The cruise ship docked beside the island, and a young married couple stepped ashore.
They were the rising political star Aiden Wilson and his wife, Lily Thompson. The island's owner, Epstein, had invited them there for a vacation.
"Welcome, Aiden, Lily."
Epstein had been waiting for quite some time.
He was nearing fifty, but he looked as lively as a young man, his face bearing all the hallmarks of cosmetic procedures.
His skin was firm and smooth, clearly the result of meticulous care, but his smile, stiffened by hyaluronic acid, looked a little unnatural.
Still, Epstein's warm manner more than made up for that minor flaw.
"Thank you for inviting us, Jeffrey."
Lily took Epstein's offered right hand, discreetly nudging her unresponsive partner with her elbow.
Unlike Aiden, who had always kept businessmen like Epstein at arm's length, his young wife Lily was especially excited about this vacation.
"My wife has been looking forward to this vacation. Thank you."
Aiden forced a smile and extended his hand to Epstein as well. If the man hadn't provided considerable financial support for his Senate campaign that year, Aiden, who always prided himself on keeping his hands clean, would never have accepted the invitation.
After all, Epstein's private island had a rather unsavory reputation in their circles.
Epstein remained a perfect gentleman despite the man's earlier rudeness, because he knew that once someone set foot on this island, they could never truly leave.
"Enjoy yourselves. We have everything here, so you can relax to your hearts' content."
Epstein led Aiden and Lily deeper into the island. Along the way, the couple saw plenty of famous faces, and Aiden even ran into his bitter rival.
Yet this time, instead of his usual hostility, the man was exceptionally friendly. Aiden almost wondered whether he had