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.
James chased after her. Emily sat with her unfinished cocktail. A week ago, she couldn’t have imagined where this long-awaited vacation would lead. “After this trip, I’ll need another,” she thought, smiling.
Yet, strangely, she felt calm. James was alive—a fact she couldn’t ignore. He was a traitor and a liar, but he was alive.
She stood and headed outside. A walk in the fresh air seemed perfect. The hotel courtyard was empty; everyone was either in their rooms or at bars. She breathed in the warm evening air, feeling lighter.
Walking through the garden, she spotted James on a bench.
“Judging by your face, you didn’t catch her,” Emily said with a smile, sitting beside him.
“I did… but she left. For good this time, I think,” James replied quietly, head down.
“She’s packing her stuff now,” he added with a heavy sigh.
“Why did you even bother with that drama? You two couldn’t go a minute without fighting. I heard your arguments every night.”
“I don’t know what kept me with her. She’s young, and I’m… not anymore. I wanted something new, some fresh energy, fun.”
“Did you have fun?” Emily asked, a hint of sarcasm.
“Yeah, right,” James said, waving a hand sadly.
“Look, I’m not here to lecture you. You know your mistakes. But don’t you feel sorry for yourself? At some point, you lost your life.”
“What do you mean?”
“Look at it. You spent your life chasing money. Got threats, had to fake your death. Chased personal happiness—ended up with a loud, naive girl. You’re not old, but you’re fainting from hangovers. Why? Where did it get you?”
“I’ve asked myself that a lot lately. Always found excuses. Money? Never enough. It’s freedom, security. But it backfired. Relationships? New energy, young blood… supposed to bring joy, strength. Another miss. I’m lost, Emily.”
“But you put yourself there. This self-pity drags you down further. It doesn’t help—it destroys. Real self-pity should be different.”
“Yes, I messed up, but I’m strong enough to admit it and start over, rebuild my life.”
“It won’t be easy, but it’s better than what you’re doing now.”
Emily hadn’t noticed her anger fading. Before her sat a weak, lost, harmless man. Instead of rage, she felt an urge to help him. For a moment, she feared it was old feelings resurfacing. But she realized it wasn’t love—just pity.
“Thanks, Emily,” James said quietly.
“For what?”
“For not walking away. At one point in the bar, I thought you’d slap me and leave. Thanks for not doing that.”
“The thought crossed my mind,” Emily chuckled, “but curiosity won.”
“How did you not freak out coming back to the city? You had so many friends, acquaintances…”
“I don’t know,” James sighed. “I was tired of hiding. I lived on the outskirts, in a gated community, avoided downtown. Worked remotely, only drove into the city. Changed my look and name. It worked for a while.”
“Some disguise,” Emily said, recalling their airport encounter. “If not for Ethan, we wouldn’t be here.”
“He recognized me?”
“Yeah, and it shocked me. I thought he’d forgotten you.”
James sighed heavily and looked away.
“Emily, I want to see him.”
“Why? You know you can’t be a real father to him now.”
“I know, but I need to see him, just once. You said I could start over. Give me that chance.”