𝙒𝙝𝙤 𝙠𝙣𝙚𝙬 𝙛𝙞𝙣𝙙𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙡𝙤𝙫𝙚 𝙘𝙤𝙪𝙡𝙙 𝙗𝙚 𝙨𝙤 𝙙𝙖𝙣𝙜𝙚𝙧𝙤𝙪𝙨?
Newly graduated accountant Cordelia Ashling has come to terms with the fact that her life is destined to be absolutely uneventful. That is until her parents gift her wi...
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I'm all for new beginnings and stepping outside of my comfort zone, but the gift my mother and father gave me might be pushing it a little too far. I stare at the black invitation with gilded lettering, soaking in each word, especially the four at the bottom: a paranormal dating adventure. I mean, my parents are a little eccentric, but this is a bit much, even for them.
Two plane trips—one which was an hour and a half late taking off—and a speed boat ride later, and I'm feeling sick to my stomach. Don't get me wrong, I'm excited about what's to come. Especially the part when I'm on land again. Who wouldn't look forward to two months on a private island in French Polynesia? My mother's sponsors must have gone all out for this one, pulling out all the stops for their favorite supernatural YouTuber. Because this is some once-in-a-lifetime kind of shit.
I pull up the event agenda on my phone and then look at my watch. The welcome mixer started fifteen minutes ago. I'd hoped we would reach Île de la Cachette with enough time for me to do a vibe check on the place. I wasn't quite sure how seriously everyone was going to take the theme. The agenda simply said that Wicked Encounters is a paranormal dating experience but didn't go into detail of when we were expected to play the parts. The last thing I want is to be the jerk that doesn't participate when everyone else is totally into it.
Grabbing my suitcase, I pull it between my legs and ignore the mist beating me in the face. I'm sure to look like a wet dog by the time I arrive, but at least I'll be in costume. I pull out my black skintight bodycon dress and begin maneuvering it on in that magical way that every plus-size girl knows how to do without giving those around her a peepshow. Not that there is anyone to flash. The only other person on the boat is the captain behind the wheel. He hasn't so much as looked at me since grunting my name when I approached him at the marina in Tahiti.
When I finally have the dress on and my feet into the heels that I hope I don't sink all the way into the sand, I am out of breath. I place my hand on my chest and close my eyes, gauging how I feel. I take a breath in and am relieved when I am able to take in a normal amount of air (for me at least) and let it out without a wheezing sound. With a short nod, I zip my suitcase back up and get to my feet, even more relieved that Evermore Estate is now in sight.
Île de la Cachette—Hideout Island—is aptly named. I have literally never heard of it in my life. Not that I am a geography whiz and know all 100+ islands in French Polynesia, but still. It is so far out of the way that it's even more remote than the Gambier Islands and even more exclusive than Bora Bora, as Evermore Estate is the only thing on it.
"How bizarre," I murmur as we speed closer, stepping up to the railing.
I expected the mansion to look like the massive beach houses we've seen on our vacations to Miami and L.A.—white, with bright blue or green accents, clay roofing, surrounded by palm trees, maybe some Gregorian columns.
Nah, not even close.
This isn't a house at all. It's not even a mansion. It's a castle. It reminds me of the Gothic estates in the fantasy movies I used to watch as a little girl, with the dark gray stone and arched windows. It has three floors, and the only accents I can make out from here are black ones. It's a complete juxtaposition to the clear, gorgeous water surrounding it, and I could not love it more. Everything is dark, a little creepy, and perfect for the theme.
