Chapter 4 I'm Just Catching Up With Katrina

Tatiana's Point of View

The next morning, I woke up earlier than usual. I tiptoed into the kitchen and made his coffee just the way he liked it-black, no sugar, two drops of milk. I even toasted his favorite bagel, the one with sesame and a hint of cinnamon.

I placed everything gently on the dining table, adding a small note beside it."Eat something, please. We'll talk, okay?"I waited. And waited. I heard his footsteps coming down the stairs. My heart picked up, stupidly hopeful. I turned, ready to speak.

But he walked right past me. Not a glance. Not a word. He picked up his keys from the counter, ignoring the food, ignoring me. Like I was air."Scott..." I called out, my voice too soft, too broken. "Please, can we just-"He paused. My heart stopped. He looked at me, finally. For one split second.

His lips parted. I thought he'd say something. Anything. All he said was,"Bye." And he walked out. Just like that. The door clicked shut behind him, leaving me alone with the untouched food and the unbearable silence. I sat down slowly, feeling like I'd been punched in the chest. I tried to eat, but every bite felt like glass.

I checked my phone. Nothing. No message. No call. I tried to do small things-laundry, watering the plants, folding the twins' clothes. Just to keep from crying. But the tears came anyway. I ended up on the floor of the kitchen, staring at the cold mug of coffee he didn't drink. And I sobbed like I was crumbling from the inside out.

I don't remember packing. I just remember the ache. The disbelief. The quiet realization that maybe... love wasn't enough. Just as I zipped up the last suitcase, my phone rang. It was his mother. Her voice was soft. Careful. Almost guilty.

"Tatiana... sweetheart, I've booked you into the family resort. Just take a week, okay? Get away from all this... I'll talk to him. I promise. He's... he's not thinking straight. I'm so sorry for the pain he's causing you."

I didn't say much. I didn't have the strength. I just nodded, even though she couldn't see me."Thank you," I whispered.

**********

The car pulled up the gravel driveway, and I stepped out, not even bothering to smile at the bellboy. He tried to reach for my bag but I waved him off."I got it." My voice was low, tired. The familiar resort looked like peace... but all I felt was tension crawling under my skin.

Two staff whispered as I walked past. One girl nudged the other."That's her," I heard."Poor thing..." My steps faltered. What the hell did they know? Still, I kept moving. The receptionist, an older woman I vaguely recognized from past visits, smiled too widely.

"Welcome back, Miss Wilson. We've prepared your favorite suite."I narrowed my eyes slightly."Did someone brief you on my entire life before I got here?"She blinked."No, ma'am! Just... Mr. Scott's mother said you might need a little extra comfort."

Right. Comfort.

Whatever.

**********

I opened the door to the suite and dropped my bags by the couch. The room smelled like roses and lemon-too perfect, too fake. I collapsed onto the bed, staring at the ceiling. Was this really happening? Was my fiancé cheating on me... with my best friend?

I rolled over and grabbed my phone. My fingers hovered over Katrina's contact. But I couldn't do it. Not yet. Not without proof.

**********

I was bored out of my mind.

The quiet was suffocating. The resort was beautiful-sure-but how could I enjoy it when my heart felt like it had been yanked out and stomped on? Scott hadn't returned my calls. Not one. He hadn't replied to my texts. Nothing. Just a blank wall of silence.

I tried to keep busy. Walked around the resort, took random pictures I had no interest in posting, ordered food I barely touched, and even tried journaling like one of those healing girlies.

Nothing worked.

On the third day, I decided to take a walk along the beach. Maybe the waves would know what to do with a heart like mine.

I took off my slippers, letting the cool sand sift between my toes. The sea breeze tangled my hair, and for a moment, just one fragile moment-I felt okay. Like maybe I could move on. Like maybe I could laugh again. Like maybe...

And then I saw him.

Scott. Walking along the shoreline with another woman. Hand in hand. Laughing. Laughing. I froze. My heart stopped. It was like the entire beach went silent while my ears buzzed violently.

They didn't see me. Or maybe they did and didn't care. Either way, their joy was like a dagger to my gut. Her hand was around his arm, her head tilted slightly toward him, and he-he was smiling. The same smile I hadn't seen in months. The one I thought had vanished.

So it wasn't gone. He just wasn't showing it to me anymore.

My knees buckled slightly, but I didn't fall. Not yet. My pride wouldn't let me. I took slow steps backward, blinking furiously to hold in the tears that threatened to spill. My hands were trembling-whether from rage or heartbreak, I didn't even know.

But then something inside me snapped. The betrayal. The secrecy. The damn silence. I wasn't going to run. No. Not this time. I turned and followed them from a distance, keeping to the shadows. They turned a corner and disappeared into one of the villas at the far end of the resort. My pulse thundered in my ears.

I stood there for a while, chest heaving.

Then I moved.

I don't know what I was expecting-to find her fixing his shirt? Them kissing? Clothes on the floor? All I knew was I needed answers. When I got to the villa, I stood at the door, hand raised. My fist hovered midair for what felt like an eternity.

And then I knocked. A soft but firm rap. Footsteps. The door creaked open. And standing there... was Katrina.

Her eyes widened in horror."Tatiana-what are you doing here?"I swallowed hard. "Where is he?"Katrina stepped halfway out, blocking my view inside. "He's... in the shower."

Of course he was.

I looked her dead in the eye. "You two planned this, didn't you?"Her throat bobbed, and she shifted uncomfortably."All those times I asked you to talk to him for me... you were already with him."

"Tatiana, no-it's not like that," she stammered.

"Then what is it like?" I asked, my voice cracking under the weight of the betrayal."You weren't supposed to find out like this," Katrina whispered, guilt and panic flashing across her face. I scoffed bitterly. "Oh, really?" And then came the sound of footsteps. The bathroom door opened. My breath caught.

Scott walked out shirtless, towel slung casually over his shoulder, hair wet, face relaxed. His voice rang out before he saw me."Hey, babe. I forgot my-"

He stopped cold the moment his eyes locked with mine. His voice filled with warmth and familiarity. Did he just say babe? Shock flickered across his face. Then guilt. Then something worse-indifference. He looked at me as if I were an unwelcome guest. As if I didn't belong there. As if I didn't deserve an explanation.

I forced the words out. "Scott. What's going on?"For a split second, I saw him hesitate. But then, just like that, his expression turned cold. Detached. "What do you mean, Tatiana?" he said, his voice as casual as a breeze. "I'm just... catching up with Katrina."