Chapter 2

The next morning, I was jolted awake by the sharp click of high heels.

Sophia had arrived.

She was dressed head to toe in Chanel, sunglasses perched on top of her head, a brand-new Hermès bag slung over her shoulder, teetering on ten-centimeter stilettos as she paraded around the lobby.

"This sofa is so tacky, Ryan. Let's get an imported one.

"These curtains aren't right at all. I want Tiffany blue.

"Seriously, what era are these paintings from? They all need to go!"

Her shrill voice echoed through the lobby.

I stood on the second-floor hallway, clutching a cup of instant coffee, watching the circus play out below.

Ryan followed right behind Sophia, fawning over her every word. "Anything you want, babe, we'll swap it out."

Suddenly, Sophia looked up and spotted me.

Her gaze swept me from head to toe, pausing on my washed-out T-shirt, and her lips curled into a look of pure contempt.

"Serena, come down here," she called, raising her hand like she was summoning a waitress.

I walked down the stairs and stood in front of her.

"You did all this decorating, right? Honestly, your taste is pretty basic. Not that you'd know any better—you've probably never had a taste of anything high-end," Sophia said, gesturing around, her tone dripping with disdain.

I didn't say anything, just looked at her.

"But honestly, I don't blame you. For someone who's just staff, it's not bad. But things are different now—Ryan's the boss, I'm the boss' wife, and we need to step up the game here. Hope you get what I mean," Sophia continued, her voice getting sharper.

She turned to Ryan. "Ryan, have Serena contact the renovation team and change everything I just said. Make sure it's top-notch, I don't care about the cost."

Ryan glanced at me and nodded. "Serena, you heard her. If Sophia wants it, just do it. Just handle it."

I set my coffee cup down, my voice flat. "I'm only here until the end of the month."

Sophia's smile froze at my words.

Ryan's face fell, too. "Serena, what do you mean?"

"Just what I said. I'll wrap up my work by the end of the month. After that, whatever happens here isn't my business anymore," I replied, locking eyes with him.

"Are you still holding a grudge?" Ryan's voice shot up. "Sixty grand isn't enough for you? How much more do you want?"

I didn't bother answering, just turned and headed back upstairs to my room.

As soon as I shut the door, I could hear Sophia screeching downstairs. "What's her deal? Does she think she's all that?"

Ryan tried to soothe her, saying, "Don't be mad. She's just in a mood. Give it a couple of days, she'll be fine."

I leaned against the door, a cold smirk on my face.

They really thought I was just sulking?

I fired up my laptop and started prepping the handover docs.

The hardware inventory was crystal clear—every piece of furniture, every appliance, with when I bought it and how much it cost, all listed.

The operations manual was just as detailed, from cleaning rooms to greeting guests, every step spelled out.

But all of that was just the surface.

The real secrets? I wasn't handing over a single word.

I logged into all the major booking platforms and swapped out the contact info for a fresh new account I'd just created.

All those five-star reviews, the prime spots in the listings, and the reputation I'd worked so hard for—they all followed me to my new account.

Then I opened up WhatsApp and sent a message to all my core customers.

[Hey friends, thanks so much for your support this past year. I'll be leaving this B&B soon to start something new. If you'd like to keep in touch and get even better service, friend me on my new WhatsApp account!]

Within ten minutes of sending it, over a hundred people had already friended me on my new WhatsApp account.

My inbox blew up with messages from customers: [Wherever Ms. Lane goes, we go.]

[Count us in the moment your new place opens—we'll be there to support you first thing!]

[Finally, you're going solo! Honestly, Ryan was never on your level.]

I replied to each message, keeping my tone friendly and professional.

Sophia's laughter floated in from outside as she and Ryan discussed their wedding plans, dreaming up a lavish island ceremony and inviting all their friends and family to witness it.

I glanced out the window—they were standing at the entrance, snapping photos, their faces full of smug satisfaction.

I pulled my gaze back and kept typing.

These days, I was going through the motions of the handover, playing along on the surface, but underneath, I was slowly draining the life out of this B&B.

Ryan and Sophia were too busy planning their wedding to care about running the place.

They thought as long as the building was there, guests would just keep coming.

But they just didn't get it—in today's world, guests didn't magically show up just because you owned the place. You had to hustle for every single booking.

That night, I packed up the last of my personal things.

Everything from my year here fit into one suitcase.

I stood in the room, staring at the empty desk and bare closet, not even a flicker of nostalgia in my heart.

This place was never my home.

At best, this place was just a monument to their greed.

I zipped up my suitcase, switched off the lights, and walked out of the room.

The hallway was dead silent, only the sound of my footsteps echoing.

As I passed Ryan's room, I could hear him and Sophia talking inside.

"Babe, once the wedding's over, I'm taking you to the Corola Island for our honeymoon," Ryan said.

"Really? Then I want the fanciest overwater villa!" Sophia chirped.

"You got it, babe. We're loaded now—let's splurge as much as we want," Ryan said.

I stopped outside their door, just listening for a moment, my face blank and unreadable.

Then I kept walking, not looking back.