Act Like You Love Me (Jessica) novel Chapter 204

Chapter 204

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Chapter 204

Author’s POV

The luxury cruise ship’s private villa area glowed under the golden evening sun as the

group

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arrived.

David held Daphne’s hand firmly, their fingers interlocked in a way that felt both natural and practiced.

The warm breeze from the Mediterranean carried the scent of salt and distant citrus groves.

Tall white buildings with wide balconies overlooked the sparkling water, each villa connected by stone pathways lined with flowering plants.

Daphne’s heart beat faster with every step.

She tried to keep her expression calm, but the reality of meeting David’s entire family at once made her palms slightly damp.

“Your hand is shaking,” he murmured, leaning his head close to hers so the wind wouldn’t carry his words.

“Deep breaths, Daphne. They’re just people. Most of them are more worried about their tan lines than us.”

“Easy for you to say,” she whispered back, her voice tight and her eyes wide. “They’re your people. I’m just the girl trying not to trip over the railing.”

He gave her hand a gentle squeeze as they approached the main gathering area where voices and laughter already filled the air.

“Ready?” he asked quietly, leaning closer so only she could hear.

She managed a small nod, though her stomach fluttered with nerves.

As they climbed the boarding stairs, the air changed. It lost the fishy, raw bite of the harbor, replaced by a climate-controlled breeze that smelled of expensive white flowers and the kind of sunscreen that costs more

than a decent dinner.

The first person to spot them was a woman who looked remarkably like David-same strong jawline and confident posture, but with softer features and bright, curious eyes.

She broke into a wide smile and hurried over.

“David! You are here-finally.” She pulled him into a quick hug, then turned her attention to Daphne.

“And you must be the one we’ve all been hearing about. I’m Mika, David’s twin sister. It’s so nice to meet you.”

Daphne returned the smile, feeling some of her tension ease at Mika’s warm welcome.

“Hi, I’m Daphne. It’s lovely to meet you too.”

Mika didn’t waste time. She looped her arm through Daphne’s free one and began leading them toward the

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Chapter 204

rest of the group gathered on a shaded terrace.

“Come on, everyone’s dying to meet you. Grandma has been asking about you nonstop.”

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Daphne felt a cold spike of nerves shoot through her chest. Her palm, still locked in David’s, felt damp.

She glanced at him, looking for any sign of the shared panic rising in her throat, but David was a vault.

He kept his expression smooth, his jaw relaxed, and his stride steady.

He had spent his entire life performing in boardrooms and navigating high-stakes negotiations; as far as he was concerned, this was just another contract to close.

He was confident in his acting skills, even if the person he was acting with looked like she was about to bolt for the railing.

The terrace opened into a spacious lounge area with comfortable seating, potted palms, and stunning views of the sea.

It felt as though a high-end garden party had been plucked from a coastal estate and transplanted onto the

ocean.

As they approached, the low hum of conversation faltered, and several heads turned in their direction with practiced curiosity.

At the center of the gathering sat the undeniable sun around which the entire family orbited.

Wendy Tyrone was small in stature, but she commanded every inch of the space around her.

She was an elegant woman, her silver-streaked hair styled into a flawless, sharp bob that framed a face of deep-set lines and even deeper intelligence.

She sat in a high-backed chair as if it were a throne, her assessing eyes-the same piercing, glacial blue as David’s-locking onto them with the precision of a crow.

She didn’t need a crown to look like a queen; the weight of her presence did the work for her.

“Grandma.”

At the sound of David’s voice, her stoic face finally broke into a smile. She stood up, and the women surrounding her moved aside instantly, clearing a path for her to reach him.

“David, my boy.”

She stepped forward with a cane that looked more like a scepter than a walking aid.

The family went quiet, the only sound being the distant slap of the Mediterranean waves against the hull,

When she finally pulled away, her expression shifted back into a practiced scowl, the lines on her forehead deepening with mock disapproval.

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Chapter 204

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She had been convinced, perhaps even braced for the disappointment, that at least one of her grandchildren would find a way to skip the trip.

Knowing how stubborn David could be when it came to his work, and her demand for a partner, she had expected a last-minute apology via a cold assistant, not his actual presence on the deck.

“So,” Wendy’s voice cracked through the sea breeze, “the ghost finally returns to the living. And he brought a guest.”

David didn’t flinch. He led Daphne forward, his grip on her hand never wavering.

“Nonna, this is Daphne Moore. Daphne, my grandmother.”

The silence that followed was thick. Wendy stepped forward, peering at Daphne through a pair of designer spectacles.

“Daphne. A lovely name. David tells me you two have been… acquainted for some time. Odd that I’m only just hearing of it.”

“We wanted to keep it to ourselves for a while, Nonna,” David explained smoothly.

Wendy hummed, a sound of pure skepticism.

“And what do you do, dear? Aside from distracting my grandson from his spreadsheets?”

Daphne swallowed, forcing a polite smile.

“I’m a data analyst and programmer, and I currently work as his personal assistant,” Daphne said, her voice steady despite the flutter in her chest.

“I’ve followed David’s career for years, I was a fan of his work long before we met.”

It was the truth, or at least a polished version of it, and it felt solid enough to stand on. She felt David’s fingers tighten slightly around hers, a silent cue of approval.

“After years of building my confidence, I finally approached him one evening at the office. I’d heard so much about his trajectory in the tech space and wanted to pitch myself for an assistant position. Things didn’t go exactly as planned that night, but David helped me out of a difficult situation with someone who was bothering me. We kept talking after that, and… well, here we are.”

David nodded, his hand shifting on her waist to pull her a fraction closer, adding details with practiced ease.

“A fan,” Tabitha chimed in. She stepped forward, the silk of her own caftan caught in the sea breeze, and wrapped David in a brief, affectionate hug before turning her full attention to Daphne.

Unlike Wendy, whose gaze had been a skeptical appraisal, Tabitha’s eyes were bright and welcoming, crinkling at the corners with genuine warmth.

“You seem like a lovely young woman,” Tabitha said, her voice a calm melody over the sound of the waves.

“I’m glad David finally brought someone special home.”

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Daphne offered a small, shy smile, feeling the genuine kindness radiating from the older woman. It was the first time since boarding the ship that she didn’t feel like a specimen under a microscope.

“I’m Tabitha, his favorite aunt,” she introduced herself with a wink. “And a word of advice: if he doesn’t treat you right, come find me. I have thirty years of blackmail material safely tucked away.”

“Aunt,” David groaned, though the exasperation in his voice was soft, laced with a rare, relaxed affection. The small group broke into easy chuckles, the tension of the arrival finally beginning to bleed out into the salt-thickened air.

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