First Date

The name Irene sounded vaguely familiar to him, but as he gazed into those blue eyes, made even more lustrous by the seawater, he couldn't recall anything at all.

His attention was entirely captured by the girl before him—drenched, yet looking anything but disheveled, her smile carrying a certain peculiar quality. That faint sense of familiarity was quickly blown away by the sea breeze.

"So, Irene," he leaned forward slightly, his hand resting casually on the handlebars of the jet ski, his relaxed tone laced with a hint of nervousness, "ten o'clock tomorrow morning, I'll meet you at the main pier of the Glenvaria Hotel? We can check out those antiques first, and then, if the weather is nice, perhaps we can go snorkeling to see the coral."

Irene did not hesitate. This boy who had appeared out of nowhere, whom she didn't know, and the stories of shipwreck relics he spoke of were clearly far more interesting than the flirting between Britney and Edward.

"Alright," she nodded, droplets of water shaking loose from the tips of her hair, "ten o'clock, main pier."

A bright, unreserved smile spread across Henry's face, making him look like a young boy who had just received a beloved toy. "Then it's a date." He put his goggles back on and skillfully started the jet ski.

The engine roared to life, but he didn't leave immediately. Instead, he maneuvered the jet ski in a graceful arc, kicking up a small spray of white foam like a special gift. Only then did he accelerate toward the larger yacht in the distance.

Irene watched his back disappear into the shimmering sea, her mood instantly lifting. She turned, gave the throttle a light pull, and headed toward the private island belonging to Edward's family, a clear sense of anticipation for "tomorrow" blooming in her heart.

At dinner, Irene asked the butler if there was a dress code for visiting the antique exhibition area at the Glenvaria Hotel.

Before the butler could reply, Britney spoke up first: "Irene, are you going to visit the hotel? I'll go with you." She had spent the entire afternoon playing with Edward and hadn't properly kept Irene company, so she felt a slight pang of guilt.

"Ah... but didn't we agree that I'd take you snorkeling to see the coral tomorrow..." Edward muttered weakly from the side.

"Shut up."

"No need, Brit. I already have plans with someone tomorrow. You should go snorkeling with Edward instead." Irene finished her last bite and wiped her mouth with a napkin. "Mr. Butler, could you please help me prepare a suitable outfit for tomorrow's date?"

"Of course, Miss Irene."

Irene rose and left the dining table as soon as she received her answer, leaving Britney stunned in her seat.

"My god, Irene actually has a date tomorrow!" Britney's shriek was enough to pierce the roof.

"The boss is such a charming person, why is it surprising that someone would ask her out?"

"You don't understand, plenty of people have asked her out, but she has never said yes!" Britney stood up, intending to rush into Irene's room to gossip.

Edward quickly grabbed her. "Wait, Britney, are you saying the boss has never been on a date?!" This news was no less shocking to him than learning that Britney was still a virgin.

He didn't care about that, but as far as he knew, girls these days were keen on discussing their "first time" with others, and the two women before him were, arguably, top-tier, yet both were "anomalies."

"Shh! This is a secret, do you understand? A secret! It can't be spread, why are you saying it so loudly!"

Edward nodded helplessly to indicate he would never spread it, though he muttered to himself: Who was the one whose voice was about to pierce the roof just now?

In the end, the two decided not to disturb Irene; after all, preparing for one's first date required a bit of private space.

In reality, after Irene returned to her room, she took a quick shower and went to bed to rest.

She hadn't slept at all the previous night, and she had spent the afternoon riding a jet ski, which had consumed quite a bit of energy. After a hearty dinner, it was the perfect time to sleep.

If you like this book, please remember to add it to your bookshelf so you don't lose it next time.

The next day.

The sun had just begun to peek over the horizon when Irene woke from her slumber.

Opening the window, the salty, humid sea breeze brushed against her face, refreshing her spirit.

The surroundings were incredibly quiet, with only the sound of the waves gently playing a beautiful movement.

Irene stretched her body vigorously; it was a brand-new day.

Opening the door, the shirt-dress prepared by the butler was already ironed and hanging on the rack, along with accessories like sunglasses and a straw hat. It had to be said that this butler was truly very competent. She reached out to take them, turned to the bathroom to change, and even sprayed on some perfume, feeling quite good.

By the time she slowly went downstairs, breakfast was already prepared, and even the sleepyhead Britney was already seated.

Everyone exchanged morning greetings and began to eat in silence. The fact that she didn't hear Britney's chatter throughout the process made Irene feel somewhat unaccustomed.

But she didn't want to start a conversation, lest Britney ask endless questions. She finished her meal quickly and had the butler prepare the yacht to take her to the main pier of the Glenvaria Hotel.

Until she boarded the boat, Britney remained obediently on the pier, waving goodbye and wishing her a successful date.

Irene frowned as she waved back at Britney; she didn't believe the other girl could be so well-behaved, and there was no telling what tricks might be waiting for her later.

At 9:50 AM, Irene arrived at her destination.

Henry was already waiting there.

He was leaning against a bollard, wearing a simple light-blue cotton shirt with the sleeves casually rolled up to his forearms—an effortless elegance that was most attractive.

Seeing Irene approach, he immediately straightened up, a bright, undisguised smile on his face.

"Right on time." He took two steps forward, his voice filled with genuine relief, as if a hanging heart had just settled.

"Afraid I wouldn't come?" Irene teased, not expecting a real answer. "Have you been waiting long?"

"I just arrived not long ago." Henry said, naturally turning to the side to lead the way. "This way. The exhibition area is in the west wing of the hotel, on the side facing the sea."

They walked along the coastline toward the west wing of the hotel.

When Henry spoke, he would always turn slightly to ensure he could see her eyes. When he reached the most interesting parts of the shipwreck legends, his speech would unconsciously slow down, as if every detail were worth sharing carefully.

Walking under the archway at the entrance to the exhibition area, he suddenly stopped and turned to face her, his expression becoming exceptionally earnest: "Honestly, I'm very glad you came. After meeting you at sea yesterday..." He paused, as if weighing his words, "I went back to the hotel and kept wondering if I would be able to see you again today."

The sea breeze gently lifted the black hair on his forehead, and the light flickering in his eyes was warmer and clearer than the Mediterranean sun.

It was as if he were responding to her joke from earlier.

Thinking of how both of them had been so expectant of today's date, Irene looked up into his eyes, the corners of her mouth curling upward, revealing her good mood.