CHAPTER 2
“Maya!” Matt’s panicked voice echoed as he rushed down the sand toward us.
Of course he would come running like a loyal dog. He was always ready when it came to Maya. But if anything happened to me, he acted like it was just another normal day.
She collapsed into him, clutching her foot dramatically as tears welled in her eyes. “It hurts, Matt. It hurts so much,” she whimpered, burying her face in his chest.
He glared at me over her shoulder like this was somehow my fault. “What the hell happened Jada?”
“She pushed me!” Maya answered, her voice trembling with fake emotion.
“She kicked a rock,” I said flatly. “On purpose.”
“Don’t you dare blame her!” he snapped, scooping her into his arms like she was made of glass “You’ve been acting insane for months. God, look at you- just sitting there while she’s in pain?”
“She’s an adult woman who decided to kick a rock on her own. What do you expect me to do?
Obsess over her like you’re doing right now?”
Matt looked at me with venomous eyes. “Have you always been so evil? She’s your cousin! How can you do this to her?”
“I’m fine Mattie,” Maya sniffled, eyes glistening with fake tears. “She didn’t mean it… she’s jus upset. It must be hard for Jada to see me having the same party as her. I should’ve known she didn’t want to come celebrate with me.”
“She’s just trying to celebrate with her friends, why can’t you be happy for her?”
I almost laughed. The hypocrisy was just too much.
Matt kissed the top of her head, comforting her like she was a child. “We’ll get you back on the yacht and straight to the hospital, okay?”
Then he turned back to me. “And you, you’ll stay here and think about what you’ve done. Maybe some time alone will teach you to be kinder.”
I stood at alert. “Are you insane? We’re way too far from town. You can’t leave me here on this island. It’s going to be high tide soon!”
“Watch me.”
He carried her away, leaving me on the beach like I was invisible.
“Matt please…” I cried, but of course, he didn’t turn back.
He was too focused on the fragile princess Maya in his arms.
Soon enough, the sound of their voices faded, replaced only by the waves slamming against the shore like they were mocking me. I stood there in tears, staring at their retreating figures until they disappeared in the distance.
For hours, I sat on the sand, knees pulled to my chest, watching the party lights glowing faintly in the distance. Laughter drifted over faintly, adding salt to injury.
They didn’t come back for me.
They didn’t even look back once
CHAPTER 2
12:10 pm S
The night deepened, the air was turning sharp and cold.
I only had my bikini on, and it was freezing cold. I’d left my phone on the yacht, so I couldn’t call
anyone.
The tide crept closer until the water licked at my bare feet, then my shins. I stood, wobbling from exhaustion and hunger, but the sand was too soft.
One strong wave crashed into me, dragging me under. Salt burned my throat as I gasped anc choked, swallowing more water than air. The current tossed me like a rag doll. I flailed, clawing against the pull, but it was relentless.
My body screamed for air, but I was so tired- so tired of everything.
For a moment, I didn’t fight it.
Then I heard Maya’s voice in my head, laughing. “Just get out of our lives already. He doesn’ love you.”
No.
I kicked upward, clawing at the water until everything went black. It was useless. I didn’t know how to swim.
When I opened my eyes again, I was blinded by harsh white lights.
The smell of antiseptic and the constant beep of machines told me I was in the hospital. I triec to sit up but my chest burned.
“You’re awake,” a nurse said gently. “You’re very lucky. One of the locals found you washed up o shore and brought you here. You’d been in the water for a long time.”
“What?” I asked in confusion.
“You swallowed a lot of salt water and passed out from suffocation, it’s a miracle you ever
survived.”
I looked around the room in a daze. “How long have I been here?”
“A little over a week now.”
My eyes widened. “A week? Did anyone come for me?” I asked even though I already knew the
answer.
“Yes ma’am,” she answered, much to my surprise. “You didn’t have an ID on you, so we put it ou on the news, and a man arrived here days ago.”
“A man? Did you get his name?”
She walked over to the small table on the other side of the room where a large bouquet of flowers sat, and picked up a card. “He left this.”
I turned the card over. There was a handwritten note.
[Get well soon. – A.G]
I immediately knew who it was. Asher Galanis.
“I have to go home.” I was already removing the IV in my hand despite the hesitation on the
nurse’s face.
CHAPTER O
12:10 pm
“Ma’am, you’ve been in a coma for days, we have to monitor you.”
“I’m fine. I have to get home right now.”
12:10 pm A
