Broken Bond: Claimed by My Ex-Husband's Alpha Billionaire Uncle-Chapter 137: The Night Before Sunrise

Once Charlotte settled into the car, she finally had a moment to process everything that had just happened.

Damon hadn’t contacted her even once during the day and hadn’t even tried to meet her because he had been working so hard to clear his schedule so that he could take her on a surprise cruise.

A cruise ... and she didn’t even know where they were headed!

"Isolde told me you were sulking all day because I didn’t come to see you." Damon reached over and gently pinched her cheek, his eyes never leaving the road. A teasing smile tugged at his lips. "How can you be this adorable?"

Charlotte swatted his hand away, though not too harshly, it was more of a playful push than anything else. "I wasn’t sulking," she muttered, her cheeks warming. "I was just ... a little annoyed."

Damon chuckled. "That’s the same thing, sweetheart." Then he pulled a brochure from the car’s dashboard and handed it to her. "Here, take a look at our destination." 𝙛𝓻𝒆𝓮𝒘𝙚𝙗𝒏𝙤𝙫𝓮𝒍.𝓬𝒐𝙢

Charlotte blinked in surprise and carefully opened the glossy brochure. The pictures inside were breathtaking, there were endless blue seas, white sandy beaches, and a grand ship that looked like a floating palace.

Ocean Majesty.

That was the name of the brand-new cruise ship, said to be the most luxurious vessel ever built.

Its maiden voyage to Weisant Country had been priced at nearly double the cost of a normal ticket, yet every cabin had sold out within days, and Damon had still managed to secure the royal suite for them.

This was insane!

Charlotte stared at the brochure in disbelief, her heart pounding. The royal suite wasn’t just a cabin; it was practically a floating palace, complete with a private balcony, a personal butler, and access to exclusive areas of the ship.

She knew Damon was wealthy, but she never expected him to buy a first-batch ticket, one that cost nearly twice the normal price!

Charlotte didn’t even dare to ask how much he had really spent on her. Besides, she was sure he wouldn’t tell her anyway, since this was clearly meant to be a gift.

So, instead of worrying about the cost, she decided to change the subject. "You didn’t forget to bring my swimsuit, did you?" she asked.

Damon let out a soft laugh. "Of course I brought it. How could I ever forget your new bikini? I’ve been looking forward to seeing it."

Charlotte smacked his arm lightly, her cheeks glowing red. "Pervert."

Still, deep down, she felt a wave of relief because Damon never tried to control what she wore, never shamed her, and never called her a slut just because she wanted to put on a bikini.

She had actually been a little worried when she bought a new bikini after five years. Back when Julian had held her life in his grip, he would sneer and say that any woman who wore a bikini was nothing but a slut begging for men’s attention. It was cruel and completely untrue.

Charlotte had only wanted to wear one because the design was cute, and it made her feel good about herself. Why did Julian always act as if the entire world existed just to please men?

But that was the past, and there was no point wasting her thoughts on that bastard now, not when she was sitting beside Damon, a man who was handsome, kind, and loved her exactly as she was.

Charlotte leaned toward him, pressing a light kiss on his cheek while he was driving. "Thank you." she whispered, then kissed him again with a shy smile. "I really love the gift and I love you."

• •

"The cruise leaves around half past five in the morning," Damon said as he gently pulled Charlotte’s coat snug around her shoulders, making sure she wouldn’t feel the chill once the sea breeze reached them. "Doesn’t that sound wonderful? We’ll watch the sunrise together from the deck."

Charlotte’s eyes lit up, and she nodded with a smile. "That sounds so romantic."

Even though they still had to wait a few more hours before the ship set sail, they were already allowed to board and rest for a while.

However, Charlotte wanted to take a short night walk with Damon, while their luggage was being taken care of by their private porter.

The harbor lights shimmered against the dark water, and the cool night air carried the salty scent of the sea. For Charlotte, even this simple walk beside Damon felt more precious than any luxury the cruise could offer.

"What do you feel today?" Damon asked as they stopped by a small street vendor selling hot roasted corn.

Charlotte let out a soft laugh. "Why do you ask that? Of course I’m happy."

"No, I mean ... this is your first time finishing a film shoot after being away for five years." Damon’s gaze softened, his gray eyes warm as they lingered on her. "What do you really feel?"

Charlotte fell silent for a moment. It was the first time someone had actually asked how she felt that day. Everyone else only assumed she was thrilled, excited to finally return to the industry after so long, and yes, part of her was. But the truth was ... her feelings were far more tangled than that.

"It feels ... mixed," she finally admitted, her voice low.

Damon leaned casually against the iron post beside him. "How so?" he asked in a low voice.

"I’m happy, of course," she said softly. "But at the same time ... I feel nervous. It’s been five years, Damon. What if people think I’m not good enough anymore? I mean, I haven’t even seen my full performance on screen yet."

After the shooting was done, the movie would still have to go through the editing process, and only then would she truly see how everything had turned out. Until that moment came, doubt lingered in her chest like a shadow she couldn’t shake.

Damon tilted his head slightly. "You’re worrying about something that hasn’t even happened yet," he said softly. "From what I’ve seen, you have nothing to be afraid of."

Charlotte let out a small sigh. "You’re only saying that because you love me."

"I do love you," Damon admitted without hesitation. "But when it comes to your work, I try to stay objective. I watched you on set with my own eyes, and the producer even showed me some clips."

He leaned a little closer, his gaze sincere. "And the truth is ... you still have it, Charlotte. That spark. That rising star everyone once saw in you, it’s still there." He smiled warmly. "So don’t worry too much. My Charlotte is still just as talented as she was back then."

Charlotte lifted her face, doing everything she could to keep her tears from falling after hearing Damon’s gentle and warm words, lifting her confidence in ways she hadn’t felt in years.

It was almost as if he already knew she wouldn’t be able to enjoy their vacation fully unless they spoke about her worries first.

A soft laugh escaped her, though her eyes glistened. "You always know how to make me cry at the wrong time," she whispered.

Damon chuckled as he slowly pulled Charlotte into his arms. He held her close, wrapping her tightly against his chest while his hand gently stroked her back. "Oh, don’t cry," he teased softly. "If people see your swollen eyes, they’ll think I kidnapped you and brought you here."

Charlotte let out a watery laugh against his chest, her tears threatening to spill even as a smile curved her lips. "You’re ridiculous," she murmured, swatting lightly at his shoulder.

Damon tilted his head down, brushing his lips against her hair. "Ridiculous about you."

She was about to reply when the street vendor suddenly spoke up. "Sir, here’s your roasted corn."

Realizing they were still in a public place, Charlotte quickly hid her face against Damon’s shoulder. Damon, meanwhile, loosened his hold just enough to take the food with one hand, while the other stayed firmly around her waist in a protective embrace.

"Thank you." Damon smiled at the street vendor before leading Charlotte away to a quieter spot.

They sat down on a wooden bench near the edge of the pier, where the gentle sound of waves lapping against the dock filled the silence.

Damon blew softly on the steaming roasted corn before holding it up to Charlotte’s lips. "Careful, it’s hot."

Charlotte blinked at him, caught between laughter and embarrassment. "Are you seriously feeding me in public?" she whispered, her cheeks warming.

Damon’s lips curved into a teasing smile. "Why not? You’re my baby."

Charlotte let out a soft hiss, feeling a little embarrassed. Sometimes Damon could act like a professional heartthrob, so effortlessly charming that it made her cringe, or maybe ... that was just who he truly was.

She bit into the corn quickly, hoping to hide the flustered look on her face, while Damon chuckled beside her, clearly enjoying her reaction more than the food.