Broken Vows and Buried Twins novel Chapter 202

Early morning, bright sunshine.

The sky over Coralton City was azure blue, with seagulls soaring freely over the clear ocean.

The fishing boats that had set out in the early hours were slowly returning to the docks.

The tabby cat owned by the innkeeper was lounging on a rock on the beach, eyes half-closed in lazy contentment.

Rows of red-roofed houses sat neatly along the coast, with the outermost ones mostly serving as bed and breakfasts.

The room on the east side of the second floor of the Coastal Promise Inn had the best natural lighting.

Morning light filtered through the fluttering curtains, falling on the warm yellow tiles by the bed.

On the large bed, Hester's eyelashes fluttered, and she opened her eyes.

The sunlight was a bit too bright, so she squinted for a moment before pushing herself up to a sitting position.

This was her third day here.

The inn was run by a friend of Chiara's. The owner was a single woman who, rumor had it, suffered a bad breakup five years ago, sold her property in Northwood City, and took all her savings here to open this place.

Her name was Ms. Crane. She was very welcoming and had given Hester the best room available.

Hester had stayed here for three days, finding it incredibly peaceful and relaxing.

This southern coastal city didn't have the distinct four seasons of Northwood City. Even though it was already October, the average temperature remained above 77 degrees, and today's high was even expected to break 85.

After getting up and washing her face, Hester put on a floral sundress with a light denim jacket. She grabbed a woven bag she had picked up casually in the old town street a couple of days ago and headed out.

The inn was right by the sea, stepping out onto a wide expanse of golden beach.

Hester walked along the sand toward the old town.

The salty sea breeze tossed her hair and the hem of her dress. Her pace was unhurried, occasionally pausing to snap a few photos of the scenery.

It was a great vacation spot. While not peak tourist season, there were still plenty of visitors.

Hester stopped at a breakfast spot.

The phone in her bag buzzed.

Hester paused her pencil and set it down.

She pulled out her phone, smiled slightly at the caller ID, and answered.

"Gael."

On the other end, Gael laughed before even speaking. "Just hearing your voice, I don't even need to ask to know you're in a great mood!"

Hester's lips curved, her voice soft but filled with unmistakable joy. "The environment here is lovely, and the food is great. Yeah, Chiara didn't lie to me. It really is a perfect place to rest right now."

"Ugh, hearing you say that makes me want to go so badly!" Gael sighed. "But I'm being watched by Neil right now! Though, speaking of which, thank goodness you were smart enough not to tell me your whereabouts beforehand. Otherwise, knowing how efficient Neil's guys are, you probably would have been stopped before you even boarded your flight."

"I never planned on hiding my tracks anyway," Hester said mildly. "I left under the guise of a vacation and work. Even if Julian and I are still legally married, he has no right to restrict my movements."

"True, but knowing his personality, if he knew you were leaving beforehand, do you really think he'd just let you go?"