Lured into Lies by Melanie Martins
Chapter 36
North Island, December 7, 2020
Petra Van Gatt
After over ten hours of flying, the pilot finally lands at the Seychelles International Airport, located on Mahé Island. As we reach outside, the humidity in the air smacks my face, and the heat reminds me of a sauna. Jeez! What a big contrast with the freezing winter of the Netherlands. Glad there was a pair of shorts and a sleeveless top in the cabin for me to change into before landing.
We are welcomed by blue sky and palm trees and our driver waiting for us on the tarmac. Upon entering our car, the driver takes us to another terminal; though, this one seems to be for helicopters.
As we exit the car, I take in my surroundings and try to handle the quick switch of temperature from the air-conditioned interior to the tropical heat. I notice the staff is already putting our luggage into the helicopter that is waiting on the platform, the pilot getting ready. And I can't help but ask, “We are flying in it?”
“Yep,” Alex answers. “We are going to another island that is only reachable by helicopter.”
“Wow,” I utter, taking Alex’s hand as he helps me climb into the backseat of this whirring beast. My heart is pounding, slightly anxious of what is to come. After all, this is my very first time flying in one, and I know helicopters crash more often than planes. Alex helps me buckle and leans down to kiss the tip of my nose.
“Nervous, sweet thing?”
“A little,” I admit, clasping my hands together so he doesn’t see them shake. Alex fits a headset complete with a mic over my head, explaining that we would be able to hear each other over them since the helicopter would be so loud.
“It’s quite the view. Try to enjoy it,” he suggests before sitting beside me.
He takes my hand and gives it a reassuring squeeze as the helicopter lifts smoothly into the sky. Alex wasn’t lying. The view is absolutely amazing! The ocean is so blue and endless; the smell of salt tickles my nose as we soar above it.
“Look!” I say, pointing at a school of manta rays flying along under the water, their fins flapping like those of a bird. Alex leans over to see them, and I hear him exclaim out of surprise over the headset. He seems so happy! It warms my heart seeing him like that.
The flight isn’t too long, but just long enough for me to stop being terrified. Alex and the pilot chat over the headset about the multiple islands in the area and must-see places, but I’m concentrating on all the sea life I can see from up here. There are so many creatures I have never seen in real life.
An island comes into view ahead of us, covered in leafy palm trees, granite peaks, lush vegetation and sugar sand beaches. The island looks like it is still wild and natural. No kitschy tourist destinations for Alex apparently, just a real paradise far out in the ocean. It reminds me of a postcard.
The helicopter starts to circle the island, kicking up sand and scaring away the seagulls before it lands on a flat ground made of grass, surrounded by palm trees and a pathway to the nearest beach.
“Welcome to North Island,” the pilot announces.
When we touch down, Alex helps me climb out on my shaky jelly-like legs, and he wraps his arm around my waist. We take in the gorgeous island together, and I rest my head on his shoulder as he places a kiss on my hair.
“It’s so beautiful,” I whisper, barely believing my eyes. Alex smiles down at me, his handsome face relaxed and glowing. It sounds cliché, but the island looks like an untouched paradise. A dinosaur could stroll by, and I wouldn’t be surprised.
While Alex goes and greets the guest manager and the staff who are already starting to take our luggage out, I follow the pathway until I reach the sand, which is white and soft under my sandaled feet. In the distance, on the other side of the beach, I can see some villas stretching on the coastline, and I can’t wait to see what Alex has booked as our getaway accommodation.
“Happy?” he asks, tugging me along behind him.
My lips twist into a grin, and I nod, unable to articulate as I take in the turquoise water and the white-tipped waves on the shore.
“Let’s go check it out.” We go back to the platform made of grass where a guest attendant invites us to a waiting golf cart. Chatting to us about the history of the island, he drives us over the bumpy terrain amid the lush vegetation of the interior of the island. We pass a number of palm trees bedecked with fat brown coconuts and green iguanas sunning themselves on the rocks, until we reach the winding driveway of our place. When he stops the golf cart in front of what seems to be the entrance to our private habitation, a man dressed in a breezy linen shirt and shorts comes to meet us.
