In mid-March, the temperature in New York had warmed up, with the average temperature for the weekend holding steady around 75°F (about 25°C). The weather was absolutely perfect.
On Saturday morning, the employees of Nova Capital gathered downstairs in front of the office, ready to board the bus to the beach in the Hamptons for their long-awaited team-building trip. There were about forty people from the company, and a spacious bus was filled to the brim. Before they left, the group was buzzing with excitement, some even blasting popular hip-hop music to add to the fun vibe.
By the time they arrived at their destination, it was 11 a.m. The group first headed to a famous seafood restaurant, where they enjoyed an incredibly lavish seafood feast. Sweet, juicy oysters, succulent lobsters, and a variety of specialty fish that no one could even name—everyone ate their fill. After the meal, they headed straight for the beach. The weather was warm but not scorching, and the sea breeze gently brushed their faces. By the afternoon, the temperature was around 84°F (28°C)—perfect for a swim.
The men couldn't wait to change into their swimsuits and rushed to the beach. Meanwhile, the women were still in the changing rooms, carefully picking out their swimsuits.
On the crowded beach, there were long lines at the changing rooms and showers. When Scarlett Harris emerged from the changing room in a light pink bikini, all the women couldn't help but stare and compliment her.
"Scarlett, your figure is unbelievable! Even I, a girl, am jealous!"
"Seriously, and your skin is so flawless and glowing!"
Scarlett, always confident about her body, smiled and played modest, "Oh stop, you guys are making me blush."
"Nothing to be shy about, girl," Amanda said as she affectionately linked her arm with Scarlett's, "Wait till the guys see you, their jaws are gonna hit the floor."
"No way! You guys are exaggerating," Scarlett responded, laughing.
At that moment, Grace Li walked out in her Bohemian-style dress. Compared to her colleagues in swimsuits, her outfit was more modest.
Seeing this, Scarlett couldn't help but ask, "Grace, why aren't you wearing a swimsuit?"
Grace Li smiled and replied honestly, "I'm not feeling great today, so I'm gonna pass on the swim."
"It's no big deal, just use a tampon," one of the admin girls chimed in.
Grace Li shook her head with a smile, "No, I'm comfortable like this. Let's just go outside."
The nine of them walked toward the beach. The admin staff had pre-booked beach chairs and umbrellas through a popular app. Some of the guys were lounging in the beach chairs, soaking up the sun, while others were already in the water, playing around.
When the group of women arrived, several of the men cheered, "Wow!"
The women responded, laughing, "What's with the reaction? Have you never seen beautiful women before?"
One of the guys yelled, "We've never seen you look this good in swimsuits! You all look awesome!"
Then someone noticed that Grace Li wasn't wearing a swimsuit. James Shun asked, "Grace Li, why aren't you in a swimsuit?"
Grace Li just smiled and explained, "I'm not planning to swim."
Aiden Thompson stood out in the crowd. He wore black beach shorts, and his well-toned, muscular upper body was exposed. His smooth, tanned skin gleamed in the sunlight, and his physique was impressive—he could easily be on a fashion runway. He wore a pair of Ray-Ban sunglasses, so it was hard to see his eyes, but he seemed to be looking in Grace Li's direction.
"Boss, no swimsuit? Someone's gonna be disappointed," Ryan joked with a grin.
At that, Grace Li's expression darkened. "Ryan, do you think I'm too nice to you? Keep running that mouth of yours, and I might just make you work overtime next week!"
Scarlett Harris, hearing the conversation, curiously asked, "Ryan, who's going to be disappointed?"
Ryan quickly shifted his response, "Oh, the team is pretty disappointed. We've been working with the boss for so long, but we've never seen her in a swimsuit. Everyone was hoping to see a different side of you."
Scarlett laughed, "I was just saying the same thing—why isn't Grace in a swimsuit?"
The colleagues gradually headed into the water to have fun. Grace Li stayed on the beach, casually sitting on one of the beach chairs. She scanned the ocean, but didn't see Aiden Thompson and wondered: Where did he go?
Not long after, someone sat next to her on the chair. Grace Li turned to see that it was Aiden Thompson. She was a bit startled. "What are you doing here?"
"Just soaking up the sun," Aiden Thompson said, setting a freshly opened coconut with a straw on the small side table. "This one's for you. It's authentic Hawaiian coconut. I had to hunt it down."
Grace Li felt a bit nervous and instinctively said, "But the others are all here."
Aiden Thompson was unbothered. "There are ten chairs here, sitting next to you seems pretty normal. Don't overthink it. Everyone's busy having fun."
Grace Li glanced around, noticing a couple sitting under the umbrella next to them. It didn't seem odd for Aiden to sit next to her, and if she avoided it, it would feel even stranger.
She took the coconut and sipped it. The sweet coconut water, filled with fruity flavor, instantly eased her dry mouth.
At that moment, Aiden Thompson lazily stretched out on the chair, clearly enjoying his relaxation. Grace Li couldn't help but let her gaze linger on him. His skin was smooth and flawless, and his muscles were well-defined. There was an undeniable charm to him. She couldn't help but think of the scar on her back that she'd hidden for so many years.
"Grace ," Aiden Thompson called softly.
Grace Li snapped back to reality. "Hmm?"
"Stop staring," Aiden Thompson said with a slight smile. His sunglasses hid his eyes, but she could tell there was a mischievous look in his expression. "If you keep looking at me like that, I might not be able to control myself. I might end up doing something impulsive in front of everyone."
His voice was soft, only Grace Li could hear. Her face immediately turned red, and she quickly turned away, not saying anything.
Seeing her shy reaction, Aiden Thompson couldn't help but laugh. "You look stunning in that dress. The style really suits you, it makes you look so graceful."
Grace Li held the coconut, feeling warmth in her chest at his words, but she still didn't respond, pretending to just be ordinary colleagues.
At that moment, Scarlett Harris walked up. "Aiden Thompson, come play with us!"
Aiden Thompson declined politely. "I'm good, I don't really want to get in the water."
"Come on, you'll never know how fun it is until you try," Scarlett Harris said, pulling on his arm in an attempt to get him up from the chair. She was tall and slender, with flawless skin, and her sexy swimsuit exuded an irresistible charm that most men would find hard to resist.
Grace Li instinctively turned her gaze away, feeling a strange emotion rise in her chest. It wasn't jealousy, but a kind of unexplainable worry, fearing Aiden Thompson would agree and go with her into the water.
Then, she heard Aiden Thompson say, "Sorry, I'm allergic to seawater. I once went on vacation by the beach, and when I touched the water, I broke out in rashes and felt miserable for a long time."
Scarlett Harris, looking intrigued, replied, "You're allergic to seawater? No kidding!"
"Yeah," Aiden Thompson motioned for her to let go of his arm, and Scarlett finally released him, saying, "Okay then."
After Scarlett let go, she turned to Grace Li. "Grace , come with me to play in the water. Surfing is so much fun."
Grace Li politely declined again. "No, I'm not really up for it."
"It's okay, the water's only up to our knees, it won't be a problem."
"No, you go ahead and have fun. Just make sure to put on sunscreen so you don't get burned."
After being refused by both of them, Scarlett Harris finally walked away.