Blue skies and fluffy clouds hung over the rolling mountains, framing a view that looked like a postcard.

It was a shame no one was actually looking at it.

The air inside the car was suffocating. Arianna Stone sat in the passenger seat, staring out the window, her expression as blank as a screen. Her knuckles, however, were white where she gripped her phone.

"Didn't I tell you already?" Cameron Hughes glanced at her, brow furrowed with annoyance. "She was just messing around. Can’t you just let it go?"

"Messing around?" Arianna repeated, her voice steady. "Who 'messes around' by sending bikini selfies to someone else's boyfriend?"

Cameron choked on his own retort and went silent.

Thirty minutes ago, while Arianna had been using his phone to play a game, she’d seen a notification pop up on his iMessage.

*Sorry, sorry, that was meant for someone else…*

Curiosity had gotten the better of her. She’d opened it.

It was a high-resolution, scandalous bikini shot. A woman lounging on a beach chair, wearing almost nothing, her skin glowing, hair tousled by the sea breeze. She was looking right at the camera with a brilliant, predatory smile.

Arianna might have even liked the photo, had it not been sent to her boyfriend.

They reached the camping site on the ridge. Being the weekend, it was packed. It took Cameron a long time to maneuver his SUV into a tight parking spot. Once the engine died, he turned to Arianna.

She was still staring out the window, refusing to acknowledge him.

Cameron’s irritation flickered, but as his eyes lingered on her face, his anger softened. Arianna was undeniably stunning. She wore a simple summer dress that hugged her frame, her shoulders bare and porcelain-pale. Beneath long, thick lashes, her dark eyes were usually clear and piercing, but when she looked at you, they seemed to shimmer like moonlight on water.

He cleared his throat, trying to smooth things over. "Alexis is just like that, Arianna. You know how she is, right?"

Alexis. The woman who’d sent the photo.

Arianna looked out the window. *Oh, I know exactly how she is,* she thought.

She didn't say a word, which Cameron took as a sign of surrender. "When she gets here, I'll tell her off, alright? I’ll make sure she stops sending stuff like that. Happy now?"

Arianna paused. "She’s coming, too?"

Cameron nodded. "Yeah, why?"

"You told me it was just going to be the two of us today."

Cameron rubbed his nose guiltily, letting out a forced laugh. "Well, once the guys heard about the camping trip, they all started clamoring to join. They’re my boys; I couldn't really say no, right? We’ll all just hang out together."

"Is she one of your 'boys' too?"

Cameron didn't catch the edge in her voice. He smirked. "Actually, yeah. Alexis is a total tomboy. None of us even think of her as a woman."

Arianna just offered a thin, polite smile.

Soon, a string of luxury cars pulled in, drawing envious stares from other campers. Cameron stood by the car, lighting a cigarette, the flame of his lighter illuminating his sharp features. He exhaled a cloud of smoke, his expression effortlessly arrogant.

Alexis stepped out of her car and saw him there. Her eyes went soft. Then, she looked at the woman sitting in his SUV.

She genuinely couldn't understand what Cameron—a wealthy heir to a sprawling family estate—saw in Arianna. He chased her like she was some goddess, acting like a servant terrified of displeasing her.

In terms of status, Arianna wasn't even in his league. In terms of looks, the city was full of girls like her.

Cameron crushed his cigarette in the bin and walked back, tapping on the window. "They're here. Let's go."

Arianna gave a soft "mhm" and stepped out of the car.

Alexis immediately smoothed her expression, beaming as she walked toward them. "Arianna! Long time no see. You're looking radiant."

"Thanks," Arianna said coolly. "You, too."

Alexis nudged Cameron with her shoulder, laughing. "You’re a lucky man. We all thought you’d end up a bachelor for life."

Cameron shrugged, his tone dismissive. "Whatever."

Miles Young, one of their friends, chimed in with a lit cigarette dangling from his lips. "What, Alexis? Jealous?"

"Sure," she giggled, eyes darting to Cameron. "If I ever find a boyfriend, I’ll want someone as gentle and attentive as Arianna, though I doubt I'll ever be that domestic."

The group erupted into raucous laughter.

"Alexis, are you even a girl?"

"She's a dude in a dress, don't mind her."

