by M J Hardy
I make out Charles sitting in the chair by the open door and by the looks of it, he’s been there all night. His eyes are bloodshot and his face bruised and scratched, a chilling reminder of what happens when a man loses control.
He’s dressed in a smart short-sleeved shirt and chinos and his hair is still wet from the shower.
“What time is it?”
“7.30, we have a breakfast meeting at 8.”
“What breakfast meeting, who with?”
“Ben.”
“What’s it about?”
“Business.”
His words are short and laced with underlying tension, and I know better than to question him further. I can tell he’s on edge, and I’m just grateful he’s not still talking about what happened yesterday. Maybe we can be civil for the rest of the trip and somehow make it home unscathed, where I know things will have to change. I can’t live like this anymore; I can’t live with him anymore and so I nod and just head to the bathroom to make myself look as presentable as I can for the mysterious meeting with the elusive Mr Wheeler.
Deciding on a maxi dress and white strappy sandals, I pull my hair into a sleek ponytail and hide behind the largest pair of sunglasses I own. I’m a little surprised I’ve been included in this meeting at all because Charles doesn’t like to mix business with his personal life.
We hardly say two words to each other as we walk through reception and if I notice anything, it’s how eerie it feels here after the events of the night before.
To my surprise, the waiter doesn’t show us to our usual table on the edge of the terrace overlooking the ocean but says reverently, “Mr Wheeler has requested your company in his suite.”
My heart sinks as Charles gets that pompous look on his face that he wears so well when he thinks he’s better than everyone else, and we follow the waiter to an elevator that lies at the side of the room.
We head inside and the waiter presses the button for the top floor and smiles. “Mr Wheeler will greet you. This lift heads straight to his penthouse. Enjoy your breakfast.”
He looks down and as the door closes Charles says tersely, “He had better have a good explanation for all of this.”
“Explanation for what, what’s happened?”
Charles growls, “What’s happened, darling…” He sounds sarcastic as he emphasises the last word. “We may have just lost everything because of that man, so shut up and let me do the talking.”
Charles taps his foot impatiently, and it surprises me that his words don’t mean a thing to me. We may have lost everything he says, I already know we have.
The door opens straight into a luxurious apartment with a panoramic view of the sea. It actually takes my breath away because where ours is impressive, this one is magnificent. Soft white settees are positioned in the centre of the room facing the sea, and deep pile rugs are scattered at intervals over the marble floors. Exquisite furniture is strategically placed around the room and fresh bouquets of Ben’s favourite lotus flower scent the room with an intoxicating aroma. There’s a sense of tranquillity and peace in this room that calms my soul, and I can appreciate the beauty of a simplicity that is priceless.
Ben is standing by the open doors that lead to a balcony with the most impressive view I have ever seen. Behind him I see a large table with cushioned seats pulled up to it and the table is set for breakfast.
Ben nods respectfully. “Charles and your lovely wife, Evelyn, isn’t it?”
He smiles as he heads towards us and kisses me on both cheeks, and I almost swoon at how amazing he smells. Emma is the luckiest girl alive right now because this man oozes sophistication and allure and makes Charles look ordinary in comparison.
He regards Charles with a cool expression and I can tell there’s no love lost there as he says tightly, “Come, we should eat.”
Following him out on to the balcony, I stare around in awe as I take in all the trappings of wealth and success. It’s obvious no expense has been spared in styling this penthouse suite and I’m in no doubt he will attract the richest of customers because this place drips luxury from its freshly painted walls.
We take our seats and Ben smiles. “Please, help yourself to tea or coffee, there’s fresh juice if you prefer. On the side is the breakfast buffet and if you would like something hot, there’s a phone with a direct link to the kitchen where you can place your order.”
I am absolutely blown away as I head across to the table and select some fruit and natural yoghurt with half an ear on the conversation.
Charles sounds angry as he says tersely, “You’ve been avoiding me.”
Ben’s voice is emotionless as he says evenly, “I can assure you I’ve had more pressing items on my agenda. This could have waited.”
“No, it couldn’t.” I feel a little embarrassed by the anger in his voice and look down as I concentrate on eating instead.
Charles hisses, “What was that text all about, you had better be kidding me?”
“It’s no joke, Charles. When do I ever joke about business?”
“Then it’s true, we’ve lost everything.”
I look up in shock and Ben catches my eye and I recoil at the pity in his eyes before he faces Charles with a hard expression.
“Correction, Charles, you have lost everything, I have lost nothing.”
“What do you mean? We were both in this together; you more than me and if I remember rightly, it was all your idea.”
“It was but you see, Charles, unlike you, I keep track of my investments and as soon as I noticed a shift in the market, I instructed my broker to sell all my shares.”
I can’t even pretend to know what they are talking about and I jump as Charles’s fist slams down hard on the table, “You fucking bastard, it was you.”
Ben leans back and regards him with a steely glint in his eye. “If you mean it was me who flooded the market with shares that were falling fast, then yes, guilty as charged. If you are referring to the fact that the stock lost its value inside an hour because of rumours of a fall in demand due to a lost government contract, then yes, you are correct. You had the same information as me, you just didn’t act on it, how is that my fault?”
