Chapter Eighty-One
*The Beach*
Xami woke early. The penthouse was silent, a different silence from the tense quiet of the night before. It felt empty. He walked to the kitchen to make coffee, his mind already on Lyra, on what he would say to bridge the chasm he felt between them.
Then he saw it. A single sheet of paper, held to the stainless-steel fridge by a magnet.
His heart sank before he even read it. He pulled the note free.
Xami,
I need to clear my head. I’ve gone to Sungkun Beach for a couple of nights. I’ll be back on Sunday. Don’t worry.
- Lyra
He stared at the words. Sungkun Beach. A five-hour drive. A secluded, beautiful spot. A popular honeymoon destination.
She’d gone on their honeymoon. Alone.
A wave of frustration, laced with deep concern, washed over him. He didn’
