Page 101 of Vacation with the Ice Queen

Lila carefully placed the vase, then accepted the offered glass with a triumphant grin. "That's the last of the precious cargo. Everything else, the movers can handle."

"To new beginnings," Serena said, clinking her glass against Lila's. "Again."

They'd had many new beginnings over the past five years. The first had come just weeks after Serena's departure from Solara Island, when she'd called Lila at three in the morning, island time.

"I can't do this," she'd said without preamble. "I can't pretend that what happened between us was just a vacation fling."

Two months later, Lila had packed up her cottage and moved to New York, terrified and exhilarated in equal measure. They'd agreed to give themselves a year—time to see if what had blossomed on the island could survive in Manhattan's concrete jungle.

It had been challenging. Serena's sixteen-hour workdays left little room for relationship-building, and Lila's sunshine personality had weathered its first real New York winter with difficulty. They'd fought, they'd compromised, and they'd nearly given up more than once.

But they'd also grown, both together and individually. Serena had gradually delegated more responsibility at Frost Innovations, carving out space for a personal life she'd never valued before. Lila had established herself in the city's wellness community, eventually opening a small studio specializing in executive stress management.

Now, five years after that fateful island meeting, they were embarking on their biggest adventure yet: splitting their time between New York and this newly built beach house on a small, private island in the Caribbean.

"Come look at the sunset," Lila said, taking Serena's hand and leading her onto the terrace. "This view rivals Solara."

The sky blazed with orange and pink fire, the sun sinking toward the horizon in a display that seemed orchestrated especially for them. Serena's arm slipped around Lila's waist, pulling her close.

"You know what I was thinking about earlier?" Serena asked.

"Hmm?"

"That ridiculous golf cart ride to the waterfall when you were convinced I was taking you somewhere to dispose of your body."

Lila laughed, the sound carrying on the evening breeze. "You have to admit, you were pretty intimidating back then."

"Was I?" Serena feigned innocence, though they both knew the truth. The woman nicknamed "the Ice Queen of Tech" had truly earned her reputation.

"You made three different staff members cry during your first week on the island," Lila reminded her. "Even Elara was impressed by your efficiency at terrorizing people."

Serena winced. "Not my finest hour."

"I don't know," Lila mused, leaning into her. "You were pretty magnificent even then. Terrifying, but magnificent."

The champagne bubbles danced on Lila's tongue as she took another sip, savoring the memory of their beginning alongside the promise of their future. At thirty-seven, she'd found a confidence and balance she'd never imagined possible in her twenties. The woman who had once allowed Sophie to diminish her now co-ran a successful wellness enterprise with the support of her powerhouse partner.

"I got an interesting call this morning," Serena said, her tone deliberately casual. "From Vivienne Blackwood's office."

Lila nearly choked on her champagne. "TheVivienne Blackwood? Your arch-nemesis? The woman you once described as 'fashion's answer to corporate espionage'?"

"The very same." Serena's lips curved in a smile that still held a hint of her old sharpness. "She wants to meet. Apparently,she's interested in the new security platform we're developing for retail applications."

"The same technology she tried to steal before?"

"Similar concept, next generation execution." Serena shrugged. "Nicole thinks we should hear her out. Something about keeping enemies closer."

"And what does CEO Frost think?" Lila asked, studying her wife's face.

Serena was quiet for a moment, watching the sky's colors deepen as the sun dipped lower. "Five years ago, I would have told her to go to hell, then spent six months making sure her company felt the burn."

"And now?"

"Now I think..." Serena paused, considering. "I think life's too short for grudges that don't serve a purpose. If there's a mutually beneficial arrangement to be made, I'm open to exploring it."

Lila smiled, recognizing the growth in Serena's response. "Look at you, all enlightened and mature."

"Don't sound so surprised." Serena pulled her closer, pressing a kiss to her temple. "I've had an excellent teacher."

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