I woke up abruptly, as if I’d just surfaced from deep underwater. My heart is racing like a wild horse, because I can’t make sense of anything. Was it all a dream, did it really happen, or is it something yet to come? One thing is seriously throwing me off—I’m back in my own bed. And I’m wearing this old pajama set I’ve been meaning to throw out for ages. Who dug it up and put it on me? How can I not panic? Hearing footsteps, I yank the blanket over my head.
“I can see you moving! Come out, you feathered freak!” Meg does a pretty convincing job of playing the stern “mom.”
“Phew, thank God it’s you,” I crawl out, looking utterly bewildered. “What happened here?”
“You’re asking me? Ha! When I told you not to do anything stupid, you took it as a call to action! So why don’t you tell me, Stephanie, what’s going on? What the heck possessed you to go see Natalie’s ex-fiancé?”
“Her name is no longer spoken in this house!” I growl back. “I want to throw a wrench in that snake’s plans, and I need allies who are just as invested. I thought a wounded male ego would back my idea.”
“Oh, sure, and instead, that wounded male ego carried you in his arms and dumped you right here on this bed. But before that… Ray Boulder called our office, naturally getting Chloe on the line, and figured out who this Meg person is—the terrible friend who slipped a calming potion to a poor girl in shock. Imagine, he thinks you’re just stressed out. He has no idea this is just how you are! Then he demanded I bring the ‘poison’ to the hospital where they took you from his office. Turns out, you were just sleeping like a hibernating bear, knocked out by a strong sedative. I don’t know what my grandma mixed into that stuff, but you missed all the fun. For the record, this was yesterday. The hospital didn’t want to keep you since they’ve got actual sick people to deal with, not just someone calming their nerves. So they suggested we take you home. And, well, I let slip to Ray that I have a key to your place.”
“Oh my God…”
“What? Did you want him to take you to his place instead? Was that the plan?”
“No, of course not! I can just imagine him dragging me around,” I say, pulling a horrified face.
“Hmm, he carried you just fine, pretty carefully actually. Only bumped your head against the wall once while getting you into the elevator, but he said nothing important could’ve been damaged up there. He’s funny, got a good sense of humor, but he’s got a sharp edge—don’t mess with him. I don’t get why she dumped him; he’s such a catch. I like him way more than that jerk Nicholas.”
“This is so embarrassing,” I sigh heavily, nodding. “It’s all because of your stupid tincture.”
“Me? And who chugged half the bottle? I stayed up all night here watching over you, and now you’re blaming me. Spill it, I’m losing patience—what other crazy plan have you cooked up?” Meg pretends to be annoyed, but I can tell she’s secretly amused by the whole fiasco.
“I’m going to follow that sweet little couple and ruin their lives just by being there. But more on that later. Did Ray leave his number? I think I owe him an apology. Though I doubt he’ll want to talk over the phone. I need to see him in person!” I jump out of bed with determination.
“Oh, sure, when he sees you again, he’ll just jump for joy,” Meg quips sarcastically.
Ignoring her grumbling, I rush to get myself together.
“You got your car? Can you give me a lift?” I call out, emerging from the bathroom while simultaneously slipping into a dress and sandals. Eyes lined, hair pulled into a ponytail—today I almost look like a decent human being, maybe even pretty.
“How are you feeling, Napoleon in a skirt?” Meg smirks.
“Energized. But don’t ever offer me your bootleg swill again.”
Grabbing a box of fresh donuts on the way—the exact same kind I demolished in front of Ray yesterday—I’m standing outside their office building again. Alright, attempt number two.
“Oh, it’s you again!” the secretary greets me, not even bothering to ask how she can help. “Mr. Boulder is busy with a client right now. I can pass that along,” she nods at the box in my hands.
“Thanks, but I’ve got a few words to go with it, so I’ll deliver it myself,” I say firmly, plopping down on the couch I eyed yesterday. The donuts sit beside me; today I’m not pouncing on them like a starving predator. I’ve had enough donuts to last me a while. I pull out a pen and my thick turquoise notebook labeled “Diary for Posterity” and, as usual, jot down a note. Every day, I write a little takeaway for myself on paper. It’s fascinating to reread later, by the way. Who knows, maybe one day I’ll publish my memoirs, use the royalties to buy a little house by a lake in the Alps, and die a happy old grandma. Only Chloe and Meg are allowed to read my diary—it’s one of their favorite pastimes. We love to tease and laugh at ourselves. Today, I’m abstaining from social media, and I’m proud of my willpower. Two whole hours since waking up without sticking my nose in Instagram—call me a hero. Or maybe it’s because I’m terrified of seeing yet another post proving the happiness of that treacherous duo?
Voices in Ray Boulder’s office grow louder, someone approaches the door, and soon an older man steps out into the hallway with Ray. After warmly bidding his client goodbye, Ray shoves his hands in his pockets and fixes me with an odd look. It’s the gaze of someone who has no idea what to expect. I’ve really thrown this guy for a loop. Right from the first encounter—talk about a talent.
“Can I come in?” I stand up from the couch.
“Sure, come on,” he sighs, sounding resigned.
Today, I’m composed, a proper lady in a cute dress, but he still looks at me like I’m a walking headache.
“This is for you,” I place the ill-fated donuts on his desk. “Compensation for damages.”
“You didn’t have to,” he says, and interestingly, he doesn’t offer me a seat or sit down himself. We just stand there like statues in the middle of his office. Probably thinks I’ll leave faster this way.
“Have you had breakfast?” Oh, I’m good at throwing people off with my questions. Ray’s eyebrows shoot up again. Today he’s in a “wet asphalt” colored suit, and it suits him just as well. Lawyers, always mindful of their image, dress to impress—and expensively.
