The party was everything Lexi didn't know she needed—glossy, chaotic, and so shamelessly extra that it looped back around to fun.
A Hawaiian-style bar pumped out mojitos, sangrias, and drinks that came with edible flowers and biodegradable glitter. Influencers with glowing skin and matching sunglasses lounged across daybeds, making sure their drinks matched their nails. A DJ spun remixed club tracks while someone in a branded floaty did slow-motion cannonballs for a drone camera overhead.
The air smelled like sunscreen, coconut rum, and something floral and illegal.
Lexi stood near the bar, drink in hand, sunlight warming her shoulders. Her pastel lilac bikini fit perfectly, her sarong tied high on one hip, and for once, she didn't feel self-conscious.
Noah was supposed to be here by now. He'd messaged earlier to say his meeting had run long, but he was on his way.
She glanced at the time.
Then back at the crowd.
But she didn't wait. Not really. She took another sip of her drink and let herself enjoy the music, the sun, and the buzz threading through her limbs.
She smiled for selfies with fans, hugged old content friends, won a Tequila race, and even filmed a quick collab clip with Gia, lip-syncing a trending sound in front of the poolside lanterns.
Lexi laughed harder than she had in days.
Still, she checked the time again.
Just once.
Just a glance.
No big deal.
⸻
Lexi was admiring a dangerously pretty éclair on the dessert table when chaos arrived in six-inch heels and an invisible cloud of superiority.
Molly.
With her minions.
Lexi didn't bother pretending to be surprised.
Molly moved like a socialite on a catwalk, every step curated. Her gold-and-blue bikini sparkled in the sun, drawing attention whether people wanted to look or not. Her wrap fluttered behind her like she was wind-powered.
"Of course," Lexi muttered.
Gia leaned over. "That's your sign to stay hydrated."
Lexi downed the rest of her drink. "I'm already drowning."
⸻
A bit later, Lexi found herself alone again, scrolling through her phone near the pool's edge while Gia hunted down the dessert bar for second-round snacks.
She didn't see Molly approach this time.
Just felt the shift in the air.
"Lexi," Molly said sweetly, like they were old friends and not archenemies in bikinis.
Lexi turned, half-smiling. "Molly. I thought someone would've banned you from this party based on poor taste alone."
Molly laughed. "Oh, darling, taste is subjective. But this bikini isn't."
Lexi blinked. It was the exact limited-edition design she'd gushed to Noah about last week.
"This?" Molly twirled slowly, letting the light hit every curve. "Noah sent it to me. Sweet, right? I didn't even ask."
Lexi took a steady breath, smile tight. "He must've had a spare."
"Well," Molly purred, "he always had a soft spot for me."
Lexi's jaw tensed. "He also had a soft spot for those protein cookies that gave him food poisoning, so…"
Molly's smirk twitched.
Behind Lexi, one of Molly's minions shifted. A small glint of metal flashed in her hand before disappearing.
Lexi was too busy matching Molly's saccharine venom to notice.
The minion leaned slightly closer, fiddled with her own wrap, then subtly reached for Lexi's bikini strap and clipped it—just halfway.
Barely noticeable.
But enough.
⸻
Inside the house, Noah stepped through the front door, adjusted the strap on his duffel, and glanced toward the backyard. The pool shimmered in the sun beyond the glass sliding doors. His eyes scanned the crowd automatically, searching—
Then he spotted her.
Lexi.
Standing near the water's edge, talking to Molly.
He quickened his pace.
"Lex?" he called through the glass, his voice faint but audible through the music and chatter.
Lexi turned, confused for a split second.
That's when it happened.
⸻
Slap.
A loud, dramatic sound.
Lexi gasped—not from pain, but confusion—as Molly slapped herself and let out a wail.
"You psycho!" she screamed—and lunged.
Lexi barely had time to blink before Molly grabbed her wrist and dragged them both forward.
They toppled into the pool with a tremendous splash, water exploding around them in all directions.
Gasps.
Laughter.
Phones came out.
Noah's heart stopped.
⸻
Lexi resurfaced coughing, blinking the chlorinated water from her eyes.
Everything was blurry.
Too loud.
People were pointing.
Laughing.
And then—
She looked down.
Her bikini top strap had snapped.
She was suddenly, horribly exposed.
Lexi cried out and immediately sank back into the water, folding her arms over her chest, every nerve on fire. Her throat tightened. Her hands shook.
She heard someone snap a photo.
Molly's voice rang out beside her, all false panic.
"She slapped me and then pushed me in! She's obsessed! Jealous!"
Lexi couldn't speak. Couldn't breathe. Her mind was a tornado of shame, panic, and cold.
Then—strong hands. A voice.
"Lex."
Noah.
He was beside her, already waist-deep in the water.
Before she could register anything else, he yanked off his own black t-shirt—half-dry, still warm from the sun—and pulled it over her head, shielding her body from view.
"You're okay," he murmured, voice low, steady. "I've got you."
Lexi clung to the fabric, eyes wide, shivering.
Molly floated beside them, playing the victim for the phones. "She's insane! She just—"
"I saw everything, Molly."
Noah turned.
Voice sharp. Eyes hard.
Molly blinked, suddenly pale. "What do you mean?"
"Stay away from my wife!" he snapped. "You've always been good at performance, but you forgot one thing—I actually care about her."
"You care about me! Me!"
"You're delusional!"
Molly's jaw dropped.
He turned back to Lexi, who looked like she was about to fall over.
She wasn't crying—but she was barely holding it together.
Noah lifted her out of the water like she weighed nothing. She curled into his chest, gripping one of his shoulders tightly.
He turned toward the crowd.
"And if I see a single video or picture of this online," he said, voice deadly, "I will sue every one of you into the ground. Test me."
The phones lowered.
The whispers stopped.
Noah walked away without another word.
Molly's shriek echoed across the pool.
⸻
Lexi woke hours later.
Wrapped in blankets.
Her mouth was dry and tasted like chlorine and Bacardi.
She blinked up at the ceiling, disoriented—then groaned when memories from last night came flooding back, covering her face with one hand.
"Kill me," she muttered.
A knock on the door.
"Lexi?" Noah's voice, hesitant. "Can I come in?"
"Yeah," she muttered.
He entered with a bottle of water in hand.
She looked at him. He looked exhausted.
"You okay?" he asked softly.
"I'd be better if I could time travel."
He smiled, sitting down in the chair beside the bed. "You've been out for nearly twelve hours."
Lexi blinked. "Seriously?"
"You were freezing, embarrassed, tipsy… your body needed a break."
She sat up slightly, hugging the blanket to her chest. "Thanks for jumping in," she said quietly, eyes on the folds in the blanket. "You didn't have to."
Noah gave a soft smile. "Yeah, I did."
She glanced up.
"I care about you. You looked terrified, and I wasn't going to stand there and watch you go through that alone."
Lexi swallowed hard.
He leaned forward slightly, voice gentle. "I'm your husband, remember? That means I show up. Even when it's messy. Especially when it's messy."
She let out a breath, half a laugh, half a defense mechanism. "You mean you're my husband… for clout."
A pause.
He reached out and took her hand. Lexi blinked, but didn't pull away.
"You okay now?" he asked.
"Emotionally? No. Physically? Mostly."
He reached forward, gently brushing some hair out of her face. "I'll bring up some lunch."
"I don't—"
"I want to," he said simply. "Stay here."
Lexi watched him leave the room.
Then looked down at his t-shirt, draped over the chair.
She smiled.
Maybe he wasn't such a pain in the ass after all.