Amidst the banter, Alexis shoved one of them playfully. She turned to Cameron and tilted her chin. "Come on, help me grab the rest of the supplies. Miles brought way too much food."

Cameron looked at Arianna. "Stay here for a sec? I'll be right back."

"Go ahead," Arianna said.

"Cameron, seriously? You have to check in with your girlfriend for a five-minute walk?" Alexis looped her arm through his, pulling him toward her car. "Let’s go! I’m starving, and if we wait much longer, the sun’s going to set before we get the grill going!"

She dragged him away, waving back at Arianna with a look of smug triumph.

Arianna didn't respond. She just watched the way Cameron didn't even try to pull his arm away.

Alexis seemed to sense Arianna’s gaze and tightened her grip, resting her head on Cameron’s shoulder. "So, why didn't you text me back last night? You owe me an explanation."

"Was busy," Cameron replied, laughing softly. "Didn't check my phone."

"Liar," Alexis teased. "You replied to Miles!"

Arianna stood in the silence of the campsite, watching them. *They really do look like a couple,* she thought. *They’re perfect for each other.*

Miles leaned over to Arianna, trying to be friendly. "Don't mind them, sister-in-law. They've always been like this. We’re used to it."

Arianna smiled gently. "Always like this?"

Her face was soft, lacking any hint of aggression, so no one heard the ice beneath her words.

"Oh, yeah," someone else piped up. "Last time we went hiking, Alexis got tired halfway up and forced Cameron to piggyback her. He carried her the rest of the way."

Arianna raised an eyebrow, genuinely curious. "And he did it?"

"Of course," the guy said. "It’s nothing. We don't see Alexis as a woman, and Cameron definitely doesn't either."

*Right,* Arianna thought. *Of course.*

The campsite was beautiful—triangular tents, portable stoves, the smell of grilling meat, and a sea of green stretching toward the hazy, mist-covered mountain peaks.

Arianna sat in her chair, trying to enjoy the view, but the constant noise was grating.

"Miles, pass me the lamb," Alexis shouted. "Cameron, where's the beef? I thought you were in charge of the beef?"

"Forgot," Cameron replied lazily.

Alexis pouted. "You really are a whipped, love-sick dog, aren't you? Forget your friends the second you get a girlfriend."

Arianna had heard enough. She stood up. "You guys keep eating. I'm going to take a walk."

Cameron started to stand up, too. "Where to? I'll come with you."

"No," Alexis snapped, gripping his arm. "You're staying. You promised to help with the skewers. You can't just eat and do nothing, Cameron."

Arianna curved her lips into a faint, serene smile. "I'm just going for a wander. Don't worry about me."

She turned and walked away.

She was a sweet-looking woman, and when she walked away, her eyes—usually as warm as the stars—held a look of quiet clarity. It was enough to make Alexis shiver, a strange feeling that Arianna saw everything, that she was just choosing not to speak.

She wandered past the tents, toward the open lawn at the back of the base.

Unexpectedly, a man was standing under a tree.

He wore a black T-shirt and slim-fit trousers. He was tall, nearly six-foot-two, with a cold, imposing presence. He was staring at his phone, his face bathed in the soft, pale light of the screen, making him look distant and unreachable.

Arianna stopped, thinking about turning back, but the man had already locked eyes with her.

He extinguished his screen, looked up, and stared straight at her. His gaze carried a weight she couldn't quite name.

Arianna froze. "Sorry, I didn't mean to intrude."

The man looked her up and down, a faint spark of amusement in his eyes. "Don't remember me?"

Arianna blinked. "I'm sorry, have we met?"

They were too far apart for her to see his face clearly, but she noticed the warmth in his eyes vanish the moment she spoke. He looked genuinely annoyed.

Arianna felt a pang of insecurity. She had always been like this—constantly searching for flaws within herself, overthinking, apologizing for existing. She was trying to change, but old habits died hard.

Just as she was about to bow her head and retreat, the man walked over and stopped right in front of her.

He stood in the shadows, silhouetted by the distant campsite lights. "My mistake," he said softly.

"Pardon?"

"I thought you were someone else," he said, the corners of his mouth twitching upward. "You look quite like a friend of mine. My apologies."

Arianna exhaled. "Oh. No worries."

"Could you help me with one thing?"

"Sure."

