Chapter 1 - THE MASTER OF THE DATABASE
Audrey looked at Owen,
the young manager who held the digital keys to her dignity in his hands.
She felt the cool air of the resort hitting her skin,
masking the heat of the betrayal blooming in her chest.
"I would like to make a change,"
she said,
her voice as smooth as the marble floor beneath her feet.
"All five suites,
the dining package,
the spa credits,
and the sailing excursion,"
she listed them off with clinical precision.
"They are all secured by my personal credit card,
correct?"
Owen tapped a few keys,
his expression shifting from concern to professional alertness.
"That is correct,
Mrs. Bennett,"
he replied,
his eyes scanning the screen.
"Everything is under your name and your primary account."
Audrey took a slow,
deep breath,
feeling the weight of seven years of marriage begin to lift.
"I would like to cancel four of those suites,"
she said,
her voice steady and clear.
"I want to cancel the dining plan for everyone except myself."
Owen blinked,
his fingers pausing over the keyboard.
"And the spa credits for Diane and Brooke?"
"Cancel them,"
Audrey replied,
a ghost of a smile touching her lips.
"The sailing excursion for seven people?"
"Cancel it."
"The anniversary dinner for tonight?"
"Cancel the reservation and remove my card from the file."
Owen looked at her for a long second,
seeing the calm resolve in her eyes.
He had seen many things in this luxury resort,
but he had never seen a woman reclaim her power so quietly.
"And my husband,
Trevor?"
Owen asked,
almost in a whisper.
"His name is on the primary suite with me,"
Audrey said,
her mind flashing back to the photo of them laughing at the terrace.
"Remove him."
"I want that suite changed to a single occupancy under my maiden name,
Audrey Thorne."
"If he,
his parents,
or his sister wish to stay,"
"they will need to provide their own form of payment."
Owen nodded,
his fingers flying across the keys now.
"It is done,
Ms. Thorne."
"Would you like me to have the bellman move your luggage to a private,
unlisted room?"
Audrey looked at the elevator doors,
knowing they were likely still sipping champagne upstairs.
"Yes,"
she said.
"And please,
ensure that if anyone asks for me,"
"you tell them that no one by the name of Audrey Bennett is registered at this hotel."
As she walked away from the desk,
May you like
Audrey felt the first spark of true peace she had known in a decade.
The woman they thought was a joke was about to become their reality.
