Chapter 197: Boys’ Type Of Conversation
"So big!"
That was the first thing out of Kristy’s mouth the moment the villa came into view.
Her words hung in the air for a second before the rest of the group turned to stare at her with raised brows — especially the boys.
Realizing how it sounded, Kristy’s face turned scarlet. "Oh, shut up," she muttered quickly, covering her mouth. "Perverts."
Liam chuckled softly and continued walking toward the villa, his shoes crunching against the fine white gravel that lined the entrance path.
The others followed in awe, their eyes darting from one breathtaking view to another. Palm trees framed the long driveway, the blue horizon of the sea stretching endlessly behind the mansion. Sunlight shimmered off the curved glass walls of the villa, catching on the infinity pool that spilled toward the ocean like liquid sapphire.
When they finally stepped inside, a collective gasp filled the space.
The interior was even more stunning — high ceilings, polished marble floors, glass balconies overlooking the turquoise water below. A faint scent of salt and jasmine drifted through the air.
"Wow..." Elise breathed, spinning slowly in place.
"Just like Kristy said," Harper added, eyes wide. "It’s big."
Matt whistled under his breath. "Big? This isn’t big, this is Bellemere Mansion’s long-lost twin."
The girls burst into laughter while Liam smiled faintly and slipped his hands into his pockets.
The boys, on the other hand, immediately began firing questions.
"When did you even buy this?"
"Wait, is this part of the Bellemere estate or a separate property?"
"Is this even legal? Like— a whole island?"
They’d been too stunned to talk since the plane touched down, and Kristy’s exclamation had been the first words any of them managed to say.
Now that they’d seen it up close, their shock only grew.
A private island? That wasn’t something they’d imagined that someone in their circle would have. But this wasn’t a backdrop or an illusion. It was real — with its own marina, a private double runway capable of handling the A380, and a villa that looked more like a resort than a home.
They could barely wrap their heads around it.
"How did we even end up knowing someone like this?" Matt muttered quietly to Harper, still turning in slow circles.
Harper shrugged helplessly. "Don’t ask me, man. I’m still trying to figure out if this is a dream."
But it wasn’t. Every sound, every shimmer of light, every breeze through the palm trees was real.
For all their laughter, a quiet question hovered among them: Who exactly was Liam Scott?
They knew what the world thought — the headlines, the rumors, the theories — but none of those matched the man standing in front of them. He didn’t act like someone born with endless wealth. He wasn’t arrogant or condescending. If anything, he was calm, almost humble.
And that contradiction only made him more mysterious.
Why did he treat them so well? What did he really want from them?
So many whys and hows, yet no one dared to ask out loud.
Still, beneath the unspoken questions, was undeniable gratitude. They knew this wasn’t normal. It wasn’t every day you met someone with more money than a small nation — and who still treated you like an equal.
Maybe that was why they all followed him so easily.
***
Inside the main lounge, sunlight spilled through the tall glass panes, painting soft reflections across the ocean-facing walls.
"So when did you get this place?" Lana asked, trailing her fingers along a carved wooden rail.
"The same time I got the aircraft," Liam said casually.
The group collectively froze.
"The same time?" Harper echoed. "You mean they just delivered a plane and an island together like a combo meal?"
Liam shrugged, amused. "It was part of the arrangement."
The boys shook their heads, somewhere between impressed and exasperated.
Matt let out a low whistle. "Man... I can’t even get special treatment from Applē, and you get an island with your plane."
Everyone laughed at that, as the slight tension melted away.
Liam gestured toward the wide staircase curving upward. "You’re free to explore. Go ahead. The island’s yours for the weekend."
That was all they needed to hear.
The group scattered instantly — the girls rushing toward the terrace and the boys disappearing down the hallway.
Lana, Elise, Stacy, and Kristy pulled out their phones before Liam could even blink.
"Can we take videos?" Elise asked eagerly.
Liam nodded. "Go ahead."
The girls squealed in excitement and began filming everything — the pool, the garden, the view of the marina, even the private runway stretching into the distance. Their laughter echoed through the halls, light and carefree.
