Chapter 3: Internal Monologue

Luiza stood frozen in the hotel room, her eyes fixed on Jack as he whistled his way to the closet. The bright Australian sunlight streaming through the window did little to alleviate the darkness that had settled within her. She felt like she was drowning in a sea of emotions - anger, hurt, betrayal, and sadness. As she watched Jack, she couldn't help but think about the past few days. The discovery of his affair had been like a punch to the gut, leaving her breathless and reeling. She had thought they were happy, or at least, happy enough. But now, she was beginning to realize that she had been living a lie. Luiza's mind wandered back to the conversation she had with her brother, Rafael, before they arrived in Melbourne. He had warned her about Jack's wandering eye, about the temptations that came with being a professional tennis player. But she had brushed it off, thinking that their love was strong enough to withstand anything. How could he do this to her? To them? To Lucas? The questions swirled in her mind like a tornado, leaving her feeling dizzy and disoriented. As she stood there, Luiza felt like she was losing herself. She was a Brazilian model, a wife, a mother, but most of all, she was a woman who had been broken by the man she loved. She thought about all the times she had stood by him, supporting him through the highs and lows of his career. And this was how he repaid her? Luiza's eyes drifted to the bedside table, where a framed photo of them sat. They were smiling, happy, and in love. But now, that photo seemed like a lie, a facade. She felt a pang of resentment towards Jack, towards his carefree attitude, towards his ability to just walk around, whistling, like nothing was wrong. Didn't he know that their marriage was crumbling around them? As she stood there, Luiza's thoughts were interrupted by the sound of Jack's voice. "Hey, beautiful, you okay? You seem a little distant." Luiza forced a smile, trying to appear more chipper than she felt. "Yeah, I'm fine. Just a little tired, that's all." Jack walked over to her, his eyes scanning her face. For a moment, Luiza thought she saw a glimmer of guilt, of remorse. But it was quickly replaced by his usual charming smile. "Okay, well, let's get going then. We don't want to be late for Lucas's breakfast." Luiza nodded, feeling a sense of dread wash over her. She knew that she had to put on a brave face, for Lucas's sake, for Jack's sake, but most of all, for her own sake. She couldn't let her world crumble around her, not yet. As they left the hotel room, Luiza felt like she was walking on eggshells. She knew that one misstep could shatter the fragile peace they had managed to maintain. The sound of laughter and chatter filled the air as they made their way to the hotel restaurant. Luiza's eyes scanned the crowd, searching for a friendly face. She spotted Jack's mother, father, and brother, Alex, chatting with their team, including his coach, Marco. For a moment, Luiza felt like she was part of a big, happy family. But it was just a facade, a charade. She knew that beneath the surface, things were falling apart. As they sat down at the table, Luiza's brother, Rafael, caught her eye and raised an eyebrow. She knew he was concerned, but she just shook her head, signaling for him to drop it. The breakfast conversation was stilted, with Luiza struggling to keep up the act. Jack seemed oblivious to her tension, chatting easily with his family and team about the tournament and their plans for the day. But Luiza's eyes kept drifting back to Jack, searching for any sign of guilt or remorse. She found none. He seemed his usual self, confident and charismatic, as he discussed his strategy for the day's matches. Luiza felt a pang of anger, of hurt. How could he do this to her? Didn't he know that she was hurting? As they finished breakfast and headed out of the restaurant, Luiza felt like she was trapped in a nightmare of her own making. She had to keep up the act, for Lucas's sake, for Jack's sake, but most of all, for her own sake. The Australian Open was about to begin, and Luiza was trapped in a world of her own making. She had to survive the next few days without losing her mind. As they walked to the locker room, Jack's arm slung casually over her shoulder, Luiza felt a sense of despair wash over her. She knew that she had to find a way to deal with her emotions, to find a way to forgive Jack, or at least, to move on. But for now, she was stuck in this limbo, trapped between her love for Jack and her anger towards him. And she had no idea how to escape.