Chapter 39
It was a moment of realization for Chad. He slowly extended his grip on Marlie's shoulders, his fingers tightening their hold.
The intensity of the situation started to surface and the impact remained ingrained in his mind. With a gaze devoid of emotion, he met Marlie's eyes, her gaze reflecting her fear.
Marlie realized what she had just blurted out. She has just given herself away. Marlie shivers at the thought of being caught. Her fears turned to tears and they started streaming down her cheeks. She didn't know what to do to get out of her predicament.
Chad continued to fixate on Marlie, refusing to break their eye contact. He searched for answers in her gaze, desperately yearning for clarification, particularly regarding the burning question that consumed him: "Are you Marlie?"
He needed Charlie(Marlie) to clarify his assumption. Was she Marlie?
Mark, a silent observer, closed his eyes in frustration. How could Marlie make such a grave error? Succumbing to the weight of the situation, he uttered a curse under his breath, borrowing from Marlie's own choice of words.
"Damn it?"
In a cold, stuttered tone, Chad finally voiced his question, "Tell me... why did you sound so strikingly similar to your sister?" The room fell into a profound silence, leaving Marlie feeling defenseless and at a loss for words.
Chad's piercing gaze only intensified her vulnerability, rendering her incapable of rational thought. Thankfully, Mark was there, providing a glimmer of relief.
Breaking the silence, Mark interjected, his voice slicing through Chad's relentless scrutiny. "It's interesting to hear that phrase again, one your sister cherished."
Chad turned his gaze towards Mark, a glimmer of curiosity in his eyes. He couldn't comprehend the intriguing connection Mark was insinuating.
Meanwhile, Marlie wrestled with confusion, struggling to decipher Mark's cryptic words. His murmurs were nothing but baffling to her.
Mark feigning a tear in the corner of his eye, continued his charade.
"That phrase brought back so many memories. It brought me joy to hear it from you today." Marlie glanced at Mark's face, sensing there was more to Mark's words than she was perceiving it.
Marlie caught on and forced her strength out and placed on her face a sad expression. At least, she wasn't dumb.
Chad, completely missing Mark's sly signal, remained fixated on Marlie.
"I apologize if it reminded you too much of my sister. I was merely reminiscing about a dream I had, where she was teaching me how to express my frustrations towards my husband. She was teaching me....how to cuss him." She lied bluntly.
Chad scoffed incredulously at this revelation. Teaching her how to curse him? Was that the extent of Marlie's influence on Charlie?
Observing Chad's irritated expression, Marlie couldn't help but wish she could revel in his anger. She longed to witness more intensity from him but now was not the opportune moment. The right time would come, and for now, she maintained a facade of profound sorrow as she spoke, "She believed you deserved it."
Chad's head dropped, and, overcome by a mixture of hurt and anger, he let out a frustrated, bitter laugh. "Marlie thinks I deserve it?" Chad pondered to himself. A swirl of conflicting emotions clouded his face, leaving behind a profound sense of betrayal.
Chad's head drooped and a frustrated and angry laugh escaped his lips. "Does Marlie truly believe I deserve this?" Chad pondered to himself. A mixture of hurt and anger surged onto Chad's face, diverting his attention away from the suspicion.
Closing his eyes, Mark breathed a sigh of relief. He was thankful that Marlie caught on and cleared the suspicion. He shuddered at the thought of how terrifying Chad could be when he gets angry. Chad furrowed his brow in frustration, contemplating the supposed lessons Marlie imparted to Charlie.
"I apologize, brother-in-law, I had no intention of making you sad," Marlie said, feigning a tearful expression. Her face was soaked, making it impossible to differentiate between actual tears and water droplets.
"It's alright, Charlie... it's alright," Mark concluded with that statement. Chad regained control of his emotions and released Marlie from his grip. He muttered to himself and stepped back from Marlie when Mark decided to check on her.
"What was I thinking?" Chad ran his hands through his hair in annoyance.
"Even in death, you continue to despise me, Marlie. Why do you hurt me at every opportunity?" Chad exclaimed in frustration.
"Damn it! Even in death, you can't find it in you to grant me mercy and let this pain dissipate!" Such thoughts consumed Chad's mind. He wiped away a tear at the corner of his eye while turning away from Mark and Marlie.
Mark approached Marlie and pinched her, causing her to cry out in pain. "Ouch!"
