10x Cashback: Your Wealth Is Mine

"What the fuck?!" Mila's eyes widened, excitement lighting up her face. "You're kidding, right?"

"Nope." I said, holding out my hand for her to take. "The boat's all ready, and the island's waiting. What do you say?"

Mila laughed, shaking her head in slight shock. "H - how? How did you get access?"

"Let's just say I'm a friend of the family." I said, flashing her a grin.

"You really know how to pull out all the stops, don't you?" She laughed.

I shrugged, enjoying her reaction. "What can I say? I'm full of surprises."

She took my hand, stepping out of the car. I held out my elbow like a gentleman and she took it with a laugh. "Off we go, mademoiselle."

When you calm down to think about it, you'll understand her shock.

Emerald Island belonged to my sister, Jenny, and that made it both popular and exclusive.

It was popular because it belonged to one of the daughters of the richest man in the continent, who was very active on social media.

And it was exclusive because it wasn't easy to set foot in there. You had to be personally invited. Whenever Jenny threw her famous Emerald party every year, there were Alist celebrities who always wished they'd been invited.

Compared to them, Mila was a small fry and there was no way she would have ever gotten an invite to Emerald Isle. By taking her there, I will cement my status as a crazy but quietly rich guy.

My invitation to the country club will be an afterthought to her. In fact, she'll be honored to bring me into the club.

Together, we entered the boat and helped her sit down before taking my place at the helm. I hit the ignition, the engine purring to life.

Thank God I didn't have to learn how to ride a boat as Nico Voss. It was trivially easy to pull the boat away from the dock and towards the open water.

As I drove, Mila stood, stretching her hands. The breeze caught her hair as she looked out at the ocean, her face full of awe.

I watched her for a moment, appreciating the way the light of the sunset highlighted her beautiful features. This felt right. Exactly like everything had been leading to this moment.

As the boat roared over the water and the city slowly pulled away behind us, Mila leaned back, her body relaxed, and I could tell she was soaking in every bit of the experience.

"This is incredible." Mila said, pulling out her phone. She turned towards the city, positioning her phone for the perfect shot. "I don't think I've ever seen the city from this perspective."

I smiled, keeping one hand on the steering wheel. "You get used to it after a while." I shrugged like it wasn't a big deal when in reality, even I don't get this kind of view regularly.

She glanced at me, raising an eyebrow. "Oh, do you? Just casually cruising to private islands all the time, huh?"

I chuckled. "Not all the time. But enough to know it's better than sitting in traffic."

Mila laughed at that, shaking her head. "Well, you've got a point there. If this is your idea of a commute, I'm definitely jealous."

I shrugged, saying nothing. Taking her to Emerald Isle would be like showing her my credentials. There's no way an ordinary man would be able to get in.

It wasn't long before we spotted Emerald Isle ahead. She squealed at the sight of it and couldn't resist snapping a few pictures, including a selfie with the island in the background.

Emerald Isle was aptly named because apart from the mansion, there was green everywhere. With grass carpeting the floor and trees providing shade, it really did look like an emerald from a distance.

In a few minutes, I had the boat docked. "We're here." I stepped out of the boat, offering her a hand. "Welcome to Emerald Isle."

"I'm impressed, Nico." She took my hand, stepping onto the dock with a laugh. "And here I thought we were just going to a park or something."

I laughed. "Trust me, this is much better."

We were greeted by the island's security and my heart drummed in my chest as the guys scrutinized us. 

Luckily, they were able to recognize me on sight and allowed us entrance. It had, after all, not been that long since I'd been here.

We walked up a narrow path that cut through the trees, leading toward the mansion which stood at the middle of the island. 

The house was stunning, with its all white coloring and modern design.

"Wow. This place is even more incredible in person." Her eyes were taking in every detail. "I can't believe you know Jenny Voss personally."

"Well, we do run in the same circles." I shook my head, keeping my smile casual. "All you need to know is that I have access to it for today."

She gave me a playful shove. "Mysterious as always."

Once we reached the house, I led her out to the back where the real magic was. 

The view opened up to a small, private beach, complete with white sand, the ocean sparkling as the last rays of sunlight reflected off it. A perfect spot for our picnic.

I spread out a blanket, gesturing for Mila to sit down as I unpacked the basket I'd brought from the boat. 

I fished the pastries out of the basket, serving them on paper plates. Mila took one and curiously bit into it. She moaned in pleasure as I worked the cork off the wine glass.

As I poured us each a glass of wine, she swallowed her mouthful and turned to me with curiosity. "These pastries are amazing. Where did you get them?"

I grinned, leaning back on the blanket. "There's this little bakery, hidden away in the city. No grand signs, no advertising. You kind of have to know it's there."

Her eyes widened. "Wow, I've never heard of it. And I thought I knew all the best spots."

"If you treat me right, I might just take you there." I grinned at her.