8
At 8:17, the staff vehicles left the property.
At 8:24, the internet failed.
At 8:29, the landlines went dead.
Jamal noticed at 8:31 when he tried to call Cleo.
His phone showed no signal.
He walked downstairs.
Music played near the pool.
Chase drank directly from a bottle.
Emily and Cameron danced.
Peter sat beside Madison while she reviewed footage.
Bart stood near the control panel in the study.
“What happened to the Wi-Fi?” Jamal asked.
Bart closed the panel.
“Island infrastructure.”
“The manager said satellite service runs continuously.”
“He was wrong.”
“What were you doing?”
“Checking it.”
“Did you turn it off?”
Bart laughed.
“Why would I?”
“So nobody can call out.”
“That sounds dramatic.”
Jamal entered the study.
“Turn it on.”
“You do not command me in my family’s house.”
“There it is.”
“What?”
“Your house. Your plane. Your island. Your rules.”
“You enjoyed all of them.”
“I paid my share.”
“Your father paid a fraction.”
“My father offered the full amount. Yours refused.”
“Because we invited you.”
“As a friend?”
Bart looked at him.
“As proof.”
Jamal’s stomach tightened.
“Proof of what?”
“That without teachers, coaches, and Cleo protecting the image, you’re just another man.”
“What image?”
“The perfect Black prince.”
Jamal stared.
Bart continued.
“Valedictorian. Athlete. Leader. Loyal boyfriend. Everybody’s favorite example.”
“You planned this.”
“Planned what?”
“The room across from Lauren. The race. Dinner. The phones.”
Bart smiled faintly.
“I wanted to see who you were.”
“You know who I am.”
“No. I know who you perform.”
Jamal stepped closer.
“And what happens if I remain exactly that person?”
Bart’s smile disappeared.
“Then I find the flaw.”
“That is not friendship.”
“I told you. I hate you.”
Jamal looked toward the pool.
Nobody else entered.
They had all heard enough to know something was wrong.
None wanted responsibility for naming it.
“Turn on the phones,” Jamal said.
“Ask nicely.”
“No.”
“Then wait until morning.”
“I’m leaving when Vale returns.”
“You cannot.”
“Watch me.”
Bart’s expression changed.
“You think leaving means you win.”
“This is not a competition.”
“Everything is a competition when only one person gets remembered.”
Jamal stared.
“Remembered for what?”
Bart looked toward the hallway.
Lauren stood there.
She had changed into a white dress.
Her eyes were red.
Bart saw her watching Jamal.
The anger inside him sharpened.
“Ask her.”
Jamal turned.
“Ask her what?”
Lauren said nothing.
Bart walked toward her.
“Tell him.”
“Stop.”
“Tell Jamal who you wanted to come into your room tonight.”
Cameron turned down the music.
The entire villa listened.
Lauren’s face flushed.
“Bart, please.”
“Tell him.”
Jamal stepped between them conversationally, keeping distance.
“Leave her alone.”
Bart laughed.
“There he is. The protector.”
“She doesn’t need protection from me,” Lauren said.
Bart looked at her.
“You told Madison you were going to knock on his door.”
Lauren stared at Madison.
Madison lowered her camera.
“That was private.”
“Nothing is private tonight.”
Jamal looked at Lauren.
“Were you?”
She swallowed.
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“To talk.”
“About what?”
“You know.”
“No. I want you to say it.”
Lauren’s eyes filled.
“I wanted to know whether you ever thought about me.”
Jamal looked exhausted.
“No.”
Bart smiled.
“Liar.”
“I love Cleo.”
“You can love one woman and want another.”
“You can. I don’t.”
Lauren’s face collapsed.
Bart watched her humiliation and took no comfort from it.
The rejection only proved Jamal could take what belonged to him and choose not to.
That power felt worse.
“Say it again,” Bart said.
Jamal looked at him.
“What?”
“That you never wanted her.”
“I never wanted Lauren.”
Bart’s breathing deepened.
Lauren slapped him.
The room froze.
Bart touched his cheek.
“You hit me for him.”
“I hit you because you arranged this.”
Jamal looked sharply at her.
“Arranged what?”
Lauren looked around.
Nobody spoke.
Jamal focused on Madison.
“Why are you holding the camera?”
“It’s mine.”
“Why were you recording the hallway?”
Her silence answered.
Jamal turned toward Cameron.
“What was supposed to happen?”
Cameron looked at Bart.
Bart smiled.
“Tell him.”
Cameron swallowed.
“Lauren was supposed to knock on your door.”
“And?”
“Madison would record her entering.”
“She was not entering.”
“That was not the point.”
“What was?”
Peter answered quietly.
“Bart would confront you.”
“For what?”
“Trying to sleep with Lauren.”
Jamal looked at all of them.
“You planned to frame me.”
“It was a prank,” Chase said.
“A prank ends with laughter.”
“You are too serious,” Chase replied.
“You disabled the phones.”
Bart leaned against the table.
“No witnesses outside the island.”
Jamal stared at him.
For the first time, Bart stopped pretending.
“You wanted a scandal,” Jamal said.
“I wanted one honest night.”
“By manufacturing it?”
“You always get the clean story.”
“Because I make clean choices.”
Bart laughed.
“There. That is why I hate you.”
“You hate me because you cannot tempt me into becoming your excuse.”
“You think you’re untouchable.”
“No. I think you’re dangerous.”
The admission changed the room.
Bart smiled slowly.
“Cleo finally got through.”
“No. You did.”
Jamal pulled his phone from his pocket.
Still no signal.
“I’m locking myself in my room until morning. If anyone enters, I will treat it as a threat.”
“You cannot hide forever.”
“I only need to reach seven o’clock.”
Jamal walked upstairs.
Behind him, nobody spoke.
At the landing, he turned.
“Lauren, lock your door.”
Bart laughed.
“She does not need you.”
“She needs distance from you.”
Jamal entered his room and locked it.