“I certainly hope the internet connection is decent out there, because I cannot just disappear from my responsibilities just because you feel guilty about your own schedule,” he replied.
It hurt to hear those words, but I swallowed my pride and forced a smile because I wanted this week to be a fresh start for us.
The next morning, I arrived at the private dock thirty minutes late because of a sudden emergency at the office that required my immediate authorization.
I expected to find him waiting alone and perhaps a bit annoyed, but instead, I saw a crowd of people gathered near the seaplane.
Caleb was standing there with his mother, Margot, his father, Arthur, and Tessa, his ex-girlfriend from college, who was dressed in a flowy white linen dress as if she were the guest of honor.
Tessa reached out and touched his arm with a level of comfort that made my blood run cold, and she didn’t pull away when I approached.
Margot looked me up and down with her usual expression of thinly veiled disgust, adjusting her expensive sun hat as I walked toward them.
“It is about time you arrived, Lydia, especially since I invited my parents and Tessa because she has been going through such a difficult time lately,” Caleb said with a shrug.
I felt my throat tighten as I looked at the woman who had been a constant shadow over our marriage.
“You invited your ex-girlfriend to our private anniversary trip without even asking me?” I asked, my voice barely a whisper.
He sighed and rolled his eyes as if I were being incredibly unreasonable.
“Do not start with your typical CEO drama, Lydia, because you can just focus on taking care of the food and making sure the villa stays tidy while we enjoy ourselves,” he stated firmly.
He adjusted his collar and looked at the pilot, ignoring the shock on my face.
“It will do you some good to do something useful with your hands for once instead of just barking orders at your employees,” he added.
Margot then stepped forward and uttered the sentence that finally snapped the last thread of my patience.
“It is truly the very least you can do considering you are living off my son’s hard-earned money and status,” she said with a smug smile.
I looked at Caleb, waiting for him to defend me or at least correct the blatant lie his mother had just told.
He did neither, choosing instead to adjust his sunglasses and offer a satisfied smirk to his father.
I found myself smiling back at them, but it was no longer the soft smile of a wife trying to please her husband.
It was the expression of a woman who had finally woken up from a long and expensive nightmare.
None of the people standing on that dock had any idea what was about to happen next.
“You are absolutely right, Margot, and I see now that I have been doing far too much for far too long,” I said with a calm that seemed to unsettle them.
Tessa let out a small, high-pitched giggle and tucked a lock of hair behind her ear.
“I am glad she finally understands her place in the family,” Tessa murmured to Margot.
I did not bother to offer a response to her comment, instead pulling my phone from my bag and walking a few steps away into the shade of the terminal.
I opened the luxury travel agency’s mobile application and looked at the reservation, which included the island, the villa, the seaplane, the premium bar, and all the private excursions.
Every single cent of that one hundred and fifty thousand dollars had been paid from my personal account.
Caleb shouted at me from the edge of the dock, his voice echoing across the water.
“Lydia, stop playing with your phone and tell the pilot we are ready to board immediately,” he commanded.
I raised my hand in a mock gesture of obedience while my thumb hovered over the screen.
The option to cancel the entire reservation appeared in bright red letters, and I did not hesitate for even a second.
I thought about every single night he had come home late smelling of expensive perfume while telling me I was being paranoid and crazy.
I remembered Margot laughing at me for earning a man’s salary while claiming I lacked the basic grace of a traditional woman.
I remembered the credit card statements showing Caleb had been buying jewelry and designer bags for a woman whose name was certainly not Lydia.
I pressed the button firmly, watching as the screen flashed with a confirmation that the refund was being processed.
A wave of peace washed over me that was so profound it was almost frightening.
