Chapter 2 2

Liam insisted on a "make-up" day.

He said he felt distant, wanted to reconnect before their anniversary.

He booked a VIP experience at Universal Studios.

Over-the-top, expensive, and utterly meaningless to Maya now.

He was incredibly attentive, holding her hand, buying her silly souvenirs she didn't want.

Playing the part of the doting husband.

It was a performance, and she was his unwilling audience.

"I'm going to disappear, Liam," she thought, watching him laugh at some stunt show.

"You just don't know it yet."

He pulled her close, nuzzling her neck. "You're quiet today, beautiful."

"Just tired," she lied.

His touch, once a comfort, now felt like a brand.

He wanted her to stay, to be his perfect wife, his possession.

The thought made her skin crawl.

A young couple approached them, eyes wide with excitement.

"Oh my god, you're Liam and Maya Goldstein, right?" the girl gushed.

"We're huge fans! Your love story is so inspiring."

They asked for a photo. Liam, ever the showman, beamed.

He pulled Maya into a practiced embrace.

"Smile, darling," he murmured.

Maya forced a smile. She felt like a complete imposter, a fraud.

The flash went off. Another perfect moment captured for a lie.

The couple thanked them profusely, walking away chattering about "relationship goals."

Maya wanted to scream.

Liam was on his phone constantly.

"Urgent work stuff, baby, sorry," he'd say, turning away.

But Maya saw the screen reflection in his sunglasses once.

Instagram. Ava Sinclair's profile.

Later, while Liam was supposedly on a "conference call," Maya excused herself.

She ducked into a restroom and pulled out her own burner phone.

Ava Sinclair was live-streaming.

From Universal Studios.

"My amazing boyfriend just gifted me this incredible VIP day!" Ava cooed to her followers, panning her phone camera around a lavish private lounge.

The same VIP lounge Maya and Liam had been in an hour ago.

Ava boasted, "And he just sent me a virtual castle on my stream! He's EmpireLover, best BF ever!"

EmpireLover. Liam's not-so-secret online handle for his "indiscretions."

Maya's stomach churned. The audacity.

The virtual castle gift was a feature on the streaming platform, costing thousands.

Ava's followers were going wild.

"OMG, EmpireLover is loaded!"

"He must really love you, Ava!"

"Is he famous? Spill!"

Then, a comment from EmpireLover himself, Liam, appeared on Ava's stream: "Only the best for my queen. You deserve the world, Ava."

Publicly. For everyone to see.

Maya felt a sharp, physical pain in her chest.

It was like watching him tear their life apart, piece by piece, and display it for sport.

The betrayal was so blatant, so cruel.