Whether he lived free and easy or crawled through the wreckage of his own life, what did it have to do with me anymore?

"It's nothing serious," I said. "I just don't want to keep the money in."

The line went quiet for a few seconds.

"If you say pull out, then we pull out."

"But sweetheart, did someone hurt you?"

"No." I smiled a little. "I just want to clear my head in Bali. Lend me the helicopter and I'll handle the rest myself."

"A helicopter? If you wanted the stars out of the sky, your dad would climb up and grab them for you."

He sighed. "But Peggy, I have to be straight with you. That Brendan kid, I never thought much of him from the start. You insisted on marrying him, and I couldn't stop you."

"But if he's really done something to wrong you, you tell your dad..."

"I know."

After I hung up, I sat on the cold bed, lost in thought.

The truth was, I'd been to every city around Bali, more times than I could count.

Only Bali itself I'd never set foot in.

It was a dreamlike island, romantic enough that I'd kept it untouched, never daring to go.

Telling myself that one day I'd go there with the person I truly loved.

So the year we married, I booked our honeymoon for Bali.

But that year Brendan never made it, because Victoria had surgery and he was busy taking care of the Delgado parents.

Watching my face fall, he coaxed me with all his patience.

"Peggy, Mr. and Mrs. Delgado did so much for me before. They even paid my way through college."

"Now their daughter's sick. I can't just turn my back on her. I have to help out a little, at least. I hope you'll understand."

"Besides, it's only a trip to Bali, right? We can go anytime. I promise I'll take you next time, okay?"

At least his attitude was decent, and a few words were all it took to smooth me over.

So I agreed to the next year.

But the next year, the same thing, derailed because Victoria got kidnapped by criminals.

Brendan said, eyes rimmed red.

"Victoria's safety matters more."

"A lifetime is so long. Does it really matter when we go to Bali?"

So, it fell through again.

The third year, Brendan finally gave in and agreed.

I thought I could finally take a trip with him, just the two of us.

But then Victoria said she wanted to come.

And he dropped me.

Went off with his "girl buddy" instead.

Why bother?

Cheapening myself like that for some hollow, illusory love.

See? Even without a man, I made it to Bali on my own anyway.

The next morning, I was just heading to my father's private airfield.

When Brendan sent another video.

It was from the night before, at a hotel near Bali, Brendan holding his phone, filming the ocean at night.

Victoria's voice came through, crystal clear.

"Wow! It's gorgeous! Brendan, hurry, get it, get it! And get me in the shot too..."

Brendan laughed. "Got it, got it. Keep your voice down, everyone around us is staring."

"Let them stare. I came out to have fun with my best buddy. It's not against the law."

The camera jolted, catching Victoria in a soaked long dress, walking toward him with a smile.

Then it cut off.

Right after, Brendan sent a text.

"Morning, Peggy. Sharing the Bali night view with you."

"Victoria picked this hotel. It's really beautiful. We should stay here next time."

Looking at that line, I suddenly let out a small laugh.

There wouldn't be a next time.

At ten past four in the afternoon, the helicopter touched down on the VIP pad at Bali's Denpasar Airport.

The ground crew was already waiting, ready to help Bryan Chavez and me through immigration.

Bryan asked me, "Miss Gilbert, which hotel are you staying at? I'll drop you off."

"That won't be necessary."

I kept my tone polite. "I'll just grab a cab. Find somewhere to rest. I'll let you know when I'm ready to head back."

Bryan didn't push it.

I stepped out of the airport, and the warm, humid air rolled over me.

Coconut trees, palm fronds, local women with frangipani tucked behind their ears, and that scent of freedom hanging in the air.

Everything was exactly the way I'd imagined it.

I pulled out my phone, turned on my location, and searched for hotels nearby.

That was when a startled voice came from behind me.

"Peggy?"

"What are you doing in Bali?"

Seeing me show up in Bali too, the two of them, strolling arm in arm up from the shore, stopped dead in their tracks.

Brendan recovered first and let out a couple of laughs.

"Peggy, I didn't realize you were this clingy. Booking a ticket the next day just to chase after me. Fine, go get this stuff sorted out first."

He tossed the tent straight at me, telling me to go pitch it.

I stayed where I was, not moving an inch.

"You've got it wrong."

"I just happened to come to Bali."

I wasn't traveling with them, and I hadn't come looking for them.

When I turned and started walking toward another tent that was already set up,

Brendan's face darkened at once, and he came striding toward me.

"Peggy, so I didn't buy your ticket yesterday, big deal. You showed up in Bali anyway, didn't you? What's with the attitude?"

"I just asked you to pitch a tent. Is that really worth that cold, sour face?"

I lifted my eyes coldly.

Before I could say a word, Victoria rushed in to play peacemaker.

"Oh, come on, Peggy, you're here now, so don't be mad."

She said it with a grin. "Brendan and I made a promise back in college. The two of us were going to take a trip to Bali together someday!"

