I came to the island looking for peace, a fresh start to heal from my past. Instead, I found him charming, caring, and everything I didn’t know I needed. But just as I was beginning to believe in new beginnings, one moment shattered everything.
Even though I’d spent decades there, my living room felt like a stranger’s space. At 55, I stared at the open suitcase, wondering how my life had gotten to this point.
“How did it get here?” I asked the chipped “Until the End of Time” mug I was holding before tossing it aside.
For illustration purposes only | Source: Midjourney
I ran my hand along the sofa. “Goodbye Sunday coffees and pizza fights.”
Memories buzzed through my mind, unwelcome guests I couldn’t expel. In the bedroom, the emptiness hit me harder. The other side of the bed stared at me like an accusation.
“Don’t look at me like that,” I mumbled. “It wasn’t entirely my fault.”
Packing my suitcase became a treasure hunt for the things that still mattered. The laptop sat on my desk like a beacon.
“At least you stayed,” I said, patting him.
For illustration purposes only | Source: Midjourney
After two years of work, my novel was inside. It wasn’t finished, but it was mine, proof that I wasn’t completely lost.
That’s when I received Lana’s email:
“Creative retreat. Warm island. Fresh start. Wine.”
“Sure, wine,” I said, laughing.
Lana had always been good at making disasters look appealing. The idea seemed foolhardy, but wasn’t that the point?
For illustration purposes only | Source: Midjourney
I stared at the flight confirmation. My inner voice was relentless.
What if I hate him? Or what if they hate me? What if I fall into the ocean and get eaten by sharks?
But another thought crept into my mind.
What if I liked it?
I exhaled and closed the suitcase. “On the run.”
I wasn’t running away. I was running towards something.
For illustration purposes only | Source: Midjourney
***
The island welcomed me with a warm breeze and the rhythmic sound of ocean waves crashing against the shore. For a moment, I closed my eyes and inhaled deeply, letting the salty air fill my lungs.
This is exactly what I needed.
But the peace didn’t last. As I approached retirement, the island’s serenity was replaced by loud music and peals of laughter. People, mostly in their twenties and thirties, lounged on brightly colored beanbags, holding drinks that looked more like umbrellas than liquids.
For illustration purposes only | Source: Midjourney
“Well, it’s not exactly a monastery,” I muttered under my breath.
A group near the pool burst out laughing so loudly that it startled a bird from a nearby tree. I sigh.
Creative breakthroughs, eh, Lana?
Before I could retreat into the shadows, Lana appeared, her sun hat tilted like a jacket and a margarita in hand.
“Thea!” she shouted, as if we hadn’t exchanged emails yesterday. “You did it!”
For illustration purposes only | Source: Midjourney
“I already regret it,” I whispered, smiling.
“Oh, stop it,” she said, waving her hand. “This is where the magic happens! Trust me, you’ll love it.”
“I was hoping for something… quieter,” I said, raising an eyebrow.
“That’s absurd! You need to meet people and soak up the energy! Speaking of which,” she grabbed my arm, “I have someone you need to meet.”
Before I could protest, she pulled me into the crowd. I felt like a frumpy mom at a high school party, trying not to trip over discarded flip-flops.
For illustration purposes only | Source: Midjourney
We stopped in front of a man who, I don’t need you to tell me, looked like he belonged on the cover of GQ. Tanned skin, a relaxed smile, and a white linen shirt unbuttoned just enough to be suggestive but not sordid.
“Thea, this is Eric,” Lana said enthusiastically.
“It’s nice to meet you, Thea,” he said, his voice as soft as the ocean breeze.
“Likewise,” I said, hoping my nervousness didn’t show.
Lana beamed as if she’d just planned a royal engagement. “Eric is also a writer. He’s been dying to meet you ever since I told him about your novel.”
For illustration purposes only | Source: Midjourney
My cheeks flushed. “Oh, it’s not finished.”
“It doesn’t matter,” Eric said. “The fact that you dedicated yourself to it for two years… it’s incredible! I’d love to hear about it.”
Lana smiled and walked away. “You two talk. I’ll get some more margaritas!”
I chased her with my eyes. But after a few minutes, whether it was Eric’s undeniable charisma or the enchanting ocean breeze playing tricks on me, I found myself agreeing to walk.
For illustration purposes only | Source: Midjourney
“Give me a moment,” I said, surprising myself.
Back in my room, I rummaged through my suitcase and pulled out my most flattering sundress.
Why not do it? If I’m going to be dragged around everywhere, I might as well look good.
When I came out, Eric was waiting for me. “Ready?
I nodded, trying to sound casual, even though my stomach fluttered unusually. “Let me see the way.”
For illustration purposes only | Source: Midjourney
Eric showed me parts of the island that seemed untouched by the chaos of “retirement.” A secluded beach with a swing hanging from a palm tree, a hidden path leading to a cliff with a breathtaking view—places that weren’t listed in any guidebook.
“You’re good at this,” I said, laughing.
“Good for what?” he asked, sitting down on the sand nearby.
“To make someone forget that they are out of place.”
For illustration purposes only | Source: Midjourney
His smile widened. “Maybe you’re not as out of it as you think.”
