The Canadian vacation had been everything Maya needed—or so she thought. The crisp air, scenic views, and uninterrupted time with Alex seemed to be helping her heal. Days had been spent exploring trails and sharing quiet moments by the cabin’s fireplace, while evenings were filled with laughter and conversations about the future. For the first time in weeks, Maya felt like she was moving forward, away from the ghosts of her past.
After a morning swim at the hotel pool, Maya felt particularly refreshed. The cool water had a calming effect, and for a brief moment, she imagined herself free of all the turmoil she'd been carrying. Wrapped in a soft hotel robe, she made her way back to their suite, ready to surprise Alex with an idea for their afternoon.
Opening the door, she heard the sound of running water from the bathroom. She smiled, thinking how peaceful things seemed. As she set her towel down, her phone buzzed on the nightstand next to Alex's. Without much thought, her eyes drifted to his screen, where a notification lit up. The message read: "Can’t stop thinking about you 😘" and came with a photo attachment.
Maya's hand froze mid-reach. Curiosity and dread coursed through her as she picked up Alex’s phone and unlocked it. The screen opened to a nude picture of Sarah. Maya's stomach churned as the realization hit her like a freight train.
With shaking hands, she scrolled up through their chat. The messages were explicit and unapologetic, filled with flirtations, admissions of love, and descriptions of their secret rendezvous. The conversations stretched back weeks—possibly months. It was all there: the betrayal, the lies, and the undeniable fact that Alex, the man she had trusted, had been unfaithful with her best friend.
The bathroom door creaked open, and Alex stepped out, towel wrapped around his waist, running a hand through his damp hair. He stopped mid-step when he saw the phone in Maya’s hands and the look on her face—a mixture of rage, heartbreak, and disbelief.
“Maya, whatever it is I can explain,” he began, his voice already pleading.
“Explain?” Her voice cracked, raw with emotion. She held the phone up, the incriminating photo still on display. “Explain this! Explain how you could do this to me! With Sarah, of all people!”
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Alex froze, his expression shifting between guilt and panic. “It’s not what it looks like. I—”
“Don’t,” she snapped, cutting him off. “Don’t you dare try to spin this. I read everything, Alex. Everything! The lies, the sneaking around… you’ve been sleeping with her while telling me you love me.” Her voice trembled, but her fury carried it forward. “How long? How long has this been going on?”
Alex hesitated, the truth written all over his face. “A few months,” he admitted quietly.
Maya felt as though the air had been knocked out of her chest. “Months?” she repeated, her voice rising. “You’ve been cheating on me for months? While I’ve been drowning, trying to hold onto us, trying to be enough for you?!”
Alex reached out to her, but she stepped back, her eyes blazing with hurt. “Maya, please, it’s complicated. I didn’t mean for this to happen—”
“Complicated?” She let out a bitter laugh, tears streaming down her face. “I trusted you, Alex. I gave you everything I had left. And you… you’ve been with her all this time. My best friend.”
He tried again, his voice softer, desperate. “Maya, you don’t understand. I didn’t want to hurt you. I—”
“You already did,” she interrupted, her voice cold now. “You shattered everything. And the worst part is, I let you. I let myself believe you cared.”
For a moment, silence hung heavy between them, the weight of the betrayal filling the room. Maya’s shoulders sagged as if the fight had drained her completely. She turned away, staring out the window at the vast wilderness beyond.
When she spoke again, her voice was barely above a whisper, but it carried a deep, cutting pain. “I was never really here, Alex. I’m still at the bottom of the ocean where you left me.”
Alex looked stricken, but Maya didn’t give him the chance to respond. She grabbed her suitcase, haphazardly stuffing her belongings inside. He tried to stop her, to plead with her, but she ignored him, her mind made up.
Within an hour, she was at the airport, booking an early flight back to Los Angeles. The cabin, the mountains, the vacation—it all felt like a cruel joke now, a brief escape from a reality she couldn’t truly avoid. As she sat at the gate, waiting for her flight, she stared out at the planes on the tarmac, her mind replaying every moment of their relationship.
She thought about the way Alex had looked at her, the promises he had made, and the dreams they had shared. All of it felt hollow now, like a lie she had willingly swallowed. And Sarah… the betrayal from her best friend cut just as deeply, leaving an ache in her chest she couldn’t quite describe.
As the boarding call echoed through the terminal, Maya stood, clutching her bag tightly. She had no idea what awaited her back in LA, but she knew one thing for certain: she couldn’t stay. Not here, not with Alex, and not in the shadow of a love that had turned to ashes.