Enemies to Lovers, page 22
‘Okay, so, what do we do?’ he asks, not even asking for the details. ‘We won’t tell anyone. Their secret’s safe with us.’
I am so relieved to hear him say that.
‘Honestly, this place is fucked up, I just want to get out of here,’ I say, squeezing him tightly. ‘The things they have been making us do, in the name of therapy, is just bullshit. They’re messing with us all, squeezing money out of us all, knowing that their genuine customers will be too embarrassed to ever tell anyone about what went on here, lest their secrets get out.’
‘But we’re not their genuine customers, we don’t have anything to lose… You know what, maybe we should expose this place, the resort,’ Sonny suggests. ‘There’s something so off about all this, and together, we can uncover the truth. We can bring Eden down.’
I feel the corners of my mouth pull into a big grin.
‘Let’s do it,’ I say.
Even if it’s the last thing I do – work-wise, of course, I’m not being that dramatic – I want to expose Eden and, most of all, I want to finally wipe the smug smile from Hope’s face.
A loud horn sounds, one that we haven’t heard before.
‘Perhaps it’s for the coastguard,’ Sonny jokes. ‘They sound the horn to let them know that there are guests loose in the ocean.’
I laugh.
‘Come on, let’s go tell them that we’re alive, and then gather the last bits and pieces we need for our article.’
‘Let’s do it,’ he replies with a smile.
31
As Sonny and I step into the dining room, the atmosphere is so heavy with… something, it’s like walking into a brick wall – or crashing into the ocean from a great height.
Everyone else is here, sitting around the dining table, all smiling from ear to ear as they watch us enter the room. No one is smiling quite as widely or as brightly as Hope, though. She’s grinning the smug grin to end all smug grins. Something seems different, though, something I can’t quite put my finger on. Perhaps she’s always this genuinely happy, when she realises she didn’t murder any guests by encouraging them to jump off a cliff.
‘Come, sit down, join us,’ Hope invites us, beckoning us over with a hypnotic motion of her index finger. ‘The final challenges are over. It’s time to debrief.’
Sonny and I take our usual seats at the table. I wonder if he feels as uneasy as I do – he certainly looks uncomfortable.
‘Looks like you guys have been for a swim,’ Heath says with a chuckle, nodding toward our damp clothes.
‘And you haven’t,’ Sonny muses suspiciously.
‘Okay, let’s talk,’ Hope says as she stands up in front of us all. ‘The final challenge here at Eden is the leap of faith, as you all now know, but something unusual happened today. For the first time, a couple actually jumped.’
Wait, what? I cock my head curiously as I try to process her words.
‘Allow me to explain,’ Hope continues – why do I feel like she is only talking to me and Sonny right now? ‘Eden isn’t quite what you think it is. Yes, it’s a couples’ retreat with therapeutic elements designed to mend broken relationships, but perhaps not in the way you imagined.’
A shiver runs up my back, causing my shoulders to wiggle. I look to Sonny, but it seems like he’s just as freaked out as I am.
‘Everything here at Eden, from the very moment you step off that boat, is meticulously designed to push you to your limits,’ Hope continues. ‘The hikes, the irregular mealtimes, the lack of familiar comforts, the hard work you undertake only to see it undone, the intentional mix-up with intimacy pods, the temptation of the secret rum bars, the jarring wake-up call of the drums the next morning – and let’s not forget the obstacle course with the unbeatable first obstacle…’
‘I knew it,’ Heath interrupts, with a triumphant clap of his hands.
‘So far, every single group has gone on to breakfast after the impossible obstacle course, regardless of whether they earned it or not,’ she tells us with a smile. ‘Human nature will always be second nature. And then, finally, the leap of faith.’
‘That only we did?’ I check with her.
‘That only you have ever done,’ she replies. ‘By the time a couple is up there on that cliff, being instructed to jump, everything that has happened before falls into place for them. The roller coaster we’ve created has a way of getting couples back on track, of uniting them against a common adversary – me, and this place. When I tell them about the contract they signed, allowing us to do whatever it takes, I inform them that if they don’t jump, we push them, that’s usually when the final barriers come down. And that’s when the truth comes out.’
