With Tawana’s arrival, the once tranquil White Horse Island suddenly buzzed with activity.
Even at the hottest noon hour, hotel guests refused to stay in their rooms, spilling out like street loafers, wandering about with the sole aim of catching a glimpse of Tawana.
More bizarrely, numerous unidentified speedboats, large and small, appeared around White Horse Island, circling incessantly. Some even tried to enter the bay to land on the island. White Horse Island swiftly dispatched security and butlers, using several of the island’s speedboats and yachts to block the bay’s entrance.
Tawana had arrived that morning, and many tourists had already posted her arrival online. The Maldives, with its hundreds of resort islands, attracted tens of thousands, even hundreds of thousands, of tourists worldwide, all with some spending power. Hearing that Tawana was in the Maldives, on White Horse Island, many flocked to investigate, hoping to spot her in person.
Even if they couldn’t see Tawana herself, snapping a few close-up photos of White Horse Island to post on social media or Instagram would make the trip worthwhile.
White Horse Island was a coral reef, its main body shaped like a C. The outer edge of the C was a shallow reef area, ideal for snorkelling but too sharp and shallow for boats to enter. The middle of the C-shaped reef, however, had a channel several metres deep, navigable by small to medium-sized vessels.
White Horse Island reacted quickly, blocking the C-shaped opening with several boats, forcing the circling yachts to remain in the outer deep-sea area.
The roaring engines were noisy, irritating Ye Chen. He’d come for a rare holiday, managed one good night’s sleep, but by the second day, the place had turned into a bustling market.
Tawana’s sudden arrival also dampened Xiao Churan’s mood. Unless necessary, she refused to leave their room, even avoiding the restaurant for lunch, fearing an encounter with Tawana.
Fortunately, Tawana, not wanting to be mobbed wherever she went, had her lunch delivered to her water villa to avoid the crowd.
Ye Chen didn’t run into Tawana at the restaurant but met Hamid and his two wives instead.
After chatting at the entrance for a bit, Hamid said to Ye Chen, “Brother, after the party tonight, I’m heading back to Syria tomorrow morning. It’s rare for us to meet, fancy a couple of drinks?”
Ye Chen smiled, “I’ll skip the party, but if you’re up for drinks, let’s hit the beach bar after the party’s over.”
“Sounds good!” Hamid grinned, “If you’re not coming to the party, I’ll contact you when it’s done.”
Then, with a mischievous smile, he asked Ye Chen, “Brother, bringing your wife on this holiday, got any plans to start a family?”
“What plans?” Ye Chen was momentarily puzzled, not catching his meaning.
Hamid chuckled, gesturing at a rounded belly, raising an eyebrow, “Making a baby, getting your wife pregnant! My small fortune’s got me worried about having no heir. With your vast wealth, brother, if you don’t have eight or ten sons, how will they inherit it all?”
“Oh, that’s what you mean,” Ye Chen laughed awkwardly, “Too many things going on now, still in the start-up phase, no plans for kids yet. Maybe later.”
Hamid nodded, giving a thumbs-up, “Your big-picture thinking is way ahead of mine.”
Then, with an embarrassed sigh, he added, “I’m just indulging in lust after comfort, too optimistic.”
Hamid’s awkwardness made Ye Chen feel a bit uneasy too.
Some things were better left unsaid, so he didn’t dwell on it, instead patting Hamid’s shoulder, “Brother, head back and focus on your work. If anything comes up, contact me right away, I’ll do my best to help.”
“Alright!” Hamid nodded, touched, “Thanks, brother!”
…
That evening’s party, neither Ye Chen nor Xiao Churan planned to attend.
Ma Lan and Xiao Changkun, however, were keen, gathering details and planning to head over early to join the fun.
Bernard Elno hoped to leverage Tawana’s influence for free, so he warmly invited her to sing a few songs at the party.
The ocean-view bar, already equipped with full performance gear and a resident band, would be elevated if Tawana sang a few of her hits. Not only would the guests be thrilled, but videos posted online would surely draw global attention and praise, skyrocketing White Horse Island’s fame.
Moreover, White Horse Hotels wasn’t just this one property; it had resorts worldwide. If Tawana sang a few songs and the videos went viral, the hotel chain could gain over a billion exposures, an effect even millions in marketing couldn’t achieve.
