Chapter 66 — The Idea
London nights had a different kind of silence.
Not the peaceful kind.
The kind that settles after chaos… when everyone is still trying to remember how to breathe again.
The hotel lounge on the top floor was quiet. Floor-to-ceiling glass walls showed the city lights below, but inside the room the atmosphere felt… heavy.
Nineteen people.
One less than before.
That absence sat in the room like an invisible chair no one dared to mention.
Soft music played somewhere in the background, but no one was really listening.
Care sat curled up on one of the couches with a blanket around her shoulders. She was better now—physically at least—but there was still a fragile softness in her movements.
Cole sat on the arm of the couch beside her, one hand lazily holding a glass of juice.
Ash sat near the window, staring outside at the city.
Ben and Nova were speaking quietly over a tablet.
Alex leaned against Lyra's shoulder.
Joong and Daisy were arguing over something stupid on Joong's phone.
Freya and Endrix were playing a slow game of chess on the coffee table.
Rakhi rested her head against Cin's shoulder.
Ella and Aries were sharing dessert.
Percy and Honey sat together in a corner.
And Keifer and JJ were at the bar counter.
No one was laughing.
Not really.
Everyone was still tired from the last few weeks.
Hospitals.
Gunshots.
Betrayals.
Loss.
Ash hadn't spoken much since the Kevin incident. No one forced her to.
Keifer watched the room quietly.
His group.
His family.
And they all looked… broken.
Then suddenly—
SLAP.
A glossy brochure hit the middle of the table.
Everyone looked up.
Percy stood there with his usual chaotic energy.
"Alright," he announced dramatically, "this depressing atmosphere is illegal."
Freya raised an eyebrow.
"Percy…"
He pointed at everyone one by one.
"You. Trauma."
He pointed at Care.
"You. Hospital."
Then he pointed at Ash.
"You… heartbreak."
Ash didn't even react.
Percy clapped his hands once.
"Enough."
He pushed the brochure toward them.
"We're going somewhere."
Joong leaned forward first.
"Where?"
Freya picked up the brochure and flipped it open.
Her eyes paused.
Then widened slightly.
"…Oh."
JJ leaned over her shoulder.
"Oh hell yes."
Care tilted her head.
"What is it?"
Freya slowly turned the brochure around.
Maldives.
Photos of endless white beaches.
Glass-clear turquoise water.
Overwater villas floating on the ocean.
Private islands.
Sunsets burning across the horizon.
Honey gasped softly.
"Oh my god…"
Ella leaned closer.
"That's gorgeous."
Aries whistled low.
"Damn."
Percy spread his arms like a salesman presenting a luxury car.
"Ladies and gentlemen… I present to you: healing."
Ben adjusted his glasses.
"We can't just disappear for a week."
Nova glanced at the tablet.
"I can manage the hospital remotely."
Ben blinked.
"…you already thought about this?"
Nova shrugged calmly.
"Of course."
Alex was already typing on his phone.
Lucas' company operations appeared on the screen.
"Stable."
Joong checked something else.
"Factories are running fine."
Daisy nodded.
"Same here."
Freya leaned back with a thoughtful smile.
"Well… it is a private island."
Endrix added calmly,
"Meaning zero paparazzi."
Rakhi smiled slightly.
"And zero responsibilities."
Cin nodded.
"That alone sounds worth it."
JJ leaned back in her chair and grinned.
"Twenty billionaires on a private island…"
She paused.
"…this will either heal us or destroy us."
Laughter finally broke across the room.
Soft at first.
Then louder.
Care laughed too.
A real laugh.
The first one in weeks.
Cole noticed immediately.
His eyes softened.
Keifer noticed too.
That was enough reason for him.
He pulled out his phone.
"Done."
Everyone looked at him.
"Done?" Percy repeated.
Keifer placed the phone down casually.
"I just booked the entire island resort."
Silence.
Then Joong exploded.
"WHAT—"
"THE ENTIRE ISLAND??"
Keifer shrugged.
"What? Privacy."
JJ leaned forward, amused.
"You're insane."
"Thank you."
Freya laughed.
"Only you would solve problems by buying an island."
Percy looked deeply emotional.
"Keifer… marry me."
Honey smacked his arm.
"Excuse me??"
Percy pointed dramatically.
"FOR THE ISLAND."
Everyone burst out laughing again.
The mood had shifted.
Finally.
Cole leaned back lazily.
"One week?"
Keifer nodded.
"One week."
"No work."
Nova closed the tablet.
"Only healing."
Care smiled softly.
"Beach sunsets…"
Daisy grinned.
"Swimming."
Joong added dramatically,
"Rich people problems."
Ella laughed.
"We already have those."
Then Care suddenly leaned forward mischievously.
"Oh wait…"
Her eyes moved across the couples.
"Oh this is going to be fun."
Cole groaned.
"Oh no."
Care pointed one by one.
"Alex and Lyra — romantic sunset walks."
Alex immediately protested.
"Absolutely not."
Lyra smirked.
"Absolutely yes."
Care continued.
"Ben and Nova — medical discussions on the beach."
Ben sighed.
"Accurate."
Nova smirked.
"Very."
"Daisy and Joong — fighting in the ocean."
Joong gasped.
"We do NOT fight."
Daisy stared at him.
"Joong."
"…okay we fight."
Care moved to the married couples.
"Oh this is even better."
She pointed dramatically.
"Keifer and JJ."
JJ immediately raised an eyebrow.
"Care…"
"Don't."
Care grinned wider.
"The power couple taking over the entire island."
Keifer smirked.
"Already did."
Everyone laughed.
"Percy and Honey — loudest couple on the island."
Honey hid her face.
Percy looked proud.
"Thank you."
"Ella and Aries — suspiciously quiet honeymoon behavior."
Aries coughed.
Ella kicked him.
"Care!"
"Freya and Endrix — intellectual beach debates."
Endrix nodded calmly.
"Probably."
Freya laughed.
"Definitely."
"Rakhi and Cin — secretly judging everyone."
Cin didn't deny it.
Rakhi smiled innocently.
Cole clapped slowly.
"Care woke up and chose chaos today."
Care leaned back proudly.
"Of course."
But then Freya slowly crossed her arms.
"Oh wait."
Cole froze.
"No."
Freya smiled sweetly.
"What about you two?"
The entire group turned.
Care blinked.
"…what?"
Joong leaned forward.
"Oh this is interesting."
JJ smirked.
"Yes."
Percy pointed dramatically.
"Care and Cole."
Cole choked on his drink.
"WHAT—"
Alex grinned.
"Oh absolutely."
Lyra added calmly.
"The only two not in relationships."
Care immediately waved her hands.
"No no no no."
JJ leaned forward with predator energy.
"Oh come on."
"Beach."
"Sunset."
"Two single people."
Cole pointed at everyone.
"You guys are insane."
Freya tilted her head.
"Are we?"
Care grabbed a pillow and threw it at them.
"STOP."
Joong laughed loudly.
"Oh this trip is going to be amazing."
Percy nodded.
"Absolute chaos."
JJ raised her glass.
"To the Maldives."
Everyone lifted their drinks.
Nineteen glasses clinked together.
"To healing."
Outside, London continued moving.
But inside the room…
For the first time since the shooting—
They were excited again.
And somewhere across the ocean…
A private island waited.
For nineteen chaotic billionaires. 🌊