Page 17 of Stronger Than Fate

I was wrong.

“Hello?”

“Can you tell me why you left in the middle of the night? Are you aware that something could have happened to you?”

“Who is this?” I asked, although I knew clearly it was him, by his voice and by the questions.

“You know who I am. Tell me why you did it,” he demanded. “And don’t give me that story about something coming up at the hotel.”

“Mr. Woollardy, think whatever you want because I don’t have to explain myself to you. I thought that was already clear to you.”

“Dalina, there's still nothing clear between us. We need to talk.”

“I have nothing more to say. I'm sorry, but I'm busy right now. Goodbye, Mr. Woollardy.”

I hung up and waited expectantly, thinking he would call back, but to my surprise, the phone didn't ring again.

Better this way,I thought.

I couldn't go back to resting either, so I got up with the idea of organizing myself a bit and going to the gym. I was craving something delicious for breakfast, so I called the hotel kitchen and asked them to bring up a complete breakfast. I was planning to go to the gym afterward to burn energy and calories anyway. It was spring and the days were warm and beautiful, perfect for having breakfast on the suite's balcony feeling the warm air on my skin. When I was finishing getting dressed in workout clothes, I heard my phone ring. At first, I picked it up cautiously in case it was him, but it was a video call from Sol.

“Hello!” they both shouted at once, because Sol and Niky appeared on the screen.

“Hello, dynamic duo. What are you up to?” I asked, smiling.

“We were planning to go out tonight. You're coming, right?” Niky asked.

“Of course she is, otherwise we'll go get her and drag her out,” Sol said in her characteristic commanding tone.

“And where are we supposed to be going?” I asked.

“Dancing and having fun allllll night long,” Niky said.

“Sounds perfect. Let me know how we're organizing it or which place you choose and I'll go straight there.”

“We're deliberating here. We'll let you know as soon as we decide.”

“Keep having fun, because I can see you're already doing that,” I said, smiling, because they were lying on loungers by the pool.

“You missed out by being so secretive,” Sol reproached me.

“Don't blame her, she had to leave for work!” Niky exclaimed, looking at Sol with a frown.

“Work, work, you'll get sick of her work soon enough, I'm speaking from experience,” Sol replied.

“Girls, I'll wait for your message and see you tonight.”

“See youuuuuu!” they shouted together.

And yes, we seemed like immature fools whenever we talked, but that's how our friendship was.

At the gym, I burned all my pent-up energy. I needed to disconnect a bit from everything that was spinning around in my head. My friends let me know we'd be going to a nightclub and would meet there at eleven o'clock.

When I got back to the hotel, one of the receptionists asked me to come over.

“Miss Dukart, I have a message for you,” she informed me.

“Tell me, Anne.”