“You must be Petra and Alex. Welcome! We are so glad to have you here. I’m the resort manager, Sergio. Did you have a good flight?”
After greeting him and exchanging a few words, we follow Sergio, hand in hand, as he tells us about the island, the activities, and the weather. He says the forecast is clear for the next few weeks, so we should enjoy nothing but the bright sun and a warm ocean.
We walk into a plank wood pathway leading us to the gardens, an open terrace, and our villa, and holy moly, it is enormous! From the vast gardens, I can see a huge wooden deck extending almost into the waves, and an enormous bubbling hot tub and pool at the center of our backyard. But then, amid the shades of a few palm trees, I see the most exciting thing yet. I nearly jump up and down with excitement.
Giant tortoises.
“Alex,” I breathe in amazement, “Look at them!”
“The turtles?”
“Yes!” I turn to Sergio, “Please, can I go and pet them?”
“Yes, of course, they are extremely docile. Just don’t sit on them, please.”
Thrilled, I walk slowly enough not to scare them, kneel next to the closest tortoise and peer into his wise old face. He lifts his long neck up to me as he chews some grass, and I run a hand down his head and neck. His skin is dry, warm, and leathery. I almost squeal in excitement. They are so wonderful!
“She loves animals,” I hear Alex telling Sergio, who nods. But to my surprise, no teasing or jokes about vegans. How odd… Alex must be tired.
Sergio reaches into his pocket and pulls something out, walking over and handing it to me. It’s a bright red apple, its shiny skin reflecting the sun overhead.
“If you want to be his best friend, feed him this. This one’s name is Fred, and the way to his heart is through his stomach.”
I take the apple and hold it reverently out to Fred. Slowly, as if he has never hurried for anything in his long life, Fred extends his neck and takes a huge bite from the apple. The juices run down my hand, but I can’t find it in myself to care. I’m feeding a freaking giant tortoise!
“Come on, love, The turtles aren’t going anywhere. We can see them later.”
“Tortoises, not turtles, Alex.”
Alex looks bewildered before he breaks out into laughter.
“Alright, alright, tortoises. Let’s go. I promise we will revisit them.”
“Bye, Fred,” I tell him, giving him the rest of the apple and a quick pat.
We follow Sergio into the villa, and it takes me a second to take it all in. It’s incredible! Everything is made from bamboo and local wood, with an open floor plan that connects the outside deck with the inside. Then he shows us our bedroom, centered all around a huge king-sized bed topped with a mosquito net with a terrace that connects to the outdoors. The deck itself is almost as big as the house, dotted with outdoor furniture which is covered with plush cushions, and along with the hot tub, there is a fire pit surrounded by cozy reclining chairs. I’m immediately thinking about taking a nap there. Even just looking at the place has me relaxed. I lean into Alex, surrounded by the romantic atmosphere of our own personal paradise.
A tall, older man exits the home, making his way over to us. He’s dressed in professional clothes that still seem to be cool enough to be bearable in the humid air.
“Good afternoon,” he says. “My name is Kenneth, and I will be your personal butler. Anything you need, sir or madam, I will take care of it for you.” He bows to us with a flourish, showing the top of his balding head.
“Please, call me Petra,” I tell him, smiling brightly, before we thank him for his warm introduction.
“You are too gracious, madam. I’ll show you the rest of the villa. Follow me, please.”
Alex rests his hand on the small of my back as Kenneth gives us the tour to the other parts of our accommodation. The perfect views combined with the smell of the salty air and the ambient noise of the island are so peaceful. I’m only paying half attention as Kenneth shows us the library/theater room, the outdoor bathrooms, the kitchen. I’m just too anxious to dip my toes into the water, stretching out on the hot sand… I just can’t wait.
