Chapter 4

The next morning, I woke up with a pounding headache and a deep sense of regret.

Drinking alone in my hotel room was not the answer.

I forced myself out of bed, showered, and put on workout clothes.

A run on the beach. That would clear my head.

The sand was cool under my feet, the ocean breeze surprisingly refreshing.

I ran for miles, pushing myself, trying to outrun the misery.

It helped. A little.

Later that day, I decided to try the resort' s main pool again.

Maybe if I just focused on a book, I could ignore everyone else.

I found a lounge chair under an umbrella, settled in with my novel.

The sun was warm, the sound of the waves rhythmic.

For a moment, I almost felt peaceful.

Then I heard a familiar laugh.

A laugh that made my blood run cold.

Victoria.

I looked up, my heart hammering against my ribs.

There she was, walking towards the pool, hand-in-hand with Kevin.

Kevin. Here. In Miami. At our resort.

They were laughing, looking every bit the happy couple.

He leaned down and kissed her, a long, lingering kiss.

Right in front of me.

It was like a punch to the gut.

He hadn' t seen me. Not yet.

They settled into lounge chairs on the opposite side of the pool, oblivious to my presence.

Victoria was wearing a skimpy bikini, her hand resting possessively on Kevin' s arm.

He was attentive, fetching her drinks, rubbing sunscreen on her back.

The picture of devotion.

The same devotion he had once shown me.

Was this a twisted coincidence? Or had Victoria planned this too?

Knowing her, it was probably the latter.

Another way to humiliate me, to rub her victory in my face.

I wanted to disappear. To run and hide.

But a different feeling was starting to bubble up through the pain.

Anger. Cold, hard anger.

I wouldn't let them chase me away. This was my trip too, however miserable.

I stayed put, pretending to read my book, my eyes occasionally flicking towards them.

They were so wrapped up in each other, they didn't notice me for hours.

Then, Kevin stood up to get another round of drinks from the pool bar.

His path took him right past my chair.

He glanced my way, a casual, uninterested look.

Then he stopped. His eyes widened in shock.

"Emily?"

His voice was a hoarse whisper.

Victoria, seeing him stop, looked over.

Her eyes met mine, and a slow, triumphant smile spread across her face.

She knew. She had known all along.

"Well, well, well," Victoria said, sauntering over, her voice loud enough for everyone around the pool to hear. "Look who it is, Kevin. Your little ex."

Kevin looked horrified, his face flushing red.

"Emily, what are you doing here?" he stammered.

"I could ask you the same thing, Kevin," I said, my voice surprisingly calm. "This was supposed to be our honeymoon, remember?"

Victoria laughed, a shrill, unpleasant sound.

"Oh, honey, he upgraded. This is our pre-baby babymoon. A much more important occasion, wouldn't you say?"

She wrapped her arm around Kevin' s waist, pulling him close.

He looked like a trapped animal.

"Emily, I... I didn't know you'd be here," he said, avoiding my gaze.

"Liar," I said, my voice low and steady. "You knew. Or she did, and you just went along with it, like always."

He flinched.

"Now, now, Emily," Victoria cooed, "no need to be bitter. Some people just aren't meant to be. Kevin and I, we have a real connection. A future."

She patted her stomach again, meaningfully.

"You should probably find another resort, dear. This one is a bit too... crowded."

Her eyes glittered with malice.

Kevin finally spoke, his voice barely audible.

"Yeah, Em. Maybe that's for the best. For everyone."

He wouldn't even look at me.

The humiliation was intense, public.

I stood up, my hands clenched into fists.

"I'm not going anywhere," I said, my voice shaking slightly despite my efforts.

"Suit yourself," Victoria shrugged, then turned to Kevin. "Come on, darling. Let's get those drinks. I'm thirsty."

She pulled him away, leaving me standing there, exposed and raw.

I watched them walk away, his arm now around her shoulder.

The other guests around the pool were pretending not to stare, but I could feel their eyes on me.

I sank back into my chair, my face burning.

This was a nightmare. A carefully orchestrated, humiliating nightmare.