Chapter 3: Welcome to Paradise, Julian
Eleven hours after leaving New York, Julian stepped off the plane in Maui with Sienna beside him.
The Hawaiian sun was bright, the air warm, and the ocean visible beyond the airport roads.
Sienna stretched her arms and smiled.
“Finally! I thought we'd never get here.””
Julian adjusted his sunglasses.
“You can relax now. We'll check into the hotel, get something to eat, and then go over the report.””
Sienna laughed.
“You really know how to make a girl feel special.””
He glanced at her.
“Don't start.””
“What? I'm just saying that most bosses don't bring their secretaries to Hawaii.””
“It's work, Sienna.””
“Of course it is.””
She gave him a playful look, then turned toward the baggage claim.
Julian ignored the remark.
At least, he tried to.
The truth was that he had spent most of the flight convincing himself that bringing Sienna along had been a reasonable decision.
The report was important.
The company had deadlines.
Clara understood his responsibilities.
He repeated these justifications until they began to sound convincing.
Besides, Clara had agreed without arguing.
That meant there was no problem.
He had no reason to think about the way she'd smiled at the airport or how strangely quiet she'd become.
He had more important things to deal with.
Such as getting to the hotel.
And figuring out why Clara hadn't answered his last message.
He took out his phone.
He'd sent her a casual text shortly before landing.
We're here. Hope you made it through security.
There was no reply.
He frowned briefly, then put the phone away.
She was probably still upset.
She'd get over it.
Clara always did.
A short time later, Julian and Sienna arrived at the luxury beachfront hotel I'd booked for the honeymoon.
The property was beautiful, with tropical gardens, open-air walkways, and a spectacular view of the Pacific Ocean.
Staff members greeted them warmly.
A hotel representative confirmed the reservation and handed Julian a key card.
“Welcome. Your oceanfront suite is ready.””
Julian nodded.
“Thank you.””
Sienna looked around appreciatively.
“Wow. Clara really outdid herself.””
He gave a small smile.
“She wanted everything to be perfect.””
“I'm sure she did.””
There was something in Sienna's tone that made him glance at her.
But she was already looking toward the gardens.
They took the elevator to the upper floor and walked down a quiet hallway.
Julian tapped the key card against the lock.
The door opened.
For a moment, even he was impressed.
The suite was enormous, with floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the ocean.
Fresh flowers stood in elegant arrangements.
A bottle of sparkling water rested beside a carefully prepared welcome tray.
Soft music played in the background.
The bed had been decorated with tropical blossoms, and a small card sat on the table beside it.
The entire room looked like something from a luxury travel magazine.
Sienna stepped inside and let out a delighted gasp.
“Oh, my goodness.””
She walked toward the windows.
“Look at that view!””
Julian followed her gaze.
The Pacific stretched toward the horizon, shimmering beneath the afternoon sun.
For a moment, he felt a flicker of guilt.
Clara had clearly put considerable effort into arranging the room.
She had thought about every detail.
And he had repaid her by bringing another woman along.
He pushed the thought aside.
He hadn't planned to hurt Clara.
He was simply doing what needed to be done.
He could explain everything when he got home.
Besides, it wasn't as though he and Sienna were doing anything wrong.
They were colleagues.
They had traveled together for business before.
This was just another trip.
Except it wasn't.
Julian knew that.
He simply didn't want to admit it.
Sienna picked up the welcome card.
“There's a message.””
She read it aloud.
“To Clara and Julian, may your life together be filled with love, laughter, and unforgettable memories.””
Her voice softened on the last few words.
Then she looked at him.
“That's sweet.””
Julian took the card from her.
Something about seeing Clara's name beside his made his chest tighten.
He turned the card over.
There was a handwritten note on the back.
Enjoy the beginning of the life you chose.
He read it once.
Then again.
“What does it mean?”” Sienna asked.
“Nothing.””
He placed the card on the table.
But his expression had changed.
Clara hadn't written that by accident.
He was sure of it.
He took out his phone and called her.
The call rang several times before going to voicemail.
He ended it and tried again.
No answer.
“She's probably still mad,” Sienna said.
Julian shot her a look.
“You don't know that.””
Sienna raised both hands.
“I'm not saying anything.””
He walked toward the bedroom.