"Don't go getting jealous just because I'm a woman. We're really just buddies, nothing more."

As she spoke, she reached out and patted Brendan's shoulder. "See? Your wife still cares about you. She came chasing all the way out here, didn't she?"

Brendan said nothing, but the expression on his face softened a little.

He glanced at me, his tone gentler than before.

"All right, you're here, that's what matters. Get the tent up first. I'll take Victoria for a walk along the beach and be back soon."

With that, he turned to leave.

"Brendan."

He looked back, surprised. "What is it?"

"I said I didn't chase after you."

I said it word by word. "I came to Bali because I've wanted to come for three years."

"Not because you happened to be here."

"As for that tent of yours, whoever wants to pitch it can pitch it. Don't come bothering me."

The air went quiet for a few seconds.

Victoria bit down on her straw, glancing from me to Brendan, the smile slipping off her face.

Brendan stared at me for a long moment, then suddenly let out a laugh.

"Sure."

He nodded, an indescribable irritation in his voice.

"You didn't chase after me. You just happened to show up in Bali today, happened to end up on this exact beach, happened to run into us. Peggy, do you really think I'd buy that?"

His tone was laced with mockery, but I only answered flatly.

"Believe it or not, that's up to you."

I turned to leave. Brendan glanced around, his gaze landing on the space behind me.

"Where's your luggage?"

Brendan frowned. "You came to Bali alone and didn't even bring a suitcase?"

I had a single backpack slung over my shoulder, light enough that I hardly looked like someone here on vacation.

"Peggy, can't you make life a little easier on people for once?"

"You didn't say a word before flying out to Bali. You haven't answered a single message since yesterday."

"And now you show up out of nowhere, not even any luggage. You didn't give me and Victoria any chance to prepare."

My eyes drifted to the white wedding dress behind Victoria, and a faint, amused smile crossed my lips.

"Prepare for what?"

"Did I interrupt the little destination wedding you two were throwing here?"

"Peggy!"

Brendan's face went cold as he cut me off. "Could you not talk in that snide tone of yours?"

"Then where did the wedding dress come from?"

"Didn't you say Victoria was just your good buddy? It's a vacation in Bali. Why bring a wedding dress?"

Brendan let out an exasperated breath. "Victoria saw other people taking bridal photos and got a little envious, that's all. It's just photos. Do you have to make a federal case out of everything?"

"Brendan, why are you being so harsh with your wife!"

Victoria stood off to the side, frowning as she fussed with the tent, then suddenly spoke up, all sweet understanding.

"Peggy, if you don't feel like pitching the tent yourself, I can have Brendan do it for you."

"Though you know how he is. Clumsy hands. Last time he tried to put together a queen bed at my place, he assembled the whole thing backwards. A tent's probably beyond him too."

She made it sound offhand, but every word carried a barb.

I didn't answer. I just slipped on my earbuds and ignored her.

Brendan gave a cold snort.

"Forget it, don't bother with her. Let's see how she manages on her own."

"Victoria, let's go take our photos."

Four-thirty in the afternoon.

The sea breeze rolled in off the water, salty and damp.

The beach was filling up—some people splashing in the surf, others laughing and roughhousing.

And there were Brendan and Victoria, dressed like a couple about to get married.

Victoria wore a white wedding gown with a long train, and Brendan stood barefoot in the shallows. The two of them smiled into each other's eyes.

The photographer called out beside them: "Good, hold it, look at me! Yes, yes, perfect!"

I watched for two seconds, then looked away.

Then I walked over to a man nearby in a black shirt.

"Hi. Could I borrow a light?" I dug a pack of cigarettes out of my bag.

He looked up, glanced at me, and pulled a lighter from his pocket, holding it out.

I lit one, took a drag, and slowly exhaled.

The smoke scattered fast in the sea wind, vanishing without a trace.

"And here I thought you were the good-girl type."

He watched the way I smoked, one corner of his mouth lifting.

"Never would've guessed it. You actually smoke?"

"You can't judge a book by its cover."

I let the smoke out, my gaze drifting lazily over to the two of them by the water, nearly wrapped in each other's arms.

The man followed my eyes, his gaze landing on Brendan, his smile turning more knowing.

"That your boyfriend?"

"Husband. Soon to be ex, though."

The man snorted out a laugh.

"Interesting."

"The way he's all over that woman, he's got scumbag written all over him. Good for you, dumping him."

He turned suddenly, holding out a hand with a soft laugh.

"I'm Spencer Delgado. Care to introduce yourself?"

I studied him without a word.

I'd noticed earlier this morning that this man had been watching me for a while.

Every word of my exchange with Brendan and the others, he'd heard plainly.

So when he'd just sidled up to make conversation, now, looking at his face, I frowned slightly.

"Why do you feel familiar to me? Have I seen you somewhere before?"

Spencer gave a mysterious smile. And then—