Chapter 495

The side door opened onto the beach, where the ocean breeze danced across the water's surface, sending gentle waves lapping against the shore.

Night had fallen, casting the beach in a dim, silvery glow. Only a handful of couples strolled along the sand, their laughter carried away by the wind.

Vivian stepped onto the uneven terrain, her sharp gaze sweeping the coastline with urgency.

The wind tangled her hair and lifted the hem of her white dress, exposing her toned legs. She moved like a shadow slipping through the darkness—graceful yet untamed.

She searched for what felt like an eternity, but her efforts yielded nothing. The initial thrill of the chase faded into frustration.

"Ethan, damn you," she muttered under her breath. "Are we playing hide-and-seek now? How childish."

The absurdity of it all struck her. If he was alive, he would show himself eventually.

With a sigh, she bent to brush the sand from her calves, then tucked her windblown hair behind her ears. It was time to go home.

But as she straightened, her breath caught.

A tall, familiar figure stood about a hundred yards ahead, his back to her as he stared out at the ocean. The lighting was poor, but the silhouette was unmistakable—broad shoulders, that proud posture, the sharp angle of his jaw.

It had to be Ethan.

Her pulse spiked.

"Ethan!"

The name tore from her lips before she could stop herself.

But instead of turning, the man bolted.

Vivian froze for half a second before instinct kicked in. She sprinted after him.

"Stop running!"

Her legs, still recovering from injury, protested, but she pushed through the pain. She couldn’t let him disappear again.

The soft sand made every step treacherous.

Ahead, the man stumbled, crashing onto the beach with a muffled curse.

Vivian didn’t hesitate. She lunged, pinning him beneath her with the precision of a predator.

"Got you," she hissed. "No more games. What are you hiding from?"

The man beneath her went still, then let out a low, amused chuckle.

"Still relentless, I see," he said, his voice laced with amusement. "If this were Ethan, I doubt he'd survive your ambush."

Vivian's stomach dropped.

Julian turned his head, revealing a face eerily similar to Ethan's—but not quite the same.

"Sorry," he said, flashing an apologetic grin. "I just wanted to buy you a drink. Didn’t mean to give you the wrong idea."

Their position was uncomfortably intimate, her legs straddling his waist.

Vivian recoiled, scrambling off him with a scowl.

Julian sat up, brushing sand from his clothes. "Though I can’t say I mind the view."

She glared. "Not funny."

His smirk faded. "No. It’s not."

For a moment, neither spoke. The ocean roared between them.

Then Julian sighed. "You really thought I was him, didn’t you?"

Vivian didn’t answer.

She didn’t have to.