Aubrie McCoy POV:
There was a choked silence on the other end of the line after Kallie' s words, a silence that felt heavier than anything before it. Then, I heard a new voice. Jayson. My cousin, who I thought was like a brother to me.
"Give me that!" Jayson' s voice was rough. I heard a scuffle, then his angry shout. "Aubrie, you narcissist! What is wrong with you? Trying to ruin Kallie's last moments of happiness? You're disgusting!"
"Jayson, wait-" I tried to plead, but the line went dead. He had hung up. He had cut me off. Just like that.
My hand fell to my side, the phone clattering against my thigh. Through the leaves, I saw Kallie clinging to Elias, burying her face in his chest, her shoulders shaking with feigned sobs. He stroked her hair, murmuring reassurances. My mother and Esteban rushed to them, a united front of concern and false sympathy. They led Kallie and Elias away, towards the exclusive honeymoon suite I had personally designed for us.
The beach was suddenly dark, the festive lights now mocking beacons of my despair. I was alone, truly alone, in the cold, damp shadows of a world I had built for others to enjoy. The pain in my stomach intensified, but it wasn't just physical anymore. It was a deep, guttural scream of betrayal that clawed at my insides.
This child. Elias' s child. A living, breathing piece of the lie that had consumed my life. I couldn't. I just couldn't.
My decision was sudden, stark, and chillingly clear. I would not bring a child into this world, a child whose father was a monster, whose family was a viper's nest. I would not allow this last shred of connection to fester.
I turned and walked away from the resort, away from the laughter and the lights, into the dense, encroaching jungle. My feet stumbled over roots and uneven ground, but I didn' t notice. All I felt was the crushing weight of emptiness. I needed to get out.
Hours later, after a torturous trek, I reached a small, dusty town a few miles inland. I found a rundown motel, its neon sign flickering like a dying heart. The room was stale, smelling of old cigarettes and desperation. I collapsed onto the lumpy bed, but sleep wouldn't come. My mind replayed every cruel word, every hollow laugh, every deceitful touch.
The harsh ring of my phone jolted me awake at dawn. My superior, Mr. Harrington.
"Aubrie, are you there?" His voice was clipped, urgent. "A wildfire just broke out at the new resort. It's massive, moving fast. They need all hands on deck for damage control and evacuation. Get there immediately."
Before I could even process the words, he hung up. A wildfire. At my resort. The irony tasted like ash in my mouth. My entire life was going up in flames, quite literally.
I pulled myself out of bed, my body aching, my heart numb. I was a professional. I had a job to do. But first, one last look.
I opened my social media. Kallie had posted a new photo, taken moments after our call. She was in Elias's arms, smiling bravely through tear-filled eyes, a delicate hand pressed to her chest. Elias was looking down at her, a fierce, protective expression on his face. My eyes fixated on his left arm. There it was. The small, intricate tattoo of a soaring eagle, its wings spread wide.
Elias had gotten that tattoo six months ago, after a particularly grueling design review for the resort. He told me it symbolized his commitment to our shared future, our soaring dreams, our project. He had talked for hours about how the eagle represented freedom, strength, and his dedication to me.
A cold, hard knot formed in my stomach. The tattoo was clearly visible in Kallie' s photo. Kallie' s caption read: "My brave eagle, my protector. Always there to shield me from the storms, even the invisible ones."
My heart, which I thought had shattered beyond repair, now turned to stone. Not a single spark of love remained for Elias. Only a bitter, acrid taste. He had lied about everything. The tattoo, the future, the love. It was all for her, always for her.
I dressed quickly, my movements stiff and robotic. My professional life was the only thing I had left. I would dedicate myself to it, completely, wholeheartedly. I would rebuild, not just the resort, but myself. I would start by severing every single tie to the toxic past.
Later that morning, before I headed back to face the inferno, I called a lawyer. The conversation was brief, precise. I didn't mince words. I wanted all legal ties to Elias Short dissolved. Immediately. No negotiation. No turning back.
