"Where the hell are you taking me this time?!" Lily demanded as Chris practically dragged her across the tarmac at Stockholm Arlanda Airport. His private jet gleamed in the morning sun, a reminder of just how far out of her depth she really was.
"You'll see," was all Chris said, his grip on her arm gentle but unyielding.
"I'll see? I'll SEE?!" Lily yanked against his hold, though it was useless. "That's what you said about Stockholm, and look how that turned out! For all I know, you could be taking me to some underground bunker to get rid of me!"
Chris actually had the audacity to chuckle. "If I wanted to get rid of you, sweetheart, I wouldn't need a plane."
Lily shot him her darkest glare. "Oh, that's real f**king comforting," she muttered, finally letting him guide her up the steps into the luxurious cabin.
Once inside, she pointedly choose a seat as far from Chris as possible, jamming her earbuds in and cranking up her music. The smooth melodies usually soothed her soul – she was a music lover, after all – but today, not even her favorite playlist could calm the storm in her mind.
As the plane took off, Lily stared out the window, her thoughts racing. What was the deal with Avery Sterling? Why was she supposedly targeting Lily? And why did Chris seem to think Lily was so... valuable?
Despite her determination to stay awake and alert, the gentle hum of the engines and the emotional exhaustion of the past day soon lulled her into a fitful sleep. Her dreams were a hazy mix of music and memories, of weapons and warnings...
She was jolted back to consciousness by the sensation of being lifted. Lily let out a startled yelp, her eyes flying open to find herself cradled in Chris's arms, like a baby.
"What the?!...." Lily gasped, wrapping her arms around his strong neck out of pure adrenaline.
"Shh," he murmured. "We've landed. You were dead to the world."
Lily knew she should protest, should demand he put her down, but... God, he smelled good. This close, she could see the faint stubble on his jaw, the tiny flecks of gold in his ocean blue eyes. His arms were solid and warm around her, and despite everything, she felt... safe.
"I can walk," she managed to say, though it lacked conviction.
Chris just smiled that infuriating, heart-stopping smile of his. "I know you can. But humor me."
As he carried her off the plane and into the bright sunlight, Lily found herself torn between wanting to knee him in the groin and wanting to bury her face in his neck. Instead, she settled for asking, "Will you at least tell me where we are?"
"Nysoria," Chris replied simply. "And sweetheart? Your questions are about to be answered."
"Nysoria?" Lily repeated, frowning. The word tickled something in her memory.
Where has she heard that word before?!
But before she could chase that thought, she became acutely aware of their surroundings.
People were staring. A lot of people. Because of course, being carried like a bride by a ridiculously handsome man in an expensive suit was bound to draw attention.
"Chris... please..." she begged, her cheeks burning.
Chris's eyes sparkled with mischief. "You know," he drawled, "I'd love to hear you beg in many other situations, sweetie, but right now? Not a chance."
Lily groaned. "You're enjoying this, aren't you?"
"Immensely," he confirmed, adjusting his grip to carry her more securely. "The great Chris Eaton, finally tamed by a beautiful woman? Let them stare."
"I hate you," Lily muttered, finally admitting defeat and burying her face in his suit. It smelled annoyingly good, like his cologne and something uniquely Chris. "You're going to pay for this," she added in a low tone.
She felt rather than and heard his chuckle. "Promise?"
Just when Lily thought her embarrassment couldn't get any worse, Chris finally stopped walking. She peeked out from his suit to see the most outrageous car she'd ever laid eyes on. It was sleek, stylish, and seemed very high tech.
"What in the..." she breathed as Chris somehow managed to open the door while still holding her.
"Like it?" he asked, finally setting her down in the passenger seat. The leather was butter-soft and possibly more comfortable than a four poster bed.
"What even is this?" Lily ran her hand over the dashboard in awe. "I don't think I've ever seen this brand of car before."
Chris slid into the driver's seat with his usual grace. "That's because this car is exclusively made in Nyrosia."
"Nyrosia? Come on, Chris," Lily scoffed, though a nagging feeling tugged at her memory. "I may not be a multi-billionaire like you, but I did graduate top of my class. There's no country called Nyrosia."
Chris just gave her that infuriating half-smile. "You'll see soon enough."
As they drove deeper into what seemed like a city, Lily's skepticism gave way to awe. The buildings looked like something out of a fantasy novel – sleek glass structures twisted into impossible shapes, their surfaces gleaming with iridescent colors that shifted in the sunlight. Every street was lined with trees bearing blossoms she'd never seen before, their petals a shimmer of silver and pale blue.
The people... Lily pressed her face against the window, drinking in the sight. Tall, ethereally beautiful individuals with hair so blonde it was almost white, skin like freshly fallen snow, and eyes in varying shades of crystal blue. They moved with an otherworldly grace, dressed in clothing that seemed to blend high fashion with something entirely alien.
"What fairy tale location is this?" Lily breathed as they passed what could only be described as a palace – a structure of crystalline spires that seemed to defy gravity, its walls embedded with what looked like actual starlight.
High-tech vehicles that made even their prototype car look ordinary glided silently through the streets. Holographic displays floated in the air, showing information in a script Lily didn't recognize.
"This can't be real," she murmured, her billionaire father's wealth suddenly seeming quaint in comparison to... whatever this was.
Chris's expression softened as he watched her wonderment. "You will get used to this… even I was shocked when I first came to this island."
The word 'island' suddenly clicked in Lily's mind, triggering a memory from just yesterday. At the gala in Stockholm, she'd overheard one of the elite girls – was it Victoria or Sophia? – gushing about Nyrosia being the hottest market for luxury goods. An independent island nation near Sweden, she'd called it.
Lily's eyes widened as the pieces fell into place. "It's real," she whispered, more to herself than to Chris. "An entire island nation, hidden from the world?"
She turned to Chris, her mind racing. "How is this even possible?! How do they keep this island hidden from common people?!"
Chris's smile was knowing, almost proud of her for figuring it out. "That's the beauty, my dear," he said, gesturing to the fairytale-like scenery around them. "If others knew, this island wouldn't be as lavish as it is now. Only very few elites know about it, and they come here for trade and business."
Lily sat back, processing this information. It made sense now – the whispered conversations she'd caught snippets of at various high-society events, the knowing looks exchanged between billionaires like Avery Sterling when they thought no one was watching. They'd all known about this hidden paradise.
But why hadn't she? Despite being born into the elite world herself, despite her parents' wealth and connections, she'd been kept in the dark. The question gnawed at her – why had her parents never mentioned Nyrosia?!
Lily's mind whirled with memories, suddenly cast in a new light. All those "romantic getaways" her parents had taken to Sweden – how many had actually been to Nyrosia? She remembered the pattern now: they'd announce a trip to "an island near Sweden," and she'd be told to invite Jude for a sleepover. She'd always thought they were just being lovey-dovey, wanting alone time.
But now... had they been coming here? Making deals in this hidden paradise while she sat at home, clueless? The weight of their deception pressed on her chest. Why keep this from her? She was their daughter – why would they hide about the existence of this island from her?!
The familiar sting of being left out of her parents' life pricked at her heart again. What else didn't she know?!
"I can see those wheels turning," Chris commented, reaching over to tuck a strand of hair behind her ear. "Don't worry, sweetheart. All your questions are about to be answered."
But as they drove deeper into the beautiful city, Lily couldn't shake the feeling that for every answer she was about to get, a dozen new questions would arise.