Sonny’s expression mirrors my own – shock combined with awe.
‘So, no one has to jump?’ Sonny checks.
‘No, no one has to jump,’ she replies. ‘But you two did.’
Oh my God, we did jump – why on earth did we jump?
‘Telling people they need to jump is simply the catalyst for couples to confront their issues, to air their grievances, to finally communicate openly. It’s been the mechanism that’s helped countless couples find their way back to each other.’ She pauses for a moment. ‘It is a perfectly safe spot to jump from, though.’
I’m torn between relief that this was all a psychological exercise and an unsettling realisation that we were all being manipulated this whole time. My head spins as I try to get my head around this – oh, and the irony that I really don’t like being lied to. That’s rich coming from me, isn’t it?
‘So, now that we all know, how is everyone feeling?’ Hope asks as she rubs her hands together excitedly. You can tell this is her favourite part.
Hope’s question hangs in the air for a moment.
‘We’re doing so much better.’ Izzy’s voice breaks the silence, her tone the most hopeful it has sounded so far. ‘We’ve realised that we’ve both been struggling with similar issues, and hiding them from each other, but now that we know, we can tackle them together.’
‘And we might be skint, but honestly, we’re not too fussed,’ Danny continues, squeezing her hand. ‘We fell in love when we didn’t have two pennies to rub together. Plus, I’m a footballer, I can always make more money.’
‘And people offer me money to take my top off all the time,’ Izzy adds. Everyone turns to her. ‘I’m kidding, I’m kidding.’
‘Well, it’s wonderful that you’ve taken steps to confront your challenges and find contentment with what you share,’ Hope tells them. ‘Well done.’
All of a sudden, I notice something different about Hope’s voice. It’s a subtle change, one that’s hard to put your finger on. Her tone is more genuine, less programmed – as if the phoney veneer has been stripped away. For the first time, she sounds like a person, not something Heath would build in one of his robot factories. Okay, suddenly her yo-yoing personality makes sense. For the most part, it was all an act, a character she has invented to drive guests crazy. It’s hard not to be impressed.
‘I found out this one has been plotting something behind my back,’ Kellee announces through a happy smile, with playful accusation, pointing at Heath.
‘And this one,’ he counters, nodding toward Kellee, copying her choice of words, ‘hasn’t been up to anything behind mine.’
Heath seems like a different man. Softer, with less bravado, and all of the traits that have been annoying me kept well under wraps.
‘I wanted him to think I was cheating on him, because I thought he was cheating on me – he wasn’t, he was working on some chip,’ Kellee reveals. ‘A chip called Lille, which it turns out is Danish for small, because this special chip is so tiny.’
‘All right,’ Heath says, laughing awkwardly. ‘I didn’t tell her because it’s confidential. If my competitors found out ahead of the announcement – I have the market to worry about and so on. But I’m doing all of it so that I can take a step back from the company, so I can go on tour with Kellee, and we can spend more time together. I want to support her for a change.’
Wow, it’s hard to believe Heath didn’t jump, because a concussion is the only thing I can think of to explain this whole new man he’s become.
‘We’re doing good too,’ Duane says. He suddenly seems so much lighter, so much more comfortable talking to the group. His gaze shifts confidentially from person to person as he addresses us all. ‘We needed this and to see what life was like without all the bullshit. We think we’re going to take a long break from acting.’
‘We’re going to build a house,’ Brittany says excitedly. ‘And just go somewhere and be normal for a while. See how that goes.’
I smile. I’m so happy for them.
‘And then we have our couple who jumped,’ Hope says, prompting us. I look at Sonny and laugh.
‘I can’t believe what I’m hearing,’ he starts as he searches for the words. ‘I mean, what can I say? It works. It’s worked for everyone here and it’s worked for us. We were a mess before we arrived. Our relationship was complicated, we were making each other miserable but, yeah, good work.’
