Maya and Lucas's seemingly perfect marriage was a carefully constructed illusion but everyone thought it was perfect.
From the outside, it looked like they had it all.
The sun cast a warm glow over the beach, the sound of the waves crashing against the shore creating a soothing melody.
Lucas and Maya walked side by side, their feet sinking into the sand as they strolled along the water's edge.
"You are really determined to spend time with me."
Lucas smiled, his eyes crinkling at the corners. "Guilty as charged," he said, his gaze fixed on hers. "I want to get to know you, the real you."
Maya's expression remained unyielding, her eyes flashing with a fierce intensity.
"There's nothing to know, you are trying too hard and it's pathetic."
Lucas's face paling as he recalled his encounter with her after a meeting and he called her pathetic, she seemed to be using his words against him.
For a moment, they walked in silence, the only sound the waves and the wind.
Then Lucas spoke up, his voice low and gentle.
"It's so peaceful here," he said, breathing in the salty air. "I see why you take a walk here everyday."
Maya's eyes sparkled with a genuine smile. "I've always loved nature," she said, her voice filled with a warmth he had never heard before. "There's something about being surrounded by the ocean, the sand, and the sun that makes me feel alive."
He turned to her, his gaze drawn to the sincerity in her eyes. "I never knew that about that you," his tone softer than he intended.
Maya's smile faltered for a moment, as if she realized she had revealed too much, her gaze lingered on Lucas's, her eyes searching for something.
Then, she looked away, her shoulders squaring as she walked away.
As she walked, Lucas couldn't help but notice how her hair blew in the wind, the way her eyes squinted, her lids narrowing as if to shield herself from the sun's intense gaze.
The way her skin glowed in the sunlight. And he realized that, despite her pretence, Maya was beautiful, both in and out.
He was surprised by his own thoughts. Why was he feeling this way?
He had started this as a way of getting close to Maya, to get the Russo's an heir.
But now, a part of him wanted to know her, genuinely.
He couldn't explain why, but there was something about her that drew him in.
Maybe it was the way her eyes sparkled in the sunlight, or how her smile seemed to light up the world.
As they walked side by side, Lucas couldn't help but steal glances at her.
She seemed so lost in thought, her eyes gazing out at the ocean as if searching for something.
He felt a pang of curiosity, wanting to know what was going on in her mind.
At that moment, he realized he was genuinely interested in her and he wanted to know more about her.