The sun had barely touched the curtains when Nick sat up in bed, stretched wide, and yawned like he'd just conquered sleep itself.
Marteen, in the room next door, was already halfway through brushing his teeth, running a comb through his messy blond hair with the same level of enthusiasm one might have for filling out tax forms.
A few minutes later, they met outside their suites both dressed in crisp linen shirts, sunglasses already in place.
"Today," Nick declared, "we explore."
Marteen raised an eyebrow. "You downloaded the map?"
Nick held up his phone, proudly flashing Google Maps with about five starred places. "We'll go wherever the map takes us."
Downstairs, their black luxury SUV was waiting sleek, spotless, and shimmering slightly in the morning light. A gift from Eduard van Rooyen, complete with a local license plate and full tank of fuel.
Nick claimed the driver's seat.
Then paused.
"Oh," he muttered.
Marteen smirked as he opened the passenger door. "You forgot, didn't you?"
Nick slid into the seat, staring at the unfamiliar layout. "Everything's backwards. I feel like I'm about to drive into traffic the wrong way."
Nick pulled out slowly from the hotel driveway, stiff and cautious.
The first few minutes were tense wipers flicked instead of turn signals, and he kept brushing the door with his left hand when reaching for the gear.
But after twenty minutes he had it down.
By the time they turned onto the scenic road that curved through Ubud's lush hills, Nick was already tapping the steering wheel to the beat of a summer playlist.
"This place is insane," he muttered.
Their first stop: a hidden restaurant surrounded by rice terraces, far from the tourist crowds. The tables were made of reclaimed teak, the cocktails were infused with ginger and tamarind, and the duck that slow roasted for five hours.
They ate like kings.
And then just when Marteen thought the day couldn't get more picture-perfect, they arrived at a private jungle pool club, tucked deep in the forest.
Infinity pools. Floating fruit trays. Bamboo showers.And everywhere they looked: models, influencers, and stunning women in designer swimwear.
Marteen adjusted his collar, clearly out of his comfort zone.
Nick? He was already halfway to the bar.
The jungle pool club looked like a slice of heaven curated for the rich, the reckless, and the ridiculously photogenic.
Waiters in linen vests glided between loungers carrying trays of coconut mojitos and dragonfruit smoothies. Speakers played deep-house beats that vibrated through the wooden deck, and every corner seemed occupied by tan skin, designer sunglasses, and camera-ready smiles.
Nick fit in like he was born for it.
He ditched his shirt within minutes and waded into the water, flirt in full force. Not long after, he caught the eye of a beautiful bombshell lounging by the pool in a barely there bikini the color of champagne. Her lips perfectly plumped.
She looked up from her phone and locked eyes with him like she was scrolling through Tinder and just found a winner.
"Hi," she said, in a thick accent. "You're... new here."
"Guilty," Nick grinned, wading closer. "You're... definitely not."
She laughed, flipping her blonde hair. "I'm Ivana. I do travel vlogs. Instagram, TikTok, everything."
"A woman of many talents," Nick replied, his tone smooth.
"You want be in my story?" she asked, pulling out her phone. "My followers like tall men."
Nick leaned in. "As long as they like charming ones too."
Click.She recorded a ten-second video, pouting beside him, then posted it without hesitation.
Meanwhile, Marteen had settled into a shaded corner of the deck, trying not to look too uncomfortable with all the skin and selfies around him.
That's when a woman in a rust-orange bikini dropped onto the lounge chair beside him with zero warning.
"G'day," she said. "You look like you could use company."
Marteen turned to her, a bit surprised. "Excuse me?"
She grinned, unbothered. "Name's Chloe. You?"
"Marteen," he said cautiously, offering his hand.
She shook it, then reached for her sunglasses. "You Dutch?"
He nodded.
"I dated a Dutch guy once," she said. "Very tall. Very serious. Kinda like you."
Marteen chuckled. "Sounds… about right."
Chloe stretched her legs out, sipping her drink. "So what brings Mr. Serious all the way to Bali?"
"Business," he said truthfully.
"And this is your break from spreadsheets?"
"Something like that."
"Well, welcome to the fun zone," she said, raising her glass.
Marteen clinked his bottle gently against hers, polite but detached.
Chloe was beautiful toned, confident, the kind of woman who knew exactly what she wanted. And yet, even as she chatted with him easily, something tugged at the back of his mind.
A memory.
A smile.
A girl in a loose sundress, barefoot in the sand, laughing about her cat named Dogg.
Later, as the sun dipped low and the jungle turned golden, Nick and Marteen dried off and started heading back toward the car.
Nick was practically glowing. "Ivana's insane. She has 1.2 million followers and she just DM'd me the name of her villa."
Marteen just smirked. "Of course she did."
"You?" Nick nudged him. "That girl looked into you like you were a steak dinner."
Marteen shrugged. "She was... nice."
Nick eyed him. "But?"
Marteen looked out at the fading sky.
He didn't answer.
The sun was nearly gone by the time they got back on the road.
