The island felt smaller after that night. What had once been a paradise of endless beaches, hidden coves, and whispering palms now pressed in on me like the walls of a shrinking room. Every path I walked carried the weight of unseen eyes. Gardeners who used to smile and nod now kept their gazes carefully averted, their movements stiff and rehearsed. Even the staff who brought my meals lingered a fraction too long, watching as I lifted the fork to my lips, as if cataloging every bite for a report they’d deliver later. The ocean, once my escape and my solace, seemed to mock me now—its waves rolling in with...