Aloha, Goodbye

The Hawaii honeymoon we'd promised each other on our wedding day kept getting postponed, year after year. Now, in the third year, it was finally happening. I was so excited I packed my bags three days early and headed to the airport. That's when I saw her childhood best friend standing right there with her. Meeting my confused gaze, Claire explained matter-of-factly, "There were only two tickets left, and Ryan really wanted to see Hawaii, so I went ahead and bought his." "How about you get another ticket tomorrow and catch up with us? Or, we can just wait for next time." Next time again. But I was done waiting. I waved at them. "Have a safe trip." Then I turned around and called my father. "Father, I need the private jet. I'm going to Hawaii for a few days." "Oh, and that thirty-million-dollar investment we gave Claire? Shut it down." Chapter 1 After hanging up, I looked back toward the airport entrance at the two of them laughing and chatting. Ryan naturally took Claire's carry-on, and she intimately wiped the sweat off his forehead. When they draped their arms around each other, Ryan even wrapped his hand around her waist. "Now this is what I call a best friend! I mentioned I wanted to see Hawaii once, and you didn't hesitate to ditch your husband for me. I knew I picked the right person! You're the best." "But uh, your husband's not gonna be mad you left him behind, is he?" Ryan glanced back at me smugly. Claire chuckled. "What's there to be scared of? He doesn't get jealous that easily." "Otherwise, how do you think I've been able to make you a different breakfast every single day for the past two years?" Yeah, right. Every morning, Claire would make two breakfasts—one for me, one for her childhood friend. But mine was always just hash browns and a breakfast sandwich from the corner deli. Ryan's plate, though, had all the food groups covered—egg-white omelet, avocado toast, organic greens, the whole deal. One day, I happened to catch a glimpse, and Claire explained flatly, "He's bulking up. This is all he can eat." Me, on the other hand? She'd always say, with complete confidence, that I had a good appetite and wasn't picky, so anything was fine for me. Even the gifts—I'd get some cheap nine-ninety-nine mug she'd find on Amazon. Ryan would get limited-edition sneakers and designer hoodies she'd handpicked for him. I never used to care. But that doesn't mean I'm okay with them treating me like a fool. I stood there, letting my thoughts churn. Claire reached the corner, then suddenly turned back and waved at me. "Go on home, Enzo." "I'll call you when we land." Ryan shot me a smug grin and patted my shoulder. "Don't worry, man. I'll take good care of your wife!" I watched their figures disappear around the corner. I didn't react. I just turned and walked out of the airport. The moment I got to my penthouse, my phone buzzed with a message from Claire. "Good boy today. No drama." "Be good and wait for me to come back from Hawaii. I'll definitely bring you that souvenir you like." I stared at the message for a few seconds. Then another notification popped up—a new post from Ryan on Instagram. A photo from the airport lounge: Ryan flashing a peace sign, beaming as he leaned in close to Claire. The caption read: *"Off on a spontaneous trip with the best friend in the world! Thanks to someone for being so understanding~ Heart!"* It was already getting likes from mutual friends. Someone commented underneath: *"Hey? What about your friend's husband, Enzo? He didn't give you a hard time?"* Ryan replied with an innocent emoji: *"No idea, lol. Maybe he's running the family business."* I scrolled through the post, expressionless, and backed out. Another message from Claire came through. "Did you see Ryan's post? He's trying to hit 999 likes as a challenge. Enzo, go give him a like too." I ignored it. Five minutes later, she sent a few more. "No reply? Did you fall asleep?" "Alright then. Get some rest early." "Don't forget to run yourself a hot bath before bed—I know you like it when the water's nice and hot. Take care of yourself." "Love you, hubby." She even attached a cute sticker of a little bunny. I just found it laughable. I used to reply to every single one of her messages—I couldn't bear to let her down. But this time, I not only didn't respond. I un-pinned