Chapter 3 Bali

The plane touched down at Ngurah Rai International Airport, and Venice stepped off the aircraft onto the tarmac. The air in Bali was thick with humidity, and the sweet scent of tropical flowers passed gently through the night air. She could feel the tension in her shoulders slowly dissipating as she took in the lush surroundings.

Beside her, Mike looked equally relieved to have arrived. He had endured a lot of jabs and unpleasant stares during the long flight, he quietly asked himself, if he made a huge mistake coming here. Although his boss Richard Harmony was paying for his time, he couldn't understand why he would pay so much attention to helping Venice out with her family situation, it was supposed to be her problem, not his. Venice's Dad had completely ignored him like he did not exist, her mother Mrs. Wilson was staring at him as if she wanted to swallow him alive, and her younger sister Keke was busy throwing jabs after jabs at him. "What a wonderful family," he thought. The most annoying part of playing pretend boyfriend to Venice was that she wasn't appreciative at all.

Venice was particularly bothered by her father's silence throughout the journey, he only asked a few questions then he kept to himself, which was unlike him. She glanced over at her dad, who was walking a few steps ahead of them, seemingly lost in thought. He hadn't said a word to Mike since they had arrived and his expression was one of intense scrutiny. It was almost as if he were sizing Mike up, trying to figure something out. Venice couldn't help but wonder what was going on in her father's mind.

As they made their way through the airport, Venice's sister, Keke, was busy capturing the moment with her camera. She was always the one to document their family vacations, and this one was no exception.

Venice leaned in closer to Mike and whispered, "My dad has been acting strangely. Do you think he suspects anything?" Mike nodded, his brow furrowed in confusion. "Yeah, I noticed, He hasn't said another word to me this entire time. It's kind of unsettling."

Venice sighed. "I honestly hope, he doesn't suspect anything. I don't know what Richard was thinking sending me a mere assistant. It's so easy for them to find out, even with the clothes, you still don't look the part."

A gentle breeze swept over them, and Venice felt a slight sense of relief as the night wind blew across her face. She wished her family would cut her some slack and allow her to relax and enjoy this vacation. After all, this trip was supposed to be a way to unwind and forget about her troubles. They climbed into a waiting van that would take them to their hotel. The drive was filled with the rhythmic sound of the waves crashing

against the shore and the occasional distant hum of music from beachside bars. Venice gazed out of the window at the darkened streets of Bali, her mind troubled with thoughts of how to successfully navigate this trip and maintain her sanity because her younger sister was driving her crazy.

When they arrived at their hotel, the beauty of the island was even more evident. The lobby was adorned with traditional Balinese artwork, and the staff greeted them with warm smiles and flower leis. Venice managed to smile back forgetting about her thoughts for a moment. They were shown to their rooms, and Venice's heart sank when she realized that she and Mike would be sharing a suite. She had hoped for some space because Mike seemed to irritate her, she couldn't stand his poor sense of style and lack of class. She had to endure the madness because requesting for separate rooms would raise suspicions from her family.

As she entered into the suite, she cringed and snarled at Mike, unable to hide her frustration. "Seriously, we have to share a room?"

Mike shrugged, trying to remain calm. "It's not a big deal, Venice. We only need to stay out of each other's way and I am so good at that,"

She shot him an intimidating glance, "The room is big enough and it has two beds so stay on your side of the room and do not encroach into my space."

The room was spacious and beautifully decorated, with a large floor-to-ceiling window that opened up a breathtaking view of the ocean. It was hard to stay mad when she was surrounded by such beauty but she could not ignore the rage that was burning within her, she was mad at Nina for disappointing her, mad at Richard Harmony for canceling last minute and most importantly she was mad at her sister for having a perfect life and making fun of her.

Venice's sister, Keke, had a room next door, and Venice realized with a sinking feeling that the walls between their rooms were probably paper-thin. That meant she'd have to be careful about what she said and did if she wanted any privacy.

Nina had been calling her nonstop since they arrived, leaving messages and texts to apologize and find out how things were going. Venice knew she needed to respond, but right now, she needed to get settled in and figure out a plan. She couldn't just let her sister's drama consume her entire vacation. After unpacking and freshening up, Venice decided to step out onto the balcony. The night air was warm and inviting, and the sound of the waves crashing against the shore was soothing. She took a deep breath and tried to clear her mind. Mike joined her on the balcony, and they stood there in silence for a moment, both lost in their thoughts. Finally, Mike broke the silence. "You okay?"

