A Deception in Santorini

1.

I found the flight confirmation in Gabriels laptop.

The destination was Santorini, GreeceDthe one place Id begged him to take me for three years, and hed always said was too commercial, not the right time, or pointless.

Now, he was finally going.

But he was going with Serena, the widow of his late brother.

I sat in the dark living room of our Manhattan penthouse, my fingers clenched around the printed confirmation. The sharp edges of the paper creased my palm.

The electronic lock beeped softly.

Gabriel walked in, bringing the chill of a late New York autumn with him. When he saw me on the velvet sofa, his brow furrowed in that familiar, irritated way.

Why are you sitting in the dark?

His voice was still deep and captivating, the kind of calm, commanding tone that decided fates on Wall Street.

Just thinking, I said.

Thinking about how Id let myself get to this point.

Gabriel ignored my strange mood, shrugging off his Tom Ford custom suit jacket and hanging it up. He began unbuttoning his cuffs, casually dropping a bomb on me.

I have a business trip on the 20th of this month.

The 20th. The exact date on the flight to Santorini.

I watched his back, pretending I didnt know. Where to?

Europe, he answered vaguely. Its a tricky cross-border merger.

A lie. He was going to Santorini with Serena. The place Id begged him for three years to visit.

The blue and white churches, the Aegean sunsetDa place blessed by the gods of love. I refused to believe he didnt understand what that meant.

The golden boy lawyer who prided himself on never lying was now doing it without even blinking.

My art exhibition opens on the 21st, I reminded him softly. Its my first solo show at the gallery in SoHo. You promised youd be there for the ribbon-cutting.

I had spent an entire year preparing for this. He had sworn he would be there to witness my big moment.

Gabriel paused, turning to face me. His eyes held a flicker of apology, but absolutely no guilt.

Chloe, this merger affects the firms rankings and the partners bonuses for next year.

You can have many exhibitions, but this case is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

Come on, be reasonable. Ill have my assistant send the biggest flower arrangement. Or Ill transfer some money to your black card. You can go buy that platinum Birkin youve been eyeing.

There it was again. In his eyes, I was always the secondary option, the one who could be easily sacrificed. A promise could be bought off with a bag and a bank transfer.

I looked into his eyes, making one last stand.

So youre breaking another promise?

His brow tightened, and his tone became laced with impatience.

Chloe, dont be irrational.

Were married. You should be understanding of my work, not pressuring me like this.

Irrational.

He used that one word to kill every last bit of hope I had.

I lowered my gaze, hiding the bitter self-mockery in my eyes.

Fine. Go be busy.

Ill stop.

From now on, I would never bother him again.

2.

Gabriel left early the next morning. He claimed he needed to prepare materials at the firm. I knew the truth: he was going to pick up Serena.

Serena posted on her Instagram story:

Finally off to chase the sunset! Thanks to a certain someone for the special escort. Even if it was just a ride, Im super excited!

The picture was a selfie from the passenger seat of a Porsche Cayenne. In the background, Gabriels strong, veined hand rested on the steering wheel. On his wrist was the Patek Philippe Id given him for his 30th birthdayDa watch I had fought for at a Christies auction.

Now, it was just a prop in another womans post.

Expressionless, I went to my studio. It was filled with a years worth of my heart and soul. The centerpiece was a painting titled The Watcher. It depicted a lone figure in a snowy Central Park at night, watching over a flickering, dying streetlamp. That was Gabriel. And it was a portrait of my marriage.

My phone rang. It was the gallery.

Chloe, we have the schedule for the opening. Is your husband confirmed for the ribbon-cutting ceremony? We need to print his name at the top of the VIP list.

I gripped the phone.

No need. Take his name off.

The person on the other end was stunned. But all the press releases have already

I said, take it off.

After hanging up, I started packing. Erasing every trace of Chloe from this home. I found so many old memories. A faded yellow sticky note from seven years ago, written by Gabriel when we first met at Columbia University.

I was once a celebrated prodigy, an award-winning illustrator with a brilliant future. Back then, Gabriel was just a law student drowning in debt. I stayed up countless nights helping him organize case files, giving up my chance to study at the cole des Beaux-Arts in Paris and ruining my eyesight in the process.

He had written on the note:

Chloe, when I make it, Ill make you the happiest Mrs. Vance in the world. Ill buy us a huge house on Fifth Avenue with a dedicated studio, so you can paint for the rest of your life.

Now, he had made it. He was a top partner in New Yorks legal world, worth hundreds of millions. We had the house, a penthouse overlooking Central Park with a massive studio.

He had achieved everything he promised.

Except for making me happy.

