As Megan walked back to her mother, Ethan glanced down at Julia and asked, "What was her name?"
He hadn’t exactly gotten the name of the girl despite all the time they had spent together.
Julia beamed up at him.
"Megan!" she said proudly, as if introducing a lifelong friend.
Ethan nodded, watching as the little girl ran toward her mother, who smiled warmly and waved in their direction.
He gave a polite nod in return before turning back to Julia. "Your clothes should be dry by now. Go change."
Julia pouted but didn’t argue.
She picked up her dry clothes from where Ethan had dried them and skipped toward the changing room, disappearing inside.
Ethan exhaled and rolled his shoulders, taking a moment to glance around.
The VIP area of the resort was lively but not overcrowded, with other guests enjoying their meals or relaxing by the private pools.
A few minutes later, Julia emerged, now wearing her dry clothes with her swimsuit tucked under her arm.
She skipped back to him, eyes bright with curiosity. "What now?"
"We should go find our parents," Ethan said, slipping his hands into his pockets.
Julia perked up, clearly excited by the idea. "Okay!"
She reached out and grabbed his hand, holding onto him as they walked through the resort.
Ethan led them through the exclusive areas, passing by lush greenery and well-maintained pathways.
The VIP section was a world of its own— elegant, peaceful, and far removed from the bustling public areas of Atlas.
The air smelled of fresh flowers and expensive perfume, the soft hum of conversations blending with the occasional laughter of guests.
Eventually, they spotted his mother and sister on the tennis court.
Margaret, was in the middle of a match with Claire.
Harold sat nearby in a lounge chair, watching them with an amused expression.
Margaret moved with practiced ease, her racket slicing through the air as she sent the ball flying over the net.
Claire gritted her teeth and lunged to return the shot, her form athletic and fluid.
The ball barely skimmed past the net before bouncing sharply.
Harold leaned back in his chair, arms crossed, a faint smirk on his face.
"Your mother’s not going easy on you, huh?" he commented.
Claire exhaled sharply, adjusting her grip on the racket.
"She never does," she muttered before getting into position for the next serve.
Ethan and Julia approached the court, watching the game unfold for a moment before Julia called out, "Mom! Claire!"
Margaret turned her head mid-swing, her eyes lighting up when she saw Julia.
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"Oh, there you are," she said, lowering her racket slightly.
She walked toward the edge of the court, sweat glistening on her skin but not a single strand of hair out of place. "Having fun?"
Julia nodded enthusiastically. "Big brother took me all around the resort! We ate ice cream, and I went swimming!"
Margaret’s gaze flickered to Ethan, a silent question in her eyes.
He merely shrugged. "She decided to dive in without a swimsuit," he explained. "Had to get her a custom one."
Margaret sighed but didn’t seem surprised. "That sounds like Julia."
Claire, meanwhile, had walked up beside their mother, brushing some loose strands of hair from her face.
She looked at Julia with a raised eyebrow. "You didn’t get in trouble, did you?"
Julia puffed out her cheeks. "No!"
Ethan smirked. "I gave her a flick on the head, though."
Julia let out an exaggerated whine, rubbing her head as if it still hurt. "It was mean!"
Harold chuckled from his chair. "Serves you right for jumping in like that."
Julia crossed her arms with a little huff, but it was clear she wasn’t truly upset.
Claire ruffled her hair, and just like that, Julia was grinning again.
Margaret handed her racket to Ethan. "You take over. I need a break."
Ethan raised an eyebrow but took it, stepping onto the court.
Claire immediately got into position, eyes gleaming with anticipation. "Don’t go easy on me," she warned.
He smirked. "I wouldn’t dream of it."
Julia ran over to sit next to their father, swinging her legs as she watched.
Harold leaned forward slightly, interested in how this match would play out.
Ethan knew his sister was competitive — she wasn’t the type to back down from a challenge, and neither was he.
The game began, and Ethan quickly realized Claire had improved since the last time they played.
She was faster, more precise, her returns sharp and controlled.
He adjusted his stance, adapting to her pace, and soon they were locked in an intense back-and-forth.
Julia cheered loudly whenever either of them scored a point, clearly enjoying herself.
Margaret returned with a bottle of water, sitting beside Harold and watching with mild amusement.
Eventually, Ethan managed to take the final point, earning himself a dramatic groan from Claire as she fell back onto the court in defeat.
"Ugh," she muttered. "I was so close."
Ethan grinned, offering her a hand. "You’ll get me next time."
She took his hand reluctantly, letting him pull her up. "Next time, I’m winning."
Harold clapped his hands together. "Good game. But I think it’s time we eat, don’t you?"
Julia immediately perked up. "Yes! I’m starving!"
"You just ate," Ethan said with a flabbergasted expression.
Margaret laughed, standing up and dusting herself off.
As the family left the tennis court, Julia trailing behind them, another group arrived to take their place.
A man, dressed in sleek sportswear, picked up one of the rackets, inspecting it for a moment before stepping onto the court.
Ethan glanced over his shoulder just as the man let the racket fall to the ground with a soft thud before turning and walking away, seemingly uninterested.
Ethan thought it was odd but didn’t dwell on it.
Just as he turned back to follow his family, his phone buzzed in his pocket. He pulled it out and saw a message from Zack.
[Zack: Come to the office immediately. Someone’s here for you.]
Ethan exhaled sharply through his nose.
He glanced at his family ahead. They were headed toward the restaurant, chatting amongst themselves, and Julia was skipping alongside Claire.
Margaret noticed him slowing down and turned slightly. "Everything okay?"
"Yeah," Ethan said. "Zack wants me at the office. You guys go ahead — I’ll catch up later."
His mother nodded, not questioning it further.
Harold gave him a pat on the shoulder as he passed, a quiet show of support, and Claire simply smirked. "Don’t let Zack boss you around too much."
Ethan rolled his eyes but didn’t respond.
Instead, he turned on his heel and made his way toward the administrative office. His mind was already shifting gears.
The VIP office, located on the upper level of the main complex, was where Atlas handled high-level operations.
It was polished and modern, designed for serious business meetings rather than the relaxed atmosphere of the resort itself.
When Ethan arrived, Zack was standing by the window, scrolling through his phone. Across from Zack, seated comfortably in one of the office chairs, was a man Ethan recognized immediately.