Chapter 2 - Paradise Lost
Two thousand miles away,
in the lush,
tropical heat of Honolulu,
David Hayes was having the worst day of his life.
He stood at the marble check-in desk of the Four Seasons,
his arm around the slender waist of his mistress,
Chloe.
He was wearing a custom-tailored linen suit,
looking every bit the billionaire he pretended to be.
"I'm sorry,
Mr. Hayes,"
the receptionist said,
her smile becoming increasingly strained.
"But the transaction has been declined."
David chuckled,
a nervous,
staccato sound.
"That’s impossible,
dear,"
he said,
wiping a bead of sweat from his forehead.
"It’s a black card."
"There are no limits."
"Try it again,"
"it must be a glitch in your system."
The receptionist swiped the card a third time,
and the machine emitted a harsh,
judgmental beep.
"Declined again,
sir."
"And I’ve just received a notification from our central office."
"This card has been flagged for catastrophic fraud."
"I’m afraid I have to retain the card per bank policy."
Chloe pulled away from him,
her blue eyes widening with annoyance.
"David?"
she asked,
her voice dropping its honey-sweet tone.
"What’s going on?"
"You said this was a VIP trip."
"It is,
baby,
it is,"
David stammered,
reaching for his second wallet.
"I’ll just use the corporate card."
He handed over a second piece of plastic,
one that was linked to the Hayes Logistics account.
The receptionist swiped it.
Beep.
"Declined,
sir."
"This entire account has been frozen by the primary holder."
David felt the blood drain from his face,
his ears beginning to ring.
The primary holder wasn't him.
It was Eleanor.
He reached for his phone,
his fingers trembling as he dialed my number.
I was sitting in my living room back in New York,
watching the sunset,
when the phone vibrated.
I let it ring for three seconds,
then four,
before finally answering.
"Hello,
David,"
I said,
my voice as smooth as silk.
"How is Tokyo?"
"Is the jet lag hitting you hard?"
"Eleanor!"
he hissed into the receiver,
turning away so Chloe wouldn't hear.
"What did you do?"
"Why are my cards not working?"
"I’m at the... the office in Tokyo,"
"and I can't even pay for my lunch!"
"Oh,
that’s strange,"
I replied,
swirling a glass of red wine.
"I thought you were in Honolulu."
"At the Zao Zero Diamond Boutique."
"Buying a fifteen-thousand-dollar necklace for a girl named Chloe."
The silence on the other end of the line was so absolute I could almost hear his heart stop.
"Eleanor... I can explain,"
he whispered,
his voice cracking.
"It’s not what you think."
"It’s exactly what I think,
David."
"It’s adultery,"
"it’s embezzlement,"
"and it’s pathetic."
"I’ve filed for divorce,"
"and I’ve already reported the 'Tokyo' deployment to your company board."
"Turns out,"
"they didn't know anything about a four-year stay in Japan."
"They were quite surprised to hear you were taking a sabbatical on their dime."
"You've ruined me!"
he shouted,
his voice echoing in the posh hotel lobby.
"No,
David,"
I said,
leaning back into the sofa.
"You ruined yourself."
"I’m just the one who turned the lights on so you could see the mess."
"Eleanor,
please,"
he begged,
now sounding like a terrified child.
"My parents... they’re in the house."
"You can't just leave me here with nothing!"
"Actually,"
"I can."
"I’ve already canceled your return flight,"
"and I’ve listed your Tesla for sale."
"If you want to get home,"
"I suggest you ask Chloe to pay for a coach ticket."
"Assuming she still likes you without the diamonds."
I hung up the phone and blocked his number.
I looked at Teresa and Harold,
who were sitting on their suitcases in the foyer,
looking like two drowned rats.
The locks were being changed in ten minutes.
May you like
And for the first time in ten years,
the air in my home felt clean.
