The next day.
The alarm went off right on time, and Anna, still half asleep, furrowed her brows. She stretched her snow-white arm from the blankets and groped for her phone on the nightstand to turn off the alarm.
Remembering that she was supposed to watch the sunrise, she slowly blinked her sleepy eyes. She lay there for another minute or two before finally getting up to wash her face and do her makeup.
Even though she was exhausted, Anna was still willing to sacrifice a bit of sleep to get ready, carefully selecting the clothes she would wear out. She couldn't stand the thought of leaving the house without getting properly dressed.
By the time she finished getting ready, there were still seven minutes left before her meeting time with Chase.
When she came downstairs, she saw that he was already standing by the door of the villa, waiting for her.
She jogged up to him, asking, "When did you get here?"
Chase turned when he heard her voice. The moment he saw her, a look of awe flashed in his eyes.
Her red lips, delicate makeup, and casually elegant wavy hair.
The pale blue square-neck dress she wore perfectly showcased her long, graceful neck and shoulders, and the waist-cinching design accentuated her slender figure.
The combination of youthful innocence and mature allure was perfectly balanced—gentle, sweet, and full of elegance.
"The princess is always so beautiful and exquisite," he said with admiration.
"Of course," Anna raised her chin slightly, her voice full of pride. "How could I not live up to the title of 'princess'?"
Chase smiled, the corners of his mouth curving. "Getting up so early to watch the sunrise, are you tired?"
"Tired," Anna looked at him with her bright, beautiful eyes. "But I can't just leave you hanging, can I?"
Chase's eyes sparkled with a visible smile. "Thank you for keeping your word, Princess."
"Put on the jacket," he said, taking the jacket he was holding and draping it over her shoulders.
The sudden movement caught Anna off guard for a moment. She looked down at the jacket and realized it wasn't really a jacket—it was a white shirt.
"Why did you think of giving me a shirt as a jacket?"
"Other jackets would be too big for you. I was afraid you wouldn't like how they looked on you, so I grabbed this shirt as a thin outer layer."
Chase's eyes lingered on her. The shirt, draped over her frame, was clearly still a bit large. It reached her hips, and the sleeves extended a little too far.
But there was a certain carefree beauty in the way it fit her, making her look even more delicate and graceful.
"You really thought of everything. It actually looks pretty good on me." Anna rolled up the sleeves to her wrists.
White and blue, a high-class contrast of colors—pure and fresh, perfect for summer.
Plus, the material of his shirt was incredibly comfortable.
Suddenly, an idea popped into Anna's head: his shirt would make a perfect homewear pajama.
"Princess looks beautiful in anything."
Chase slowed his pace, subtly matching her steps as they both headed toward the beach.
Anna's lips curved into a smile, pleased by his words.
They took their time strolling toward the shore. The sun was still hidden behind the clouds, and the sky glowed faintly in a pale blue light.
There were a few other people at the beach, waiting for the sunrise as well.
Chase glanced at the time on his phone. "It should be coming up soon. Let's wait here."
"Okay," Anna turned her head to ask him in a soft, questioning tone, "Can you do me a favor later?"
Without hesitation, Chase agreed, "Sure."
Anna slightly parted her bright red lips. "Aren't you going to ask what I need you to do?"
"I'll ask now," Chase leaned slightly forward to meet her gaze, his voice lazy as he asked, "What can I do for you, Princess?"
The sudden closeness and the warmth of his breath made Anna's heart flutter. This man was definitely doing it on purpose.
She met his gaze with a playful tilt of her head. "When the sun rises, can you record a video for me?"
She wasn't about to let all the makeup go to waste.
Chase was caught off guard by her boldness, an unfamiliar warmth spreading through him, but he answered simply, "Sure."
Hearing his slightly hoarse voice, Anna smiled and began explaining how she wanted the video.
"Stand behind me when it happens. Capture both me and the sunrise together, blending me into the scene."
"I got it." Chase nodded slightly. "You watch the view, and I'll capture you watching it."
That was what she meant, but somehow, the way he phrased it made it sound romantic.
Anna extended her phone toward him. "Here you go."
"No need." Chase hid his personal intentions and said, "Use my phone to film it. I'll send the video to you on WhatsApp."
"Okay," Anna agreed.
She would use her own phone to capture the sunrise, while he could record her through a second perspective.
"Are you cold?" Chase asked her.
"No…" Anna started to respond but was interrupted when she noticed a golden glow in the distance—the sun was breaking through the clouds.
The sunlight reflected on the ocean, turning the whole surface into a fiery crimson.
She excitedly tapped on the man's shoulder, urging him, "Chase, look!"
"Got it," he replied, though his gaze lingered more on the slender hand tapping his shoulder than the horizon.
Anna was completely captivated by the view, unaware that Chase wasn't looking at the sunrise at all—he was watching her.
She opened her camera app and snapped a picture of the rising sun.
Chase, on the other hand, didn't forget his task. He captured both the scene and her, blending her into the beauty of the moment.
The one watching the view was also part of the view.
"Princess, look at me."
Anna turned her head, giving him a radiant smile that lit up her eyes.
The brilliant smile before him made Chase stare at her for a long while.
The sea breeze tousled her hair, as though it was stirring his heart.
The romance wasn't just in the sunrise. It was in waking up at 5 AM to watch it together, sharing this beautiful moment of the orange sea.
The clouds above them kept shifting colors—pink, red, orange…
The light bathed the earth.
By the time the sun had fully risen, Anna was still a little reluctant to leave.
"Let's go."
"Let's go."
Chase pressed the red pause button on his phone and put it away. "Do you want to head back to the hotel to catch up on sleep, or should we grab breakfast first?"
"Let's have breakfast first," Anna asked, "Are there any good places to eat around here?"
"You've come to the right person. I'll take you there," Chase replied, smiling.
Though he was also on vacation here, it wasn't his first time visiting.