The car crawled through thick Bali traffic, where scooters weaved in and out like bees, and street vendors popped up out of nowhere selling roasted corn, colorful sarongs, and bottled gasoline in vodka bottles.
Nick had one hand on the wheel and the other dramatically pointing at everything.
"Oh look, another dog in the middle of the street. That's the seventh one today."
Marteen, reclined in the passenger seat, eyes half-shut. "Maybe they're on patrol."
Nick smirked. "Maybe they're just Bali's real traffic police. That one looked me dead in the eye."
Marteen chuckled. But soon, his smile faded. His phone buzzed in his lap.
Carlijn.
Again.
I miss you. I know you're busy, but it wouldn't hurt to just say hi.
He didn't reply.
Instead, he swiped the notification away, locked the screen, and leaned his head back against the seat.
Sleep crept in slowly, despite the car's stop-start movements.
Meanwhile, Nick's phone lit up too.Ivana.
A selfie from the pool earlier, with a caption:Dinner? My villa. 8pm. Just you and me?
Nick raised an eyebrow. "Well... hello again."
He glanced at the clock on the dashboard just enough time to drop Marteen off and head back out.
The SUV finally rolled into the familiar driveway of De Haven.
Lights were on. The lobby buzzed gently. Staff moved in and out, preparing for the evening crowd. A few guests sat near the fountain with drinks in hand.
Marteen didn't wake until Nick tapped his shoulder.
"We're here, sleeping beauty."
Marteen blinked, stretched slowly. "Feels like we crossed three lifetimes."
Nick stepped out of the car and tossed the keys to the valet.
"I'm heading out," he said.
Marteen yawned. "Now? Where?"
Nick only smirked, phone already in hand. "Let's just call it... brand engagement."
***
The villa was quiet, except for the flicker of candlelight and the soft, lazy beat of music coming from the corner speaker.
Nick had already kicked off his shoes and undone two buttons on his shirt. His wine glass sat half-full on the table forgotten.
Across from him, Ivana didn't just flirt.
She devoured with her eyes.
She stood slowly from her chair, hips swaying with intention, silk robe barely tied at the waist. Instead of dessert, she brought herself to him barefoot, confident, and glowing under the golden light.
Without asking, she straddled his lap.
"Is this okay?" she whispered, breath warm against his cheek.
Nick didn't answer.He didn't have to.
Their mouths met hard no hesitation, no patience. Her lips were soft but hungry, her body pressing into his like she already knew every place he liked to be touched. He pulled her closer, hands slipping beneath her robe, fingertips grazing bare skin and curves he hadn't expected to explore tonight.
She moaned softly into his mouth, tugging at the hem of his shirt, dragging it up his chest, exposing him to the cool night air.
When he stood, she wrapped her legs around him instinctively, giggling against his neck.
Moments later, they crashed onto the bed in a mess of linen and breathless laughter.
The robe slid off.His hands explored freely.Her back arched as their bodies tangled with rising heat.
Whatever intentions Nick had when he first arrived in Balithe voice he once heard on the phone,the sweet mystery of Leeawere completely gone now.
All that remained in this moment…was heat, skin, and the sound of her whispering his name like a secret she didn't want to keep.
***
Back at De Haven, the night was silent, except for the hum of the ocean and a few distant crickets.
Marteen had tossed and turned for over an hour, but sleep wouldn't come.
Something in his chest was… unsettled.
He sat up, walked to the desk, and opened his laptop. One click, and the gallery appeared.
The photo.
Her.
Still glowing in the soft light of sunset, still smiling without knowing someone had captured her.
He stared at it. For a long time.
Then he walked out to the balcony.
The beach behind the hotel shimmered in silver-blue. Quiet. Peaceful.
His eyes searched instinctively.
But she wasn't there.
Still… something made him stay. Watching. Waiting.
The air conditioning hummed softly as Marteen sat back down on the edge of his bed.
Sleep refused to come.
He'd tried everything tea, a shower, staring at the ceiling but something inside him was still… buzzing. Not in a bad way. Just oddly alert.
He glanced at the room phone, paused, then picked it up and dialed call service.
A few rings.
Then
"Call service, good evening," came the reply. "This is Leea speaking. How can I assist you tonight?"
Marteen froze.
That voice again.
There was something about it something warm, textured, playful. Like he'd heard it before, not just once, but in a moment that mattered.
He didn't speak for a beat too long.
"Hello?" she asked again, still polite, then added with a teasing tone,"Please don't tell me this is the same guest from few last night scared of a gecko?"
A small chuckle escaped him, unplanned.
Even without realizing who she was… her voice made him feel something strange.
At ease.Seen.Like he was no longer sitting alone in a hotel room far from home.
"I'd like to book the hot stone massage," he said finally, "and a flower bath. If available. Under name Marteen."
Leea's tone stayed bright. "You're in luck! We've got a beautiful slot tomorrow morning. You'll be relaxed, glowing, and probably dreaming of Balinese flowers for days."
Marteen smiled faintly. "Sounds perfect."
They were still two strangers speaking through a phone line.