Chapter 299: Twin Islands

Chapter 299: Chapter 299: Twin Islands

The private aviation terminal at Veyra International was usually quiet and secluded, but on this particular morning, the crisp autumn air held a slight, restless chill.

The midnight-black Gulfstream G700 sat idling on the tarmac, its high-bypass turbofan engines humming softly in the background. Near the base of the boarding stairs, Miller stood quietly, double-checking the flight logs and cabin manifests one last time before the principals arrived.

A matte-black Brabus G-Wagon rolled smoothly through the private gate, coming to a soft stop right beside the stairs.

Elias stepped out from the driver’s seat and opened the rear door. Jake stepped out into the bright morning light, smoothing down his dark jacket before reaching back to take Catharine’s hand. She slid out gracefully beside him, wearing a cream-colored linen blazer over a simple dress, her dark hair catching the golden sunlight as she looked up at the plane.

"Well," Catharine said with a gentle, amused smile, slipping her arm through Jake’s as they walked toward the stairs. Elias followed half a step behind in his usual quiet fashion. "For a man who just declared himself officially out of office, you sure brought enough encrypted satellite terminals to run a small company."

Jake glanced sideways at Elias, who was carrying a slim, reinforced transit case. "The islands are isolated, Catharine. It’s better if we have a connection in case of emergencies."

"That’s reasonable," Catharine teased softly, her dark eyes sparkling with affection. "But you better not touch a single piece of work during our getaway trip."

"I won’t," Jake promised quietly.

They walked up the stairs together, and as the heavy cabin door sealed shut behind them, the noise of the airport vanished completely. Inside, the cabin was warm, quiet, and deeply comfortable, lined with plush cream leather and rich dark wood.

Within minutes, the aircraft taxied onto the active runway. The engines roared to life, pushing them back into their seats as the jet surged down the tarmac and lifted smoothly into the clear blue sky, banking south toward the coast.

After a smooth two-hour flight, the Gulfstream touched down at a quiet private airfield in the coastal city of Port Casal.

The moment the cabin door opened, the warm, salty breeze of the ocean swept inside. Parked on the concrete pad nearby was a twin-engine Eurocopter H145, painted in matte black with Golden Investments’ subtle emblem on the tail. Its rotors were already spinning slowly, ready for takeoff.

Elias stepped down first, taking a quick look around the quiet tarmac before gesturing for them to follow.

"The flight path across the channel is completely clear, Mr. Rivers," Elias said, holding the chopper’s wide sliding door open as Jake helped Catharine inside. "Estimated flight time to the main island is twenty-five minutes."

"Good work, Elias," Jake said, putting on his headset as the helicopter lifted off the ground, tilting forward over the blue water.

Below them, the coastal city quickly melted away, replaced by miles of endless, sparkling turquoise sea.

Twenty minutes into the flight, two lush, emerald green shapes rose out of the water, framed by white foam where the gentle ocean waves met coral reefs.

Spanning over two thousand acres, the Twin Islands were raw, untouched, and breathtakingly beautiful. Aside from an old, weathered wooden dock on the lee side, a stone lighthouse perched high on the northern cliff, and a grassy clearing that served as a landing spot, there was no concrete, no roads, and no modern buildings. Just dense green trees, dramatic cliffs, and stretches of virgin white sand.

"It really isn’t developed at all, is it?" Catharine asked, staring out the glass window in quiet wonder. "It’s completely wild."

"That’s why it was worth buying," Jake said softly, looking down at the pristine coastline. "It’s essentially a completely blank canvas."

The helicopter circled low, its rotors kicking up a breeze through the tall grass before settling softly onto the ground.

When the blades slowed down, Elias stepped out first to check the perimeter followed by Miller. He held out a steady hand to help Catharine down, and Jake stepped out right behind her, taking a deep breath of the fresh, warm sea air.

A small team of three caretakers—the only people living on the island, retained from the previous holding group—hurried down a dirt path from a simple wooden cabin nearby.

"Mr. Rivers! Welcome, sir!" the chief caretaker called out, nervously tipping his hat. "We... we apologize that the amenities are so basic right now. The previous owners barely spent two weeks a year out here."

Jake looked around at the towering palms and the sweeping ocean view. "Wasn’t this island owned by the government before? I assumed it was a state auction."

"Oh, no, sir," the old caretaker explained, shaking his head. "These islands have actually been changing hands between wealthy private collectors for decades. Nobody ever really stayed long enough to build anything grand."

