Their Little White Lie

SABRINA I had been dreaming of this trip for years, and the moment Alex and I could finally afford it, he brought his mistress along. Nightpark was my sanctuary, a place of memories and magic. Just two miles from the city, it offered nature in its purest form—water parks, gardens, streams, resorts, guesthouses, and a breathtaking beach. My favorite memory of my dad was here: I was six, proudly showing him the shiny blue crystal the ocean had gifted me. This trip was supposed to be just as magical. Instead, I stood frozen outside our room, listening to the unmistakable sounds of Alex and another woman. Their moans and grunts stabbed me like knives. I clamped my mouth shut, shaking my head in disbelief. I told myself it couldn’t be him. Maybe two lost strangers had stumbled into our room. Desperation kept me from walking away. But when I pushed the door open, the truth hit harder than I expected. Her back was pressed against the wall, her

SABRINA When my phone rang the next morning, I wanted to throw it against the wall and go back to sleep. I was tired of phones interrupting perfect moments—like last night. My eyes snapped open at the thought of it. Beside me, he shifted, groaning as he yanked the pillow from beneath his head and smashed it over his ears to block out the noise. “Is that mine?” he mumbled, his voice groggy. “No, it’s mine,” I replied. “Please turn it off,” he pleaded. I jolted upright, realizing I should’ve done that already. “Oh, crap. Sorry.” My fingers scrambled over the screen, frantic to find the silence button. It took me a moment longer than it should have, but when the phone finally went quiet, I sighed in relief. I turned my attention back to the beautiful man in his bed—the same bed I was lying in. My heart nearly leaped out of my chest when I saw him watching me, his eyes wide open, no trace of sleepiness despite the groan moments ago. He laughed softly,

SABRINA MORALES Sally! He called me Sally! I swear I could not believe it. Was I angry or did I just find it funny? And if I was angry, could I also be hurt? Were my emotions valid? I mean, Blaze was just a man from a one-night stand. And he did warn me. All the jokes he made about having him for the night weren't just some bad boy jokes. He was who he said he was. A whore with a brain that didn't have space big enough to hold my name for twelve hours. I griped the sink and stared down at the white surface. I had to stop myself from feeling this way. Every emotion rushed at me. Each one felt stronger than the last. I wasn't meant to be feel this way. I asked myself what I was expecting. I was the one who sneaked out of his room this morning when I connected the dots. Now I was mad over him forgetting my name. I turned on the water and placed my hand under it. My finger was missing my engagement ring. I had locked it away in

BLAZE WILLIAMS Caroline drew her lips into a thin line. She was struggling to stay in her seat. She looked at dad who held her hands under the table. “Do you think I should go after her?” Caroline asked anyone who cared to listen. She looked to dad for an answer. I beat him to it. “It’s better if we respect her wishes,” I said to Sabrina’s mother. Alex had called her mum. It made me wonder how close they had gotten. Sabrina must have felt entirely safe with him only for him to hurt her the way he did. “Yeah. Blaze is right,” dad spoke with maturity. “These kids are adult and there’s nothing they hate more than being treated as kids. She asked for space, let her have it. Maybe send a text letting her know you’re here for her.” Dad agreed with me. That wasn’t something that happened a lot. Caroline finally listened to us. She clutched her phone and typed a message to her daughter. Dad poured wine into three empty cups. He skipped the fourth one which was

BLAZE WILLIAMS The shower was turned on. From the room, the splashing of water was somewhat audible. But nothing was more loud than Mum’s voice. “He sure knows how to be a pain in the ass,” Mum said over the phone. She hissed loudly. I was holding my phone to my ears. I forced myself to stay interested in the conversation. But all I wanted to do was join Sabrina in the shower. “Maybe he’s not ready to tell you because he's worried you will make a scene,” I explained. Mum was good at seeing things from a wrong perspective. She always did this when it had to do with dad. “Which proves how full of himself he is,” mum replied wryly. “Why on earth would I do something like that? I'm not the evil ex who promises to make sure you're never happy again,” Mum spat out before she hissed. I dragged my body down. My back was resting against the pile of pillows behind me. I was still on the bed. I could laugh at mum’s words because she was more of the bitter ex than anythin