The CEO's Contractual Wife (Olivia and Alexander) novel Chapter 266

Chapter 266

Olivia

He raised his glass. “To vacation.”

I clinked mine against his. “To vacation.”

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We ordered dinner: grilled fish, coconut rice, plantains, and some kind of local vegetable I’d never heard of. When it arrived, the portions were enormous, the fish perfectly charred and flaking apart.

“Oh my god,” I moaned around the first bite. “This is incredible.”

Alexander smiled, watching me eat. “You’re very enthusiastic about food.”

“Only when it’s this good.” I speared a piece of plantain. “Try this.”

He leaned forward, taking the bite from my fork. His lips closed around the tines, his eyes never leaving mine.

“Good?” I asked, my voice coming out breathier than intended.

“Delicious.” His foot found mine under the table, hooking around my ankle. “Though I’m thinking about something else right now.”

Heat pooled low in my belly. “Yeah? What’s that?”

“Taking you back to that hotel room. Peeling off that dress. Fucking you on every available surface.”

I nearly choked on my rum punch. “Jesus, Alex.”

“You asked.” His thumb stroked my ankle. “Can’t blame me for answering honestly.”

“We’re in public.”

“So? No one’s paying attention to us.”

I glanced around. He was right. Everyone was focused on their own meals and conversations.

“Finish your dinner,” I instructed, my pulse quickening. “Then we’ll see about those plans.”

“Is that a promise?”

“Maybe.” I took another bite of fish, refusing to let him see how much his words had affected me. “Depends on how fast you eat.”

Alexander attacked his food with renewed focus, making me laugh. “Slow down. You’ll choke.”

“You just told me to hurry up.”

15:25 Sat, Jan 31

Chapter 266

“I said finish, not inhale.”

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We ate quickly, conversation flowing easily between bites. String lights flickered on overhead, casting everything in warm amber.

“Ready?” Alexander asked when our plates were empty.

“Let me use the bathroom first.”

I navigated through the restaurant to a hallway in the back. The bathroom was clean and well–maintained, with local artwork on the walls. I washed my hands, checking my reflection in the mirror.

My cheeks were flushed from the rum and heat. My dress was slightly wrinkled from sitting. I looked happy and relaxed. Different from the stressed marketing executive who’d boarded that plane this morning.

I splashed some cool water on my face and neck, letting it refresh me.

I dried my hands and headed back out, weaving through the crowd of diners. Alexander was waiting exactly where I’d left him, scrolling through his phone with that focused expression he got when reading work emails.

“Everything okay?” I asked, sliding back into my seat.

He looked up, setting his phone aside immediately. “Fine. Just work.”

“You’re supposed to be on vacation.”

“Tell that to my inbox.” He signaled for the check. “Ready to explore more of the island?”

“Absolutely.”

We paid and headed back to the car, where our driver waited patiently beside the sleek black Mercedes.

Alexander opened the door for me before sliding in beside me.

“Where to now?” the driver asked, glancing at us in the rearview mirror.

“Drive inland,” Alexander instructed. “Away from the tourist areas. I want to show Olivia the real Grand Cayman.”

The driver nodded and pulled away from the restaurant. We left behind the polished waterfront establishments and gleaming hotels, heading into neighborhoods where actual people lived their actual lives.

Colorful houses lined narrow streets, painted in shades of yellow, pink, and turquoise that somehow worked together perfectly. Kids kicked a soccer ball in a dusty lot while their mothers watched from porches, chatting and laughing. A group of teenage boys lounged against a fence, drinking from bottles wrapped in brown paper bags.

Chickens wandered freely across yards and streets, pecking at the ground with complete indifference to passing cars. One rooster stood in the middle of the road, forcing our driver to slow down and navigate around it.

15:26 Sat, Jan 31

Chapter 266

“This is different,” I said, watching an elderly woman tend her garden.

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“Tourism money doesn’t reach everywhere,” Alexander replied. “Most locals live like this. Working jobs that serve the hotels and resorts, going home to houses that need repairs they can’t afford.”

I glanced at him, surprised by the observation. “That bothers you.”

“Economic disparity always bothers me. These people work just as hard as anyone in those fancy restaurants. Harder, probably. But they’ll never own beachfront property or eat at Ristorante Pappagallo.”

“You sound like you care about that.”

“I do care. Money’s not just numbers on a screen. It’s power. Opportunity. Freedom.” He squeezed my hand. “That’s why I built what I built. So my family would never struggle.”

The driver turned onto another street, this one even narrower. A fruit stand appeared on the corner, wooden crates overflowing with produce. An elderly woman sat beneath a faded umbrella, fanning herself with a folded newspaper.

“Stop here,” Alexander instructed.

The driver pulled over, and Alexander helped me out of the car. The heat hit immediately, sticky and intense in the early evening air.

The woman looked up as we approached, her weathered face breaking into a warm smile. “Welcome, welcome! Are you looking for fruit? I got the best mangoes on the island.”

“We’ll take some mangoes,” Alexander said, examining the selection.

“I got dragon fruit, very fresh. Picked this morning from my son’s farm.” She held one up. “You tr

“Sure,” I said, intrigued.

She pulled out a knife and cut the fruit in half, revealing white flesh dotted with tiny black seeds. “Here, eat with your hands. Don’t be shy.”

I took a piece, bringing it to my mouth. The flavor was subtle, almost bland, compared to what I expected from such vibrant skin. But it was refreshing, light.

“Good?” the woman asked.

“Interesting,” I replied honestly. “Different from anything I’ve had before.”

Alexander tried a piece, nodding his approval. “We’ll take two dragon fruits and six mangoes.”

“Good choice, good choice.”

She bagged everything quickly, her movements practiced despite her age. “That’ll be forty dollars.”

Alexander pulled out his wallet and handed her a hundred. “Keep the change.”

15:26 Sat, Jan 31

Chapter 266

Her eyes widened. “Oh no, that’s too much.”

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“Consider it a tip for the best fruit on the island,” he replied with a smile that made her blush.

“You’re very kind. God bless you both.” She pressed the bag into my hands. “Enjoy, beautiful lady.”

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