control... crisp white shirt, sleeves folded to his elbows, dark sunglasses hiding his eyes. But when his gaze found her, she felt it immediately... that sharp, heavy pull in her chest.
He didn’t smile.
He didn’t say a word.
He just looked at her for a moment longer than necessary, something unreadable flickering behind his calm expression, before he turned away.
Izzy drew a slow, steady breath. She told herself she wouldn’t let him ruin her day. Not this time.
The bus ride to the first orphanage took about forty minutes. The mood inside was light... full of laughter, conversation, and music. Izzy sat by the window beside a kind coworker named Helen, watching the world outside rush by. Small colorful houses lined the roads, children played by the beach, and women sold fruit under wide umbrellas. The sunlight glinted off the ocean in the distance, bright and endless.
When they arrived, a group of children ran out to greet them. Their laughter filled the air, pure and joyful. Izzy’s heart melted instantly. She knelt down as a little girl with curly hair approached her, holding out a flower crown made from paper and tiny blossoms.
“For me?” Izzy asked softly, surprised.
The girl nodded, smiling shyly. “You’re pretty,” she said. “Like a doll.”
Izzy laughed, touched beyond words. “Thank you, sweetheart. You’re the prettiest one here.”
The rest of the morning passed quickly. They painted walls, told stories, and handed out toys and food. Izzy played tag with the younger ones until she was breathless with laughter. She helped a few older kids write letters and draw pictures. For the first time in a long while, her chest felt light again.
At one point, she looked across the playground and froze slightly.
Dominic was there.
He was standing near a group of boys, talking quietly to one of the local organizers. His shirt was slightly untucked now, and his sunglasses were gone. He smiled… a small, genuine smile
as he handed a football to one of the kids and ruffled his hair.
Izzy blinked. She had never seen him like this... relaxed, gentle, almost kind. He helped fix a broken swing, crouched to talk to a shy little girl, and even tied the ribbon of a balloon for a boy who couldn’t reach.
It was strange seeing this side of him.. the side that didn’t belong to the powerful CEO, the one always in control.
When his gaze met hers across the playground, neither of them looked away.
He didn’t move closer.
She didn’t either.
But she nodded slightly, and he returned it... just a quiet, wordless understanding.
Then she turned back to the children, smiling as a little boy tugged her hand to show her his painting.
By afternoon, they had visited two orphanages. Everyone was cheerful but tired, their clothes smudged with paint and dirt, their hearts full. The group stopped at a small garden café for a late lunch. The air was filled with the smell of grilled food and blooming flowers.
Adrian slid into the seat next to Izzy, handing her a glass of cold juice.
“You were amazing with those kids,” he said warmly. “That little girl’s never taking off the flower crown you gave her.”
Izzy smiled, feeling her cheeks warm. “They were wonderful. I wish we could do this more often.”
A few minutes later, Dominic walked in with two other managers. He took the seat across from them, his expression calm and unreadable. For a moment, their eyes met. Izzy’s heart gave a small, traitorous jump... but she quickly looked away, focusing on Adrian’s story about one of the kids trying to braid his hair.
Throughout lunch, she laughed, joined conversations, and even checked a few work emails. She kept herself busy, careful not to give Dominic the satisfaction of knowing he still affected her.
He didn’t say a word to her.
Didn’t look her way often.
But every now and then, she could feel his eyes... quiet, steady, unreadable... watching her from across the table.
If he was upset that she ignored his message, he didn’t show it. He sat there, composed as ever, speaking calmly to others as though last night hadn’t happened at all.
And maybe that was what hurt the most.. the way he could act like none of it mattered, like she was just another face in the crowd.
But this time, Izzy told herself, she wouldn’t chase him.
She wouldn’t look for meaning in his silence or excuses in his charm.
When they finally returned to the resort that evening, everyone said their goodnights in the lobby. Izzy smiled, thanked Adrian for the company, and walked straight to her room.
She changed into a soft cotton shirt and shorts, washed her face, and sank onto the bed. Her body was tired, but her mind felt calm… the good kind of tired that came after a meaningful day.
She had ignored Dominic’s text.
She had spent the day doing something real.
And for once, she was proud of herself for choosing peace.
Her eyes grew heavy as she lay back on the pillow. The sound of the waves outside drifted softly through the window, and she finally let sleep take her.
But if she had checked her phone one last time before closing her eyes, she would have seen a new message waiting there.
Dominic: You did good today. You looked happy.
And even though she never saw it, a small smile touched her lips in her sleep… as if somewhere deep inside, she already knew.