"This... this is..."
Seeing the dull, old-fashioned gold necklace resting in the small gift box, Sam's hands began to tremble.
She practically snatched the box from him.
Taking the necklace out, she brought it close to her face, examining every link and the familiar clasp.
For the first time that morning, the deadness in her eyes vanished, replaced by a surge of overwhelming joy and disbelief.
"Hunter, this is my mother's necklace. How... how do you have this?"
Seeing her finally snap out of her lifeless state, Hunter maintained his gentle, relieved smile and let out a long breath.
"Thank god I bought the right one. Honestly, I've been worried for days that I got the wrong necklace."
Seeing Sam waiting anxiously for an explanation, Hunter effortlessly spun the web of lies he had prepared days ago.
"A few days ago, on your second day guiding me, your mood suddenly turned terrible."
"I asked you what was wrong, but you wouldn't say anything."
"You were down for days after that. I was worried, so I asked some of your colleagues at the resort, but they didn't know anything either."
"Then, by sheer coincidence, on the day I was asking around, a guy approached me."
"He asked me for ten thousand dollars. After I paid him, he told me that your boyfriend, Jared, had been bragging at the local marine supply store while buying boat parts."
"He let it slip that he had pawned an heirloom left to you by your mother to get the cash."
"I figured that must have been what was breaking your heart."
"So, I spent the next few days scouring pawnshops in Nassau until I finally found the store where your boyfriend sold it."
"I bought it back."
"I wanted to show it to you, to make sure it was really your mother's, and then return it."
"But I couldn't find you. I went to your house a few times, but no one was ever there."
"I was actually planning to just leave it at your workplace today and ask your colleagues to give it to you."
"Thank God I ran into you. Now I can leave the Bahamas knowing I put it safely back in your hands."
Men's mouths are full of ghosts and lies.
Sam, naturally, had no idea that almost nothing Hunter just said was true.
What she heard, and what she felt, was profound care and absolute devotion.
"He really loves me," she thought, overwhelmed. "Otherwise, why would he care so much about my pain? Why would he spend ten thousand dollars on a stranger just for information, and then track down a pawnshop just for me?"
She was deeply moved.
Inevitably, her mind drew a sharp contrast between this man and Jared.
Jared, who had betrayed her trust over and over again. Jared, who had stolen this very necklace. Jared, who she had just caught naked in bed with Amanda.
If she had originally agreed to date Jared to repay him for protecting her after her parents died... then that debt was now fully paid. Overpaid.
"I don't owe you anything anymore, Jared," she thought, her resolve finally solidifying into steel.
She was done. She was officially breaking up with the man who had repeatedly broken her heart.
The moment she made that decision, Sam felt an immense, crushing weight lift off her shoulders. The invisible shackles that had bound her to Jared's failures and temper for the last year shattered. She could finally breathe.
But as she looked down at her mother's necklace, she felt a new bond forming.
This one, however, didn't feel suffocating. It felt warm and secure.
"Hunter..."
Tears welled up in her eyes again. "Thank you..."
She knew this handsome, gentle Asian man was leaving the Bahamas soon.
She also knew she was completely broke. Every dollar she made had gone to supporting herself and Jared. Even if she asked her friends or colleagues for a loan, they weren't wealthy either. A few hundred dollars was possible; ten thousand dollars was out of the question.
Sam hated owing anyone.
She was incredibly moved by what Hunter had done for her. Her guard against him was completely gone, replaced by a massive surge of affection.
But she had just suffered a devastating heartbreak. She knew she couldn't just magically fall in love and let another man into her heart so quickly.
Yet, he was leaving soon. If she delayed, she would never have the chance to repay this man who had shown her such tenderness and given her back her most precious possession.
For a moment, Sam wrestled with herself.
She had always known she was beautiful. Since she was a teenager, men had flocked to her, trying to get into her bed.
But she had been raised in a strict Catholic environment. Her views on relationships and marriage were deeply traditional. Before Jared, she had been far more conservative than her peers. And with Jared, she had been fiercely loyal, enduring his flaws because she believed they were heading toward marriage.
Until he shattered that dream.
Sam realized she had nothing of value left to offer this man... except herself.
And she knew he wanted her. He had confessed his feelings to her just days ago.
"So be it," she decided.
"Before you leave the Bahamas, I will stay by your side."
"Consider it my repayment. And... a farewell to a romance that can never blossom."
Having made the silent vow to offer herself to him, she felt a strange sense of peace. The gold necklace in her hand, which had felt impossibly heavy moments ago, now just felt like a comforting piece of her past restored to her.
Hunter, watching her intently, caught every subtle shift in her expression.
With his [Micro-Expression Analysis] and [Emotion Reading] skills both at Level 4, he tracked her internal struggle and recognized the exact moment she made her decision.
He knew he had won. The prize was his.
But he was too experienced to rush it and risk ruining the atmosphere at the final hurdle.
"The villa is out of groceries," Hunter said softly, breaking the silence with an easy, casual tone.
"And honestly, since I got to the Bahamas, I haven't really explored downtown Nassau."
"Sam, would you mind coming with me to the city? We can walk around, and I'd like to buy some souvenirs for my friends back home."
He had a plan. He was going to spend the day out with her, giving him time to properly arrange the villa.
He would prepare a lavish, romantic candlelit dinner.
And then, he would give her a perfect night.
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