Chapter 3

I clench my fists, staring at the photo on my screen. A cold smile creeps onto my lips.

Then I like both posts.

One second later, both gone.

Rowan's message pops up right away.

Babe, why are you still up? You feeling okay? Want me to come home and take care of you?

I scroll back through our chat history. Every message, sickeningly sweet.

I remember how things used to be.

Five years together. Two years married. And throughout all of it, Rowan had always been gentle and attentive, never once raising his voice at me.

That's why I gave him everything. I trusted him completely.

My fingers hover over the keyboard. Before I can type a word, a weather alert flashes across the screen.

Hurricane warning. Palm Harbor. I added the place to my weather app when the trip was first scheduled.

I think for a second, then screenshot it and send it to him.

Babe, looks like Palm Harbor's about to get hit by a hurricane. Maybe we should push the trip.

I'm curious. I want to see what he says.

A second later, my phone lights up. Rowan.

I pick up.

"Babe, Mr. Whitmore is a major client we're trying to land. We've been chasing this deal for months. Tomorrow's the only day he's free. You can't screw this up."

My voice comes out weirdly calm.

"But the forecast says it's a Category 5. People are gonna die."

Rowan clicks his tongue. That same tone that always made me feel stupid for asking.

"Babe, you grew up inland. You don't get it."

"Down here on the coast, we get warnings like this every year. They always hype it up. Don't take it so seriously."

"If you don't believe me, ask Quinn. She's from Palm Harbor.You don't trust me, fine. But you trust your best friend, right?"

I check my phone and smile.

"But babe, all flights to Palm Harbor tomorrow just got cancelled."

There’s silence on the other end. Then Quinn's voice cuts through.

Quiet, but I catch every word.

"Ro, what do we do now? I bet everyone I could close the Whitmore deal!"

Ro.

Five years with Rowan. We've never even had pet names for each other.

But she calls him Ro. Like it's the most natural thing in the world.

His voice comes right back.

"I switched you to Amtrak. If the trains shut down too, I'll hire a car to drive you there.No matter what, we can't lose the Whitmore deal."

There’s a pause. Then his voice changes, suddenly softer.

"It's all for our future."

"Just get through this month. The company goes public, and we can finally breathe. Then we can have a baby. I told you, I want to give you and our kids the best life."

He sounds so sincere.

So sincere it makes me sick.

I hang up.

The last shred of hope I was holding onto disappeared.

Rowan, there is no "our future" anymore.

Next time we meet, one of us walks away in ruins.

And it won't be me.