Maldives and 2nd Chances

Chapter 2.

Chapter 1: The Proposal

The office is unusually quiet for a Valentine’s Day. It’s mid-morning, and everyone seems to be buried in their work, pretending that today is just like any other day. But for me, it’s different. It’s supposed to be special. After all, today is the day Scott has promised me something big, something that will change everything. Or so he says.

I glance at the clock on the wall, tapping my fingers impatiently on my desk. A quick peek at my phone confirms what I already know: no message from Scott. He’s been busy with work lately, but he promised me that Valentine’s Day would be different. I sigh and shake my head, trying to push away the growing feeling that something might be wrong.

I try to focus on my work—drafting a proposal for a new client. But my mind keeps drifting. The more I think about Scott’s promise of a surprise, the more anxious I get. It should be a happy, romantic day, but I can’t shake the feeling that something is off. I check my phone again. Still nothing.

I glance around the office, watching my coworkers bustling about, laughing and joking as they exchange Valentine’s cards and gifts. The office feels festive, but not for me. Scott and I haven’t exactly been in the best place recently. There’s been a distance between us, something unspoken, something I’ve tried to ignore.

But today… today was supposed to be different.

A knock at my door pulls me from my thoughts. I glance up to see Scott’s assistant, Nita, standing in the doorway. Her smile is wide, her expression far too cheerful. I manage a small smile, but I can’t help the uneasy feeling that washes over me.

“Hey, Kira,” she says, leaning against the doorframe. “Scott wanted me to remind you about lunch. He’s running a bit late, but he said to meet him at his office when you’re ready.”

I nod, forcing a smile. “Thanks, Nita. I’ll be there in a few.”

Nita looks at me for a moment, as if she’s deciding whether to say something else. But then she just waves and walks away. I watch her leave, my stomach tightening. Nita has always been a little too… eager, especially when it comes to Scott. But I can’t let my mind go there. It’s just my paranoia.

I push my chair back and stand, walking to the office door. As I pass the hallway, I hear voices coming from Scott’s office, but I don’t think much of it. He’s often in meetings, and I assume he’s talking to a client or going over something with his team. But as I approach his office, something catches my attention—Scott’s voice. And the voice of a woman.

It’s not uncommon for Scott to talk to a woman—he’s a lawyer, after all—but the tone in his voice is different today. There’s something familiar about it. I pause outside his door, hearing laughter—a soft, low laugh that doesn’t sound like a professional conversation. The voice on the other end is warm and familiar.

My heart skips a beat. It’s Nita.

I tell myself to turn away, that it’s probably nothing. But my feet feel frozen to the ground. A sense of dread rises in my chest as I inch closer to the door, trying to make myself as small as possible. I’m not sure what I expect to find, but what I see shocks me to my core.

Through the crack in the door, I see Scott and Nita standing close together. She’s laughing, her hand on his arm. They’re standing far too close for comfort. I watch in disbelief as Scott leans forward and kisses her.

The world tilts. My vision goes blurry. The sound of my heartbeat is deafening in my ears. My hands start to shake.

I don’t know how long I stand there, unable to move, unable to think. I want to scream, to storm into that room and demand an explanation. But I don’t. Instead, I step back, heart pounding, my breath coming in shallow gasps.

How could he? How could he do this to me?

I turn and walk quickly away, trying to keep my emotions in check, but my mind is racing. My stomach churns with a mixture of anger and betrayal. Scott promised me that today would be special. He promised me he’d make it up to me. But this… this was a betrayal I never saw coming.

I don’t know where I’m going, but I find myself outside the building in less than a minute, standing in the cold winter air. I close my eyes, trying to steady my breath, trying to calm my mind. But it doesn’t help. The image of Scott and Nita together, kissing, keeps playing in my mind like an awful movie on loop.

I don’t want to cry. I can’t cry. I’m angry, but more than that, I feel a deep sense of hurt. I trusted him. I gave him everything, and he betrayed me.

My phone vibrates in my pocket. I pull it out, my hands trembling. It’s a message from Scott.

“Where are you? I’m waiting in my office. I have something special for you today. Come here.”

I feel the sting of tears behind my eyes. He has no idea what he’s done. He has no idea how much he’s hurt me. I could go back in there, confront him, and demand an explanation. But I don’t think I want to hear it. I don’t think I want any more lies.

Instead, I put my phone back in my pocket and start walking. I don’t know where I’m going, but I need to get away from this. I need to clear my head.

I walk aimlessly through the streets of the city, not really paying attention to where I’m going. My mind is a swirl of emotions. Anger. Betrayal. Sadness. And then… a strange thought hits me.

What if I didn’t go back? What if I just left this all behind?

The idea takes root in my mind like a seed. It grows, taking over my thoughts. I don’t need Scott. I don’t need him or his lies. I need to find myself again, to be free of the person I’ve become in this toxic relationship.

Before I even know what I’m doing, I pull out my phone and book a flight. A one-way ticket. To the Maldives.

I press the button to confirm, my finger trembling slightly. I can’t believe I’m actually doing this. But I feel like I have no other choice. I need to get away, to breathe, to figure out who I am without Scott.

As soon as I book the flight, I feel a sense of calm wash over me. For the first time today, I don’t feel like I’m drowning. I feel… free.

But then my phone buzzes again.

“Kira, where are you? I’m sorry, please, just come to my office.”