her chat, tossed my phone aside, and went to take a shower. After all, I'd be flying into Hawaii on a private jet tomorrow. For my own solo vacation. Chapter 2 When I crawled into bed, my phone rang again. This time, it was my father's underboss, Marco. "Enzo, the jet's cleared for takeoff. Departure tomorrow at 10 AM from the private airstrip, expected arrival at Honolulu International around 4 PM local." "Pilot's Old Sal—he's flown this route a dozen times. You're in good hands." I replied, "Got it." Within five minutes, Marco sent another message. "The Don wanted me to ask—are you serious about pulling the investment? Ms. Clark's project already has over eight million sunk in. If we pull out now, the early-stage costs might—" "Pull it." I replied with one word. My father's call came through immediately. "Enzo, what's going on?" "I was in meetings all day and didn't get a chance to ask. Why are you suddenly pulling the investment?" Two years ago, Claire Clark's cross-border e-commerce business hit a cash flow crisis. I'd asked my father to invest. He didn't want to at first—said Claire wasn't reliable, that she was the type to start things with a bang and end with a whimper, not someone cut out for big business. His rejection had her tearing up. "Enzo, your father looks down on me. That's fine. I'll earn this investment myself and turn this company around." She stormed off, threw herself into networking, even drank herself sick at business dinners—ended up in the ER with stomach bleeding once—just to win over investors. I felt sorry for her. I begged my father on her behalf, over and over. I told him she was just starting out, that he should cut her some slack since she was his daughter-in-law. He couldn't say no to me—I'm his only son, the heir to the family empire. And he hated seeing me upset. So he sighed and invested eight million through a shell company, on the condition that she had to show results within three years, or there'd be no more funding. With the Moretti family backing her silently, her profits snowballed after that. Just last month, she needed to scale up operations and asked for another thirty million. My father said yes. But now… I looked up at the lonely moon outside my window. Was Claire watching the waves in Hawaii with Ryan right now, laughing over cocktails? Whether she was living her best life or falling apart—what did it have to do with me anymore? "Nothing major," I said. "I just don't want to invest anymore." There was a pause on the other end. "If you say pull it, I'll pull it." "But son… are you hurting?" "No," I chuckled. "I just want to clear my head in Hawaii. Just lend me the jet—I'll handle the rest." "A jet's nothing. You want the stars, I'll have the boys bring 'em down for you." My father sighed. "But Enzo, I'll be straight with you. I never liked that girl from the start. You insisted on marrying her, and I couldn't stop you." "But if she's really done something to hurt you, you tell me—" "I know." After hanging up, I sat on the cold bed, zoning out. Truth is, I'd been to most islands in the Pacific. Just never Hawaii. It's this dreamy paradise, dripping with romance, so I'd kept it untouched, never setting foot there. I wanted to save it for the one I truly loved. That's why we'd chosen Hawaii for our honeymoon. But that year, Claire bailed because Ryan had surgery—a torn ACL from a pickup basketball game—and she needed to be at the hospital with him. Seeing my disappointment, she'd cooed, "Enzo, Ryan's parents helped me a ton back in the day—they even paid for my college tuition." "Now their son's laid up, I can't just turn my back. I have to be there for him, at least a little. I hope you understand." "Besides, it's just a trip to Hawaii. We can go anytime. I promise I'll make it up to you next time, okay?" At least her attitude was decent, and she talked me off the ledge with a few sweet words. So I agreed to wait till the second year. But the second year, Ryan got snatched by some lowlife thugs from a rival crew during a bar fight in the wrong part of town. She came to me teary-eyed, saying, "Ryan's life is on the line." "We've got a whole lifetime together—what's the difference if we go to Hawaii now or later?" So again, it fell through. Third year, she finally said yes. I thought I'd finally get that couples trip with