Chapter 222: pool party XII

Chapter 222: Chapter 222: pool party XII

The whistle sounded.

Damian moved forward.

Vivienne laughed above him as they maneuvered around the other pairs.

The opposing pair came toward them again.

Damian shifted.

Vivienne leaned with him.

Their movements had become surprisingly coordinated.

Then, with one final push, the opposing rider lost her balance.

She splashed into the water.

The crowd erupted.

Their section had a winner.

And it was them.

Vivienne threw her hands up triumphantly.

"We won!"

Damian laughed.

"Apparently."

She looked down at him, delighted.

"Apparently?"

"I was the one carrying you."

"And I was the one telling you where to go."

Damian shook his head.

"You gave me directions."

"Very important directions."

"Of course."

Vivienne laughed again.

For a moment, neither seemed particularly interested in the fact that they had just won.

Then the referee called for the winning pairs to leave the section.

Damian carefully carried Vivienne toward the edge of the pool before crouching slightly so she could climb down.

Her feet touched the water.

She steadied herself against his shoulders for a moment before stepping away.

Damian straightened.

They were both laughing.

Vivienne pushed a damp strand of hair away from her face.

"That was fun."

"It was."

She looked at him.

"You’re going to have to carry me again in the final."

Damian’s heart gave an almost embarrassingly enthusiastic beat.

"I can manage that."

"I’ll hold you to it."

She smiled.

Then they moved toward the waiting area where the other winning pairs were gathering.

Neither of them noticed Anthony.

Neither of them had even looked in his direction.

--

Across the pool, Anthony watched them climb out of the water.

He had expected—

He wasn’t entirely sure what he had expected.

Perhaps Vivienne would look around.

Perhaps Damian would notice him.

Perhaps, after seeing Anthony standing only a short distance away, the two of them might remember themselves.

Exercise a little restraint.

Something.

Instead...

Nothing.

They had gone through the entire first round without even glancing his way.

Anthony stared for another moment.

His expression remained composed.

It was ridiculous.

Why should it matter whether they had seen him?

He had not come here for their attention.

He had only wanted them to understand that people were watching.

That was all.

Yet somehow, the fact that they hadn’t even noticed him made the thought feel strangely ineffective.

Anthony glanced toward Damian.

His cousin was still speaking with Vivienne.

She was laughing.

Damian was smiling.

Neither had looked anywhere else.

Anthony exhaled quietly.

Apparently, his presence had made no difference whatsoever.

Perhaps that was for the best.

If they hadn’t noticed him, then there was no reason for him to concern himself with what they were doing.

He should simply watch the game.

Nothing more.

Beside him, Evelyn watched Anthony’s expression.

She had noticed where his attention remained.

On Vivienne.

Again.

She followed his gaze.

Vivienne was standing beside Damian, still smiling from their victory.

Something in Evelyn’s chest tightened.

But she said nothing.

The host climbed back onto the platform.

"All right!"

The crowd gradually quieted.

"Our four winners are through to the final!"

Cheers erupted again.

"Give them a moment to catch their breath!"

The winning pairs gathered near the pool.

Damian stood beside Vivienne.

Neither had noticed Anthony yet.

And Anthony—

despite himself—

was still watching

.

--

Final Round

The four winning pairs gathered near the pool while the assistants reset the marked areas.

Vivienne stood beside Damian, still smiling from their first victory.

"That was easier than I expected."

Damian glanced at her.

"You were worried?"

"Not particularly."

She tilted her head.

"I was beginning to think you were actually good at this."

"Beginning?"

Vivienne laughed.

"I said beginning."

Damian shook his head, smiling despite himself.

The host climbed back onto the platform.

"Ladies and gentlemen! Our four winning pairs are ready!"

The crowd cheered.

"These four pairs will now compete in the final!"

The assistants directed the pairs toward the center of the pool.

Vivienne looked at Damian.

"Ready?"

He nodded.

"Always."

She smiled.

There was something about the way he said it that made her laugh.

"Very confident."

"I have to be."

"Why?"

"Because you’re trusting me again."

Vivienne’s expression softened for a moment.

"I am."

Damian looked away before she could see how much those two words affected him.

He stepped into the water.

Vivienne followed.

