I wanted our last days before the wedding to be perfect. That’s why I planned a surprise getaway for James. Just the two of us, away from the endless wedding stress. But I never expected that my surprise would uncover secrets I didn’t even know existed.
That morning, sunlight streamed through my curtains, warm and golden. I woke up smiling, my heart racing with excitement. Today’s the day, I thought. The day of my big surprise for James.
We had been together for nine months, and every day still felt like magic. From the moment we met, it was love at first sight. Six months later, he was down on one knee, asking me to marry him. Since then, life had been a whirlwind of planning, dresses, flowers, and stress. But James had been by my side the whole time, helping with every detail.
My parents insisted on paying for the wedding, even though James was wealthy enough to cover it himself. My dad said, “This is for my daughter. Let me do this for her.” James didn’t argue, just smiled and let my father have his way.
One evening, while we were both exhausted after another long day of wedding planning, James sighed and said,
“Wouldn’t it be nice if we could just escape for a few days? Just us, no one else.”
That gave me an idea. Why not surprise him with a trip?
So I planned everything in secret. That morning, I told him we were going to check out cakes for the wedding. His face lit up when we got in the car, completely unsuspecting.
But when we pulled up to the airport, his smile faded into confusion.
“What’s going on?” he asked, raising an eyebrow.
I handed him the tickets, grinning. “We’re going on a little vacation. Surprise! Just us, before everything gets crazy.”
He stared at the tickets, then pulled me into a hug. “You’re the best. I love you.”
The moment we arrived at the resort, though, something in James changed. As we pulled into the parking lot, he shifted in his seat, frowning at the building.
“Why did you pick this hotel?” he asked.
“I don’t know,” I said, surprised. “I just liked it. It felt right.”
Inside, the receptionist greeted us warmly. But then her eyes landed on James, and she said,
“Welcome back, Mark.”
My stomach dropped. “Mark?” I repeated, staring at James.
He chuckled nervously. “Must be a mix-up. I’ve never been here before.”
But his smile didn’t reach his eyes. Something was off.
That first day, James barely left the room. He said he wasn’t feeling well after the flight. So I went to the beach alone, trying to relax, but my thoughts kept circling back to that strange greeting.
When I came back in the evening, another staff member stopped me. “How’s everything going for you and your fiancé? I hope Mark is feeling better.”
I froze. “Excuse me? His name’s not Mark.”
The woman’s face turned red. “Oh—I’m so sorry. Must’ve mixed up the names.” She rushed off before I could ask anything else.
Now I was sure something wasn’t right.
Back in the room, James was lying on the bed, scrolling on his phone.
“James,” I said sharply. “Why is everyone calling you Mark? And why do they act like you’ve been here before?”
He didn’t even look up. “I don’t know. Probably some other guest. Don’t worry about it.”
But I couldn’t let it go.
The next morning, James was suddenly cheerful. “I booked us a boat trip,” he said. “A full-day excursion. Just you and me.”
Relieved, I agreed. Finally, maybe we’d get to enjoy ourselves.
James left first while I finished getting ready. When I reached the lobby, my heart sank. He was standing close to Lily—the receptionist who had first called him “Mark.” They were smiling, talking quietly. Then she touched his hand like she was comforting him.
I slowed down, listening.
“You won’t be able to hide this much longer,” Lily whispered. “She’ll find out.”
My chest tightened. Find out what?
When James saw me, he quickly pulled his hand away.
“What were you two talking about?” I asked.
“Just hotel details,” he said too quickly. “Nothing important.”
We walked to the dock. The boat was waiting, but just as we were about to board, his phone rang. “I’ll just take this,” he muttered, stepping away.
The captain started the boat, and before I knew it, we were pulling away. James wasn’t with me.
“Wait! He’s not here!” I shouted.
“Sorry, ma’am, we can’t turn back now,” the captain said.
And just like that, I was stuck on the boat the entire day—alone.
When I finally got back to the hotel, drained and frustrated, my worst fear came true.
There he was—walking into the hotel with Lily. She was holding his hand, pulling him toward a supply closet. He didn’t resist. He looked… comfortable. Too comfortable.
I rushed after them, my heart racing. The door to the closet was locked, but I could hear voices inside. My hands shook.
Back in our room, I threw clothes into my suitcase, tears running down my cheeks. How could he do this to me?
Dragging my suitcase through the lobby, I was almost at the exit when someone grabbed my wrist.
“Where are you going?” James panted, out of breath.
“I’m not going to stay here and pretend everything’s fine,” I snapped. I yanked off my engagement ring and tossed it at his feet. “I’m done.”
His face crumpled. “What are you talking about?”
“You know exactly what I’m talking about! I saw you with Lily. I heard what she said. I saw you go into that room with her.”
“No, Em, it’s not like that!” he pleaded.
“Then explain why everyone here calls you Mark! Explain why you’re acting like a stranger!”
James’s shoulders slumped. “Because… that’s my name. Mark is my first name. James is my middle name. I grew up here. My mom was a maid at this hotel. I worked here too, scrubbing floors. I hated being ‘Mark,’ the poor kid. So when I left, I started using James. I didn’t want you—or your family—to know the truth.”
I stared at him, speechless.
“And Lily?” I asked bitterly.
He shook his head quickly. “She’s not my lover. She was helping me. The owner of this hotel treated me like his son. He left me the hotel in his will. It’s only just coming into effect. That’s what Lily and I were discussing. She kept telling me I needed to tell you, but I was scared.”
I wiped my tears, furious and broken. “You should have told me the truth. I didn’t love you for your money, James. Or Mark. I loved you for you. But now? I don’t even know who you are anymore.”
He fell to his knees, clutching my hand. “I was afraid you’d leave me if you knew. Please, Em, forgive me. I swear, no more lies.”
I looked at him, trembling. “If I hear one more lie, I’m gone. Forever. Do you understand?”
His eyes filled with tears. “I swear. From now on, it’s only the truth.”
Slowly, I knelt down beside him. “You know… I would have loved you even if you were still just a janitor here.”
He gave me a weak smile through his tears. “And I would’ve loved you even if you were a bum.”
We both laughed softly, the tension easing just a little. I wasn’t sure what the future held, or if I could fully trust him again—but in that moment, I decided to stay. For now, at least, that was enough.