her. Then Ryan mentioned he wanted to go. And she ditched me. To go with her childhood best friend. Why even bother? Chasing some fantasy of love, making yourself look so cheap. See? Even without a woman, I made it to Hawaii just fine, didn't I? The next morning, as I was heading to the family's private airstrip, Claire sent a video. It was from their resort on the Big Island last night—she was filming the ocean view at night. Ryan's voice rang out clearly: "Whoa! This is gorgeous! Claire, hurry, get me in the shot too…" She laughed, "I got it, I got it. Keep it down, people are staring." "Let 'em stare. I'm out here with my best friend—it's not a crime." The camera wobbled, catching Ryan in a soaked tank top, walking toward her with a grin. Then it cut off. Then she texted: "Morning, Enzo. Sharing Hawaii's night view with you." "This resort Ryan picked is amazing—the infinity pool overlooks the ocean. We should come back here together." I stared at that line and laughed softly. There won't be a next time. At 4:10 PM, the Gulfstream touched down on the VIP tarmac at Honolulu International. Ground staff were waiting to handle the paperwork. Old Sal asked me, "Mr. Moretti, which resort are you staying at? I'll have a car take you." "No need," I said politely. "I'll grab a cab. You find a place to kick back—I'll let you know when I'm heading back." He didn't insist. Stepping out of the terminal, the warm, humid air hit me. Palm trees, fronds swaying, and that sweet smell of freedom in the air. Everything was exactly as I'd imagined. I pulled out my phone, opened maps, and searched for nearby hotels. Just then, I heard a surprised voice behind me. "Enzo?" "What are you doing in Hawaii?" Chapter 3 Seeing me there in Hawaii, the two of them, who'd been walking hand in hand from the beach, froze. Claire recovered first and let out a couple of awkward laughs. "Enzo, I didn't realize you were that clingy. You bought a last-minute ticket and chased us all the way here. Fine, fine, go ahead and get this stuff sorted out." She shoved a tent bag straight into my hands and told me to go set it up. I stood there, not moving an inch. "You've got it wrong." "I just happened to be in Hawaii, that's all." I wasn't following them. I wasn't here for them. I turned and walked toward another tent that was already set up nearby. Claire's face dropped instantly. She marched over. "Enzo, come on. So I didn't buy your ticket yesterday—big deal. You still showed up in Hawaii, didn't you? So why are you giving me the cold shoulder?" "All I asked was for you to pitch a tent. There's no need to get all frosty on me." I looked up at her, expression cold. The kind of cold that made men twice my size back down. Before I could say a word, Ryan jumped in, playing peacemaker. "Hey, hey, bro, you're here now, so no hard feelings, right?" He grinned. "Claire and I made this pact back in college—we promised we'd come to Hawaii together one day as best friends!" "Don't get all bent out of shape just 'cause I'm a guy, okay? We're seriously just friends. Nothing more." He patted Claire's shoulder. "See? Your husband still cares about you. He chased you all the way here." Claire didn't say anything, but her expression softened a little. She glanced at me, her tone a notch milder than before. "Alright, you're here now, that's what matters. You set up the tent. I'll take Ryan for a walk on the beach. We'll be back in a bit." She turned to leave. "Claire." She looked back, surprised. "What?" "I didn't say I chased you here," I said, word by word, my voice like ice. "I came to Hawaii because I wanted to be here three years ago." "Not because you're here." "As for your tent—whoever wants to set it up can set it up. Don't come to me." The air went quiet for a few seconds. Ryan bit his straw, glancing between me and Claire, his smile starting to waver. Claire stared at me for a long moment, then let out a laugh. "Fine," She nodded, her voice laced with a certain impatience. "You're not chasing me. You just happened to show up in Hawaii today, just happened to land on this beach, just happened to run into us. You really expect me to buy that, Enzo?" Her voice dripped with sarcasm, but I just replied flatly. "Believe it or not, I don't care." I turned to walk away. Claire looked around, then her eyes landed behind