"Water?" asked Ashmaria as she handed her brother Davin a bottle. He was standing on the yacht's veranda, his posture as still and alert as ever. She knew he was currently assigned as Eden's bodyguard. No matter how many times she'd asked why he was guarding her—or whether Eden was another high-profile client like his previous ones—her brother never answered. His lips were sealed, especially when it came to classified missions.
"I'm on duty," Davin replied curtly.
"It's just water. Look at you—you're sweating, and you've been standing here for ages."
Ashmaria took his hand and pressed the bottle into it. "Drink it. No one's watching. And besides, who's going to get mad at you for having a sip? I'm sure your new boss isn't that cruel."
"You're such a nosy person," Davin muttered, though he opened the bottle and took a drink. Ashmaria smiled at his reluctant compliance.
"You still haven't answered my question," she said, watching him. "Why—"
"Stop that. I'm not giving you an answer."
"As expected," Ashmaria said with a sigh, studying her brother.
"Do you even like this job?"
"Why are you asking?" he replied, raising an eyebrow.
"It's dangerous. And like Papa, there will be times when you won't come home for days. You know how worried Mama gets about you. Why don't you do what our cousins are doing? They're all helping with the family business."
"Do you really think I'm fit for that kind of work?"
"Why not try?"
"I'd die of boredom," Davin said flatly. "Besides, just like Dad, I'd rather serve our country than be trapped in a small office, reading and filing documents. That's not my cup of tea."
He gave her a quick look. "What about you? I heard you got scolded again. Aunt Daniella still doesn't like that you're working for her, huh?" He'd heard from a hotel staff member that Daniella had been harsh on the young designer earlier.
"Did she chase you around again, telling you to go back to being a rescue officer?" Davin teased with a grin.
"And who told you that?"
"The siblings you fought with outside the mall—they were the reason, weren't they?"
"I don't want to remember them," Ashmaria said, frowning. "I get angry every time I think about it. But here's something more interesting—Eden, the new model, actually asked Aunt Daniella to bring me back to the project. Otherwise, she said she wouldn't sign the contract. And what baffles me even more is how effortlessly she looks like real royalty."
"What?" Davin asked, his tone suddenly serious as Ashmaria looked intently at him.
"Now that I think about it—you only take jobs guarding high-profile people: senators, ambassadors, diplomats… never celebrities or models. There are plenty of famous ones, but not—"
"Stop being so nosy." Davin flicked her nose lightly. She yelped and covered it, glaring at him.
"I'm right, aren't I? She's no ordinary daughter of an actress. A princess, maybe? Whoa… but from what country?" she teased, grinning.
"Quit with your imagination," Davin said before walking away. It wasn't time yet for anyone to know who Eden truly was. He had promised her grandmother to keep her identity secret until the right moment came.
"I bet Ren will be thrilled when she finds out," Ashmaria said softly, watching him leave. "I wonder how she's doing."
"Ashmaria!" Davin's voice rang out sharply as the set's wooden props began to collapse. He froze for a split second, horror flashing in his eyes — his sister had been standing there only moments ago. Without another thought, he dashed forward, heart pounding, as the thundering crash filled the studio.
"Ash! Can you hear me?" he shouted, frantically pushing aside the fallen panels and props. Some were made of heavy wood, and each one groaned as he lifted it away. His hands stung, his breath came short, but he didn't stop.
When the last beam rolled aside, Davin's chest tightened — Ashmaria lay motionless on the ground, blood streaking down the side of her forehead.
"Ashmaria!" His voice broke as he knelt beside her. "Hey—Ash! Can you hear me?" He brushed the dust from her face and lightly tapped her cheek.
For a heartbeat, there was only silence. Then a faint groan escaped her lips. Her eyelids fluttered open.
"D-Davin…" she whispered weakly as his face came into focus.
"Yes, it's me," he said quickly, relief and fear clashing in his voice. "You're hurt. Let's get you to the hospital."
He slipped one arm under her shoulders, ready to lift her, but she gripped his wrist with surprising strength.
"T-There are others in the ruins…" she murmured, struggling for breath. "E-Eden… she's here too."
"What did you say?" Davin froze, his gaze darting toward the heap of broken wood and shattered props nearby. The debris had completely buried part of the set — anyone trapped under there would be in serious danger.
"Commander!" two of his men shouted as they ran up beside him, their uniforms streaked with dust.
"Take care of my sister," Davin ordered, lifting Ashmaria carefully and handing her to one of them. "Call for medical help—now!"
"Yes, sir!"
Turning to the second soldier, Davin barked, "Help me search for the others trapped under the wreckage!"
The man nodded and joined him immediately. Together they began to tear through the remains of the set, heaving away splintered panels and cracked wooden frames. The air was thick with dust and the faint scent of paint and smoke.
Davin continued clearing the wreckage, sweat and dust streaking his face. More staff and medical personnel had arrived, tending to Ashmaria and the others who had been hurt.
"Eden!" he shouted suddenly, spotting the young woman lying unconscious beneath part of the collapsed wall. His heart lurched.
He sprinted toward her and quickly shoved aside the fallen debris pinning her down. "Hey, Eden!" he called, his voice cracking with urgency. When the last beam rolled away, he dropped to his knees and lifted her gently into his arms.
