Millionaire Spent His Summer Hiding From Fame, Never Expecting His First Crush Would Find Him
The Hidden Sanctuary
The first camera flash after landing in Malibu almost gave Sebastian Barnes a heart attack. Five years as a Silicon Valley wunderkind had earned him billions, but the constant spotlight had become unbearable.
He ducked into his waiting car, slamming the door as paparazzi swarmed like hungry predators. “Drive,” he muttered to his security team. “Anywhere but here.”
Sebastian’s escape plan had been meticulously crafted over months. He chose a remote beach house nestled against forested cliffs, invisible from both road and sea. There was no staff except his head of security.
He allowed no visitors and, most importantly, no technology. Journalists were hunting for scoops about Barnes Tech’s latest innovation. He wanted just three months of blessed solitude to recalibrate before returning to the chaos of his empire.
What he hadn’t planned for was Emma Collins. The first morning at his hideaway, Sebastian woke to ocean sounds rather than city noise. He stretched lazily in bed, savoring the knowledge that his calendar was blissfully empty.
At thirty-two, he felt ancient. Success had come early and relentlessly. The beach house was exactly what he needed: minimalist luxury with panoramic ocean views, a fully stocked kitchen, and complete privacy.
After his morning coffee on the deck, Sebastian decided to explore the beach. The private staircase wound down the cliff face, depositing him onto a stretch of sand that his security team had assured him was practically deserted.
Even in summer, the beach was everything he’d hoped for. A crescent of golden sand was bordered by rocky outcroppings on either end that made it inaccessible from neighboring beaches.
Sebastian walked barefoot along the shoreline, allowing the cold Pacific water to lap at his ankles. For the first time in years, he felt his shoulders relax. Then, he spotted her.
A woman sat on a weathered piece of driftwood, sketch pad in hand. She was completely absorbed in whatever she was drawing. Long chestnut hair danced in the breeze around her face.
She wore faded jeans rolled up at the ankles and an oversized sweater despite the warm morning. Sebastian froze. This wasn’t part of the plan. This was supposed to be a private beach.
He contemplated retreating back up the stairs, but something about the woman’s posture struck him as oddly familiar. The tilt of her head as she concentrated was unmistakable.
As if sensing his presence, she looked up. Even from thirty feet away, Sebastian felt the impact of those eyes. They were wide-set, observant, and a distinctive shade of green he’d last seen fifteen years ago.
“Sebastian Barnes,” she called, squinting against the sun. “Is that you?”
His stomach dropped. Discovered on the first day. So much for his perfect hideaway. “Sorry,” he called back, already turning to leave. “You’ve mistaken me for someone else.”
“Nice try,” the woman said, setting aside her sketch pad and standing. “We only spent four years in the same high school. I’m Emma Collins.”
Sebastian stopped mid-stride, the name hitting him like a physical force. Emma Collins. She was the quiet art student who’d sat two rows ahead of him in advanced physics.
She was the girl whose science fair project he’d accidentally knocked over sophomore year. She was the first girl he’d ever truly fallen for and never had the courage to tell.
“Emma,” he said, testing the name. “Wow. It’s been a long time.”