This time, climbing onto his shoulders felt easier.

Damian knew where to place his hands.

Vivienne knew how to balance.

They had already found their rhythm.

Once she settled into position, she looked down at him.

"Comfortable?"

"Very."

"Good."

The whistle sounded.

They moved forward.

The final was faster.

The other pairs were more aggressive, clearly determined to win.

Damian dodged one rider.

Vivienne laughed.

"Left!"

"I know."

"Right!"

"I know!"

"Then why are you going left?"

"Because you’re telling me to go right!"

Vivienne burst out laughing.

Damian laughed too.

And that was precisely the problem.

For one brief moment, neither of them was paying enough attention.

One of the opposing riders came toward them.

Damian shifted sharply.

Vivienne instinctively leaned in the opposite direction to help him avoid the collision.

Their movements didn’t quite match.

"Wait—"

Vivienne’s balance shifted.

Damian immediately reached higher, trying to steady her.

He caught her for a heartbeat.

But the sudden movement threw off his own balance.

"Vivienne—"

She slipped.

There was a splash.

Water erupted around them.

The crowd screamed with laughter.

Damian staggered forward, catching himself before he fell completely.

He turned immediately.

"Vivienne!"

She surfaced a few feet away.

For half a second, Damian looked genuinely alarmed.

Then Vivienne pushed her wet hair away from her face.

And started laughing.

"I’m fine!"

Damian exhaled.

"You scared me."

"I slipped."

"I noticed."

She laughed again.

"We lost."

Damian glanced toward the other pair.

The referee had already raised his hand.

Their opponents had won.

He looked back at Vivienne.

"I noticed that too."

Vivienne splashed water lightly toward him.

"It was your fault."

"My fault?"

"You moved."

"You moved first."

"I was helping you."

"You were making it worse."

She gasped in mock offense.

"How rude."

Damian laughed.

"You’re impossible."

Vivienne splashed him again.

He retaliated.

She squealed and laughed, immediately splashing him back.

Within seconds, both of them were completely soaked.

The final was forgotten.

Neither seemed to care.

Vivienne wiped water from her face, still laughing.

Damian looked at her.

Her golden hair was dripping around her shoulders.

Her cheeks were flushed from the game.

Her eyes were bright with amusement.

And she was smiling at him.

Not at the crowd.

Not at anyone else.

At him.

Damian smiled back.

For a moment, the noise around them seemed distant.

He had wanted her attention.

He had wanted to make his intentions obvious.

He had wanted everyone to know he was pursuing her.

But standing there with her laughing in the water, Damian realized something else.

He simply liked being around her.

A lot.

Vivienne tilted her head.

"What?"

"Nothing."

"You’re staring."

"So are you."

She smiled.

"Maybe."

Damian laughed softly.

The referee called for the winning pair to leave the pool.

Neither moved immediately.

Then Vivienne held out her hand.

"Come on."

Damian took it.

They made their way toward the edge together.

--

Across the pool, Anthony watched the final unfold.

This time, he didn’t try to tell himself he was merely observing the game.

His attention remained on Vivienne.

On Damian.

On the ease between them.

When Vivienne slipped from Damian’s shoulders, his cousin reacted instantly.

The game no longer seemed to matter.

Damian’s first concern was Vivienne.

And when she surfaced laughing, Damian laughed with her.

They splashed each other.

Spoke.

Smiled.

Completely at ease.

Anthony watched in silence.

There was something strangely intimate about the scene.

Not improper, perhaps.

Not now.

The engagement was over.

But undeniably close.

Closer than Anthony had ever imagined the two of them being.

His gaze lingered on Damian.

Then on Vivienne.

The rumors suddenly seemed less like idle gossip.

That was what unsettled him.

Not because he believed they had done anything wrong.

Not because Vivienne was no longer his fiancée.

But because, for the first time, he could understand why everyone else had started talking.

Anthony’s jaw tightened slightly.

He looked away.

Whatever was happening between them was no longer his concern.

At least...

It shouldn’t be.

He had ended his engagement with Vivienne.

He had told himself she was free to choose whoever she wished.

So why did seeing her choose Damian leave such an unpleasant weight in his chest?

Anthony had no answer.

And, for now, he decided he didn’t want one.

--

Tbc