“Lauren, please,” he said quickly. “The card isn’t working and the hotel is asking for another payment method. Can you just transfer money so I can fix it?”
I crossed my legs under the desk.
“Why can’t you use your own card?”
“That’s the problem,” he said. “I grabbed yours by accident. They look the same.”
Convenient.
“So you accidentally took my debit card,” I said slowly, “and used it for a luxury vacation.”
“It wasn’t planned like that,” he insisted.
Sure.
I glanced at the time.
Daniel should be heading toward Room 804 soon.
“You know something interesting?” I said casually.
“What?”
“You’re staying at my brother’s hotel.”
Dead silence.
“…What?”
“Daniel saw you.”
I could hear Ethan’s breathing change.
“He called me yesterday.”
“Oh my God…”
“Yes,” I said calmly. “He told me everything.”
“Lauren, listen—”
“It’s exactly what it looks like.”
“Please,” Ethan said. “Just help me fix the payment so we can deal with this later.”
Later.
After his tropical vacation was finished.
After he had enjoyed the beach and champagne.
Not a chance.
“You’ll need to figure it out,” I replied.
“Lauren,” he said desperately, “if the hotel doesn’t get payment, they’re going to kick us out.”
In the background, I heard a woman’s voice.
“Ethan, what’s going on?”
She sounded irritated.
I smiled.
“Sounds like your friend is getting nervous.”
“Please,” he whispered. “Just this once.”
I checked the time again.
Perfect timing.
My phone buzzed.
Daniel: I’m at the door.
“Hold on,” I said.
Daniel had the camera on when he knocked.
I watched the video call from my desk as Room 804’s door opened.
Ethan stood there wearing a wrinkled shirt.
Behind him, a tall brunette woman leaned against the bed with crossed arms.
The room looked exactly how I imagined.
Champagne.
Two glasses.
Clothes everywhere.
Daniel spoke professionally.
“Sir, I’m with hotel management. Unfortunately, the card on file is no longer valid. We’ll need another payment method immediately.”
Ethan turned pale.
“I—uh—there must be a mistake.”
“I’m afraid not.”
The woman rolled her eyes.
“Ethan, just use another card.”
“I can’t,” he whispered.
“Why not?”
He didn’t answer.
Because my card had been frozen.
And his own was sitting safely in a drawer at home.
With me.
Back on the phone, Ethan whispered urgently.
“Lauren, please. Just send money so I can settle the bill.”
I watched him squirm through Daniel’s camera.
“No,” I said simply.
“Please.”
“You lied to me.”
“Lauren—”
“You cheated on me.”
He didn’t deny it.
“You used my money to do it.”
Silence.
“So no,” I said calmly. “I won’t help you.”
Then I hung up.
