The next morning, I regret waking up.
A new mission notification flashes across the villa's big screen:
Couple Physical Challenge: Win a Luxurious Breakfast!
Task: Swim to the other side of the pool while hugging your partner. The fastest couple wins.**
I stare at it.
Hugo, as usual, is grinning like he's been waiting for this exact nonsense all his life.
"I don't swim," I announce.
"You don't have to," he says, voice way too casual. "You just need to hold on."
Hold on, he says.
I glare at him. "You just want to take advantage of this, don't you?"
He doesn't deny it. Of course, he doesn't.
When we arrive at the poolside, I immediately spot the other couples warming up.
Yohan Gale and Joanna look like a pair of elegant swans—graceful, synchronized.
Felix and Susan are stretching together, a literal power couple, flexing their championship-worthy bodies.
Beatrix and Dean are calmly strategizing.