As we talked, I laughed more than I had in months. He shared stories about his travels and his love of literature, which matched my own. His admiration for my novel seemed genuine, and when he joked about framing my autograph one day, I felt a warmth I hadn’t experienced in a long time.
But beneath the laughter, something tugged at the edge of my thoughts. A slight unease I couldn’t explain. He seemed perfect, too perfect.
For illustration purposes only | Source: Midjourney
***
The next morning started on a good note. I stretched, my mind buzzing with ideas for the next chapter of my novel.
“Today is the day,” I whispered, grabbing my laptop.
My fingers flew across the keyboard as I woke him up. But when the desktop appeared, my heart stopped. The folder containing my novel—two years of blood, sweat, and sleepless nights—was gone. I searched every corner of the hard drive, hoping I’d deleted it by mistake. I found nothing.
For illustration purposes only | Source: Midjourney
“That’s weird,” I thought to myself.
My laptop was there, but the most important part of my life’s work was gone without a trace.
“Okay, don’t panic,” I whispered, gripping the edge of the desk. “You probably erased it.”
But I knew that wasn’t the case. I rushed out of the room and headed straight for Lana. As I passed through the hallway, muffled voices caught my attention. I froze, my heart pounding. Slowly, I moved toward the sound. The door to the next room was slightly ajar.
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“We just need to pitch it to the right publisher?” he asked.
It made my blood run cold. Eric’s voice was unmistakable. Peeking through the crack, I saw Lana leaning inside, her voice a low, conspiratorial drone.
“Her manuscript is brilliant,” Lana said syrupily. “We’ll find a way to position it as mine. She’ll never know what hit her.”
For illustration purposes only | Source: Midjourney
My stomach churned with anger and betrayal, but also with something worse—disappointment. Eric, who had made me laugh, who had listened to me, whom I had begun to trust, was one of them.
I turned away before they saw me and headed to my room. I slammed my suitcase shut, slamming clothes together at random.
“This was supposed to be my fresh start,” I muttered bitterly.
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My vision blurred, but I refused to cry. Crying was for someone who still believed in second chances, and I was done with that.
The moment I left the island, the bright sun seemed like a cruel joke. I kept staring ahead, refusing to turn around. I didn’t need to.
***
Months later, the bookstore buzzed with excitement. The rows of seats were filled, and the air buzzed with conversation. I stood at the podium, a copy of my novel in hand, and tried to focus on the faces smiling back at me.
For illustration purposes only | Source: Midjourney
“Thank you all for being here tonight,” I said, my voice steady despite the swirl of emotions beneath the surface. “This book is the result of years of work and… a journey I never expected to take.”
The applause was warm, yet I felt a pang in my chest as I looked out at the crowd. The novel was my pride and joy, yes, but the road to its success had been anything but smooth. The betrayal was still fresh in my mind.
After the autograph line had thinned and the last guest had left, I sank into a chair in the corner of the store, exhausted. That’s when I saw it—a small note folded on the table.
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“You owe me an autograph. Coffee around the corner when you’re free.”
The writing was unequivocal. My heart pounded. Eric.
I stared at the note, my emotions a confused mix of curiosity, irritation, and something else I wasn’t ready to name.
For a moment, I considered wrinkling it and leaving. But instead, I sighed, grabbed my coat, and headed toward the cafe. I spotted him right away.
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“You’re bold to leave me a note like that,” I said, sliding into the seat opposite him.
“Bold or desperate?” he replied with a smirk. “I wasn’t sure you’d come.”
“I wasn’t either,” I admitted.
“Thea, I need to explain. What happened on the island… At first, I didn’t realize Lana’s true motives. She convinced me it was to help you. But as soon as I discovered what she was really up to, I stole the USB drive and sent it to you.”
I remained silent.
For illustration purposes only | Source: Midjourney
“When Lana involved me, she said you were too modest to self-publish your novel,” Eric continued. “She claimed you didn’t believe in your talent and needed someone to surprise you, to push it forward. I thought I’d help you.”
“A surprise?” I retorted. “You mean taking my job behind my back?”
“That’s what I thought at first. The moment she told me the truth, I took the USB drive and went to look for you, but you were already gone.”
“So what I heard wasn’t what it seemed?”
“It wasn’t. Thea, I chose you the second I realized the truth.”
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I let the silence settle, waiting for the familiar anger to surface. But it was gone. Lana’s manipulations were in the past, and the novel had been published on my terms.
“She’s always envied you, you know,” Eric said quietly, breaking the silence. “Even in college, she felt overshadowed. This time, she saw an opportunity and used both of our trust to try to take what wasn’t hers.”
“And now ?”
“She’s gone. She’s disappeared from every circle I know. She couldn’t deal with the fallout after I refused to condone her lies.”
“You made the right choice. That counts for something.”
“Does that mean you’ll give me another chance?”
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“Just one date,” I said, holding up a finger. “Don’t mess it up.”
Her smile widened. “Okay.”
As we left the cafe, I found myself smiling. That date turned into another, and then another. Before I knew it, I was falling in love. And this time, it wasn’t one-sided. What had started as a betrayal had blossomed into a relationship built on understanding, forgiveness, and, yes, love.
For illustration purposes only | Source: Midjourney
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