Page 45 of Billionaire's Fantasy
“Don’t!” I breathe out, squeezing my eyes shut to keep the tears at bay. “Don’t call me that. You lied to me. I opened up to you. I told you about my ex and you decided to keep this from me. What else are you lying about?”
“Nothing. I promise, I was going to tell you.”
I stand up, wrapping the sheet around me. “I need to get out of here.”
“Wait, Amber. Let’s talk about it.”
“Actually,” I turn to face him, tears streaming down my face, “I need to go snorkeling with sharks so I can send the content report to my followers and my dad. I am sure he will tell you all about it later.” And with that, I walk out of his room and bang the door loudly on my way out.
That was a low blow I know, but right at this moment, I have no mental space or energy to act mature.
***
I adjust my snorkel and take a deep breath before dipping my head underwater. The clear, turquoise waters of Bimini surround me, and I can see colorful fish swimming. But despite the beauty around me, my mind is consumed with thoughts of Jackson and his secret. Why did he think that this was a secret worth keeping? And why did Olivia not tell me the truth, or at least the much of it that she knew? I shake my head trying to clear the thoughts. I have a job to do now. Dwelling on unanswered questions will do nothing but distress me.
I swim towards a group of reef sharks, trying to focus on the present moment. I’ve always been fascinated by sharks, and being in their presence usually fills me with awe and excitement. It was actually the main reason I even booked the visit to this place. But today, I can’t seem to shake off the sadness that’s settled in my heart.
As I swim closer to the sharks, I feel a thrill run through my body. Their sleek, powerful bodies move gracefully through the water. I admire them. I reach out my hand to touch one, but it swims away, leaving me feeling disappointed.
I surface for air and take a moment to adjust my goggles. I’m wearing a bright yellow bikini top and a black wetsuit. I know I look like a total tourist, but I don’t care. I’m here to have fun and record some amazing footage for my travel vlogs.
Speaking of which, I turn on my camera and start recording as I swim toward a school of colorful fish. I can hear the sound of my own breathing through the snorkel, and I try to slow it down, so it doesn’t sound too loud on the video.
“Hey guys, it’s Amber here, and I’m snorkeling with the sharks in the Bahamas!” I say to the camera, trying to sound upbeat. “I know I look ridiculous in this wetsuit, but safety first, right?”
I swim towards a coral reef and start filming the fish as they dart in and out of the colorful coral. It’s a stunning sight, but I can’t seem to enjoy it fully. Every time I think about Jackson and his secret, my heart sinks a little deeper.
I swim back towards the boat, hoping that the fresh air and sunshine will lift my spirits. But when I climb back on board, I can’t seem to shake off the sadness.
“Hey, Amber!” the boat captain calls out to me. “Did you have a good time?”
I force a smile and nod. “Yeah, it was amazing,” I say, even though I feel anything but amazing.
I start scrolling through my footage, trying to find some shots that I can use for my vlog. But every time I see myself smiling on camera, I feel a pang of guilt. How can I pretend to be having a good time when I’m so upset?
“Next stop whale sharks.” The captain announces.
The group settles down for a quick refreshment, and the boat drives further away from the shore.
One younger-looking crew member explains to us how the whale sharks migrate from north to south with the change in temperature. I learn that the whale part of the name comes from the fact that these animals are so large, as big as whales, and that they filter feed. But they are true sharks because they have cartilage instead of bone. The whale shark is the largest living shark.
By the time I finished my drink, and the deckhand finished his very informative speech about the whale sharks the boat slows down.
“Now we must find them. Whale sharks are wild animals and do what they want. We don’t know exactly where they are. But just around here is where the last boat spotted them,” says the captain.
We are lucky and the whale sharks are right by the boat. Now everything has to go fast. We get our snorkeling gear on and jump in groups of two in the water to swim and snorkel with those gentle giants.
It is incredible. I have goosebumps all over my skin, not because I’m cold, but because I have never seen anything that compares to this gigantic fish.
I take some photos and videos. Even so, I really enjoy this adventure, I cannot stop thinking how nice it would have been to share it with Jackson.
As we sail back to shore, I can feel the weight of Jackson’s secret pressing down on me. I know I need to confront him about it, but I don’t know how. How can I trust him again when he’s been keeping something so huge from me?
Back on land, I try to distract myself by taking some photos of the beach and the palm trees. But even the beauty around me can’t seem to lift my spirits.
“Amber, are you okay?” Sarah asks, noticing my mood. We had just met on the boat ride, and she had introduced herself as one of my biggest fans and followers. I was a bit wary at first but the more we talked, the easier the conversation flowed between us. By the end of the ride, we had cultivated something close to friendship.
I force a smile and nod. “Yeah, I’m fine,” I say, even though I feel anything but fine.