Finally, Kenneth’s tedious tour has concluded, and we both thank him as he heads back to retrieve our luggage. I wander to the bed and fall back onto it with a huff, sleepy and happy.
“What a day,” I breathe, the jet-lag setting in.
“Do you like the island? I hope it’s not going to be too boring for you.”
I pop up on my elbows to stare at him where he is leaning against the doorframe. “Too boring?” I repeat in shock. “There are giant tortoises eating grass in our garden, like, this place is insane!”
Alex laughs, his deep voice bringing butterflies to my stomach. “I’m glad you like it. I’ve been dreaming about you, totally naked, walking out of the sea here.” He waggles his eyebrows at me, and I laugh as he recounts his fantasy. “In slow motion, of course.”
“Of course…” I give him a smirk, nodding. “Have you been here before?”
“Not to this island, no. But Prince William and Kate Middleton spent their honeymoon here; George and Amanda Clooney too, so I thought, why not us?”
“Oh, what a helpless romantic you are,” I say with a tease as Alex walks slowly over to the bed. Then he lays down next to me, gathering me into his arms.
“I know. I can’t help it.”
I grin silently under his voice, glowing with it. Then I catch his mouth in a passionate kiss, and he growls as our tongues swirl together, holding me tight to him.
“Thank you for this, it’s perfect.” I snuggle my face into his shoulder, laying a kiss there, breathing in his comforting scent.
“I’m glad you do, ‘cause we’re gonna be here for the next two weeks.”
“Two weeks?” I repeat, surprised.
“And there’s only us on the island,” he adds. “Along with the staff, I mean.”
“Wait—there are no other guests here?” I ask again, having a hard time wrapping my head around having our own private island!
“Nope, only us.”
And wanting to provoke him even more, I ask, “What in the world are we going to do for two weeks?”
“I can think of a few things…” I feel him squeeze my butt, and I giggle.
“But seriously,” he says, “I want to teach you how to dive, for one. On the west side of the island, there is a large area of coral reef where the most beautiful fish congregate. There are even dolphins around, so if we are lucky, we should be able to swim with them.”
“That would be so awesome.”
Alex pulls me close again. I feel like asking more questions, but being in his arms makes me warm and sleepy, even though it’s the middle of the day. A ceiling fan is turning above us, dissipating the heavy, humid air and blowing a cooling breeze on us. It has been a long trip to get here. That, combined with the adrenaline of the helicopter ride and the elation at seeing our private resort, has me exhausted, and it is slowly catching up to me.
Sensing my sleepiness, Alex lays a kiss on my forehead, and we cuddle closer. I drift off into a brief nap, surrounded by paradise and the arms of my husband.
* * *
“Wake up, sleepyhead. Our luggage arrived,” I hear Alex whispering in my ear.
I sit up, rubbing my eyes and watching Kenneth shuffle in with the last of our luggage. “My apologies to come so late, but I saw you were having a nap, so I didn’t want to interrupt.” He gives us another ridiculous bow before heading out. Looking out, it seems we slept for a few hours as the sun is now way lower on the horizon than before.
I see my luggage on the table by the door, and I have a sneaking suspicion that it looks like not quite enough luggage for two weeks. I slip out of bed, feeling Alex’s eyes on my back as I open my suitcase. Just as I suspected—hardly anything except for my winter clothes. “Where are my summer clothes?” I ask as I see only the clothes I brought for the Netherlands inside. I dig around, pushing things to the side, feeling more panicked by the second.
“I’m pretty sure you won’t need clothes here.”
Please, don’t tell me he didn’t bring anything for me… “So what am I supposed to wear for dinner?”
“Here.” Alex goes and opens the closet and steps aside to show me what’s on the hangers….
There’s nothing in there. It’s totally empty.
I shoot him a scowl; he’s up to something.
“If you behave well, maybe I can get you a dress… maybe,” he teases, reclining on the bed, looking smug.
