They were on their first vacation since her husband’s passing. Everything felt peaceful… until her son squinted at a couple nearby and gasped, “Mom, look — that man looks just like Dad!” Her breath caught as she turned to see what he meant
Rita returned with a doctor. The doctor examined James, and Emily stepped back to her lounger. She watched as the doctor injected something, checked James’s condition, and spoke to Rita:
«He’s fine, just a faint, likely from overheating. Get him to a cool place and let him rest.»
«How am I supposed to carry him alone?» Rita complained.
«I’ll walk,» James muttered weakly, standing slowly. He looked around for Emily, but she’d put her hat and sunglasses back on, concealing her face. James and Rita headed to the hotel.
Emily and Ethan ate lunch at a café and returned to their room to rest. As she lay down, her phone rang.
The phone was buried in her beach bag, and she couldn’t find it. At the same moment, there was a knock at the door.
«Hold on!» she called, annoyed, still searching for the phone.
The knock came again.
«What is it? I said wait!» Emily snapped, opening the door.
James stood there.
Emily instinctively slammed the door. Seconds later, his voice came through:
«Emily, wait! Open the door.»
She hesitated, then sighed and opened it again.
«How did you find me?»
«I asked at the front desk for my wife’s room number and gave your name.»
«I’m not your wife anymore.»
«I know this is hard, but please, let me explain.»
«Not now,» she glanced toward the room where Ethan slept. «The kid might hear.»
«Then let’s meet tonight. Hotel bar, 10 p.m. Please, Emily.»
«Fine,» she agreed, curiosity winning out.
«Please come,» James said softly.
She closed the door. Her mind raced. How should she prepare for this? What would he say? Could she trust him?
Emily vowed to stay strong, question everything, and keep her emotions in check. After putting Ethan to bed, she headed to the bar.
She chose the farthest table, where the music was faint, and waited. Ten minutes later, James walked in, scanning the room until he spotted her in the corner.
«Hey, Emily,» he said, his tone heavy with guilt.
«We already saw each other today,» she replied coldly.
«Have you ordered anything?»
«No. You here to drink?»
«It’ll make talking easier. I’ll be right back.»
He went to the bar, ordered two cocktails, and returned.
«You sure you should drink after fainting?» she asked.
«They’re non-alcoholic,» he clarified, sitting across from her. «And thanks for helping me on the beach. Rita probably wouldn’t have thought to get a doctor.»
«No problem. But you need to take better care of yourself. Drinking in the blazing sun isn’t smart.»
«You know, I’ve stopped looking after myself lately. Everything’s lost meaning,» James said, looking down.
«Oh, sure. You ‘died,’ so why bother with health, right?» Emily said sharply.
«Emily…» James sighed heavily. «I know it sounds crazy, but please, hear me out.»
Emily nodded, though she was seething inside.
«Three years ago, things went south. Our company got tangled with a shady organization. It started when I took a big loan for a new project—not from a bank, but from a sketchy firm. We signed a deal, the money came through. But the contractor we hired vanished without doing the work. Word was he was spotted in the Caribbean, but that didn’t matter.
I tried reasoning with the lenders, but they wouldn’t listen. They gave me a month to repay. The police couldn’t help—it was all off the books. The threats got worse every day. I started fearing for you and Ethan. So I said I was going on a business trip to keep you safe.
Then… they found me. A security guard at a resort said some shady guys were asking about me. I knew I couldn’t run. They’d track me down at any station or airport. I was desperate, didn’t know what to do. In a panic, I fled into the woods, found a signal, and called our CEO. He said you were already looking for me. I knew I couldn’t tell you everything. I was terrified they’d come for you.»
James paused, waiting for Emily’s reaction. She stared at her glass, silent.
«We decided to fake my death. I often rode snowmobiles, so it was the perfect cover. I arranged for colleagues to tell rescuers I fell through the ice. Arthur was supposed to spread the word at the company and visit you in person.»
«How could you…» Emily whispered, incredulous.
«I wasn’t just saving myself. They could’ve come for you if I didn’t disappear.»
