Chapter 5
1134 Words
Katherine stayed with Zane for an hour.
The more she spoke to him, the lighter she felt. After a while, it felt like she had completely forgotten about Lucas’s betrayal.
They went over the plan, mapping out all they would need to do to beat Lucas and Erica at their own game.
Katherine knew it was no easy feat but she trusted Zane.
Her husband might be one of the best divorce lawyers in the country but Zane was a billionaire.
Surely, he’d be able to withstand Lucas.
The more Katherine thought about their plan, the more confident she felt.
The plan was simple.
For now, they would not contact each other openly, and they would avoid being seen together until they had both been introduced to their partners. When the introduction happened, they were going to pay close attention to Lucas and Erica, keeping a close tab on them for the rest of the cruise.
By the time Katherine made her way back to the suite it was past midnight.
She opened the door as quietly as she could, hoping Lucas was still asleep but the lamp on his side of the bed was now switched on.
He sat up when she came in. “Where have you been?” He asked in a tone that made her wonder if he was concerned or just suspicious.
“I couldn’t sleep,” she replied, taking off her robe as she prepared to sleep. “I went for a walk.”
“At midnight?” He frowned. “I’ve been up for a while, Katherine.”
"I lost track of time," she said simply, not looking at him as she moved toward the bathroom. "The deck is nice at night. I just sat and enjoyed the air for a while."
She could feel his eyes on her back so she kept her movements easy, making sure they had no trace of nervousness in them.
“You should have woken me,” he said. “I would have come with you.”
“No.” She answered a little too sharply then caught herself quickly. “I mean, I didn’t want to disturb you.” She glanced back at him with a small smile.
“Go back to sleep, Lucas. I’ll be out in a minute.”
His eyes stayed on her for a moment longer as if he were trying to decide if he was to trust her or not. Then, he slowly set his back against the pillow.
Katherine knew her husband. He could already feel something wasn’t right. The only problem was he didn’t know what it was.
So, he gave up and went back to bed.
He knew Katherine. She was too naïve. Too trusting. Too gentle and too devoted to ever do anything against the marriage. He had always counted on that and tonight, he was counting on it again.
Katherine closed the bathroom door softly behind her and stood at the sink, running the cold water over her wrists the way she always did when she needed to calm down.
She looked at herself in the mirror for so long that she lost track of time.
She was done crying. There was nothing left to cry about, because grief was for things you had lost, and she was beginning to understand that she had never truly had what she thought she had in the first place.
She turned off the tap and dried her hands.
When she came back out, Lucas had turned off the lamp. She climbed into bed beside him, and when he reached over and tried to pull her close, she shifted slightly, just enough that his arm didn't quite reach her.
"I'm really tired," she murmured into the pillow.
His hand paused and then withdrew. "Okay," he said quietly.
She lay still in the dark, staring at the ceiling with her eyes open long after he fell into deep sleep.
She was already thinking about tomorrow. Already thinking about how she was going to sit across from him at breakfast with a smile on her face, playing the perfect wife in front of all his friends and Erica. Especially with all she knew now’s
She could do it. She was certain of that now.
She was no longer helpless.
Now, she had a plan.
******
The next morning, the sun was bright and the pool deck was already busy by the time they came down for breakfast.
They found a table with a good view of the water and as soon as they settled in, a staff member walked to them.
“Would you like anything?” The young man asked and before Katherine could open her mouth, Lucas started giving instructions.
“She’ll have a cup of tea with bacon and eggs,” he said, smiling briefly at her.
In the past, Katherine always blushed whenever he ordered for her even when she didn’t like his food choice.
Like now. In this moment, she didn’t want bacon and eggs. She wanted waffles with maple syrup and sausages on the side.
So, when the waiter looked at her to confirm if that was her order, she didn’t foolishly nod like before.
“Actually, no. That’s not what I want.” She said calmly, her eyes fixed on the waiter. From the corner of her eye, she could see Lucas frowning but she didn’t care.
She gave her order to the waiter and leaned back into her seat like nothing serious had happened because nothing serious had happened.
“Why did you do that?” Lucas asked once the waiter was gone. “You’ve always liked it when I order for you.”
He didn’t look angry but she could tell his ego was bruised especially since he liked to show off and that was a perfect opportunity to do so to the waiter and every other couple around.
She shrugged, acting like it was no big deal. “I didn’t want to eat bacon and eggs.”
Was all she said and went back to scrolling through her phone, ignoring the huffing and puffing Lucas was doing.
Ten minutes into their meal, Erica walked onto the pool deck, dressed in a yellow sundress that blended perfectly with her blonde hair, and chose a nearby table. She greeted them with a wave, smiling warmly.
Katherine was sure the smile wasn’t directed at her.
Then, Zane appeared.
He walked in seconds after Erica and sat beside her. A few words were whispered between them and then, he suddenly stood and walked to Katherine’s table.
“You must be Lucas Carter,” he said with a polite smile and extended his hands to Lucas who looked like he had seen a ghost.
“I’m Zane Ashford. Erica’s husband.”
- Writer