Jake looked out toward the tree line, wondering briefly why someone would buy a place like this and leave it completely untouched for years.

"The primitive state is fine for today," Jake said calmly. "Elias, contact Alice and the engineering team on Monday. Have survey teams, architects, and security staged at Port Casal by the end of next week."

"Consider it done, Mr. Rivers," Elias replied cleanly, taking a respectful step back to give them space while keeping his eyes trained on the surrounding paths.

Catharine walked over to the edge of a gentle cliff, looking out over the endless horizon where the blue sky met the ocean. She took a deep breath of the warm breeze, turning back to smile at Jake.

"No distractions," she said softly, holding out her hand to him. "Just us and an entire island."

Jake walked over and took her hand, his dark eyes softening into a rare, genuine smile. "For the rest of the weekend... it’s all ours."

By late afternoon, the sun hung low over the southern ridge, painting the sky in shades of deep orange and soft pink. The ocean below looked like a sheet of liquid gold.

The rustic cedar cabin was simple, featuring a creaking wooden porch and shuttered windows that looked straight out over a quiet, hidden cove. It didn’t have the grand luxury of the Zenith penthouse, but the gentle sound of the waves crashing against the shore made it feel infinitely more peaceful.

Inside, the room smelled faintly of cedar wood and salt air.

Catharine stood by the open window, feeling the cool breeze on her face as she watched Elias walk the perimeter outside. He moved with practiced, quiet efficiency, setting up a portable satellite unit on the back porch.

"Even at the edge of the world, Elias never really turns off his guard," Catharine noted with a gentle smile, turning back to look at Jake.

Jake was sitting at the wooden dining table with his laptop open, checking a live map of the waters around the island.

"Vigilance is what keeps a place safe," Jake said quietly, keeping his eyes on the screen. "Elias understands that."

Catharine walked over, leaning lightly against the side of the table. She reached out and softly pushed the laptop screen down halfway. "We are supposed to be on a private vacation. We are here to relax, and so should he."

Jake looked up, meeting her eyes. The tight, calculating look he usually wore in Veyra melted away, replaced by a soft, relaxed warmth. He closed the laptop completely.

"You’re right," Jake said.

He walked out onto the back porch where Elias and Miller were standing watch. "Elias, Miller. Take it easy for the evening. Grab something to eat and rest up."

Elias offered a polite nod. "We’re fine, Mr. Rivers. Just taking basic precautions. Enjoy your time."

Jake shook his head with a faint smile, knowing there was no changing Elias’s habits, before turning back inside to Catharine.

"Come on," Jake said softly, holding his hand out to her. "Let’s go down to the cove before the sun sets."

Outside, the air was warm and sweet with the scent of wild ocean flowers.

They walked side by side down a narrow, winding dirt path through the green trees until the forest opened up onto a gorgeous, crescent-shaped beach. The sand was soft and pure white, completely untouched except for the gentle foam of the tide washing over the shore.

Catharine slipped off her sandals, her bare feet sinking into the cool, soft sand as she walked toward the water’s edge. The small waves washed gently over her ankles, and she closed her eyes, letting out a long, happy sigh as the sea breeze brushed through her hair.

"It’s incredible," she whispered, looking out at the endless water. "It feels like we’re the only two people left in the world."

"It really is a nice atmosphere out here," Jake said, standing a step behind her with his hands resting casually in his pockets.

Catharine turned around, looking at him with warm, playful eyes. "You know, out of all the things you could have bought—superyachts, luxury penthouses in foreign cities, private jets—you chose two wild, forgotten islands in the middle of the sea."

"Superyachts depreciate and cost a fortune in port fees," Jake said, his tone dry, though a faint smirk touched his lips. "Islands hold their value, and nobody can tell you what to do with them. Plus, I have plans for this place."

Catharine laughed softly, the sound blending with the quiet splash of the waves. She stepped closer to him, wrapping her arms loosely around his waist and resting her hands against his chest.

"You really can’t help yourself, can you?" she murmured, looking up at him with deep affection. "Is every single decision you make calculated?"

Jake looked down into her dark, beautiful eyes. The cool, distant titan that the rest of the world feared simply wasn’t there anymore. He reached up, his fingers gently brushing a stray lock of hair away from her face, his touch remarkably tender.

"Not this one," he whispered.

Jake leaned down, closing the small distance between them, and pressed his lips softly against hers. Catharine closed her eyes, pulling him closer as the warm ocean breeze wrapped around them, the gentle tide washing over their feet beneath the glowing golden sunset.

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