“Oh you better get me one, or else I go naked. Naked to breakfast, naked to dinner, naked to the beach, naked everywhere.”
“You wouldn’t dare,” he says, mocking me, nonplussed. I put my hands on my hips and glare at him. It’s annoying that he knows me so well.
“True,” I admit reluctantly. I sit down on the bed with a huff, and he laughs, pulling me to him and back down on the bed. He maneuvers me into the little spoon position and nuzzles my hair.
“Calm down, grumpy girl. You’ll find the clothing I’ve brought you to be perfectly adequate.”
His phone starts beeping, and as he looks at the screen, his face brightens up with a big smile. “Dad is finally in Bermuda,” he informs me, sounding way more relaxed. Then he turns the screen to me. “Look, he already printed and framed his wedding picture with us.” As I look at the photo Hendrik sent him, I can’t help but remember how he gambled with his life to be there. Alex types some quick answer to his dad before sliding his phone back into his pocket. Then he cups my jaw into his hands and leans down to kiss me.
His joy in knowing his Dad is safe, combined with how happy he has made us both with the island getaway, seems to have cooled him down like I’ve rarely seen before. There is no work Alex, or worried Alex, just my husband Alex.
My husband, I squeal to myself internally. I’ll need time to get used to this word.
* * *
After eating some room service in bed, I suggest we go and check out the beach so that Alex can show me if he truly brought any clothes or even swimwear for me. To my surprise, Alex opens his suitcase and hands me a gift bag with a brand I don’t recognize, but I raise my brows, seeing Made in Brazil on it. We quickly change into our suits, and I shoot Alex a dirty look as I hold up a white string bottom. He, on the other hand, grins wolfishly.
“I picked it out specially for you,” he says, knowing perfectly well it’s not the type of swimwear I’m used to.
I shimmy into the bikini and catch a look at myself in the adjacent mirror. I look so scandalous! I’d never be seen in something like this at a public beach; heck, I wouldn’t even let the butler see me like this! “How come you get to wear regular swim shorts, but you have me parading around in these tiny squares of fabric? Between being naked and wearing this, there isn’t much a difference.”
“You’re asking too many questions,” he taps the tip of my nose with his finger. “Now turn around and let me put your sunscreen on. There’s a lot of beautiful bare skin here we need to protect.”
Then, we walk the waterline and take in the setting sun, which turns the sky all different shades of orange and pink, glinting off of the waves. The water is warm, and we take a few moments to swim in the ocean, splashing each other and laughing joyously. After everything we went through these past days, it’s so wonderful to see him relaxed, unburdened from the real world.
Alex spreads a beach blanket out on the sand, and we collapse on it together, breathing hard from the exertion of swimming. He then sits up on his elbow, brushes my salty wet hair from my shoulder, and leans down to place his lips on mine.
We roll all over the beach blanket together, taking joy in each other. He kisses me from my jaw down to my collar bone before rolling me on top of him. Then I pepper kisses all over his face, rubbing my cheek on his to feel his rough beard growing in. I catch a mix of his cologne and the salty notes of the sea, creating a new aroma.
I take in everything around me, hearing the ocean and seeing my husband beneath me. I can’t get enough of this moment. Of this pure bliss to be here only with him. I put my hands on his face, tracing the lines of his jaw and brow with my fingers, then I catch Alex looking me deep in the eyes like he’s considering me.
“What?” I ask.
“I still can’t believe we are married,” he whispers, and the sincerity in his voice makes my heart jump.
I smile at his words, reveling in the moment. “Neither can I.”
His fingers thread through my hair lovingly. “Thank you for not giving up on me,” he says with the same tone. “Even after giving you so many reasons to.”
“It wasn’t an easy decision,” I admit, even as it hurts my heart to do so. I hate causing him pain, but I want him to know how serious this decision was for me. “I hope you understand that.” I kiss him again, holding his eyes with mine.
