Olivia's next outing was to the Carter's residence and the upcoming meeting was weighing heavily on her mind. It wouldn't be easy to deceive the parents of Sophia. It was a delicate and potentially dangerous task.
She wondered why the Carters hadn't simply been told the truth about Sophia's condition. It seemed like a much simpler solution than having her impersonate Sophia, and one that would have saved them all a lot of trouble and potential heartache.
She spent the days leading up to the meeting studying Sophia's mannerisms, speech patterns, and personal history, trying to memorize every detail she could in order to create a convincing persona. But she also knew that there was more to it than just facts and figures - she needed to tap into Sophia's emotional core, to understand how she related with her parents, how their conversations flowed. She couldn't get all this information by studying.
She had been thoroughly briefed about the Carters, including their close relationship with their only daughter. She had learned that their daughter, Sophia Lynn Carter, was born in 1995 and had spent much of her childhood in their country house. Sophia had been raised with the help of a nanny named Mary.
The Carters' residence was like something out of a movie - an estate with perfectly manicured lawns and ornate architectural details.
The house was stunning with a white-columned portico and elegant curved staircases leading up to the entrance. The windows were adorned with intricate moldings and decorative ironwork, and the front door was flanked by two imposing stone lions.
Priceless works of art hung on the walls in the interior of the house, and antique furnishings were arranged tastefully. She knew that the Carters were people of great wealth and refinement, but she wasn't expecting a house this grand.
Mrs. Carter was sitting in the living room with a warm smile on her face, her skin tan from her recent travels. Mr. Carter was nowhere to be seen, but Olivia knew that he was taking his usual afternoon nap.
"My dear Sophia!" she exclaimed, as she embraced Olivia in a warm hug. "It's been a while, my dear. A couple of months since we last saw you."
Olivia returned the hug, trying her best to mimic Sophia's mannerisms and voice. "It's so good to see you, Mom," she said, hoping that her performance was convincing. Mrs. Carter was not wearing her glasses. "I've missed you both."
Mrs. Carter pulled back from the hug, beaming with pride and affection. "You look beautiful as always, my dear," she said. "Even younger. Would you like some tea or coffee?"
Olivia was sick of both. ''Tea, please.''
Mrs. Carter's eyes lit up with excitement as she mentioned the fundraiser event. "Oh, yes! I heard about your performance. It's been the talk among my friends," she exclaimed, while gesturing for her help to serve some tea. "It's always so wonderful to see many people coming together for such a worthy cause. You've always been so passionate about giving back to the community,?"
She nodded, doing her best to play along. "Yes, mother," she said. "It's important we use our abundant resources to help others, especially those who are less fortunate."
Mrs. Carter smiled, a look of pride and affection in her eyes. "That's my daughter, always thinking of others," she said.
Tea arrived in a tray with some croissants and cake.
The discussion progressed slowly until Olivia felt quite relaxed in her role.
''How are things with you and Alex? We've seen the reports in the media, and we're wondering if you two are really on good terms now, or if it's just a show for the cameras."
Olivia had been briefed that Sophia and Alex's relationship had been a source of tension in the past, but she also knew that they had been working to repair their marriage. She took a deep breath and tried to respond as Sophia would.
"Things are getting better between us, Mom," she said. "We've had our ups and downs, but we're committed to making our marriage work. It's not just for show, I promise you that."
Mrs. Carter nodded slowly, "I'm glad to hear that," she said.
Part of her story was to admit to Mrs. Carter that she had been having an affair, and that she had recently ended things with the man..
"Mom, there's something I need to tell you," she said, her eyes scanning the room to make sure no one was listening. "I cheated on Alex with someone else. I know it was wrong, and I'm ashamed of myself for betraying Alex like that."
Mrs. Carter's expression turned from worry to shock. "Oh, Sophie," she said, reaching out to take Olivia's hand. "I can't believe it. Who is this man? How long has it been going on?"
Olivia took a deep breath. "It doesn't matter who he is, mum," she said. "What matters is that I ended things with him. I love Alex, and I want to make our marriage work. I just needed to come clean about this."
''Does Alex know about it?''
''I'm not ready to tell him yet.'' She responded, absentmindedly. She had a lot of unanswered questions. A lot of things were not making sense to her
Alex arrived in time for dinner. Mr Carter had joined them too, and Alex tactically kept him busy with business talks.
As they finished their meal, Mrs. Carter expressed her gratitude for their visit and implored them to spend the night at the house. It was an unexpected challenge. Olivia was understandably apprehensive about the prospect of spending the night in the same room with Alex, especially given the tension between them. She also knew that not sharing a room could raise suspicions.
***
Olivia found herself in a room with Alex. He was sitting on the bed wearing his pajamas. She, on the other hand, remained perched on a nearby chair, considering the option of spending the night there instead.
She could feel Alex's eyes on her, his presence both comforting and intimidating at the same time. Their shared space felt too small, too confined, and her heart raced with a mix of anxiety and something else she couldn't quite name.
Alex's voice broke through the silence, gently urging her to join him, "Come to bed."
She glared at him, her anger bubbling just below the surface. Just because they were pretending to be husband and wife didn't give him any right to make such presumptuous requests.
Alex seemed to read her thoughts and realized that his previous request had come off as insensitive and disrespectful.
''I apologize for that.'' He said. ''That was unacceptable.''
She was taken aback by Alexander Westmore's apology. Surprised that he could admit fault and express remorse. Something had definitely changed in him.
He seemed like the stranger she loved sometimes and the familiar man she despised other times.
He stood up to his feet and approached her as if an unknown force propelled him forward. He got to where she sat and pulled her up to her feet. Olivia did not resist him.
He was smiling at her. The same way he had smiled at her that evening. He brushed a strand of hair away from her face and took in her beauty. ''There's no wine tonight.'' he said, playfully. ''Just you and I.''
Olivia swallowed hard. The way he was looking at her was sending so many shock waves around her body. His hands pulled her into his embrace and Olivia felt her heart stop. His eyes showed more than his lips could ever say.
"I'm crazily in love with you." He breathed his words out.
All the resistance Olivia had built against him came crashing. He took her lips in his, kissing her passionately as she moaned gently. She pulled him tightly against her, their body grinding against each other. His hands worked their way under her nightdress, pulling it over her head. He admired her naked body for a few seconds before he pulled off his shirt and found her lips again, kissing them till she was out of breath. He kissed her neck and worked his way down to her body which was warm and shuddered to the touch of his lips. A gasp escaped from her lips as he touched the sensitive parts of her body, fully possessing her.
Unsatisfied with the floor, he reached around her waist and pulled her off it, heading to the bed.
They were so consumed by their hunger for each other that the world around them was quickly forgotten, Olivia's gentle moans piercing into the quiet night.