Venice turned to him, a hint of vulnerability in her eyes. "I just needed some space, you know? This whole situation with my family and Keke... it's a lot to handle."

Mike nodded in understanding. "I get it. But hey, we're in Bali. Let's not let any of that ruin our trip. I would improve my acting but you should try to relax and enjoy this beautiful view"

Venice managed a small smile, grateful for his support. "You're right. I would do my best"

They stayed out on the balcony for a while longer, taking in the beauty of the island. Venice knew that she would have to confront her family issues eventually, but for now, she just wanted to relax.

Inside the hotel room, her phone buzzed with another message from Nina, but Venice ignored it for now. She had a feeling that the days ahead would be filled with challenges and she needed to brace herself up for it.

The next morning Venice woke up early, feeling a mixture of frustration and anger surging through her veins. Her hotel room was bathed in the soft, early morning light, slightly illuminating the elegant furnishings. Mike was fast asleep in the other bed. She knew she had to clear the air with Nina, her best friend, and she was also desperate to stretch her legs after all the traveling. She had arrived at the Balinese Island in the middle of the night the previous day with her family and Mike. They had all come to celebrate her parent's 50th wedding anniversary and although she wanted to take the day off to relax after the long trip, Venice was too angry at Nina to do so, she needed to deal with that first before she could focus on other things.

Venice quickly slipped into her workout gear, she tied up her long, ginger colored hair in a bun, slipped on her running shoes, and left the hotel room. She had decided to go for a jog, not just to clear her head but also to find a quiet, secluded spot where she could have a private conversation with Nina. As she jogged along the beautiful trees and the slamming ocean waves, her thoughts revolved like the water beneath her. Once she was sure she was alone, Venice let out a deep sigh and took out her phone. She knew what she was about to say was not going to be easy, but she dialed Nina's number anyway. The second she heard her friend answer, she unloaded her fury.

"Hey, Nina," Venice said, her voice filled with annoyance. "We need to talk."

Nina sounded concerned on the other end of the line. "What's wrong, Venice? Is everything okay?"

Venice took a deep breath, trying to calm herself before speaking. "No, everything is not okay. I'm mad at you, Nina. How could you disappoint me like this?"

Nina's voice took on a soft tone. "Venice, I'm really sorry. I never wanted this to happen. It was beyond my control. Richard had a last-minute scheduling conflict. He couldn't make it and because it was last minute, he didn't inform me in time."

"Nina, do you have any idea how embarrassed I am? You promised me, Richard Harmony, for the week, but instead, I got Mike his assistant! What were you thinking?" Venice demanded.

"I'm sorry my love, you know I am always here for you, I thought Mike would be a worthy replacement." Nina said.

Venice rolled her eyes, " A worthy replacement? Nina, I had to scramble to buy new clothes for Mike just to make this charade somewhat believable. But even with the fancy wardrobe, he still lacks class, and my parents were unimpressed. Keke, on the other hand, was taking jabs at me the entire time, making me feel so uncomfortable!"

Nina continued to apologize, despite Venice's continued complaints. Venice knew that her friend was only trying to help and her anger began to disappear gradually, she realized that holding a grudge would not make things better and she finally forgave her friend.

"I guess I should stop complaining so much," she said softly. She paused before adding.

"You'll never guess what happened yesterday. When Mike and I went to our hotel room, he started scratching his balls right in front of me!"

Nina burst into laughter.

"I bet he was just itchy, you would have helped him out as a caring girlfriend," she said, unable to contain her laughter.

Venice couldn't help but laugh as well. "If I catch you when I get back, I will deal with you," she playfully threatened her friend. Nina finally advised Venice to go easy on herself, she assured her that she only had a few more days before she could return home.

"You just have to make sure to keep Mike in check. Otherwise, the next few days could be even more embarrassing!"

Venice sighed and thanked her friend for the support. She ended the call and tucked her phone away, feeling a bit better than she had earlier. Now it was just a matter of surviving the next few days with Mike and her family. The little exchange between her and her friend helped to ease the tension she felt in her head, she felt a great sense of relief and she was ready to face the new day.