A city filled with tourists and generations of couples filled Elvira’s empty heart once again with the assurance that “Everything will be alright.” Her eyes wandered along the shores of the ocean.

A car was sent to pick her up from the airport. She was immensely excited to see her new life and how it would change everything, making it as splendid as she had imagined.

But is life ever that simple? Will everything really go her way?

The hotel building was magnificent. She knew it ranked among the world’s top five hotel chains, but she had never visited any of their locations. Her first impression of the breathtaking beauty and elegance of the hotel almost caused her to trip while getting out of the car, refusing to take her eyes off the hotel and onto the ground.

“Hello, Miss Pearce. We wholeheartedly welcome you,” a pair of girls said, plastering tight smiles on their faces. Their hair was tied up in neat buns. They wore specific uniforms that accentuated their figures.

“Thank you,” Elvira nodded, feeling somewhat uncomfortable as she wore a simple summer dress, her curly hair cascading down her back and covering her bare shoulders.

“This is your key, Miss Pearce,” one of the girls said, handing Elvira a key card to her room, allocated by HR.

The page boy loaded her stuff into a trolley and asked her to follow him to her room. She smiled awkwardly at the girls once more before quickly catching up with the page boy.

They reached the room, which had a double bed and dim lights. The theme of the room seemed to be designed for couples. She was a little disappointed by the color of the walls, which stirred a longing to be with someone she loved. But there was no one.

Why though? It wasn’t like she was ugly or didn’t have a good personality. Then why was there no one who wanted to share this romantic room with her?

“Thank you for your service,” Elvira appreciated the page boy, who bowed with the same tight smile and left the room, closing the door behind him.

Elvira flopped onto the bed, arching her back. “Finally, I can rest,” she murmured, shutting her eyes.

Suddenly, her phone rang. The name flashing on the screen made her chest feel heavy. She wanted to scream and cry, but instead, she declined the call and switched her phone off.

She closed her eyes again, but this time, sleep evaded her. She just wanted to cry, but she had promised herself she wouldn’t. She would never cry for the people who had left her miserable on that tempestuous night—alone, crying and barely making it home. She could have been in an accident or worse, the victim of an assault as a lone girl.

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But no one cared. So why were they calling her now? What did they even want? Forgiveness? Not a chance. She would never forgive them after what they did to her.

“Ugh! I should just explore the area.” She abruptly got up from the bed.

After unpacking, she took her laptop out and placed it on the table. Next, she neatly arranged her clothes in the closet. It was just enough for her small wardrobe.

Then she decided to take a bath and go downstairs to meet some people and visit the beach. She wasn’t allowed in the kitchen until tomorrow when her work officially started.

After her bath and ensuring the room was locked, she headed down to the reception. The two girls from earlier were working at the desk.

So they’re receptionists, she thought.

“Hello, Miss Pearce. Do you need anything?” one of them asked, offering a faint smile.

Elvira then noticed that she had been observing them as if she were a serial killer studying her victims.

“No, no. I was just passing by,” Elvira shook her head, quickly reassuring them.

“Are you going to the beach, Miss Pearce?” the second girl asked with a genuine smile.

“Yes. I got bored in the room,” Elvira replied nervously.

“Great! You’ll love it out there. Have a wonderful outing!” the girl cheered. Maybe this job wasn’t such a bad decision after all.

“But Miss Pearce, remember not to drink any alcohol. Our hotel policy is strict for staff. If you get drunk, there will be consequences,” the first girl warned, her eyes widening as if recalling a past horror.

“Don’t worry. I won’t drink,” Elvira smiled, reassuringly. “By the way, I didn’t catch your names.”

“I’m Mia, and she’s Olivia,” the girl replied, mirroring the same sense of ease.

“Well, Mia and Olivia, I hope to see you two often,” Elvira waved as she left to explore the coast, which was bustling with people from all over the world.

She walked along the shore, the waves gently lapping at her feet, making her giggle from the tickling sensation. She loved beaches. She had always imagined living in a house by the sea after marriage.

But now, she had lost hope of ever getting married—or even falling in love again. Love had caused her too much pain. She couldn’t bear to make that mistake again.

Yet love isn’t something she could control. It wasn’t something she could fall in and out of at will. It was a force of nature, something that would happen in its own time. When it did, she would have no choice but to embrace what was given.

“Excuse me,” a deep voice interrupted her thoughts. She turned around to see a muscular man holding a surfboard. His hair blew in the cool breeze.

“Yes?” Elvira replied, confused, staring at him. Why would such a handsome man be addressing her?

“Don’t panic, alright?” He looked into her eyes, which were once full of love and hope. She tilted her head, confused.

“There’s a jellyfish near your right foot. Don’t move,” he said, placing his surfboard aside. He glanced at Elvira, who stood frozen, without making a single movement.

“Hey, are you okay?” he asked again. She didn’t respond. Concerned, he touched her arm to bring her back to reality.

What he didn’t know was that Elvira feared jellyfish more than anything. She instantly jumped into his arms, burying her face into his chest.

How could she have just jumped into a stranger’s arms?