James took a sip of his cocktail, trying to steady himself.
«Arthur promised to support you, and he kept his word. I knew he’d help with money, the inheritance.»
«Money? You think money could ease my pain?» Emily gripped her glass, knuckles white. «Three years. I wasn’t living, I was surviving.»
«I know it was cruel. But I had no choice. They could’ve reached us anywhere, even abroad. I couldn’t protect you any other way.»
«You could’ve taken us with you! Together! But you chose the coward’s way out.»
«You don’t get it. I was cornered. If I’d tried to flee with you, we wouldn’t have made it. I had to do it. I didn’t want to burden you with my mess. It tore me apart. I thought of you every day.»
«Oh? Then why didn’t you reach out if you missed us?»
«I couldn’t. The danger was still there. I couldn’t risk it. My phone was tapped. A call from the grave? How would you have reacted?»
«How noble,» Emily scoffed. «Leaving your wife in mourning for three years to ‘protect’ her.»
«I hoped you’d move on faster…» he trailed off.
«Move on?» Emily laughed bitterly. «How could you think I’d just forget? After what you did…»
«I’m guilty,» James said quietly. «But I had no other way.»
«So, what happened next?» Emily straightened, her voice firm.
«For two years, I hid. Changed my name, moved from city to city. Only when I heard the organization was busted did I return and start a new life under a new name.»
«A new name?»
«Now I’m James Carter,» he said with a bitter smile. «New man, new life.»
«Clever,» Emily smirked. «And you never thought of us?»
«I did,» he admitted. «But I was sure you’d forgotten me.»
«Forgotten? Do you have any idea how I lived these three years?» Emily felt her anger rising.
«I just wanted to explain and ask for forgiveness.»
«You really thought I’d forgive you? You left me and Ethan with nothing, and now you expect me to understand?»
James glanced at his empty glass, about to get another, but paled and stopped.
«You okay? Feeling faint again?»
«It’s about to get loud. Try to ignore it,» James said softly.
Before Emily could ask, Rita stormed up to their table, her face twisted with rage.
«There you are, you jerk!» she yelled, slapping James hard. «I knew you were here with some woman!»
«Rita, you’ve got it all wrong,» James tried to calm her.
«I’ve got it right! You’re a loser who can’t provide for me and now you’re chasing other women!» She turned to Emily. «You know she’s got a kid? I saw them in the elevator! She’s using you, you idiot!»
«Rita, stop it.»
«No, let her keep going,» Emily said coolly.
«You’re trash! You dare talk back to me?» Rita lunged at Emily’s hair, but James grabbed her arms and forced her back into a chair.
«Let me go!» she screamed, struggling.
«Calm down,» James raised his voice. «Emily’s not the problem.»
«Not the problem? She’s stealing other people’s men!» Rita shrieked.
«You’re absolutely right,» Emily said with a slight smirk, egging her on. «That’s exactly why I’m here—to steal your loyal, honest man you so carelessly lost.»
«Emily, stop!» James was at a loss.
«Let me go, or I’ll rip her hair out!» Rita kept fighting.
«Enough, Rita. This is my ex-wife,» James blurted out, and Rita froze.
«Your wife?» Her expression shifted. «The one you left years ago?»
«Yes, her,» James said, looking down.
«Left, huh…» Emily’s tone dripped with sarcasm. «I’d say ‘fell through.’ No, better—drowned.»
James stayed silent, knowing he hadn’t even told Rita the full story. She still looked stunned.
«That kid I saw with her in the elevator—he’s yours too?» she asked, piecing it together.
«Mine,» James confirmed.
«But you said you had no kids!»
«I lied,» he said with difficulty.
Rita fell silent, processing.
«Don’t worry,» Emily said calmly. «James barely has a connection to that kid. He’s almost forgotten his dad. So, you could say he wasn’t lying.»
«Emily, I wanted—» James began.
«What a scumbag you are!» Rita cut him off. «Ditched your wife, your kid, and you’ll ditch me the same way! I’m done!» She jumped up and stormed out.
