Xan's Perspective — The Opportunity
Xan learned about Nicole's marriage by accident.
A passing comment in a boardroom. A careless congratulation from a junior executive who thought Xan already knew. "Wild news about Gu Sean, right? Married already."
The words had landed wrong—too sharp, too sudden.
Married.
Gu Sean didn't tell him. Not directly. And that alone told Xan everything was not as perfect as it sounded.
Xan smiled politely in the meeting, nodded like the news was old, but inside his thoughts were already racing. Gu Sean didn't hide things from him unless there was trouble. They'd been inseparable since childhood—shared scraped knees, shared ambitions, shared secrets that never left the room.
Later that night, Xan made a call.
It didn't ring long.
"Xan," Gu Sean said, voice low, strained. "I was going to call you."
That was confirmation enough.
They talked for over an hour. About the marriage. About the contract that stopped being just a contract. About Nicole leaving the house with a bag in her hand and hurt in her eyes. About the confession—the truth only the rescuer would know.
"I didn't mean to trap her," Gu Sean said quietly. "I just… couldn't lose her."
Xan listened like a good friend should. He reassured him. Told him space was healthy. Told him Nicole needed time, not pressure.
Then he made a suggestion that sounded innocent.
"Let me send her on a business trip," Xan said. "Clear her head. Give her distance. You don't want her making emotional decisions in the middle of all this."
Gu Sean exhaled in relief. "That might be good. Thank you."
Xan ended the call with a calm voice and steady hands.
But when the screen went dark, his expression changed.
Because Gu Sean didn't know everything.
Xan had noticed Nicole long before the marriage. Long before the estate. Long before the ring.
He noticed her brilliance at work. Her quiet resilience. The way she listened more than she spoke—but when she spoke, people leaned in. He admired her strength, her gentleness, the way she never asked for help yet always deserved it.
And that night of the accident?
Xan had been there too.
⸻
The Ocean — What Xan Remembered
The storm had been violent. The kind that made the sea look alive, furious, swallowing everything in its path.
Xan had seen her from a distance—Nicole—struggling in the water, waves pulling her under. He had been running toward the shoreline when someone else reached her first.
Gu Sean.
Xan remembered stopping short, rain pouring down his face, watching his best friend dive without hesitation. He remembered the way Gu Sean held her, spoke to her, kept her conscious.
You're not done yet.
Xan had stayed back. Called for help. Cleared the path for the medics.
He told himself that was enough.
But some nights, he wondered what would've happened if he'd reached her first.
⸻
Two Days Later — Nicole
The next two days passed like she was watching her life through glass.
She packed again—this time for work. Ash hugged her tightly at the door, whispering reminders to eat, to sleep, to call if she needed anything.
Nicole nodded, numb but functional.
At the airport, Xan upgraded her without mentioning it. First class. Quiet. Spacious. A place where no one expected her to explain anything.
As the plane lifted into the air, Nicole stared out the window, watching the city shrink beneath her.
I'm married, she thought distantly.
And I don't know what that means anymore.
⸻
Arrival — Xan Watching
Xan noticed everything when she arrived.
The exhaustion in her posture. The way her eyes scanned the room instinctively, like she was bracing for impact. The faint shadows beneath her eyes that hadn't been there weeks ago.
He kept his distance at first—professional, composed.
"Long flight," he said with an easy smile. "You did great today. We'll talk strategy tomorrow."
That night, he invited her to dinner under the guise of discussing the client.
A quiet restaurant. Soft lighting. Just enough privacy.
Nicole ordered wine. Then another.
Her shoulders loosened. Her laugh came easier. The tension she'd been holding finally began to slip.
Xan watched carefully, emotions colliding inside him—guilt, desire, loyalty, opportunity.
She trusted him.
That was the most dangerous part.
Nicole rested her chin in her hand, eyes unfocused. "You ever feel like your life just… turns without asking?"
Xan met her gaze. "All the time."
She smiled sadly. "Good. I thought it was just me."
He felt it then—the shift. The opening.
Xan leaned back slightly, giving her space, even as his thoughts betrayed him.
Gu Sean is my brother, he reminded himself.
But Nicole…
As the night wore on and the wine deepened her warmth, Xan knew one thing for certain.
This trip was never just business.
And if he was honest with himself—
He had every intention of stepping into the space Gu Sean had left behind.
The question was whether Nicole would let him.