“Yes, I’ve eaten.”
“Too bad,” I sigh. He’s still puzzled. “I just wanted to invite you to a café and apologize in a… nicer setting. But fine, I’ll do it here…”
“Let’s go!” he declares, turning toward the door.
“Where?”
“Oh, for God’s sake, to a café. I feel safer with you in public. Being alone with you is a bit unnerving, though given my profession, it takes a lot to rattle or scare me.”
“I’ll take that as a compliment,” I grimace.
“Where are you going?” he calls after me on the street, watching as I confidently head toward the crosswalk. “We can drive to the café.”
“That’s not logical,” I shrug. “In the car, we’d be alone, and you said you feel safer around people. So let’s walk.”
For a second, Ray closes his eyes and shakes his head. I’m one hundred percent sure he’s already regretting agreeing to go with me.
“Regretting not hitting my head harder against the wall yesterday?” I laugh. He’s so intriguing. Though looking at him, I can’t even imagine how he and Natalie got along. She’s an arrogant, cold witch who’s used to everything going her way.
“So you can read minds too? Get in,” Ray opens the car door for me. “I’ll manage somehow.”
I feel awkward in the front seat; my dress rides up too high for my liking, and I keep trying to tug it down to my knees.
“Can you stop? You’re distracting me!” he says. What a serious driver. I freeze, sitting there studying his profile, the way he grips the steering wheel, glancing at the mirrors and the road. “That too!” he adds without looking at me.
“Should I just get out? Do women annoy you, or is it just me?”
“What do you think? I believe the answer is obvious,” he smirks, the jerk. A little more of this, and I’ll lose any desire to apologize for yesterday. I turn to the window and stay silent. And of course, rain starts drizzling at the worst possible moment. Just what I needed—a downpour while I’m stuck in the car with this grump. As if on cue, the rain picks up. What kind of bad luck streak am I on lately? Karma’s out to get me!
“Hold on, don’t jump out right away,” Ray says, stopping the car. He jogs around, opens my door, and invites me to huddle under his jacket to shield us from the rain. How sweet. He’s earned an extra point.
“You do you, but I’m grabbing something to eat,” I say, sitting at a table and picking up the menu. “At the very least, I’m ordering coffee and cheesecake. Don’t worry, I’ll pay for my own breakfast.”
“I’m not worried about that. Just water for me, please,” he tells the waiter, momentarily distracted. “Tell me, Stephanie, have you reconsidered going to war against Natalie?”
“Worried about her, are you, sweetheart? No, I haven’t changed my mind.”
“It’s pointless,” he says calmly, shaking his head with the kind of dignity you’d expect in a courtroom. “Are you a masochist?”
“No. But sometimes people do dumb things, absolutely idiotic stuff, feel crushing disappointment, learn from it, and move on. I need this dumb thing, Ray. Today, Meg will find out which hotel they’re staying at, and I’ll book a ticket. Don’t bother trying to pick the right words for a lecture.”
“Fine. I’ll go with you. But on the condition that I handle everything—finding out the details and booking the tickets. And I want to spare you the need to keep apologizing to me.”
“Deal. But why the sudden change of heart?”
“Maybe I’ve got my own plan,” he says, throwing me a sly glance. I know better than to trust lawyers—they can wear any mask, rehearsed to perfection for juries, playing roles with feigned anger, colorful outrage, sincere empathy, meaningful concern, or overwhelming charm. To win a case, a lawyer needs more than legal expertise, experience, and knowledge of loopholes; they’ve got to act, evoke emotions, and apply moral pressure. It’s their job. And knowing all this, I still agreed. More than that, knowing all this, I’m the one who suggested it to him. Yesterday. If it weren’t for that cursed tincture, I might not have been so impulsive and just gone alone.
“Care to share the details of your plan?” I didn’t expect, given his unflappable demeanor, that he’d also be after payback.
“Maybe after we land, or maybe not. Should I drop you off at home or the office? You need to be ready by tonight.”
“Home. I took a week off,” I reply, a bit thrown by this sudden shift in him. I’m even a little flustered. He’s up to something. And this idea hit him out of nowhere.
“Doesn’t this worry you?” Meg mutters over the phone. “I think it’s a dumb idea. Why would you go chasing after them just to humiliate yourself? We don’t even know this Ray guy. For all we know, Natalie didn’t dump him for no reason. You’re such a daredevil, Stephanie! I’m going to worry about you. Call me every day!”
“Fine. When I get back, you’re officially adopting me,” I huff, zipping up my suitcase. I haven’t even boarded the plane yet, and I’m already buzzing with emotions, anticipating this crusade. I need to figure out what I’ll say to Nicholas the moment I lay eyes on him.
Ray, as promised, called at six in the evening, and by eight, we were checking in at the airport.
“Why are we on an Egyptian airline? Aren’t they in Hawaii?”
“Stephanie, keep moving, don’t hold up the line. I told you I’d handle everything,” Ray frowns. Alright, I’ll trust this know-it-all. So Natalie and Nicholas deliberately told everyone they’re basking in Hawaii, but instead, they’ve jetted off to gawk at pyramids. The Sphinx looks just like Natalie—same smug face. I sleep like the dead on the plane. I’ve never been to Egypt before, and the change in climate hits me with lethargy and a buzzing in my head. But at first glance, the hotel we’re checking into looks pretty nice.
“Are those two staying here too?”
“No,” Ray shakes his head, answering me while simultaneously getting annoyed with the receptionist over some mix-up with available rooms. Hmm, odd. For a revenge plan, it’d be ideal if we were in the same hotel.
“Then where?” I press him.
“I don’t care where, Stephanie! Somewhere in the Hawaiian Islands!”
“What???!” I choke on my outrage. Unbelievable, we’ve come all this way…