Page 15 of Vacation with the Ice Queen

"Through here." Lila led her into a smaller room equipped with a desk positioned to face yet another panoramic window. "The satellite connection is strongest in this area."

Serena immediately began setting up her makeshift office, unpacking her tablet and the satellite phone she'd smuggled past Nicole's watchful eye. The ritual of arranging her tools provided comfort amid the disorienting luxury of this forced vacation.

"Most guests find they don't need their devices after the first few days," Lila ventured, watching as Serena created a miniature version of her Manhattan command center.

"I'm not most guests." Serena didn't look up as her fingers moved with practiced efficiency, establishing order in this unfamiliar space.

"Clearly," Lila agreed, and something in her tone made Serena glance up. There was no judgment in those hazel-green eyes, only a calm acknowledgment that somehow irritated Serena more than criticism would have.

She stood and brushed past Lila. "I'd like to see the rest."

The bedroom continued the villa's theme of understated luxury. Serena moved through the space with critical attention,opening drawers and testing the firmness of the mattress with clinical detachment.

Her eyes caught on a leather-bound journal placed on the bedside table, a fine pen resting beside it. She picked it up, flipping through the empty pages with a dismissive snort.

"For thoughts that deserve preservation beyond digital devices," Lila explained, repeating the words from the notecard Serena had ignored.

"I have digital backups of my digital backups," Serena replied, dropping the journal back onto the table. "Handwriting is inefficient."

"Sometimes inefficiency serves a purpose," Lila said. "Like how certain wines improve when aged slowly, or how?—"

"Does the shower have adequate water pressure?" Serena interrupted, unwilling to entertain philosophical musings about the virtues of wasting time.

If Lila was offended by the abrupt change of subject, she didn't show it. "The best on the island. Let me show you."

The bathroom proved to be another exercise in tasteful extravagance—a freestanding tub beside a window overlooking a private garden, an outdoor shower enclosed by flowering vines, and fixtures that combined form and function.

Serena turned a tap experimentally, satisfied by the immediate rush of water and precise temperature control. At least she wouldn't have to sacrifice basic comforts during her exile.

As she shut off the water, her hand brushed against Lila's as they both reached for the tap. The brief contact sent an unexpected jolt through Serena's arm, and she withdrew quickly, creating distance between them.

"The temperature controls are adjustable throughout the villa," Lila continued as if nothing had happened, though Serena thought she detected a slight flush across her cheeks. "We'veset them to sixty-eight degrees, as your assistant mentioned you prefer."

Serena nodded, unconsciously rubbing her fingers where they had touched Lila's. "That will be acceptable."

They returned to the main room, where afternoon light streamed through the windows, creating patterns across the polished floor. For a moment, Serena felt curiously unmoored—standing in this beautiful space with no immediate crisis to manage, no meeting to direct, no competitor to outmaneuver.

"I've taken the liberty of arranging a preliminary wellness consultation for this afternoon," Lila said, breaking the silence. "Unless you'd prefer to settle in first."

The idea of "settling in" felt like surrender. Serena checked her watch—a timekeeping device, not a smart watch that Nicole might have thought to confiscate.

"I have several calls to make first," she replied, already mentally prioritizing which fires to address with her limited connectivity. "We can proceed with your... consultation afterward."

"Of course." Lila moved toward the door, pausing with her hand on the frame. "The kitchen is stocked, but I'd recommend the terrace for dinner. The sunset views are particularly beautiful tonight."

Serena had already returned her attention to her tablet, dismissing Lila without looking up. "I'll take that under advisement."

Only when the door closed softly did Serena release the breath she hadn't realized she was holding. She stood motionless in the center of the vast room, suddenly aware of the silence—a rare commodity in her Manhattan life, now surrounding her in uncomfortable abundance.

She turned back to her tablet, seeking refuge in the familiar glow of spreadsheets and status reports. Work had alwaysbeen her sanctuary. Fourteen days of enforced retreat wouldn't change that, no matter how picturesque the prison or how intriguing its keeper.

Late afternoon sun spilled across the villa's terrace, casting everything with a golden hue as Serena sat with rigid posture opposite Lila. Between them lay a small table with herbal tea—untouched on Serena's side—and a clipboard containing Lila's handwritten wellness plan.

This woman- Lila- had very beautiful hazel eyes that most often shone green in the sunlight. She also had a delightful body, Serena could see through her loose fitting clothes. Serena couldn’t help but notice the lovely curve of her ass and her breasts, but she filed those thoughts away for later.

Serena eyed the flowing script with barely concealed skepticism. "Your qualifications?" she asked, the question more a demand than inquiry.

"Master's in Integrative Wellness Psychology from Stanford," Lila replied without defensiveness. "Five years at corporate wellness programs in Silicon Valley before joining Solara Island." She met Serena's gaze directly. "I worked primarily with tech executives experiencing burnout."

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