u/Notes_Writer

Another day at the office. I stared at the clock as the time ticked down; all this overtime would be the death of me. But someone had to keep things together.

My gaze wandered to my home screen. A picture of Sophie – her smile helped me get through these long hours. My high school sweetheart. It had been a while since she smiled like that. We never had any time for each other. She was an overworked teacher. Despite it she adored the children. I managed the bills.

That’s when my phone chimed. It was Ronny. I hadn’t heard from him in years; we used to go to school together. He sent me a link to some website. ‘The challenge.’ ‘We are looking for couples that are willing to prove that they can live without the other. If you can survive a month without your partner by your side, you’ll walk away with a million pounds!’

At first I believed it was some scam. The usual bullshit they promote. But as I went through the winners list, there was Ronny. I checked his Facebook, and there it was. A life of luxury. Photos of him on a yacht, models and supercars. My eyes widened with disbelief as I felt a pit of hope form in my stomach. Maybe this wasn’t some scam.

After work I called him up. Asked him about details of if we could meet and what kind of stuff went down at these places. He was hesitant about meeting. His voice sounded rushed, as if he didn’t want to talk about it. “Don’t ask too many questions.” He muttered. Blamed it on some NDA. Of course they’d make you sign something.

I filled out both our details; Sophie would understand eventually. Someone had to make a decision. It was usually me. We needed a break. It had been a while since she smiled like that. Ever since we lost our boy, she seemed a shell of herself.

They replied awfully fast. Asking personal questions, but I didn’t hold out. An opportunity like this was too good to pass up. That night I told Sophie that we were going on holiday together. I explained it was like some game. Of course she was concerned and scared. “We don’t spend enough time together. Do you really think money will solve that?”

But I reassured her. With that kind of money we could get our old life back. We could be together again, and neither of us would ever have to work. It’s not like we aren’t used to being away from each other. She always said I worked too much. This was me trying, and it still wasn’t enough.

The day came, and we got on this massive yacht. It drove us all the way to this small island on the east coast. When we got there, my eyes marvelled at the sight. Beautiful villas made from marble and gold, dazzling within the sun. Fruit that hung from the trees, that looked ripe and ready.

Even Sophie seemed starstruck by the sight of it all. A man and a woman approached us. They claimed they were the owners of the estate. They never told us their names. They both wore a gold necklace, a half heart. Their smiles looked forced. Uncanny almost.

They dressed in clothes that matched the island theme. A revealing white dress on the woman and a white suit that seemed to accentuate the man. They exchanged a glance before explaining the rules of the island.

“You only get one hour per week to communicate. If found talking through any other means, you will be automatically disqualified. Leaving this island is not permissible until the full month is up. Anything you do on the island will remain a secret.” They finished each other’s sentences like some eccentric couple showing off.

Their words didn’t ring any alarm bells in my head, but I could feel how tense Sophie was. “I don’t like the way he said that.” She muttered quietly enough for only me to hear. She gave my hand a soft squeeze. I gave her a reassuring look. "It's just a scare tactic." I muttered quietly. Seems it was working on her.

They made us sign a couple of documents to prove our agreements. I signed my name away skimming over the words. Nothing shot out to me, it all seemed up to order. Your usual nonsense. I glanced at Amy speeding her along. “Cmon Amy. We came all this way.” I muttered. She glanced at me slightly annoyed. “Nothing wrong with being careful.” She retorted. The rich couple snickered. She signed with a reluctant huff.

We should enjoy the riches while we’re here.

The man took Sophie away as the woman brought me to my villa. But not without her taking one final look at me; I smiled back at her.

The marble bit at my feet. I sank into the couch as I looked around. That same half-heart symbol plastered in gold on the side of a wall. Cameras placed in the corners. “It’s just for your safety.” The woman muttered, staring at them. “Your secrets are safe here.” She said calmly.

I stared at them long and hard. Just who is watching me, I began to wonder. What would they have to gain? Is this meant to be some reality show? No one ever said anything about this.

My mind was quickly distracted by the number of amenities. It had everything a man could want and more. A built-in bar, a pool right outside, all kinds of pleasantries. A personal chef and all kinds of exotic foods. A pleasant smell in the air, the salt from the sea and a perfume that lingered in the air.

The staff seemed polite, dressed in light clothing. They kept silent, a forced smile on their faces. An earpiece buzzed in their ears too; their gazes would follow me around the villa. As I tried to talk to one, they walked away as if I wasn’t there. Must’ve just been professionalism.

My gaze was dragged to the guards. Every few steps there was one standing. Assault rifles that rested on their chests. They didn’t even seem fazed by the heat. Their earpieces buzzing with noise. I shrugged it off. It is a remote island; it’s probably to keep the animals away.

The luxury hit me at once. I wondered if it was the same for Sophie. But before I could linger on that thought, the woman pulled me away, continuing to show off the grand villa.

