Page 49 of The Awful Truth

“Right. Thanks,” she ground out. “I have to go.”

She hung up on him, then rushed over to the lounge chair, pulled on her shorts over her bikini and slid her feet into her flip flops.

Charlotte raced down the steps toward Ted and Antonia’s suite, hoping he’d be in there alone so she could warn him about what was happening. She was just lifting her hand to knock on their door when she heard Antonia’s voice behind her. “Oh, please don’t knock. Ted’s still sleeping.”

Charlotte’s entire body went numb, and she turned to face her boss. “Oh, is he?”

“Yes. I believe so,” Antonia told her. “You look like you were getting some sun.”

She nodded, her stomach twisting in knots. She must know. And yet, there she was, smiling at her. Maybe it wasn’t what she thought. Maybe the files had to be backed up because some awful guest was suing them or something. It happened every so often. “I finished up my work early, so I thought I’d relax a bit.”

“Good for you. You work so hard, day and night.” Her tone was slightly clipped when she said the word ‘night,’ and instantly, Charlotte knew she was sunk.

“Listen, I’d love for us to have a little chat. Do you have a few minutes?”

Charlotte nodded even though she desperately wanted to bang on the door and hide behind Ted.

“Perfect. Let’s go find a spot where we can be alone.”

11:21 A.M.

ANTONIA

She wasn’t ready for this conversation. Antonia’s best-case scenario would have been to wait until they got back to the US. That would’ve given her time to read every one of their texts and emails to each other and understand exactly when this started and what it meant to each of them. It would hurt—oh God, would it hurt—but she’d do it anyway. Knowledge was power.

As soon as she saw Charlotte rushing down the hall to their suite—her gait unsteady where it was normally smooth, her body stooped-over where it had always been elegant—Antonia knew that Charlotte must have found out somehow. So now, Antonia would have to think quickly and execute a plan that was still in its infancy.

She led Charlotte to the al fresco dining area and found it empty. Walking straight behind the bar, she grabbed a bottle of gin and two crystal tumblers. Charlotte didn’t ask if Antonia should be doing that. They both knew she shouldn’t, and that she was going to do it anyway, helping herself to something that wasn’t hers, just like Charlotte had done. She filled the glasses with ice, free-poured gin into them, then took a jug of clementine juice out of the fridge, adding a splash to each glass. She slid one across the bar top to Charlotte, then took hers and walked to the far table, choosing a shaded spot for herself and leaving the one in the sun for her employee.

That’s how she needed to think of her right then. Not her husband’s mistress. Not a homewrecker. A poor, confused, young employee who had been manipulated by a middle-aged man with loose morals. That would be the only way to get through this.

She smiled at Charlotte, then had a long drink, letting the gin burn down her throat. When she set her glass on the table, it was only half full. “I take it Samir called you.”

Charlotte gave her an innocent look. “What?”

Forcing her voice to stay calm and quiet, she said, “Oh, come on, Charlotte. Please don’t insult my intelligence. It’s beneath us both. How did you find out that I know?”

“It was Samir,” Charlotte answered, her eyes filling with tears. “How did you find out what was happening?”

“Silly me, I forgot my sleeping pills.”

Charlotte’s cheeks turned red. “Oh.”

“Oh shit, you mean?” she asked, offering her a smile you’d give a good friend.

She nodded, without saying anything.

“Drink up. It’s a lot to take in.”

Charlotte did as she was told, taking several gulps of the boozy drink. “Can I just say how sorry I am?”

“Sure.”

“I’m really, really, really sorry,” Charlotte answered, her voice cracking. “I never ever wanted to hurt you. It just…”

“Happened?”

She nodded.