Chad turned to check if she was okay, and Mark assured him that she was fine. "Just a delicate soul who cries at the slightest touch. No matter how strong she appears, she will never compare to her sister. Marlie was fierce, like a roaring lion, a stubborn woman. She was like a stray cat, doing as she pleased without heeding anyone's advice. Always concocting crazy ideas without considering the consequences." Mark explained with a sad smile.
Chad felt even more hurt. It seemed that Marlie's supposed boyfriend knew her as intimately as he did. He had believed that he was the only one who truly understood Marlie and perhaps the only one who loved her deeply. But this so-called boyfriend might have loved her just as much, "and she loved him too!" Chad bitterly admitted to himself.
Marlie seethed with anger at Mark's words, but she had no choice but to fake smiles and tears while glancing at Mark's face, silently cussing him. Mark could sense how much Marlie desired to tear him apart, but Chad's presence kept her in check.
"Marlie is one of a kind," Mark continued. Marlie nodded in a frustrated agreement. they have to put on that act to erase all the doubt in Chad's mind.
"I miss my dear sister so much that all the time I long for her. Sometimes I rehearse the phrases she used," Marlie lied, and Mark was fully aware of that.
Remarkably, their words proved effective in dispelling doubts about Marlie's true identity.
Chad clenched his jaws, frustrated at himself for once again thinking the Charlie in front of him was Marlie.
"Charlie, don't push yourself too hard and please stop acting like Marlie, or you might drive some of us crazy!" These words were directed at Chad. Yes, Chad was puzzling him. Why would he be so knowledgeable about Marlie if they were merely "enemies"?
"Did he love her?"
Mark questioned inwardly while passing a smile at Chad. Chax noticed and wondered why he was staring at him.
Mark shifted his attention to Marlie, wondering how she would take it if her sister's husband loved her.
But Marlie just stared at him with a frowning face.
He knew that if she had her way, she would physically lash out at him for saying those words about her. However, with Chad present, she had to exercise restraint.
Mark concluded the examination with this statement and smiled at Marlie.
He turned to Chad, and informed him,
"I'm done with the check-up. Your wife appears to be in good health today. If only she is not being subjected to so much stress, she wouldn't require these check-ups."
Chad nodded, and Mark asked to take his leave.
Marlie lay back down on the bed, covering herself with the duvet. Has she forgotten she has not bathed?
"Are you planning to spend the entire day in bed like that?" Chad's cold voice echoed in Marlie's ears. No, she didn't want to, but she also didn't want to enter the bathroom with Chad lingering around.
She always takes her bath when Chad is not around since he goes to the office early. But today he is still at home?
Why? Well, that is not Marlie's problem here. The problem is, "Was she going to get naked with Chad staying that close to her? At least shouldn't he go out?!" How could she convey this without arousing suspicion? Worse, Chad sat down to read some information on his phone. This was frustrating!
"Aren't you going to leave?" Marlie questioned, surprising Chad. "I mean, won't you leave for work today?"Her rephrased statement saved her, but Chad remained motionless.
"Why does she want him to leave?"
Chad scrutinizes Marlie, still on the bed.
Instead, of leaving, he placed the phone down and leaned back, folding his arms and staring directly at her.
When a minute passed and Marlie still lay there, Chad leaned on a hand and stared at her intensively.
Damn it! There was no choice; Marlie had to reluctantly go to the bathroom, with Chad's eyes following her every move.
When she got to the bathroom, she locked the door behind her. Chad chuckled, thinking to himself, "What does she think? That I would want to peek at her? Ridiculous!"
"You are not even Marlie, why would I want to join you in the bathroom?
What am I even saying!" He muttered to himself and left the room to his study.
When Marlie returned from the bathroom, she found the room empty, And relief overtook her. She had stayed in the bathroom longer than usual contemplating on how she was going to dress up in front of that 'pervert'.
That was what she had been calling Chad since she entered the bathroom.
She noticed her phone ringing and when she checked it, the name "Spark" appeared on the screen. A smile crept on her face.
"Hello, Spark."
"Hi, Charlie. Will you be available in an hour?" Spark inquired, and Marlie readily agreed. After all, she had been eagerly anticipating this good news.
"I will pick you up," Spark stated, and Marlie nodded.
"I'll be waiting for you, Spark," Marlie concluded the call and smiled to herself.
"Let the real game begin!" However, is she going to be the victor of this plan of hers, or is it Spark? What about Chad? Will be the bystander victor?