Elena’s POV
The Maldives was supposed to be our escape. Crystal-clear waters, white sand beaches, endless sunshine—everything Victor and I needed to reconnect, to rediscover what we’d lost somewhere between his boardroom meetings and my silent resentment. Three years of marriage shouldn’t feel like ten years of exhaustion, but here we were.
I’d left my daughter Zoey back home in Los Angeles. At eighteen, she was more than capable of taking care of herself, very responsible, and mature beyond her years, the kind of daughter who actually texts to let you know she’s out or home safe.
“Mom, I’ll be fine,” she’d said when I expressed my worry. “Go enjoy yourself. You need this.” She’d hugged me tight at the airport, and I’d felt a pang of guilt for leaving her, even though I knew she’d pro