“Because I was on your fucking boat and there was no signal, you idiot. How could I act on something I didn’t know because you put me there? When I finally got the signal and the endless texts from my broker, it was too late.”
Ben nods. “Yes, that was most unfortunate.”
“Unfortunate, I’d say it was fucking catastrophic.”
Ben looks at me and says apologetically, “I’m sorry, Evelyn, this must have come as quite a shock to you.”
Before I can answer, Charles slams his fist down on the table and roars, “A shock. That woman wouldn’t understand what was happening if I spelled it out for her.”
He turns to me and says bitterly, “What’s happening is, we have lost everything. The savings, the house, the pension, it’s all gone because of a sure-fire investment this man told me would make us rich beyond our wildest dreams.”
Ben shakes his head. “Oh dear, it appears that you sank everything you own into it, that’s bad practice, Charles, never put all your eggs in one basket, this shows you why.”
“But…” Charles can’t even get the words out as Ben laughs. “You say I told you to. Maybe I did, but you didn’t have to do as I said. Yes, I implied it was a guaranteed investment, I may have told you that you couldn’t lose and perhaps I exaggerated it a little but you see, I learned from the master.”
“What are you talking about?”
Charles seems genuinely confused, but as I look across the table at Ben, I suddenly see why he’s so successful. The friendly, easy-going manner has been replaced with a man with a heightened killer instinct. He looks as if he’s about to pounce and devour his prey, and I am fascinated when I should be terrified.
His eyes narrow and his lip curls as he snarls, “You see, Charles, I have known for some time about your double dealings
. The fact you have advised me on deals and done this exact thing behind my back. You have stolen from me, used me and thought me a fool.”
The air is so tense I almost stop breathing as Charles freezes and words appear to have failed him.
Ben hisses, “You thought you had covered your tracks. You thought I had no idea of the shady business practices you use. The leaked information, the word in the wrong ear to suit your interests. The fact you manipulated the markets for personal gain and didn’t care whose lives were affected as a result. If I feel anything, it’s genuine disgust for a man who achieved his wealth at the expense of others. Well, you messed with the wrong man when you took my money and used it against me. But like every greedy bastard villain out there, you didn’t recognise that the player was being played when I dangled extreme wealth in front of your eyes. You didn’t see past that and protect the assets. You went all in and put everything into a deal you thought would set you up for life. You mortgaged your home, sold all your shares and cashed in your investments. You were going big on this because you saw a way of making more money than most people only dream about. In doing so you brought your house of cards crashing down, not me - you. Well, how does it feel knowing you’ve been played? Not good, I imagine.”
Charles is apparently speechless and I look at Ben in confusion and note his gaze softens as he looks almost apologetic. “I’m sorry, Evelyn.”
Before I can even reply, Charles makes a strangled sound that appears to come from deep inside him and clutches his chest. I stare at him in shock as he turns red, then a weird shade of grey and grasps his chest.
“Charles.” I jump up in alarm as Ben lifts his phone and barks, “Call an ambulance and send a doctor up here.”
Charles makes a gurgling sound as he struggles to breathe and as he slumps face down on the table, I scream out, “Charles, oh my god…”
Ben reacts quickly and jumps up and, in a blur, I watch him pull Charles to the floor and start CPR. He shouts, “Evelyn, there’s a defibrillator in the apartment, on the wall just as you came in, quickly!”
I stare at my husband lying on the floor, still and unmoving, and everything appears to happen in slow motion as I walk from the room and head towards the lift where we came in. My movements aren’t hurried and they lack urgency as I walk towards the equipment that may just save my husband’s life. As I reach it, the lift door flies open and a man appears and pushes past me towards the open window. I hear urgent voices outside, but I carry on as if in a trance as I gently lift the machine from its bracket on the wall. As my fingers close around it, I hear an urgent, “Evelyn, we need the defib, quickly!”
My legs appear to be stuck in quicksand, as I say loudly, “Coming.”
As I walk back rather than run, I have only one thought on my mind, I hope the miserable bastard’s dead.
Chapter 46
Chloe
The resort feels different today. I’m not surprised because last night was intense, destructive and so informative. When John found me, we went back to the room, and I helped clean him up. He told me the staff had stood by and watched as the three men tore strips off one another. It was only when things started escalating that the security guards stepped in and separated them.
As I washed the blood from his hands and body, we talked long into the night about the past, what happened that night, how I feel now and life at home. I don’t think we’ve ever spoken as much and when we woke, it was entwined in each other’s arms with the slate wiped firmly clean.
Now, as we head down to breakfast, I’m surprised to find we are the only ones and as we sit overlooking the ocean, I look around me in surprise. “It’s quiet here, do you think we’re late, or early, I can’t tell?”
John shrugs. “Probably early, I’m guessing the other couples are nursing big hangovers, or their pride right now.”
Thinking about the revelations last night makes me wonder about the other people here. I wasn’t the only one facing a bitter past, and I wonder if they have dealt with it as well as I have.