Sonny gives Hope a small round of applause.
Wow. He’s right – we might not have stepped on to this island with the intention of healing our own wounds, but there’s no denying the transformation we’ve undergone. Whatever they are doing here, it works like a charm. Sonny and I have confronted our decade-old issues head-on, bridged the gaps that had been widening between us over the years, and, incredibly, I think we’ve both had a lot of fun doing it.
‘There is one thing, though,’ I interject as my conscience catches up with me. ‘Something you all should know about us. We’re not actually wealthy. We’re just regular people with regular jobs – we pretended to be rich, because we didn’t think we’d be allowed to come here otherwise.’
‘See, I told you they were too nice to be rich,’ Kellee’s playful voice chimes in. She digs her elbow into Heath’s side, her grin infectious. ‘You owe me $5,000, mister.’
As I look to the others at the table, I’m surprised by the lack of reactions to my revelation. No one seems to care. From the beginning, it’s been as though we were all in this together, we formed genuine friendships during our shared experiences. No one cares that Sonny and I aren’t rich. I suppose they probably would care, if they knew we were journalists, but we’re not going to write anything about them. Telling them why we were sent here in the first place will only ruin the transformative experience they have all enjoyed. Everyone is on top of the world, their wounds healed, their optimism restored. Anyway, it’s easy to say now, but I like to think that I never would have been able to go through with it, and that Sonny wouldn’t have either. We can tell our new friends about our jobs later, when they can feel reassured that we were never going to use anything they told us against them.
‘All is well that ends well,’ Hope chimes in, her warm voice dispelling any lingering tension. ‘As I’m sure you’ve gathered, today is your last day, but it will be one that you will never forget. Go to your suites and get yourselves ready. I’ll be sending someone to escort you to the luxury spa we have here. Enjoy your time there before dinner – a proper meal, one that everyone can enjoy. You won’t be disappointed.’
The room erupts in a genuine cheer – I imagine mostly because of the food thing, but a spa sounds nice too. We disperse, laughter and chatter filling the air as we gladly do as we’re told for once.
‘This place is amazing,’ I murmur to Sonny, looping my arm through his as we walk.
There’s a newfound closeness between us, a comfortable bond, as though we had got together at uni and stayed together ever since.
‘It really is,’ he agrees. ‘It’s hard to believe how much all of this actually helps people but it does. It genuinely does. Incredible.’
I nod, a smile tugging at the corners of my lips.
‘Let’s not write a word about it,’ I suggest, my voice hushed. ‘Or tell anyone a thing about the place. Eden helps people. Let’s not ruin it. If we told the world how it worked, it would never work again.’
‘I did wonder why none of us had to sign an ironclad NDA,’ he muses. ‘Everyone here is so happy with the results, they leave happy to be a part of it. And, yes, you beat me to it. Let’s keep Eden’s secrets along with everyone we’ve met while we were here.’
And so Eden’s 100-per-cent success record not only remains intact, but Hope’s secrets – and the secrets of the island – will stay hidden too.
It’s so funny, all this time, I’ve spent the whole time thinking about what a quack Hope is, but it turns out she’s right. Not just with her methods but about me and Sonny too.
Perhaps we really are meant to be together after all.
32
For the first time – since, well, the first time all those years ago – I wake up nestled against Sonny, our bodies intertwined in a way that feels different – more connected, more genuine. It’s something that I never thought would happen in a million years and yet here we are. It’s like we’ve reconnected, we both know where we stand, we are finally on the same page and suddenly life ahead of us feels like something that is worth getting excited about.
My head rests on his chest, the steady rhythm of his heartbeat beneath my ear, and it’s oddly comforting, hearing the life inside him. I feel alive too, in a way that I haven’t for a long time. I didn’t know what to expect from the trip – other than the unexpected, I suppose – but I never could have anticipated this. I feel so happy I can’t stop smiling to myself.