My first week was amazing. The woman that came with me adorned me with new clothes. She was meant to live with me. I had no worries. I love Sophie too much to ever cheat on her. I began to relax; I’m sure that’s what Sophie would want me to do.

She flattered me. How brave I was working those tireless shifts all for Sophie. Her hand rested on my shoulder as she looked at me. “I wish someone would care for me like that. You’ve practically carried this marriage on your back.” Her voice is sweet, her gaze locking with the TV even though it was off.

I laughed it off. But part of me wondered if she was right.

She told me I was smart for making the decision to come here. We shared drinks and lounged by the pool. I heard the drone whirring overhead, but she reassured me. The security sure seemed tight here. She laughed at my jokes, the same way Sophie used to. I couldn’t stop talking about myself. I told myself it was harmless.

The time came to see Sophie; she was beautiful. The prettiest I had seen her in a long while. A flower in her hair, yet there was no smile on her face. I assumed she was adjusting to this new life. She kept her hands to herself, her hands held together tight. The guards stood close. A timer set up in advance.

Sophie asked me if I was enjoying it. I couldn’t help but tell her all about my place. A small smile here and there, but she seemed out of it. She’s probably tired. I must’ve rambled on for the full hour. She nodded her head at all the right moments. It almost felt rehearsed. “I miss you.” She managed to squeeze the words in just before the timer ended. She squeezed my hand softly but couldn’t manage to meet my gaze.

I noticed the way the man lingered behind her. The same with the woman behind me. It seemed as if they were intentionally being in our line of sight. But all I could focus on was Sophie. Till the guard shouted "Time!" We were practically pulled away from each other. I brushed off her words. It was natural for her to miss me.

The second week came. That man lingered in my mind; just what was he doing with my Sophie? The idea of him holding her sent a shiver down my spine. His stupid grin lingered in my mind. Sophie’s mine.

The woman came back wearing a white bikini as she sat by the pool. I couldn’t stop my eyes from drinking her in. She invited me in, and I wasn’t in the mood to decline. “She doesn’t seem very happy for you.” She said lightly. “Maybe she’s already moved on.”

Her words lingered in my mind longer than they should’ve. That was not something I ever wanted to picture. That man had no right to stand so close to her. I had sacrificed too much to ever lose her.

“You don’t know her!” I replied quickly, a slight anger within me flaring up. She apologised quickly, resting her hand on my arm. “She just seemed a bit distant.” I hated the way her words stung true. “Just drop it.”

A small smirk filled her face. She stared at the workers with a cheeky grin as they topped up her drinks. She splashed lightly in the pool. “You deserve to be looked after too, you know?” Her tone was light and teasing. I didn’t bother to reply. I froze. Unsure why her words made my chest feel tight.

As week 2 ended, it came time to meet up with Sophie. Her gaze lingered on the woman behind me. “Are you…close with her?” She asked almost hesitantly. “What? No, of course not. "Why would you think that?” I replied. I leaned forward, my gaze locking with hers. She didn’t think that low of me. Her eyes locked with mine as if searching for the truth. I couldn’t stop the frown that filled my face.

“Hey. I’m not doing anything with her, ok. I mean, the most we do is talk. C'mon, don’t be like that. " I tried to reassure her, but she seemed hell-bent on not listening. I knew that look. It was the same look she gave me when I worked through our anniversaries.

“What about him? Are you getting close to him?” Her gaze stiffened as a frown filled her face. My jaw tightened. “No! No! Nothing!" Her voice was loud. Something had shifted. And I wasn’t sure it was her.

The guard called the time abruptly. Sophie visibly relaxed, taking a sigh of relief. My expression hardened as I got up and left.

.

The third week, my mind was focused on Sophie. Did she no longer trust me? The luxury that once had enticed me became boring and dull. The staff continued to watch me with their fake smiles. Was anyone here real?

The woman that was with me tried to reassure me; she was dressed in provocative clothes. The necklace continued to dangle on her neck. The symbol suddenly felt quite meaningful. I couldn’t help but look away. “When does anyone take care of you?” She uttered softly.

Her words made sense. I began to tell her more about our past, about our struggles. She was good at listening, just like Sophie. Her fingers tangled in my hair as I rested in her lap. I should’ve moved, but I didn’t. “You’ve been through so much. I see how strong you are.” Her words made my chest tighten. I felt seen. Appreciated. A smile crept up on my face. It stayed there longer than it should’ve.

The time had come for me to see Sophie. I felt calmer than last week and told myself that it was going to be ok. That’s when I froze. My eyes widened as I took in the sight.

Sophie had a swollen, bruised black eye. I felt my hands clench as I saw that cocky bastard's smile in the back. “Sophie. Who did this to you?”

She continued to sit there as silent as a mouse. Her gaze was unable to meet mine despite the concern in my voice. It felt as though time itself had stopped; the hour didn’t matter anymore.

