Chapter 17
Odalys let out a short, mocking laugh, her eyes narrowing as she sized Atlas up and down, as if he were pathetic. That face—once so handsome and full of charm—now struck her as sinister, almost reptilian, oozing malice. “How the hell did I not see this before?” she thought, disgust churning in her chest.
“Seriously? You care about her that much?” she said, her tone sharp and biting. “Then do it yourself. You think everyone’s lining up to kiss your ass and work for your precious family company? News flash, Atlas, they’re not. I broke my back for you for seven months—seven months—and what did I get? Not a single penny.”
She stepped closer, her words hitting harder. “You treat people like slaves. Three months is the maximum for a probation period, but you made it eight. Eight months just to wring every ounce of free labor out of us. You call that an opportunity? Keep it. I’m done. Don’t waste your breath trying to drag me back.”
With that, she turned and walked away, her heels clicking against the floor with finality. Atlas stood frozen, as if he’d just been slapped. His jaw tightened as he stared at her retreating figure, his mind struggling to catch up.
“Wait! Odalys, stop!” he barked, anger flaring as he chased after her. But the second he got close, she spun around and delivered a brutal kick straight to his chest.
Boom! The impact sent him reeling backward, his feet tangling as he crashed into the restroom door. He let out a strangled grunt, clutching his chest as he doubled over. His face contorted in pain and humiliation as he gasped for breath.
“Try that shit with me again,” Odalys said coldly, her voice as sharp as a blade, “and I’ll show you what real trouble looks like.” Her glare could have frozen fire, and for a second, Atlas didn’t dare move.
Only when she turned and stormed off did he let out a shaky breath. Fury churned inside him; his fists clenched so tight his knuckles turned white.
“She’s fucking crazy!” he muttered, stomping a foot in frustration. His eyes flicked down to his shirt, where the dusty outline of a footprint screamed back at him. A shiver ran through him. If that kick had been just an inch lower… Before he could dwell on it any longer, a familiar voice broke the silence.
“Well, well, what do we have here?” Stellan’s amused drawl carried from the restroom doorway. He leaned casually against the frame, his trademark smirk in full effect. “Atlas, my man, are you training for a kung fu competition or something? Need me to be your sparring partner?”
Stellan’s sharp eyes drifted to the footprint on Atlas’s shirt, and his smirk widened. Atlas forced out a stiff, awkward laugh. “No need, thanks. I’m good.”
“Suit yourself,” Stellan replied with a shrug, clearly enjoying the show. “Just don’t overdo it, yeah? You’ll need your strength for the island. Trust me.” His words held just enough edge to grate on Atlas’s nerves, but he knew better than to push back. Stellan wasn’t just a superstar actor—he had connections, deep ones, the kind one didn’t mess with.
Grinding his teeth, Atlas stormed back to the deck, his mood worsening by the second. His eyes landed on Sophia, who was lounging against the railing, letting the ocean breeze play with her hair. Finnian Lark hovered nearby, snapping photo after photo with his phone.
Sophia wasn’t holding back, either. She arched her back just enough to show off her figure, then leaned forward, her low-cut dress teasing more than a little. A sultry sway of her hips followed, and with a flirtatious flick of her wrist, she lifted the hem of her skirt, revealing her smooth, impossibly long legs. The camera operator, ever the professional, stayed locked on her every move, capturing it all. The livestream chat exploded in real time:
[OMG, Sophia is so hot! Look at those legs!] [She’s a literal goddess. I need to hit the gym ASAP!] [Okay, but is it just me, or is she laying it on a bit thick? Like, who’s all this for?] [Sophia! Girl, save some for the OnlyFans, damn!]
Then someone noticed Atlas lurking in the background, and the tone shifted:
[Wait, is that Atlas? Hell yeah, sibling content incoming! Their chemistry is gold!] [Uh… is that a footprint on his shirt? Did someone kick him?] [Drama alert! Who had the balls to mess with Atlas on this yacht? Spill the beans!]
Speculation ran wild, the chat buzzing with theories and hot takes. The mysterious footprint turned into a spectacle, adding a juicy layer of tension to the already chaotic scene.
On the other side, just as Odalys was about to take a sip of water, Freya leaned in, propping her chin on her hand as she eyed her up and down with a mischievous grin.
“What’s up with you?” Odalys shot her a suspicious glance.
Freya blinked, her eyes sparkling with curiosity. She even got up and circled Odalys a couple of times before leaning in closer and whispering, “Hold up—Odalys, you’ve got muscles! Wait, do you have abs hidden under there?”
Before Odalys could react, Freya was practically on top of her. “Abs on a girl? That’s hot! Seriously, I can’t stop thinking about it. Every time I eat, I just wanna plop on the couch and…”
Freya’s voice dropped to a low, excited whisper. “Come… let me… see your abs…”
The fans in the live chat were all over it:
[God! Freya’s totally losing her mind over this!] [Wait, does she really have abs! I need to see that too!]
Odalys looked at Freya, who was practically drooling, then casually reached out to tilt her chin up. Leaning in close, she whispered in her ear, “Only the abs? Or do you wanna see the V-line too?”
Just then, Stellan walked over, overhearing their playful banter. He couldn’t help but laugh. “Damn, are all you women this hot? Now I’m interested.” Without missing a beat, Freya grabbed an apple from the table and shoved it into his mouth. “Here, have an apple.” Selah, singing quietly nearby, glanced around nervously, clearly unsure whether she should join in.
She had only debuted with two songs in her girl group, and she still wasn’t firmly established in the industry. She was terrified of saying something wrong and offending someone, especially with Stellan and Freya being major stars.
Stellan leaned in close to Odalys, his voice low. “Damn, your kick was insane.” The photographer was a bit far off, adjusting the camera, so the audience couldn’t hear their conversation.
Odalys raised an eyebrow and gave him a side-eye but didn’t answer. It was obvious that Stellan had seen her kick Atlas earlier. But Odalys didn’t feel guilty about it at all. She didn’t care about the setting—she only cared about her mood. Atlas needed a lesson, and if she didn’t give it to him, he’d just keep pushing. A good smackdown would probably keep him quiet for a while. As long as he didn’t make trouble, she wouldn’t bother him. But if he did? She’d happily break his legs.
The fans were going wild in the comments, clearly shocked to see their idols acting so different from their usual public personas. On the boat, they all seemed so much more relaxed.
[Wait, did my boy just whisper something to Odalys? I’m dying to know what they said!] [Odalys is totally flirting with Freya! I love this girl-on-girl action, I need to see the V-line!!] [LOL Freya just shoved an apple in Stellan’s mouth! If they weren’t on a boat, would they have thrown down!!]
Two hours later, the boat finally docked, and the crew began unloading the equipment. Suddenly, Odalys’s expression changed. She quickly turned and made her way toward the director, Kenny.
“Mr. Murphy,” she called out softly.
Kenny was talking with the camera crew. When he heard his name, he quickly stubbed out his cigarette and leaned in. “What’s up?”
“I think the weather’s about to change. We might get some wind tonight,” Odalys said quietly.
Kenny glanced up at the clear sky and asked, “You sure about that?”
“I’m not an expert, but I’ve got a feeling. We’re close to the sea, and if the wind picks up, it could get dangerous,” she replied, keeping her voice low.
2:45 PM
Chapter 17
As soon as she finished, a laugh rang out nearby, followed by the unmistakable sway of someone’s hips. The strong scent of perfume hit Odalys like a brick, and she instinctively frowned.