Eden's body was limp. Somewhere in the blur of darkness, she could hear a voice calling her name — faint, urgent, far away. She tried to open her eyes, but her eyelids felt unbearably heavy. A shadow loomed over her, a shape she couldn't quite make out. She felt herself being lifted, then everything faded again.
Davin carried her swiftly toward the temporary medical tent the team had set up nearby. Inside, injured staff members were being treated, and Ashmaria was resting on a cot, her forehead bandaged.
"Oh my—!" Ashmaria gasped when she saw Eden in Davin's arms.
He gently laid Eden down on an empty stretcher and grabbed a medical kit. Without hesitation, he cleaned the wound on her forehead, the smell of antiseptic cutting through the thick air. A deep gash marked her arm as well, and he began dressing it carefully, his hands steady but his eyes filled with worry.
Everyone nearby watched in silence as Davin worked — the calm, disciplined soldier now acting with a tenderness none of them had seen before.
Before the Accident…
"Why are you dressed like that?" Davin asked, frowning at the two men who had just stepped off the yacht. He remembered them boarding earlier in crisp black suits — now they stood before him in T-shirts and beach shorts. His eyes narrowed.
"I told them to change," Ashmaria said simply.
"What?" Davin snapped.
"Their outfits aren't fit for this island. And I suggest you change yours, too," she replied, hands on her hips.
"We're working," he said flatly.
"I'm not telling you to stop working. I'm saying it's hot. And who in their right mind wears a black suit under the blazing sun?"
One of the men gave a small, awkward nod. "We'll change, sir."
Before Davin could reply, Eden walked up beside them, her tone calm but firm. "I think they look fine. It's called blending in."
"Exactly!" Ashmaria chimed in, smiling. "My brother is just too stiff and too—"
She stopped when Davin's cold stare cut through her words. Biting her lip, she fell silent.
"We'll—" one of the men began, but Davin cut him off.
"It's fine. Check the perimeter," he ordered.
"Yes, sir," they replied, quickly heading off to scout the area.
"I think we should start setting up so we can begin," Ashmaria said to the rest of the crew.
"Yes, ma'am," they answered, moving toward the beach with equipment. Ashmaria followed, along with Nancy.
Eden started to walk after them, but Davin caught her arm gently and pulled her slightly behind him.
"What are you doing, Commander?" she asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Protecting you, obviously," he replied.
"Are you serious? We're on an isolated island. Who could possibly—"
"That's my point," Davin interrupted. "We're on an isolated island. We have to make sure the area is secure before you wander off."
Eden crossed her arms. "Are you saying your sister chose an unsafe location?"
"That's not what I'm saying. Even my sister can't predict every risk. As someone of high rank, your safety is a priority. It's my job to make sure you remain unharmed until we return to the city. My men are checking the island. Once they confirm it's safe, you can join them."
Eden held his gaze for a moment, then gave a small, knowing smile. "Very well, Commander."
"Unbelievable," Ashmaria muttered, blowing out a breath as she turned toward the yacht. She noticed one of the crew members climbing back aboard but paid him no mind — he was probably just checking the mooring lines.
Moments later, Davin's men approached from the beach.
"How was it?" he asked.
"It's safe, sir," one of them replied.
"You can join them now, Princess," Davin said to Eden, stepping aside.
"Thanks," Eden replied curtly and walked toward where Nancy and Ashmaria were setting up.
"Sir, aren't you hot in that suit?" one of the soldiers asked hesitantly, glancing at Davin's black uniform.
He didn't answer — only gave them a cold stare.
"We'll guard the tent area," another soldier said quickly, pulling his companion along toward the setup site. They took positions outside the tent where Eden and the rest of the staff were working. Davin watched them for a moment, then turned his gaze back across the island.
Ashmaria's team had arrived earlier and were already building the set for the first concept of the photo shoot.
"Why are all the props made of wood?" Ashmaria asked as she approached the workers.
"They're sturdier this way, ma'am," one of the men replied.
"Isn't that dangerous?" she asked, frowning.
"We're professionals, ma'am. There's nothing to worry about," he said confidently.
Ashmaria didn't press the issue. She trusted her staff, and though she didn't personally know the crew they'd hired for the setup, she believed they wouldn't choose anyone unskilled for the job.
Halfway through the shoot, however, she noticed something strange. The men who had assembled the set kept pacing around it, checking and rechecking the structure. Even as the cameras clicked and the models posed, they didn't stop circling.
Ashmaria's brow furrowed. The platform seemed to sway — barely at first, then again. A faint creak followed.
She looked up sharply.
The entire structure was trembling.
"Wait—" she started, but her voice was drowned by a loud crack. The wooden frames buckled, and the set began to collapse.
"Eden!" she screamed, sprinting toward her — but before she could reach her, the entire structure gave way.
A blinding cloud of dust rose as the wooden props came crashing down. A nearby staff member tried to shield Eden, but the collapse was too fast.
Davin saw it all — the moment of impact, the falling beams, his sister disappearing in the wreckage. His heart stopped.
He ran forward, shouting orders, but his men were too far away, scattered across the island on patrol.
The sound of breaking wood echoed, then silence — broken only by the cries of the injured.