"I," he hesitated, sounding almost embarrassed, "I’m a bit directionally challenged. I’m completely lost. You’re heading back toward the camp, right? Could I walk with you?"

Arianna stared at him, bewildered. "You’ve been standing here this whole time... because you were lost?"

He nodded with total, deadpan seriousness.

"Alright," Arianna said, sighing. "Let's go."

"Thank you," he replied.

They walked back together, their steps clicking against the stone path.

"Are you here for the sunrise tomorrow?" he asked casually.

"Yes," Arianna replied, keeping her guard up.

"With friends?"

"Yes."

Suddenly, the lights at the restaurant went out, plunging the path into near-total darkness. Arianna stumbled, her heel catching on the edge of a stone. She tipped, instinctively reaching for a nearby tree.

She didn't see the hand the man had thrust out to shield her, his fingers twitching in the air, desperate to steady her but holding back.

The lights buzzed back to life a moment later.

"Are you alright?" he asked, his voice cool and detached.

"I'm fine," Arianna breathed.

When they reached the edge of the picnic area, Arianna stopped. "This is the BBQ zone. I'm sure you can find your way from here."

He looked at her, his gaze lingering with an intensity that felt almost hungry. "Understood. Thank you for the company."

"No problem. See you around."

Arianna walked away, disappearing into the crowd.

The man watched her until she was gone, his voice dropping to a whisper. "See you again."

*I hope I see you again.*

Back at the tent, the group was rowdy. Alexis was sitting right next to Cameron, their shoulders brushing.

Arianna sat in the empty chair next to Miles, ignoring them.

"Remember that time at the orchard?" Alexis was laughing loudly, grabbing Cameron's arm. "Miles was being such an idiot, running from that dog! Oh my god, it was hilarious!"

Cameron glanced at Arianna guiltily, then back at Alexis. "I remember."

Miles groaned. "Can we talk about something else?"

"I'm just saying!" Alexis laughed, then turned her focus to Arianna. "By the way, Arianna, I saw you put on sunscreen earlier. You put on like, five layers. I looked at that and just felt exhausted. I could never do that."

The table chuckled.

Arianna didn't get angry. She just looked at Alexis. "Do you not wear sunscreen?"

"Never," Alexis said, picking up a skewer. "It feels too sticky. I hate it."

Arianna stared at her skin for a long moment.

Finally, she smiled. "Oh. That explains... so much."

Alexis froze. "Explains what?"

"Nothing," Arianna said softly.

Alexis felt her blood pressure spike. She wasn't used to Arianna fighting back.

"Don't worry about her," Cameron said, though he didn't really defend Arianna. "Just eat your meat."

Alexis snatched a skewer from Miles’s plate. "Mine!"

"You're stingy," Miles grumbled.

"I'm not stingy," Alexis laughed, leaning into Cameron. "Cameron’s my brother. What's his is mine, and what's mine is his."

The table whooped in amusement, completely ignoring the fact that Arianna was still sitting right there.

Arianna looked at Cameron. He was drinking, his face flushed and arrogant, looking like a man who didn't have a care in the world.

Alexis leaned over and handed him another beer. "Drink slow. If you pass out, I’m not carrying you."

"Don't worry," Cameron chuckled.

Arianna leaned back and started to laugh.

She couldn't stop. It was just so absurd. She wondered how she had ever been blind enough to think this was love.

Alexis, sensing the shift in the air, decided to go for the kill. "By the way, Arianna, I heard you were upset about that photo I sent. I meant to send that to Noah."

Noah tossed his phone to Miles. "Take a look."

Miles looked at the screen, eyes widening. "Wow. I didn't know you had a side like that, Alexis."

"It was just a casual shot," Alexis said, waving a hand. "I wasn't even wearing makeup. I just sent it to Noah to give him some eye candy since he’s single. It was an accident that Cameron got it. You don't mind, do you?"

She leaned against Cameron again. "We’ve been close since we were kids. If anything were going to happen between us, it would have happened years ago. We’re not like that. Right, Cameron?"

Before Cameron could speak, Arianna stood up.

She tucked her phone into her bag and looked down at Alexis. "Actually," she said calmly, "I do mind."

The table went dead silent.

Arianna looked at Cameron one last time, her expression indifferent. "But it doesn't matter anymore. Send whatever you want, Alexis. Cameron... isn't my boyfriend anymore."