Alec came back to Alwils Villa to find more about the day when his mother visited.
"Patty, what all transpired the day my mother came to see El." He asked.
"Uh" Patty was hesitant to answer.
"Don't make me repeat my words" he said sternly.
"Ma'am was asking Miss El to divorce you. When Miss El denied ma'am tried other means like being affectionate at first and then she threatened her. I could see Miss El was getting annoyed with ma'am so she made unrealistic demands only to irritate ma'am. When Ma'am left miss. El threw the papers in the fireplace."
Alec nodded and asked her to go back. He got near to the fireplace, he leaned closer and saw half burnt divorce papers and a cheque of 30 million.
He casually looked at the papers and saw something written on the back of it
'Suck it, Carolyn' he smirked reading that.
He also noticed half burnt initials written below M and probably E.
'ME?' he thought to himself.
Suddenly he was missing El and felt guilty towards his actions.
He wanted her back, he wanted her to be with him and most importantly he wanted her to be herself with him.
In no time the memories with her before the wedding flooded his mind. She was more joyful and expressive back then and he wanted her to be the same way now.
Alec's lips curved into a mischievous smile. He instructed Ben something.
El arrived during lunch time. She saw Alec sitting and going through a magazine leisurely, he ignored her.
She didn't speak to him as well and headed to her room.
To her surprise, water was overflowing everywhere inside the room. She stepped out to inform Patty or Robert about it. She got to the living room looking for them.
"Ah yes, I saw the condition of the guest room.
There are some leaks. I've asked Ben to get them fixed." Alec said in a relaxed manner.
"How long will it take?" El asked. "A week perhaps" Alec answered.
"A week?" El asked with her eyes widened.
"Don't worry, I'll have Patty to move your stuff back to my room." Alec said calmly.
"No need, I'll move to the adjacent room" El said only with the intention of reducing labour to move things upstairs.
Listening to her Alec's face darkened,
"Do you find it troublesome staying in the same room as your husband?" He scorned.
"You still see me as a monster don't you, given that you are fine being anywhere else but with me." He growled.
El was shocked at his sudden anger and baseless allegation.
She looked straight in his eyes and asked "What do you want from me Mr. Wilson?"
Alec was taken aback with her words.
"What do you mean?" He asked in a low voice.
"What I mean is, down the lane how do you see our relationship as husband and wife?" Alec looked at her in a puzzled manner.
"Do you see us as an actual married couple or a nominal one?" "I can't be an ideal wife knowing that your mother is finding you a second bride. I can't blindly love you while you remain cold and indifferent. I'm not someone who will commit to a relationship for years selflessly only for you to come one day and ask for a divorce because your mother said so or an old girlfriend comes back." El blurted out.
Alec found her suspicions absurd.
"This isn't fiction, El."
"Exactly, this isn't fiction. I won't be a devoted wife if you don't reciprocate the same. I'm not asking you to change overnight or in a week or month, but tell me honestly down the lane, how do you see our relationship as husband and wife? Because I can't take the mixed signals"
El said with pain reflecting in her eyes.
Alec saw her eyes and felt a sense of guilt within him. He came closer to her, he had not expected El to ask him this. Holding her face he stroked her cheek looking at her teary eyes.
"Am I only a substitute bride to you Mr. Wilson?" She asked, looking into his eyes
"You are the Desired Bride for me, El."
"Do you.. do you see us eventually fulfilling all duties of a spouse towards each other?" She asked softly.
Alec took in a long breath and replied,
"Yes."
"And you won't leave me for no reason?" She asked again.
"I won't leave you for any reason" he said softly looking at her eyes.
"And…"
before she could continue Alec got closer to her and kissed her lips, El was pleasantly surprised with his action.
After a few seconds she started kissing him back. It was a warm loving kiss. After a minute they released their lips and were panting for breath.
"What were you saying?" Alec asked.
"Nothing Mr. Wilson" El replied, genuinely forgetting her line of thoughts.
"Call me Alec."
"Alec," El said. It was the first time he heard her say his name. Feeling overjoyed he kissed her again, he grabbed her by the side of her waist and said
"Let's take this to the room".
Lowering his hand and taking a step back, El said, "let's take it slow." expressing her unwillingness towards any further physical intimacy.
"You are the one giving mixed signals now" he said, holding her wrist.
"Is this the first thing that comes to your mind about the duties of a husband?" El asked shyly.
"How do you want to start?" Alec asked.
"Let's know and understand each other properly first."
Alec felt like time was being cruel to him, "Alright" he said
"Tell me all about yourself, I want to know everything."
"Hmm, well to start with.." El thought for a moment and said "I'm starving." She chuckled at her own words, Alec smiled as well.
"I'll have Patty serve lunch".
El nodded.
Michelle was starting to regret her suggestion of getting to know each other first. What could she even tell Alec about herself?. That she is the infamous Michelle Ford who fled from her wedding and was abandoned by her family because of it.
She definitely couldn't tell Alec all of this now. Will she have to base her marriage on a lie? Her mind was in turmoil thinking about it.