Sonny’s fingers brush lightly against my back, and as I glance up, his lips meet mine for a sweet, gentle morning kiss.
‘Good morning,’ he murmurs, his sleepy voice soft and soothing.
‘Good morning,’ I reply, stealing another kiss.
‘How did you sleep?’ he asks.
I nestle further into him, never wanting to move from this position.
‘That was probably the best sleep I’ve had in ages,’ I reply. ‘Maybe ever. Eden has done me so much good.’
It’s true – something has shifted within me during our time here. I feel like I get to leave here a new person, one with new opportunities to be happy, and to do better.
‘It’s amazing how much perspective can change when you step out of your comfort zone,’ he muses, his fingers tracing lazy circles on my back. ‘I suppose that’s the whole point of this place.’
‘You’re right,’ I reply, stroking his chest. ‘I suppose, when you think about it, you getting slapped was the best thing that could have happened to both of us.’
Sonny laughs, knowing that I’m joking.
‘I’m not sure about that,’ he replies. ‘But I’m glad we came.’
His chuckle vibrates beneath me. I squeeze him tightly.
‘Right, don’t do that, because as much as I’d love to stay right here with you all day, we’ve got a boat to catch this morning,’ he reminds me, a sexy sparkle in his eyes that I can tell is taking all his power to resist running with.
‘I know, I know,’ I reply. ‘We’re on the first boat, first thing, with Kellee and Heath. I’m surprised the loud horn signalling the boat’s imminent departure hasn’t echoed through the air yet.’
I pull a face. I’m not going to miss that horn.
‘I’m starting to think that horn was all part of the torture,’ he says as he climbs out of bed.
‘It definitely worked,’ I reply, grabbing Sonny’s pillow, snuggling up to that in his absence.
After wrestling on the clothes he set out last night, Sonny leans over, planting a swift kiss on my lips.
‘I need to pop out for a bit, take care of something,’ he says with a secretive smile.
Something about his words, and the look on his face, gets me excited.
‘Oh, yeah?’ I say playfully, raising an eyebrow.
‘You’ll find out soon enough. I’ll meet you at the boat,’ he says with a wink before disappearing.
Okay, now I really am excited.
Alone in the room, I take my time getting dressed, my thoughts swirling with anticipation. I admire myself in the mirror, amused by how much I’ve come to appreciate the colour pink during our stay. It makes me look happier, somehow, less intense. Bizarrely, less like a journalist, which I like. It’s almost like a reflection of the newfound optimism I seem to be high on today.
With some time to spare, I decide to treat myself to one final contraband cup of tea out on the deck. I open Sonny’s packed bag, carefully navigating through his neatly folded things to find the secret pocket where the teabags live, but I’m surprised when my fingers land on something different, something unexpected – a small, unfamiliar device. Intrigued, I examine it, eventually realising it’s some kind of satellite messaging device of sorts. A quick press of a button reveals a single message thread between Sonny and his editor, CJ.
My heart races as I skim through their conversation. Oh my God, I can’t believe it, Martin Savage – the head of Mediworldwide – has died. He was old, in his late seventies maybe, but I think everyone thought he would live forever. As I read on, it knocks me sick. CJ reveals to Sonny that the Savage kids have taken the reins of the company already, and that the first thing they are planning to do is overhaul Stylife and Mach, scrapping the gendered magazines in favour of one bigger, better publication. CJ tells Sonny that merging the magazines means that there will only be room for one editor, and one showbiz editor, and that the two of them could secure the jobs if Sonny comes back from Eden with something extra, something I don’t know about. And then I see Sonny’s reply:
I’ll see what I can do.
I drop the device, my hand flying to my mouth in shock. I’m surprised, but why? Sonny has clearly been working me this whole time, doing what he needed to do to land a bloody job, over me, again.
With a heavy heart, unsure what else to do, I quickly return the device to the bag, just as there is a knock at the door. I answer it and Lucian’s friendly face greets me.