“Sophie?” My voice slightly quivered.

“I cheated on you.” She uttered as tears began to well up in her eyes. I waited for her to take it back. For it to be some cruel prank or challenge. Instead, she fell quiet.

The words didn’t land at first. It was the last thing I ever expected to hear from her mouth. The person I gave everything for.

Everything went quiet.

“You did what?” My voice strained. My mind didn’t want to believe her. But her eyes spoke more than words could. The guilt of it all. I knew her too well for this to be a lie.

Gone was all reason as I stepped closer to her. I slammed the table to the side; not even the guards could stop me. “How fucking dare you! I did all of this for us!” My voice broke.

She glanced back at that fucker in the back. “Go on, look at him.” She began to curl up in a ball and fell silent. The guards pushed me away before I could get close. I tried to barge past, but the rich man was already dragging her away. His arm snaked around her shoulder as he whispered into her ear.

“Was I not enough for you!” I cried out. The words echoed long after she was gone. I could only stand there, broken and defeated.

It felt like my heart had been ripped in two.

The days passed incoherently. All I remember is drowning out my sorrows with alcohol. I forced the staff out. Broke the cameras in the rooms with bottles. I needed to be alone. I didn’t eat. I couldn’t sleep.

My tears streamed openly, often crying myself to sleep. I couldn’t allow anyone to see me so pathetic. I felt this deep emptiness fill my core. Each memory a reminder of what I had lost.

Only after so many days did I remember her bruise. Someone had hurt her; someone hurt my Sophie. What if she had been forced? My breath hitched as the possibility hit me in the chest.

It was the dead of night. Was I the only one who couldn’t sleep? I sneaked out of the home. I didn’t care about the rules anymore. I needed answers. I sneaked through the forest that had separated us and made my way to Sophie’s villa.

I peered in through the window. There he was. That bastard still had his arm wrapped around her. She was still. I couldn’t see much. I made my way to the door and snuck in. Being as silent as I could be.

I peered over their shoulders. The drugs scattered across the table made my stomach drop. What had he done to my Sophie? Her expression was empty. Her mouth agape.

“What have you done!?” I felt anger rise to my chest once again as I grabbed the man demanding answers. He laughed openly and mockingly, his hands weak as his expression faded.

My arms rushed to hold Sophie. She was cold. Too cold. My hands shook as I reached up to her neck. Nothing. The silence in the air felt unbearable. “Sophie?” I spoke softly. "So...phie...?" My voice broke as I clutched her tighter.

My eyes darted to the table once again. Enough drugs to kill anyone. That half-heart emblem is engraved into the table.

No. Not this. Anything but this. I thought to myself. What had she done? What had he done to her? What had I done to her? I continued to linger. Unable to move.

Nearby Sophie I saw a letter. I picked it up and began to read. Perhaps this was the truth I had been searching for. The hope I had been searching for.

“Dear honey, I hope you can find it in your heart to forgive me. I’m sorry. They showed me things I didn’t want to believe. I’m so sorry. I don’t know what to believe anymore. They made me play games. I couldn’t win. I’m sorry, I tried to be strong. I'm having to write this after I confessed what I did to you. You were good to me. I will wait for you. Please save me.”

My heart hammered in my chest. I read it once. Then twice. Then a third time. My own foolishness dawning on me. It was my fault.

If I had gone sooner. If I had listened instead of defending myself. If I hadn’t been so desperate to be right. I had left her alone when we lost our boy. I told myself I was keeping us afloat. I was working. Providing. Fixing things.

She had been the one drowning.

I stood there for a long while. The silence was only broken by the man’s breath. My eyes raked down Sophie. The broken look on her face – she must’ve felt so alone. She had looked to me for help. And I had shouted at her.

I stuffed the letter into my pocket. He was still breathing; his wheezing filled the air. I set my mind to what I was about to do. My hands steadied as my breathing calmed. Why was he still alive?

I reached for the knife on the table. Time practically slowed down for me. I felt trapped in this moment. I stared at myself through the reflection of the blade. I no longer wanted to feel so helpless.

I slowly raised the blade. The terror in his eyes was unmistakable. I crouched next to him, holding him in place. He started begging. I didn’t stop. Then slowly his screams faded into the distance.

Guards began to rush in hearing the screams. I stood above the corpse. I didn’t care if they shot me. They overpowered me with their numbers. Forced me to the ground and injected me with something. I was out cold.

I awoke in my apartment. My head hurt. I sat there clutching it for a long while. The letter was still clutched in my other hand. The man’s blood is now staining it. So it wasn’t just some horrible dream? The million pounds sat in front of me. I stared at it till the sun came up. I didn’t know what I wanted from it. This was not the victory I searched for. All it is is a reminder of my actions. I didn’t touch a single note of it.

The challenge was over.

Sophie wasn’t coming home.