That was when he noticed the empty wardrobe.
He stopped.
The closet doors stood open.
There were hangers, shelves, and a row of neatly arranged drawers.
But no clothes.
He walked into the bathroom.
The counter was spotless.
No cosmetics.
No toiletries.
No familiar bottle of perfume.
He returned to the bedroom and looked beneath the bed, as if Clara's suitcase might somehow have been hidden there.
Nothing.
His confusion turned to irritation.
“Where's her luggage?””
Sienna appeared in the doorway.
“Whose?””
“Clara's.””
She looked around the room.
“Maybe the hotel misplaced it?””
“Her suitcase was with us at the airport.””
He remembered seeing it beside the check-in counter.
He remembered Sienna's suitcase standing beside his.
But he couldn't remember seeing Clara's luggage after that.
His stomach tightened.
He called Clara again.
This time, the call went straight to voicemail.
“Unbelievable,” he muttered.
Sienna crossed her arms.
“Maybe she decided not to come.””
Julian turned toward her.
“What?””
“You said she went to the restroom. Maybe she changed her mind.””
“Why would she change her mind?””
Sienna gave him a look.
“Julian, you brought me on your honeymoon. What did you expect?””
He stared at her.
For once, she wasn't smiling.
“You agreed to come,” he said.
“And you told me your wife was fine with it.””
“She was.””
“Then where is she?””
He had no answer.
He walked to the table and grabbed his phone.
The screen lit up.
A message had arrived from an unfamiliar number.
He opened it.
“Happy honeymoon, Julian. I hope Hawaii is everything you imagined. I've decided that sharing my honeymoon with your secretary wasn't part of my wedding vows.””
His face hardened.
“Clara.””
Sienna leaned closer.
“What did she say?””
He didn't answer.
Another message appeared.
“There's one little detail I forgot to mention before your flight...””
Julian's fingers froze above the screen.
For the first time since arriving in Hawaii, he felt something close to fear.
He opened the next message.
It contained a photograph.
At first, he didn't understand what he was looking at.
Then he recognized the building.
His expression changed so abruptly that Sienna stepped closer.
“What is it?””
He zoomed in on the image.
A familiar sign.
A familiar entrance.
And a document bearing his name.
He felt the blood drain from his face.
“No,” he whispered.
Sienna looked from him to the phone.
“Julian, what are you looking at?””
He couldn't speak.
Another notification appeared.
This one contained only a few words.
*Ask your secretary what she told you about the Hawaii agreement.*
Julian slowly raised his eyes toward Sienna.
Her expression had changed.
The color had disappeared from her cheeks.
For several seconds, neither of them moved.
Then Julian held out the phone.
“What agreement?””
Sienna stared at the screen.
Her lips parted, but no sound came out.
And in that moment, Julian understood something far more frightening than the possibility that Clara had abandoned their honeymoon.
Clara hadn't simply left him behind.
She had known something.
Something that connected his secretary, his business, and Hawaii.
Something he'd believed was safely hidden.
His phone vibrated again.
This time, the message was longer.
“Your wife didn't cancel the trip because she was hurt. She canceled her ticket because she knew what you were coming here to do.””
Julian read the words twice.
His hands began to shake.
Sienna took a step backward.
“Julian, listen to me.””
He looked up.
“What did you tell me about this trip?””
“Nothing. I didn't—”
“Then why does Clara know about an agreement?””
Sienna's eyes flicked toward the door.
It was a small movement.
Barely noticeable.
But Julian saw it.
And suddenly, the luxurious suite felt less like a honeymoon destination and more like a room in which every exit had been quietly closed.
He looked back at the phone.
One final message appeared.
“Check the documents in the welcome envelope. You'll find out why I let you board that plane.””
Julian turned toward the table.
A cream-colored envelope lay beside the flowers, exactly where the hotel staff had placed it.
His name was written across the front.
Beneath it were the words:
*Private and Confidential.*
He reached for the envelope.
Sienna lunged forward.
“Don't open that!””
Julian stopped.
He stared at her hand gripping his wrist.
Then he looked into her eyes.
For the first time since he'd hired her, Sienna looked genuinely terrified.
May you like
And Julian finally began to wonder whether bringing her to Hawaii had been the mistake.
Or whether the mistake had happened long before they ever reached the airport.