me. "Where's your luggage?" Claire frowned. "You came to Hawaii alone—without even a suitcase?" I was carrying nothing but a backpack, way too light for someone on vacation. "Enzo, can you not be so reckless for once?" "You didn't even tell me you were coming to Hawaii, you haven't replied to my messages since yesterday," "And now you don't even have luggage. You just showed up out of nowhere, and you're expecting me and Ryan to be prepared for this?" My eyes landed on the white tux and wedding dress behind Ryan, and I smirked. "Prepared for what?" "Am I interrupting your destination wedding here?" "Enzo!" Claire cut me off coldly. "Can you stop talking like that—all snarky and bitter?" "Then what's with the tux and the wedding dress?" "You said Ryan's your best friend. Since when does a vacation in Hawaii require a tux and a wedding dress?" Claire looked exasperated. "Ryan saw other people's wedding photos and wanted to try it for fun. It's just a photo shoot, Enzo. Do you have to blow everything out of proportion?" "Why are you two even fighting over me?" Ryan frowned as he fiddled with the tent, then chimed in with an oh-so-helpful tone. "Bro, if you don't wanna set up the tent, I can have Claire do it for you." "But you know how she is—clumsy as hell. Last time she helped me put together a bed at my place, she put the headboard on backward. She'll probably mess up the tent even worse." His words sounded casual, but every syllable was a needle. I didn't respond. I just pulled out my AirPods and put them in. Claire scoffed. "Fine. Let's just ignore him. Let's see how long he lasts on his own." "Ryan, let's go take those photos." 4:30 PM. The sea breeze rolled in, salty and warm. The beach was filling up—people splashing in the water, groups playing Spikeball, families building sandcastles. And there were Claire and Ryan, dressed like a bride and groom about to tie the knot. Ryan in a white tux, Claire in a wedding gown, smiling at each other. The photographer called out, "Perfect, hold that pose! Look at me! Yes, gorgeous!" I watched for two seconds, then looked away. I walked over to a woman in a red dress. "Hey, got a light?" I pulled a pack of cigarettes from my jacket. She looked up, studied me for a second—her eyes flickered with recognition, like she knew exactly who I was—then pulled a lighter from her purse and handed it over. I lit one, took a drag, and let the smoke drift out. It curled in the sea breeze and vanished into nothing. "And here I thought you were the good-guy type." She smiled, watching me smoke. "Wouldn't have pegged the Moretti heir for a smoker." "Can't judge a book by its cover." I exhaled another plume of smoke, my gaze drifting lazily toward the couple nearly wrapped around each other by the water. The woman followed my line of sight, landing on Claire, and her smile grew more knowing. "That your girlfriend?" "Wife. Soon to be ex." She let out a laugh. "Interesting." "Watching her draped all over that guy—kind of gives off trashy vibes. Good riddance, honestly." She turned and extended a hand, smiling. "I'm Sienna. Nice to meet you, Mr. Moretti." I studied her without speaking. I'd noticed her earlier—she'd been watching me ever since I got here. That kind of observation wasn't casual. She knew who I was. She'd overheard every word between me, Claire, and Ryan. That's why she'd come over. Now, looking at her face, I frowned slightly. "You look familiar. Have we met before?" Sienna gave me a mysterious smile, then— "Enzo!" Claire walked over, her expression sour. She stared at the cigarette in my hand, her brow furrowed. "Since when do you smoke?" Chapter 4 I looked at her face and felt a brief moment of dislocation. She had no idea. Every time she'd ditched me for her precious Ryan, I'd picked up a cigarette. "Long time." "How come I never knew?" Claire took a deep breath, shot a wary glance at Sienna—probably sizing up the competition—and pulled me a step closer. She lowered her voice. "Enzo, I know you're upset about the ticket thing yesterday. But can you please not be like this?" "You're here now. Can't we just have a good time? I'll take you to the North Shore tomorrow—you've always wanted to surf those waves, right?" I looked her in the eye and laughed bitterly. "The North Shore—isn't that the place you and Ryan promised to visit together?" I