John says angrily, “Mind you, if Jack shows his face, I may be tempted to throw another punch at it. What that man did was…”
Reaching out. I touch his arm. “Enough, John, we won’t speak about him, he doesn’t get that right. I’m pretty sure he will have some explaining to do of his own, judging by that video we all watched. Poor Kim.”
“Not really.” I look up in surprise and blush when I see the woman herself standing beside me. From the look on her face, she doesn’t have a care in the world as she smiles and the concern in her eyes makes me blink back the tears.
“Kim, I…”
John jumps up and pulls a chair across. “Take a seat, can I get you a coffee, tea maybe?”
“Oh, I don’t want to…”
“Its fine, please.”
I feel so bad for her because it must have been an especially hard night for her after finding out her husband was a sex pest, both in the past and present.
“I’m sorry, Chloe, what Jack did was unforgivable, are you ok?”
She looks so concerned I want to reassure her and smile. “I’m fine. To be honest, it was cleansing in a strange way. I never knew the identity of my attacker and now I can put a face to a monster and that somehow empowers me. It brushes away the darkness and leaves me with all the facts and gives me closure in a weird way.”
“What about you, Kim?” John sounds concerned, which makes me love him even more.
“I’ll be fine. Seeing it all unfold last night was devastating, and extremely hard to deal with, but it made my mind up - I’m never going back to him. We’re now officially done and like you, Chloe, I feel as if I’ve shifted a huge weight from my shoulders and if anything, I feel free. Hopefully, that feeling will last and not remain here when I go home because I know I have a lot of changes to make in a very short space of time.”
“What will you do?”
I feel worried about her, but she just shrugs. “I’m not sure. Probably move out, consult a solicitor, start divorce proceedings and move on. It all sounds so simple when I’m here and maybe I’m deluding myself, but I have to make some decisions and stick to them.”
“Have you seen him?” I can’t even say his name, and she shakes her head sadly. “I saw him last night and told him I was leaving him. It wasn’t pleasant, but it had to be done. I couldn’t carry on after what I saw.” She sighs heavily and takes a sip of her coffee before staring out to sea. “I know he’s left though.”
John catches my eye and I say in surprise, “When?”
“This morning, apparently. When I left last night, I arranged another room with the receptionist. I had a note through my door this morning, telling me I could return to my room because my husband had checked out.”
“How do you feel about that?” I feel shocked imagining what she must be going through, stranded in a foreign country on her own, dealing with a break up.
“I was glad, really. It’s the best solution because it allows me a few days to think things through.”
“Aren’t you afraid of what you’ll find when you get home?”
I can’t even begin to imagine what that will be like, but she smiles sadly. “Not really. I’ll go and stay with my sister while I sort things out. I’m done giving him more chances. They become meaningless after the fifth or sixth time.”
“You’re very brave.”
“Not really, I’m just doing what I should have done years ago.”
The sound of sirens interrupts the conversation and we turn and see a commotion in the reception.
“It looks as if someone’s ill.” John cranes his neck to look and I say quickly, “Can you see who it is?”
“No, just the paramedics, it looks as if they’re being shown into the lift.”
“That’s terrible, I hope it’s not one of the other guests, or the owner, it must be one of them, surely.”
I feel on edge as we wait for news of even more drama and Kim says with a worried voice
, “I hope it’s not Evelyn, she was destroyed last night, the poor woman.”
“After what she did to you, with your husband.”
John sounds angry and I don’t blame him, but Kim just smiles sadly. “I can’t hate her for what happened. She’s a victim just as much as you were Chloe. I spent a long time with her last night after it all happened, and I felt sorry for her above everything else.”
We carry on eating and after about twenty minutes, the lift arrives and we watch as the paramedics leave, carrying a stretcher with somebody on it. I can’t see who it is as they whisk them away into the waiting ambulance and John whistles. “That didn’t look good.”
“Why, what did you see?”
John looks worried and shakes his head. “Whoever was on that stretcher is a goner because the sheet was over his, or her face.”
Kim cries out, “Oh my god, please don’t let it be Evelyn.”
As we fall silent, I feel my heart thumping madly inside me. This story isn’t over yet. It certainly feels that way and I wonder what fate has in store because I won’t feel safe until we land back home because this is turning out to be the strangest holiday of my life.
Chapter 47
Evelyn
He’s gone. I watched the paramedics replace Ben and his resort doctor, and we stood by and watched the professionals battling to save my husband’s life.
I think he was probably gone before they arrived. The look in their eyes told me everything I needed to know, and I suppose I was in shock because I don’t remember sitting down and drinking the brandy that was placed in my hand. Ben sat beside me on one side and the doctor on the other as they absorbed the information the paramedics relayed.
I heard nothing.
I don’t think I even registered the moment they left, taking Charles with them. My last memory of him is not a pleasant one, and I still can’t believe that he’s gone.
Ben is kind, just the way he holds my hand and looks at me with concern. The doctor equally so and asks me if I need anything for the shock. I’m numb, shell-shocked, and trying to understand what it all means – for me.