The sun was just beginning to dip below the horizon, painting the sky with strokes of amber and lavender. It was one of those postcard-perfect evenings in the Maldives, but the tranquillity of the setting couldn’t reach me. My mind was a hurricane of confusion, anger, and mistrust.
After my morning with Jack, Patrick had asked me to meet him in the resort’s quiet garden. I’d hesitated before agreeing, knowing this conversation would likely leave me with more questions than answers. Yet, I needed to hear what he had to say.
As I approached the secluded corner where he stood, Patrick turned to me with an almost pained expression. His charm was dimmed, replaced by something more raw. Vulnerability, perhaps? Or manipulation? I couldn’t tell anymore.
“Thank you for coming,” he said, his voi