pointed at the Instagram post Ryan had just put up. Claire's face darkened, but she forced an explanation. "Ryan's only in Hawaii once, he's excited to check off all the spots. Don't be so petty." "I swear, we're just solid friends. Nothing else." "The wedding photos—I was just being a stand-in, that's all." She said it all with such sincerity, as if they were truly innocent. But I wanted to laugh. Who'd buy that? They'd been posing for wedding photos with so much heat, even the photographer thought they were a real couple about to tie the knot. Even when they were directed into a kissing pose—the classic fake-out, lips inches apart—she didn't bother correcting anyone. And that right there—that moment—was unforgivable. "I told you, what you do has nothing to do with me. I'm not gonna get in your way." I stubbed out my cigarette and flicked it into an empty soda can. "I'm here for a vacation. Not to crash yours." "You—" "Claire, just let it go." Ryan grabbed her arm. "He's still worked up, babe. Don't fight with him. Let him cool off." He pulled her back, but after two steps, he turned and shot me a smug look. "Bro, hotels here are crazy hard to book during peak season—we snagged our spot two weeks early. If you didn't get a room, you could always crash with us. The tent's not huge, but three people can squeeze in, I'm sure—" "Wow, you've got some nerve. Squeeze in with a married couple? I'm curious how you say that with a straight face." Before I could answer, Sienna cut him off, arms crossed. "Who the hell are you?" Ryan's face went pale. "What gives you the right to talk to me like that?" "The right to call out a sleazy little homewrecker." Sienna fired back quick and sharp—and honestly, watching her tear into him felt way too good. I couldn't help the smirk that crept onto my face. "Come on, let's go." Sienna grabbed my hand and pulled me into a run. Ryan was fuming behind us, trying to chase us down. "You better stop right there! Get back here!" His voice faded into the background. All I could focus on was her hand wrapped around mine, and my heart beating a little faster. Sienna drove me to my resort—and as it turned out, she was staying right next door in the same luxury villa complex. "What a coincidence. If those two losers try anything, just knock on my door. I'll shut 'em down for you." I smiled. "Free of charge?" That night, Claire cornered me at the resort entrance, her face pale. "Enzo, who is that woman? Why was she holding your hand?" "What's your deal, really? Tell me the truth—did you two come here together?" I stared at her in disbelief. It was almost funny. She's the one with all the shady business with another guy, and she's interrogating me like I'm the one cheating. "Claire, let's get a divorce." "What did you say?" I chuckled softly. "You've already taken wedding photos with someone else. What's the point of this marriage anymore?" "It's just… pointless." "So Claire, I'm setting you free. Go be with your childhood sweetheart." She stared at me, stunned. "Enzo, what the hell are you saying? You want to divorce me just because I came to Hawaii with Ryan?" "How can you be so childish?" "Have you forgotten—you stood at our wedding and promised to grow old with me?" I watched her fall apart, watched her spiral. And I just said flatly, the same way I'd delivered the news to rivals who'd crossed the family. "Claire, I don't want to grow old with you anymore." "So yes. We're done." Her face went white, her jaw tight. "Is it because of that woman?" "She was looking at you funny today—don't you dare tell me you've got something going on after one trip to Hawaii?" I looked at her pathetic state and smiled faintly. "That's not your concern anymore. You should worry about yourself." Claire's head snapped up. "What's that supposed to mean?" She'd just touched my sleeve. I made a show of brushing off the dust—a gesture I'd learned from watching my father dismiss his enemies. "You'll find out soon enough, Ms. Clark. Enjoy it while it lasts." I turned and walked away. Claire's eyes went red as she tried to run after me—but then her phone rang. "What?!" she barked into it. But her assistant's voice on the other end was practically crying. "Ms. Clark, we've got a huge problem! That shell investor who promised us thirty million—they just pulled out completely…"