Dumped My Cheating Ex. Now I'm Sleeping Next to a Billionaire CEO novel Chapter 950

The ocean here was so stunning, it barely felt real. Sunlight streamed through the crystal-clear water, sending down golden shafts that danced and shimmered with every gentle wave. All around them, vibrant coral reefs painted the world in fiery reds, pure whites, and rare shades of blue and purple. Tropical fish darted back and forth in colorful schools, completely unafraid, swirling around Emmy as if she were some magical guest they’d been waiting for.

Emmy felt like she’d stumbled straight into Wonderland. She couldn’t help but lose herself in the moment, turning playful as a kid — chasing after little fish one second, reaching out to poke a sea anemone the next, laughing as it shrank away from her touch.

James trailed a couple meters behind, never letting her out of his sight. Even underwater, his eyes stayed sharp, always on the lookout for anything that might go wrong.

Then, out of nowhere, Emmy stopped short. Her eyes sparkled as she zeroed in on a tiny gap in the coral up ahead. Something inside was glinting, its shine gentle and inviting in the middle of all that vivid color. It was a seashell, only half visible but already looking massive.

Excitement bubbled up inside her. She kicked down fast, maybe too fast, and dove towards it. James’s heart skipped a beat. He knew she could handle herself in the water, and the depth wasn’t a challenge for her, but still, he followed, close behind.

Emmy focused on nothing but the shell. She swam over, reached out carefully, and gave it a good tug. A cloud of sand puffed up, and at last, her discovery came free. Her eyes went wide with delight.

Wow. It was a king helmet conch, as big as someone’s head, with a surface smooth as jade, covered in intricate, natural patterns. The whole thing shimmered in a rare, royal purple, glowing dreamily in the shifting light. It was the kind of treasure you only heard about.

She could barely contain herself. Grinning, she turned to show James her find, waving it in the water like a kid showing off a trophy. He watched her, a deep warmth filling his eyes.

Emmy hugged the conch close, circling the reef one more time, just in case there were other treasures hidden nearby. But nothing else came close. Satisfied, she pointed up, letting James know it was time to go.

They broke the surface together, water splashing around them as they climbed onto the deck. Emmy pulled off her mask and mouthpiece, gulping in fresh air. She didn’t even wipe her face dry. Instead, she cradled the purple conch in both hands and held it out to James.

His gaze lingered, making Emmy suddenly self-conscious. She wiped her face clumsily, sending a single bead of water sliding down from her hair, over her forehead, down her nose, finally stopping at the curve of her lips.

James’s eyes darkened. Without thinking, he reached out, his thumb brushing softly at the corner of her mouth to catch the droplet. But his hand didn’t move away. His eyes grew even deeper, the space between them charged.

For a second, everything stilled. Emmy forgot to breathe. She stared at him, heart pounding, her own breath coming faster. Her fingers curled into the deck behind her, nerves and something else fluttering inside.

She knew she should pull away. She knew. But as his face moved closer, as she saw the emotion swirling in his eyes, Emmy realized she didn’t want to go anywhere. In fact, she found herself hoping he wouldn’t stop.

James watched her, searching her face. When she didn’t flinch, when she even tilted her chin up just a little, that was all the permission he needed. He leaned in and kissed her.