“I do.”
* * *
North Island, December 17, 2020
It has been ten days since we have been on the island, and it has been ten days since Mom left me that voice message. Since then, she hasn’t called me like I asked her to. While Alex is doing his morning run around the beach, I decide to call Mom just to check on her. I wonder where in the world she ended up traveling to, if she’s enjoying her new life, and above all, if she has come to peace with herself and us. Despite my many attempts, though, it seems like her phone is still turned off. Wow. Does that mean she hasn’t turned it on for ten days? Impossible… Maybe she just ran out of battery. Or could she have gotten a new phone all together? All I hope is that her voice message was sincere and that she isn’t planning some twisted revenge against us behind my back. As I remain sitting on the sofa, my phone in hand, ruminating about Mom, I notice Alex stepping into the terrace from the pathway that leads to the beach.
“Hey,” he greets, entering into the lounge of the villa. Then he turns to look at me and asks, “Is there something bugging you? You look worried.”
His question pulls me back from my thoughts, and while I’d have preferred to simply smile and tell him that everything is fine, I decide to tell him the truth. “Um, Mom left me a voice message on my wedding day,” I fess out. “She said she’ll be leaving the Netherlands to take some time off.”
He runs a hand through his hair before blowing out a breath. “Well, that’s not a bad idea.”
“Yeah, but then I asked her to call me back, but she hasn’t done so since then.”
“Give her some time…” He lets his words trail off, observing me. “It must be hard for her to accept we’re married.”
“I’m not worried about her, I’m worried about us. What if she moved away from the Netherlands to plot something against us?”
“Relax…” Alex sits beside me on the sofa and wraps an arm around me, pulling me on his lap. I love to nestle myself on him; the energy that radiates from his body heat has always managed to soothe me. “You’re overthinking.”
With my head resting on his shoulder, my mind starts relaxing, and I feel myself at peace. “I’ve had nightmares this whole year,” I tell him for the first time. “Louise is not the first soothsayer saying our relationship would destroy me; my mom told me the same.”
“And you believe them?” He looks me in the eye, waiting for my answer.
I shrug in return, keeping myself nestled against him. “I just want to be cautious.”
He presses his lips on my head, giving me a long kiss while I close my eyes, reveling in it. “Look, I won’t do anything unless you tell me to, but don’t you think we should take care of her once and—”
“No deaths,” I say, cutting him off, and I frown immediately at him. “Killing her for the sake of prevention is out of the question.”
“But that will solve our problems once and for all.”
While we keep looking at each other, my jaw drops at his blunt answer. And I’m not even sure how to process that. “Alex,” I begin. “I saved the life of your dad despite what he did to your mom. You can do the same with mine.”
“Except my dad wasn’t trying to destroy us,” he replies. “He actually helped us and treated you like his own daughter from day one.”
“I know, but I can’t let you do this.” I let out a hard sigh, observing him. “I can’t… It goes against everything I stand for.”
“What are our options, then?”
I drop my gaze, thinking something through. “Elections are in March,” I tell him. “She has to be back before that, and depending on what she tells me once she decides to call me back, we’ll act accordingly.” And before I forget, I add, “But please, don’t make any decisions about her behind my back.”
“I told you, I won’t.” His reply appeases my heart, and a small smile plays on my lips. “You know, I think it’s great you have morals, but sometimes, those can be a handicap.”
I can’t help but chuckle at his comment. “Yeah, I understand it might come as a surprise to you that I don’t want to kill one of my parents.”
