Chapter 6: The Night Unravels

After the barbecue, everyone went back to the hotel to rest. The salt in the air mixed with the exhaustion of the day, making me long for a shower and soft bed.

All the rooms were standard doubles—two people per room.

The hotel was by the ocean, and the scenery was beautiful. Our balcony overlooked the water, where moonlight danced on the waves.

After showering, I called Jason, wanting to go for a walk on the beach together. My hair was still damp, and I wrapped myself in the hotel’s oversized robe, feeling a little giddy at the thought of late-night sand between my toes.

But the call didn’t go through.

I knew his room number, so I went to knock. I shuffled down the hall, the patterned carpet muffling my steps.

But Eric opened the door.

“Is Jason here?”

“He went out.”

“Where to?”

“Not sure.”

Eric looked like he’d just showered, still drying his hair with a towel. Droplets glistened on his shoulders, and he looked genuinely relaxed for once.

Not wanting to disturb him, I nodded and quickly left. I could feel his eyes on my back as I turned the corner.

Jason’s phone still couldn’t be reached.

I was a little puzzled. Where could he have gone in the middle of the night? I scrolled through my messages, checking for missed calls or texts. Nothing.

But soon, I got my answer.

On my way back, I ran into a hotel staff member who mentioned there was a show by the pool in the backyard. I figured Jason might be there, watching the live band or getting a drink with the others.

I was about to join the fun, but then, behind a pillar, I saw Jason holding a woman and kissing her passionately.

It was Lily.

I stopped dead, my whole body locking up like I’d walked into a wall. I stood there, heart thudding, while the rest of the world moved around me, oblivious.

“Jason, do you like me?”

“Of course.”

“More than Rachel?”

“She’s nothing like you. Kissing her is like kissing a mannequin—zero spark.”

Hearing Jason’s words, Lily giggled. The sound was sharp, almost cruel.

“You ignored me in front of her just now, I was so mad.”

“Aren’t I making it up to you now?”

The two of them laughed and flirted, their intimacy obvious. The sight was a punch in the gut, worse than any slap or harsh word.

Lily snuggled into Jason’s chest, teasing him.

“What if she finds out?”

“Don’t worry. She won’t.”

“So confident?”

“She’s so naive and easy to fool.”

“You’re such a bad man.”

“If I weren’t, would you still like me?”

After that, Jason kissed Lily again, completely ignoring the world around them.

I’d always thought Jason was the best person to me in the world.

The perfect boyfriend—a solid ten out of ten.

Someone who would never betray me. The kind of guy my friends envied, the one my mom had started to like after meeting him at Thanksgiving.

But it turned out, it was all fake.

Everything was just a carefully constructed illusion.

All those late-night talks, the inside jokes, the holidays together—suddenly felt fake, like props in someone else’s movie.

Tears blurred my vision. My fists clenched with anger. I wanted to scream, to throw something, to shatter that perfect image he’d created.

But just as I was about to rush over and confront them, I suddenly changed my mind. I took a shaky breath, wiped my face, and stepped back into the shadows.