CHAPTER 296: FIRST TO COME

The astonishment that had flickered across Darren’s face was quickly schooled back into an expression of warm, controlled welcome.

Ileana.

Of all the women on that list—the power players, the empire-builders, the seasoned socialites—Ileana was the first to cross the threshold.

Color Darren surprised. He really hadn’t expected this.

The IT girl who usually blended into the background of his office, her presence as quiet as the hum of the servers in Operations Room.

However, today, there was something different about the Romanian hacker.

She didn’t seem like the nervous, trembling girl from the rooftop. The anxiety was still there, thrumming just beneath the surface like a live wire, but it was being channeled, weaponized into something new.

Strangely, Ileana was smiling, a bright, deliberate beam that reached her eyes, making them sparkle with a determination he’d never seen in her before.

Darren’s analytical mind, always dissecting human behavior, understood instantly. This was a calculated performance.

Ileana had done the math. She had seen the competition at that table—the Rachels, the Cheyennes, the Olivias—women who moved through the world with an innate, terrifying confidence.

She must have realized that in that arena, her usual nervous deference was a death sentence.

It would render her invisible.

So, she had made a choice.

If she couldn’t compete with their power, she would leverage her own unique currency: a transformed, earnest vivacity. It was a brilliant, instinctual strategy.

It reminded him of nature documentaries, of a smaller, seemingly weaker animal realizing it couldn’t win a fight with brute strength, so it instead performed an elaborate, dazzling display of plumage and energy to prove its vitality and worth to a mate.

She wasn’t hiding her nerves; she was transforming them into a signal of effort and desire, a message that read: See me. I am trying harder than any of them ever will.

"Ileana," Darren said, his voice a low, pleasant rumble that seemed to vibrate in the sun-drenched air. He didn’t step aside immediately, forcing her to hold his gaze, to commit to her new role. "A welcome surprise. I’m glad you decided to come."

Ileana beamed brighter. "Thank you."

Darren finally moved back, gesturing for her to enter. As she stepped past him, he subtly pressed a button on his watch. "Security, the first guest has arrived at the main villa. Please assist with her luggage."

Earlier, he had given strict orders that no one else was to greet the women.

Of course it was a calculated decision. Everything was a calculated decision for Darren Steele.

This first moment was critical. It had to be him welcoming them.

It established him not as a distant host, but as the central pole around which their entire weekend would orbit.

His was the first face they saw, his voice the first they heard, immediately re-anchoring them in the reality of his world, on his terms.

"Oh, it’s no trouble! I can get it," Ileana said, her voice noticeably brighter, more melodic than its usual timid whisper.

She swung the backpack off her shoulder with a grace that suggested her offer was genuine, but also part of her new, capable persona.

"Nonsense," Darren said smoothly, as a discreet staff member in a crisp white uniform appeared and took the bag with a silent nod. "You’re here to relax, not work. That’s the whole point."

He gave her a smile that was both charming and mildly commanding, leaving no room for argument.

She beamed up at him, hugging her arms. "This place is... unbelievable, Darren. I mean, Mr. Steele. Sorry." She bit her lip, a flash of the old her, then quickly corrected back to confidence. "It’s like a dream. I’ve never seen water that color blue."

"Please, call me Darren. We’re far from the office," he said, leading her through the courtyard towards the main villa. "And yes, it is. I wanted someplace that felt separate from everything. A world apart."

"I can feel that already," she said, her words coming out in a warm, eager rush. She walked closer to him than she ever would have in the hallways of Steele Investments, her arm nearly brushing his.

Darren appreciated the effort from her to put herself out there. It wasn’t easy for introverts.

"It was so kind of you to invite us. All of us, I mean."

Darren raised his brows. "Was it really? Part of me still thinks I’m creating a toxic bomb with this weekend plan."

Ileana giggled. "I for one think it’s a... a really unique idea. Brave." She was choosing her words carefully, each one polished to be supportive, appealing, nice.

Darren smiled.

He led her through the vast, airy living area and down a breezy hallway. "Your room is in the west wing. Each one has its own patio and an ocean view." He stopped before a door of dark, polished mahogany and pushed it open.

Ileana’s breath caught in her throat. The room was a symphony of luxury and light. The walls were a soft, creamy white, the bed a vast platform draped in impossibly white linens and a cascade of turquoise and silver throw pillows.

In her mind, she kept comparing it to her present room. And the comparison was laughable. Her apartment was nothing compared to this.

The far wall was all glass, sliding open to a private stone terrace overlooking the endless Pacific. A bouquet of white orchids sat on a side table, and a door stood ajar, revealing a bathroom with a sunken marble tub big enough for two.

"Darren... this is too much," she whispered, her performed confidence momentarily shattered by genuine, overwhelming awe.

She walked in slowly, as if afraid to scuff the polished concrete floors. She ran her fingers over the linen of the bedspread.

"It’s exactly what you deserve," he said, leaning against the doorframe, watching her.

He remembered once again the fear that had been in her face all those time ago when she had led them to be captured by the Lotus Triad. It was one of the reasons he had chosen to bring her with him.

Undeniably, she had never imagined that her life would lead to anything like this. Darren felt some satisfaction that he had changed that.

"This view... it suits you. Vast, beautiful, and full of hidden depths." He paused, letting the compliment hang in the air. "I am truly happy you’re here, Ileana. It means a great deal."

She turned to face him, her eyes slightly shiny. The act was gone, replaced by a vulnerable, profound gratitude. "Thank you for seeing me," she said, her voice soft again, but now laced with a new strength. "I mean, really seeing me. And for helping me..."

They paused for a moment. She tried to speak up again. "Darren, at the dinner... what you said..."

Before he could respond, another sound echoed through the villa—a clear, confident series of knocks on the main gate. Knock. Knock. Knock.

Ileana’s eyes flickered toward the sound, a hint of possessiveness flashing in them before she masked it.

"It seems you’re not the only early bird," Darren said, smiling. "I have to go. Make yourself at home. There’s a robe in the closet, the minibar is fully stocked. Anything you need, just use the tablet on the desk."

He began to turn away, but stopped in the doorway. Ileana had already moved to her backpack, unzipping it.

She pulled out a simple, thin-strapped sundress in a pale lavender color. She shook it out, a look of quiet decision on her face.

She was shedding her "traveling clothes," preparing to step into the role of a woman on a luxurious retreat.

For a moment, as she held the flimsy dress against her front, Darren watched her. The afternoon sun streaming through the window caught the pale, delicate skin of her shoulders and the nape of her neck.

He watched her back, soft, graceful. He admired how delicate her skin looked and how nice it would be to trace his fingers through it.

There was an unadorned, graceful beauty to her in that simple, unguarded moment that was more captivating than any designer gown. He felt a genuine surge of affection—and satisfaction. His plan was working.

With a final, silent look, he turned and walked away, his footsteps quickening as he moved back through the villa toward the gate.

Who could it be this time?