Page 46 of Dan.

Roxanne can’t hide this shit forever, and she’s going to have to tell Andries the truth. Soon.

13

Elise

After Johan’s farewell party,it was hard for me to find sleep. It felt to me like there was so much left unsaid, but at the same time, I’m ready to move on with my life, too. Still… I feel like Johan is leaving too easily, and I think he might have some other tricks up his sleeve before he leaves the villa for good.

I finally manage to fall asleep in the middle of the night, but I’m suddenly jolted awake by the sound of my phone ringing on the bedside table. I consider ignoring it and rolling back over to get some more rest, but almost anyone who would bother to call me will more than likely just call again if I don’t answer.

With bleary eyes, I squint at the screen and see my dad’s contact emblazoned there. Now any wish of just ignoring the call dissipates, because Dad is certainly someone that will call until I answer. With a groan, I answer, clearing my throat a few times so he doesn’t know that he interrupted my sleep, since I don’t know how late I’ve managed to sleep just yet.

“Hey, Dad.”

“Good morning, my darling daughter. I take it that you had a nice sleep last night?”

Not really, I think. “Yes, thank you. How is Lake Como?”

“Oh, fine, but that isn’t what I called to talk to you about,” he pauses for dramatic effect, trying to seem nonchalant. “I was watching the news this morning and just so happened to see that things are really starting to heat up with the Bar Rouge situation. Did you know that they’re saying it’s just a front for selling drugs and laundering money?” Dad asks, chuckling. “That woman is in every shady deal, from sex work to drug selling. Andries couldn’t have picked a worse person if he tried.”

“Yes, I’ve heard,” I admit. “But I haven’t seen anything saying that Roxanne is directly involved yet, so there’s still a chance she didn’t know anything about what’s going on.”

“It’s impossible to know for sure since she’s been completely silent on the ordeal, but in my opinion, her silence speaks louder than words. Have you told Andries yet?”

I hold the phone to my ear with my shoulder, rubbing my temples. “No, Dad. It’s not up to me to do it.”

“Of course it is, you are his sister. You should help him come to his senses. If Roxanne is behind the drug trafficking, I’m sure your brother will change his tune towards her.”

There’s one thing he’s not wrong about… I feel terrible about not telling Andries the truth because any other time it would be my responsibility to show him what was going on, but Dan and I are both in agreement that we need to give Roxie space to admit to everything on her own. Dad can’t know that that’s my reasoning, though.

“Dad, I’m sure that he will find out on his own. It’s impossible for him not to. I’d rather keep myself out of this mess.”

His tone goes cold and shuttered. “I see… very well. Enjoy the rest of your vacation. See you next week.”

I try to put the idea of Dad catching on to me changing alliances aside and sitting up in bed, blankets in my lap and start to do some of my own research on the Bar Rouge situation. Every news outlet is posting everything under the sun that they can possibly find out about the cocaine scandal and the suspiciously silent cabaret owner. The consensus is that shemustbe involved if she’s avoiding the media so adamantly, but luckily it doesn’t look like anyone knows that she’s in Capri, so hopefully, the rest of our trip will be peaceful at least.

It doesn’t look like many of the dancers or other employees are speaking out––aside from the one that was recorded giving the blowjob on stage. Upon interrogation, the dancer tells the media that Ms. Feng was most certainly aware of the drugs being sold around the cabaret. “How would the owner herself not know?” she was quoted saying. “Ms. Feng has been working in the red light district for the past 16 years. There’s no way she wouldn’t know.”

On the other side of things, there’s also a quote from Poppy, Roxanne’s former PA, saying, “There’s no way that Ms. Feng knew about it. She was misled by the former owners. This is simply a big misunderstanding.”

While it’s good to know that Roxanne still has people in her corner back in Amsterdam, I fear that it won’t be nearly enough. Even with people like Poppy speaking on her behalf, everything is still going to end terribly if Roxanne doesn’t fess up to Andries or make an appearance in the media. All I know is that their relationship isn’t going to end well if things don’t start improving soon, and I fear for my brother’s mental health if this scandal takes him under, too. Nothing is more important to Andries than loyalty, and everyone in this house that knows about the Bar Rouge incidents and are remaining silent are betraying him every second they don’t tell the truth.

I text Dan a few of the articles I find, including the ones with the quotes from the dancer and Poppy.

Dan:Yeah, it’s all the same stuff from the article my Dad sent me yesterday. There’s no way your brother doesn’t know yet.

I bite my lip, considering diving deeper into my research, but decide that I need a few moments to myself before I engage completely in the drama of everyone else's lives just yet. I call the villa’s room service and order some fresh fruit, yogurt, and espresso, enjoying it all while I prepare myself for the day. I pin my hair up and quickly shower, cleaning my legs and applying a little bit of blush and mascara, taking bites of the fruit between applications. I’ve just finished my espresso when there is a knock on my door, startling me. I guess that’s all the self care I’m allowed today… which is unfortunate. I’m not ready to face the day quite yet, but the idea that it’s Dan at the door, coming to continue our text conversation in person, makes me feel a little cheerier. Of everyone, he’s the one I’d like to see the most.

I pull the straps of my short, burnt orange romper onto my shoulders and slip my feet into a pair of slide sandals before opening the door. My greeting falters when it isn’t Dan waiting for me on the other side of the door, though. It’s Johan.

He looks so handsome in his pale blue linen shirt with his hair freshly styled and a bright smile that it’s momentarily distracting. “Good morning Johan,” I manage to say. “I thought you had left already.”

“I’m actually heading out, but I wanted to come and see you first.” He lowers his voice as if we aren’t the only two people standing here. “My driver is waiting outside and I’ve already bid farewell to everyone else. I saved the best for last, of course.”

I can feel a blush creeping up my neck and a shock of guilt shoots through me. I’ve been trying my best not to feel guilty for what Dan and I did back on the beach to Johan, but I have to keep reminding myself that it was the right decision. Faced with Johan here, though… it’s a lot harder.

Johan leans forward slightly as if he wants to be let into my room, but that’s just a bridge too far for me. Instead, I walk forward into the hallway with him, and close my bedroom door behind me. The last thing I need is for Dan to see Johan and me in my bedroom alone, even if it is for a brief goodbye. He had been pretty hurt seeing me in Johan’s room days before, even with the door open.

“Can I walk you to your car?” I ask innocently, giving him no indication that I’m shutting him out of my room on purpose. I look up at Johan from under my lashes, and any complaints he may have had crumble immediately.

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