Meanwhile, the boys dragged Liam along with them to explore the deeper parts of the villa. They peeked into bedrooms, entertainment rooms, and the private cinema on the lower floor.
"Dude," Matt said, pressing his hand against the glass that overlooked the ocean. "You’ve got an underwater lounge. Do you even realize how insane this is?"
Liam smiled faintly. "I suppose it’s nice."
Kristopher shot him a look. "Nice? Liam, you know what?"
"What?" Liam asked.
"Fuck you!"
"Brother, I don’t swing that way," Liam chuckled softly.
"You crazy..." Kristopher shook his head, sighing.
The group laughed and continued their tour, and somewhere between the wine cellar and the gym, Matt suddenly turned toward Liam with a teasing grin.
"So," he began casually, "what do you think about the girls?"
Liam blinked. "What do you mean?"
"You know," Matt said, smirking. "Stacy. Lana. Or any of them. You’ve got to have someone in mind, right? You’re not secretly dating, are you?"
The question caught Liam off guard. He stopped walking, raising an eyebrow as all the boys turned toward him expectantly.
"What?" he said flatly.
"Don’t ’what’ us," Harper said, laughing. "Come on, man. You’ve got four beautiful women hanging out with you every day. Don’t tell me you’ve never thought about it."
Liam looked at them, expression unreadable for a few seconds, then shook his head lightly.
"I haven’t," he said. "I just see them as friends."
The silence that followed was comical.
Kristopher stared at him like he’d grown another head. "You’re telling me you don’t feel anything? Not even a tiny spark?"
"No," Liam said calmly. "They’re good people. I like them — but not like that."
The boys exchanged looks like they’d just witnessed a miracle.
"Bro..." Alex said slowly. "Why are you gay?"
Immediately, a burst of laughter from Liam that filled the hallway.
"No, Alex. I’m not gay."
Kristopher folded his arms. "It’s just weird, man. You can’t blame us for asking. They’re all beautiful. It’s hard to imagine anyone not catching feelings."
Liam gave a small shrug. "Maybe you have."
That got them all.
Matt grinned and elbowed Harper. "He’s got you there."
Harper raised his hands in mock defense. "Hey, hey. Don’t drag me into this."
Liam smiled and leaned against the doorframe. "If you all like them, why not ask them out?"
The boys went silent for a moment before Alex finally spoke.
"We like them, yeah," he admitted. "But dating them? That’s different. We see them as family now. More like sisters."
Liam stared at him for a beat — and then laughed again. "Cap."
The group erupted into laughter.
"Okay, fine," Kristopher said, still chuckling. "Maybe there were some feelings early on. But we’ve all known each other for a while now. It’s been a year since the two groups met. We’ve been through enough chaos together that romance kind of... faded into friendship."
Matt nodded. "Exactly. Besides, everyone’s been busy. Work, families, life. Relationships weren’t on the menu. But maybe now, with everything changing, who knows?"
Liam smiled faintly at that, though his mind drifted for a moment.
Maybe now, with everything changing...
The words echoed in his mind longer than they should have.
He’d never really thought about relationships — not seriously. There was always something bigger to handle, something more urgent. He wasn’t avoiding love; he just never found space for it.
Maybe one day, he thought. But probably not in the foreseeable future.
He brushed the thought aside and motioned for the others to follow him back upstairs.
When they rejoined the girls, the sound of laughter filled the villa. Elise was balancing on the edge of the pool deck, directing Kristy’s "cinematic shots" with exaggerated flair. Lana was showing Stacy a slow-motion clip of the waves crashing against the marina wall. The four of them looked very stunning.
Matt leaned toward Liam and whispered, "Still not interested?"
Liam chuckled quietly. "Still not."
Matt sighed dramatically. "You’re hopeless."
"Or disciplined," Harper said.
Liam smiled faintly and looked toward the sea. The sunlight stretched far across the horizon, painting the water in streaks of gold and blue.
It’s is a beautiful day.