The Billionaire's Authentic Daughter ▶️

9 3 | J U L I E T

Nova passed by me when I was done cutting my hair chin length. He glanced at me, then looked away then his gaze snapped back to me as he did a double take.

He picked up his SGD but I held up a hand to stop him. "I know I look gorgeous. You don't have to type it."

He shook his head and started typing anyway. I narrowed my eyes at him. Was he contradicting me?

"Why did you do that?"

I shrugged. "I was tired of my long hair. This is more manageable."

I examined myself on the glass, still not satisfied with my transformation. I still looked like myself.

"What else can I do?" I mumbled with my chin in hand.

Nova looked at me curiously, his device still in hand. I eyed his hoodie which fit him nicely but would look ridiculously big on anybody else. I pinched the fabric between my fingers.

"Give this to me," I said, although it came out as an order.

He glanced down at my fingers, tugging at the arm of his hoodie.

"Why?"

"Because I'm cold."

Nova was really into damsels in distress because he pulled it off without another question. Underneath he had on a white shirt

"Do you have another one if you need it?"

He nodded.

I pulled the hoodie over my head and I was right. It was ridiculously big on me.

I pulled the hood up to cover my head. "Now I'd have to stay like this until we get there," I told him.

He was visibly confused and was about to ask me something but I dragged him along with me outside to try and see if we can find any dolphins or some big fish.

I picked up another ice cream as I waited for the two hours to pass quickly. Nova sat quietly next to me and we looked at the sea together. If I turned my head a little, he'd not be visible to me at all and I might even mistake me being alone.

When at last the group emerged from the cabins, I relaxed- thinking they had finally decided to leave Braxton alone but when I saw him trail after them with a guitar, I balked.

"You must not keep yourself in the cabin when it's such a beautiful sight outside!" Pari was saying to him, a hand grabbing his arm lightly.

He smiled politely at her but he looked uncomfortable at having a girl eight years younger than him attach herself to him like that.

I caught Frida's eye and sent her an accusing glare. She shrunk back and mouthed a "sorry" to me and pointed to Pari and that was explanation enough.

"Will you please play for us?" Boonsri asked in her fake sickly sweet voice.

That caused her friends to request the same of him.

"S-sure," Braxton gave in, sounding like he really didn't want to but didn't want to be rude to his fans.

They all settled around him as he started singing. Even the boys looked to be listening to him in rapt attention. Nova too was looking at Braxton.

I felt surprisingly good, then realized it was because Abeo was not there. I shifted to the group to ask Eli about him.

"He said he pulled a muscle or something while getting that ice cream box here so he's resting," he told me.

At least he won't bother me until we get there so that was one good thing to happen to me. When I turned back to Nova, he was still listening intently to Braxton.