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THEN:

The security guard's grip was unyielding; his hands clamped around Javier's arms like iron bands as he escorted him toward the boat that would take him away from the island, never to return. With each step he took away from Isla, the tightness in his chest grew, a physical manifestation of the heartache that threatened to consume him. Yet, even in this moment of anguish, Javier's gaze never wavered from Isla’s. His eyes, bright with unshed tears, held a silent promise—a vow that not even the steely force of Victoria's will could smother the flames of their love.

Isla stood motionless, her feet rooted in the sand that had been their sanctuary mere moments ago. The world tilted on its axis, her senses numbed by the spectacle unfolding before her. The vibrant colors of the beach faded into a monochrome palette, the laughter and warmth sucked out of the air, leaving a void that echoed with Javier's absence. The sharp scent of saltwater stung her nostrils, a cruel reminder of the distance growing between them with every heart-wrenching second.

As the security guard's silhouette dwindled, merging with the seafoam green of the estate's manicured hedges, Javier turned for one last look. His dark, curly hair whipped about his face in an untamed dance. Even from afar, the resilience etched into Javier's features was unmistakable—his spirit might be bruised, but it remained unbroken.

"Javier!"

Isla's voice cracked. She raised a trembling hand, reaching out to the space her love had occupied, now filled with nothing but the ghosts of their shared dreams.

With Javier's departure, the beach transformed into a desolate landscape, its beauty marred by the jagged edge of loss. Isla's knees buckled, and she crumpled to the ground, her fingers digging into the sand as if trying to hold onto something tangible in the chaos.

Tears blurred Isla's vision, the cascading waves of the ocean merging with the stream of her grief. She wrapped her arms around herself, holding on to the fading heat of Javier's touch, a feeble shield against the chill of abandonment. And there, in the shadow of the home that was no longer a sanctuary, Isla let the waves of sorrow crash over her, alone yet resolute in the knowledge that this was not the end.

The waves whispered to Isla, their rhythmic lapping against the shore a soft murmur beneath her sobs. She rose slowly, her legs heavy as if weighed down by the gravity of her mother's verdict. Standing alone on the sand, she could feel the remnants of the day's heat fading away with the retreating sun, leaving a cool film on her sun-kissed skin.

Isla's gaze lingered on the horizon, where the sea met the sky in an indistinct line—much like the blurred boundaries between love and duty that seemed to suffocate her now. The ocean, once a symbol of uncharted freedoms and shared secrets with Javier, now stretched out before her like an expanse of uncertainty. The salt in the air clung to her lips, a bitter reminder of tears shed and words left unsaid.

Her mother's wrath hung over her like the gathering dusk, its weight settling in her chest and constricting her breath. With her cold determination and stony heart, Victoria Walton had spoken words that cleaved through Isla's dreams, severing them from the possible futures they might have woven together.

Yet, even as the tide pulled at the shore, eroding it grain by grain, so too did a resolve begin to form within Isla's spirit. Her mother's disapproval, fierce as it was, could not drown out the steady drumbeat of her own heart—a heart that beat for Javier, for the promises they had vowed to keep.

She took a deep, shuddering breath, tasting the salty air mixed with her resolve. The ocean's vastness mirrored the depth of her inner struggle, the waves reflecting the tumultuous emotions that crashed within her. Isla knew if she was ever to see Javier again, it would be through clandestine meetings and whispered defiance. It would be dangerous, and she could lose everything.

Was it a risk she was willing to take?

As darkness fell, Isla remained steadfast, a solitary figure framed against the twilight. She cast a final glance back at the house that loomed behind her, its windows dark and unwelcoming. Then, turning her face toward the ocean, she let the fading light wash over her. The lingering sense of tension and anticipation was palpable, a silent promise to herself and Javier that no matter what was to come, she would navigate it.

For Javier. For love.