Maldives and 2nd Chances

Chapter 1.

Chapter 1: The Proposal

Maybe it’s because we’ve been together for three years and things have started to feel stale, or maybe it’s just the stress of our busy lives catching up to us. Either way, I’m trying to shake the feeling. I’ve convinced myself it’s nothing, just a phase. So when Scott texts me this morning—“Can’t wait to see you later. I have a surprise for you.”—I smile and push aside the nagging doubt.

But then, something happens that I can’t ignore.

I’m in the middle of drafting a press release when my phone buzzes with a message. I glance at it—another text from Scott: “I’m in a meeting, be a few minutes late. Don’t worry, I’ll make it up to you.”

I roll my eyes. He’s always in meetings, always making excuses. But I don’t have time to dwell on it. I keep working, trying to ignore the gnawing feeling that something is wrong. I don’t want to ruin Valentine’s Day with paranoia.

I don’t even know why I’m bothered. Scott and I have been good together—at least, I thought we were. We’ve had our ups and downs, like any couple, but we always worked through them. Or so I believed.

The clock ticks on, the minutes stretching like hours. My phone buzzes again.

“Can you meet me at the office? I need to talk to you about something important.”

It’s an unusual request. Scott is usually the type to avoid serious conversations, especially when it comes to our relationship. My gut instinct says this is it—the conversation I’ve been dreading. I sigh, grab my purse, and head out of the office, trying to shake the unease settling in my chest.

The elevator ride to his floor feels like an eternity. When I step off, I walk down the hallway toward his office. The familiar sound of voices filters through the door. I freeze when I hear his laugh, low and warm, followed by another voice I don’t recognize.

Curiosity—and something darker—compels me to peek through the crack in the door.

Inside, Scott is sitting at his desk, his back to me, laughing at something his assistant, Nita, says. She’s standing by his desk, close enough that her hand brushes his arm. They’re looking at each other, and there’s something about the way they’re laughing that makes my stomach churn. It’s too familiar, too intimate.

For a moment, I think I’ve imagined it. I mean, maybe it’s just harmless. Maybe it’s nothing. But then I see it—his lips meet hers in a kiss.

I gasp, the sound barely escaping my throat. I feel as if the ground has been pulled out from beneath me. My heart stops. I stand there, motionless, unable to process what I’ve just witnessed.

I don’t know how long I stand there, my breath shallow, my mind racing. Finally, the shock wears off, and I feel a rush of anger flood through me. I push open the door, unable to contain the rage building inside me.

“Scott!” I can’t keep the tremor out of my voice. His head snaps up, his eyes wide with surprise, as he quickly pulls away from Nita.

“Kira…” He looks guilty, his face flushing. But there’s a glint in his eyes that I can’t quite place. Guilt? Or something else?

“What the hell is going on here?” My voice shakes with a mix of disbelief and fury.

Nita doesn’t seem fazed. She straightens her blazer and smiles at me, as if nothing happened. I don’t know whether to slap her or run out of the room.

“Kira,” Scott starts, standing up from his desk. “I—I can explain.”

I can’t even look at him. “Explain? What, exactly, Scott? How you’ve been kissing your assistant behind my back? How long has this been going on?”

“Kira, it’s not what you think—” he begins, but I can barely hear him over the pounding in my ears.

“Not what I think?” I interrupt, my voice rising. “You’re kissing her, Scott! How else am I supposed to interpret that?”

He runs a hand through his hair, looking frustrated. “It’s just… It’s not like that. Nita and I have been working closely together on some cases. It just happened. I didn’t mean for it to happen, Kira.”

“Didn’t mean for it to happen?” I repeat, my voice barely a whisper. “So you’re telling me you’re kissing her but it wasn’t intentional? Do you think I’m stupid?”

Scott opens his mouth to respond, but the words catch in his throat. I don’t care.

“I’m done,” I say flatly, my chest tight with anger and hurt. “I don’t want any more of your explanations, Scott. I’ve heard enough.”

Before he can say anything else, I turn on my heel and walk out. I don’t stop until I reach the elevator. My fingers tremble as I press the button to the ground floor. When the doors finally close behind me, I feel a rush of relief, but it’s brief. The weight of what just happened is too heavy. I want to scream. I want to cry. But I don’t. Not here. Not now.

I take a deep breath, trying to calm myself, but my mind keeps replaying the scene—the kiss, the betrayal. I’ve never felt more alone.

Once I’m outside, I call a cab and head home, wanting nothing more than to forget the entire day. As the car drives through the streets, I can feel the coldness creeping in, but it’s not just the weather. It’s my heart, freezing over in the wake of what Scott did.

When I reach my apartment, I throw my keys on the kitchen counter, feeling the weight of the world on my shoulders. I don’t know how to fix this. I don’t know if I even want to.

I pick up my phone and start scrolling through my contacts, not really sure what I’m looking for. But then my finger stops at an unfamiliar name—Jude Calloway.

I met him once, briefly, at a party months ago. He’s one of those people you just never forget—charming, confident, and a little bit mysterious. He’s a businessman, but there’s something about him that sets him apart from everyone else in my life. Something intriguing.

I stare at his name for a long moment, the urge to reach out to him growing stronger. I know it’s crazy. I just had my heart broken, and here I am thinking about calling a man I barely know. But I’m desperate for something, anything, to take my mind off Scott, off the betrayal.

I don’t think. I just press call.

It rings once. Twice.

“Hello?” His deep voice crackles through the line, and I feel a strange warmth in my chest.

“Jude?” I say, my voice barely above a whisper. “I… I need to talk to someone. I don’t know why I’m calling you, but I just need to get out of my head.”

There’s a pause on the other end, then he responds with concern. “Kira? What’s wrong? What happened?”

I hesitate, unsure of how much to say. But I can’t keep it in anymore. “Scott… he—he kissed Nita. In his office. I saw it.”

Jude’s voice softens. “I’m so sorry, Kira. That’s… That’s awful. You don’t deserve that.”

I close my eyes, feeling the sting of fresh tears behind them. “I don’t know what to do. I don’t even know who I am anymore. I thought I knew him, Jude. I really did. And now… now it’s all just shattered.”

Jude is quiet for a moment, his voice gentle. “You’re stronger than you think. You don’t need someone like that. You deserve someone who sees you for who you are—someone who would never hurt you.”

I can hear the sincerity in his words, and I feel a strange pull toward him, despite the overwhelming pain in my heart.

“Thank you,” I whisper, my voice breaking. “I don’t know what to do with all this anger, this pain. It’s like it’s consuming me.”

“Let it out,” Jude says softly. “You don’t have to carry it alone. If you need someone to talk to, I’m here.”

For a moment, I just listen to the sound of his voice, soothing and calm. It’s comforting, in a way I can’t explain.

“Maybe… Maybe I should just go away for a bit,” I say, the thought of escaping, even for a little while, sounding more appealing with each passing second.

“I think that’s a good idea,” Jude agrees. “Get some distance. A change of scenery. You don’t have to decide anything right now, but sometimes a break is all you need to see things more clearly.”

The suggestion sounds almost too perfect, but I can’t deny it.

A change of scenery. A break. The thought of leaving everything behind, even for a little while, is tempting.

“Maybe a holiday,” I say aloud, the idea taking root in my mind. “Maybe I’ll go somewhere—somewhere far away. Like the Maldives.”

Jude chuckles, his voice warm and easy. “Sounds like a good plan. You deserve it.”

I laugh softly, the first genuine laugh I’ve had all day. “Maybe I will.”