“It does,” he bluntly states. “But to tell you the truth, you remind me of myself when everyone wanted to kill my dad after Mom found out about his bastard.” My brows raise up in surprise by his revelation. “I was the only one objecting it.” And my heart aches in pain as I recall that terrible morning where Margaret gambled with Hendrik’s life. No matter what he did, just like with Mom, I can’t bring myself to justify his death. “They thought I was against them because I didn’t support his murder.” The air grows heavy as we discuss such a delicate matter, and as I don’t know what to say, I just remain quietly observing him. “So I understand where you are coming from.” I give him a quick smile in appreciation. “But in our case, this is not killing for revenge, it’s killing to protect ourselves.” In a brisk move, I leave his lap and go to sit beside him. Then, crossing my arms over my chest, I shake my head at his insistence. Damn. I can’t believe he’s still trying to persuade me that killing her is okay! As I keep staring at him with annoyance laced all over my face, Alex finally gets it. “Alright, no murder.”
* * *
North Island, December 20, 2020
The sun is quietly settling down in the horizon while I remain lying on a wooden lounge chair on the beach. It’s insane how time flies in this secluded piece of paradise. As I come to think of it, in a few days we will be back to New York and to its grey and freezing winter. I’m trying to finish a book, yet seeing my husband rambling from one side to the other as he speaks over the phone leaves me more anxious and curious than ever. Who on earth has he been talking to for the past twenty minutes? Ah! He finally hangs up, looking slightly annoyed. Then he walks back to where I’m lying, and once he gets close enough to me, I ask, “Is everything alright?”
He runs a hand on his wet and salty hair, still visibly far away. After a few moments, though, his gaze finally alights on me. “Sebastian called me.” My eyes widen in surprise; Sebastian is definitely the last person I expected to give Alex a call. “I mean Jan called, and Sebastian was there with him.”
“And?” I ask, patiently waiting for the rest.
Alex takes a seat on the lounge chair beside me, his elbows resting on his knees, and lets out a sigh. “And Jan is hosting a Christmas Eve dinner in our honor.”
The more he talks, the more surprised I am. “What does that even mean?”
“It means he really wants us to attend.” Yet, Alex doesn’t look very excited about the invite.
“Do you think Sebastian is behind that?” I ask.
“Oh yeah, one hundred percent,” he answers straight away. “He most likely told Jan we aren’t speaking.”
“Forgiveness is a virtue you know.”
Alex cracks a quick laugh. “I’m not that virtuous.”
“You don’t have to trust him ever again, but keeping Sebastian as an ally is a good idea given everything he knows about you,” I tell him as I keep observing how his body is tensed up and his expression is filled with distress. “I don’t think you should keep holding a grudge against him.”
But Alex remains just as stiff. “He betrayed me. It’s not that easy.”
After putting down my book, I sit on the chair, my feet on the sand, and take his hands on mine. “Look at my dad, he did so many bad things, and yet we forgave him.”
Alex doesn’t seem convinced. “It’s different…”
“Is it though?” I ask, forcing him to analyze the situation from another angle. “Julia told me Sebastian persuaded your mom not to kill him, but just to scare him enough so that he doesn’t come back.”
“Yeah, but that could’ve been easily avoided if he had kept his damn mouth shut,” Alex snaps, his tone irritated. “He told Julia my dad was there, and she didn’t waste time in telling Mom.”
“It’s also her dad. Sebastian just wanted them to talk.”
He removes his hands from mine, leaning backward on the chair. “Why are you siding with him?” he asks, furrowing his brows in confusion. “You don’t even like him.”
“Because I genuinely believe he told Julia in good faith,” I tell him. “I’m sure he wanted them to finally meet and talk after all these years.” Alex shakes his head, chuckling at my answer. “He most likely never thought it’d escalate so quickly.”
“Well, maybe he should’ve thought about it before betraying my trust.”
“Family is not easy. Sometimes we think we’re doing the right thing without properly assessing the consequences.”
“My dad nearly died because of his ‘good intention’,” he reminds me.
Jeez, he can be so stubborn sometimes. “Alright, it’s up to you. If you want to stay mad at him, by all means.” Then I take off my sunglasses and get up from my chair. “I’m going to the water, you wanna come?”
Suddenly though, Alex leaves his serious face behind, beaming at me. “Always.”