For seven years, Id filed down all my sharp edges to fit his image of the "perfect lawyer's wife." He said a partners wife shouldn't be too edgy, so I stopped wearing avant-garde designer clothes. He said he hated the smell of smoke and alcohol, so I stopped attending late-night art salon parties. I even switched from vibrant oil paints to muted watercolors. I had turned myself into his lifeless accessory.

And Serena?

She was vibrant, loud, and did whatever she wanted. Shed call Gabriel in the middle of the night to pick her up from a club in the Meatpacking District. Shed strut into his law firm in a low-cut dress, and at partner dinners, shed cling to his arm in front of me, calling him GabeDa nickname only I was supposed to use.

Gabriel would say, She doesnt know any better, but his eyes were full of indulgence.

Because Serena was the widow of his late brother, Ethan.

Ethan was his best friend; theyd clawed their way out of a Brooklyn slum together. He died in a late-night car crash on his way to Serenas birthday party. With his last breath, he entrusted Serena to Gabriel.

But that wasnt the whole story. Ethan had left a multi-million-dollar trust fund, with Gabriel as the sole trustee. The money came from Ethans life insurance and early investments. The terms of the trust stipulated that if the trustee (Gabriel) voluntarily stepped down, all assets would immediately and unconditionally transfer to the beneficiary (Serena), free from his oversight. In other words, Gabriel was shackled by a carefully designed legal chain.

And there was more. Serena held a deadlier cardDyears ago, Gabriel had given a less-than-truthful witness statement to get Ethan out of trouble. If that ever came out, his law license and entire career would be destroyed.

So Gabriels favoritism toward Serena wasnt just about guilt and responsibility. It was about being blackmailed, and it was about his own arroganceDhe believed he could manage everyone and everything, and that Chloe would always be waiting for him.

3.

I found out later that Serenas blackmail was far more calculated than I ever imagined.

She would call Gabriel late at night, crying about nightmares and seeing visions of Ethan. Whenever Gabriel hesitated to rush over, shed casually bring up the old case: Gabe, you know we both have our secrets. You wouldnt abandon me, would you? It was a surgical strike, hitting his guilt and his pressure points every single time.

And when Gabriel arrived at her apartment, he was always greeted by a woman in a silk nightgown with perfect makeup.

Thinking about it, I let out a cold laugh and crumpled the sticky note, tossing it in the trash.

That evening, Gabriel came home for dinner, which was a rare occurrence. It was probably out of guilt, or maybe to pacify me so I wouldnt cause a scene about the art show.

I brought you a gift.

He handed me a small Tiffany-blue box. It was a classic necklaceDthe kind you cant go wrong with, but also the most thoughtless.

Thanks. I took it and set it aside, with no desire to even open it.

Gabriel frowned. Arent you going to look at it?

No rush. Ill look later.

I had already seen Serenas private social media. She had the limited-edition version of the same necklace, engraved with her initials. Mine was just a generic piece from the display case.

Gabriel seemed to notice my coldness. He put down his fork, his tone heavy.

Chloe, how long are you going to hold this grudge? I told you, this trip is extremely important. After your exhibition, Ill make it up to you with a trip. The Hamptons or Aspen, how does that sound?

Making it up to me. Like I was a child he had to appease.

I looked up at the man I had loved for seven years. His features were still handsome, but he felt like a complete stranger.

Gabriel, if I told you not to come to the show, would you be relieved?

He froze, his eyes darting away for a second.

Dont be silly. Of course, I want to support you. The timing is just impossible.

Even now, he was still hiding behind perfect excuses.

I smiled and served him a piece of Brussels sprouts, his least favorite food.

Thats good to hear. Have a great trip.

The day Gabriel left, I went to JFK Airport.

Not because I wanted him to stay. I just needed a visible ending to this seven-year-long one-woman show.

He was near the security checkpoint, on the phone, with his side to me. His voice was unusually gentle. Dont worry, Im about to come through Make sure you have your passport.

I stood a short distance away, listening to him give someone else the patience hed never given me.

After hanging up, he turned and saw me, his expression returning to its usual calm. He walked over.

Go home. Tell the driver to be careful. His tone was that of someone giving instructions to a subordinate he was responsible for.

I nodded. Okay.

He raised his hand as if to ruffle my hair like he used to. I tilted my head slightly, avoiding his touch.

His hand froze mid-air, and his brow furrowed. Chloe, thats enough. When I get back, I dont want to see you acting like this.

With that, he turned and disappeared into the security line, never once looking back.

I stood in the vast, empty terminal, watching until he was gone.

A breeze seemed to blow through my chest, leaving it hollow and cold.

The winds of the Aegean Sea, I imagined, must feel just like this.