Alexei walked forward, standing right beside Aurelia as if marking his territory. "Gideon, What are you doing here?"
Gideon, noticing Alexei's angry look, understood that the engagement had not made Alexei as happy as it was intended to. Raising his hands in mock surrender, he said, "Calm down, brother. I just came here to keep this lovely woman company. A beauty like her shouldn't be all alone out here." He smirked, winking at Aurelia.
Alexei's fist clenched, his face reddening. "This woman is my maid, Gideon. And I don't ever want to see you around her. She's not on your level." He snapped.
Gideon and Aurelia's eyes widened simultaneously, one out of sheer surprise and the other out of disbelief. What does he mean by that? Not on their level? Aurelia wondered. Couldn't he use a more subtle way to say it?
She glared at the back of his head, fisting her hands in her skirt as she thought of ways to repay his harsh words.
Gideon, noticing the tension, decided to retreat. Raising his hands in surrender, he said, "I'm sorry, brother, I didn't know she was your plaything. I'll let you guys be for now. But, if you ever get tired of her, send her to me."
Alexei wasted no time. He lifted his hand and rammed his fist into Gideon's face. Gideon staggered backward, barely keeping himself from falling to the ground. Aurelia shot up with a shriek and began running towards him.
But Alexei's hands wrapped around her waist as he whispered, "Let him be, darling. He shouldn't have insulted my wife." But she shrugged him off, taking a few steps back to create distance between them.
Seeing this, Alexei's eyes darkened, and his jaw clenched. "Leave," he said, his voice stoic.
"Gideon. Leave!" he roared, impatience slipping in.
Gideon raised his hands in mock surrender, flashing a smirk before turning to Aurelia. "See you around, Aurelia." With one last glance at Alexei, he walked off, disappearing into the mansion.
The moment Gideon was gone, Alexei turned to Aurelia, his eyes blazing with anger. "What the hell were you doing with him?" His voice was sharp, his frustration clear.
Aurelia swallowed hard, her heart racing. "I wasn't doing anything. He came up to me."
"That's not the point. You shouldn't be talking to him. Do you know what kind of questions he'll start asking? Do you have any idea how dangerous it is?"
Aurelia stood her ground, refusing to back down. "I wasn't exactly given a choice, Alexei. He cornered me. I was trying to leave."
Alexei only got angrier. "You shouldn't even be near him."
Her frustration boiled over. "You have no right to be angry!" she shot back, her voice rising. "If anyone should be angry, it's me!"
Alexei blinked, caught off guard by her change in demeanor. "What are you talking about? Why would you be angry, baby?"
"Because of you!" Aurelia's voice trembled. "You're the one who's supposed to be getting married soon, aren't you?"
A look of realization crossed Alexei's face, and for a moment, his expression softened. "I'm not going to marry her."
"Of course, you're not going to marry her," Aurelia spat, her heart twisting in her chest. "But do you have any idea what your family will think if they find out the reason you're rejecting the rich heiress is because of me?"
"I don't care," Alexei said, his voice firm.
Aurelia laughed bitterly, her hands shaking as she crossed her arms over her chest. "You should care. Because they'll never accept me. They'll do whatever it takes to get rid of me, and you know that."
"They don't have a choice," Alexei said, stepping closer, his jaw clenched. "I made my decision the day we married."
Aurelia shook her head, stepping back, tears burning behind her eyes. "That's easy for you to say. You're their son, their heir. But me? I'm a maid, Alexei. They'll see me as nothing more than an obstacle."
Alexei's voice softened just slightly, but the anger still lingered beneath the surface. "You're more than that, Aurelia. You know that."
Aurelia looked away, the tears finally flowing freely. "If we had told them the truth from the start, before my mother did what she did, maybe things would have been different. Maybe your family wouldn't be planning a wedding for you."
"You're blaming this on me? You're the one who didn't want to tell anyone," Alexei retorted, his voice sharp.
"Because I know what your family is capable of! If they knew about us, they would find a way to get rid of me, and you know it. But maybe five years ago when we started dating, if we had just been open about it, then perhaps all this would have been avoided."
Alexei ran a hand through his hair, pacing up and down. "You're right, baby, and I'm sorry. I was a coward back then. Now my family is trying to push me into a marriage I never wanted."
"Why would your grandfather do this? I thought he approved of our relationship?" Aurelia finally asked the question that had been running through her mind.
"I'm as confused as you are, darling. He told me to follow my heart when he found out I had feelings for you. Even though he's not aware we're married, I don't know why he's doing this." Alexei replied, his brow furrowed.
Before Aurelia could respond, a voice rang out from the other side of the garden.
"Alex!"
Aurelia's heart skipped a beat. Camille. She turned around, spotting Camille walking toward them, a bright smile on her face. Without thinking, Aurelia jumped behind one of the large trees nearby, pressing herself against it, her breath coming in gasps. She could hear Camille's footsteps approaching.
"Alex," Camille called out again, her tone laced with curiosity. "Were you with someone? I thought I saw someone just now."
Aurelia froze. Please don't look here. Please don't see me.
Alexei's expression was neutral. "No. I was alone."
Camille's eyes narrowed slightly, glancing around the garden. "Are you sure? I could have sworn..."
Alexei's tone was calm, controlled. "Of course. Who would I be with out here?"
Camille didn't look convinced. She took a few more steps, her gaze sweeping across the trees, her eyes lingering just a little too long where Aurelia was hiding.
Aurelia's heart raced as she pressed herself harder against the tree. She could feel Camille's intense gaze on the tree. Her breath hitched in her throat as she bent lower behind the tree, her hands trembling.
Finally, after what felt like an eternity, Camille turned back to Alexei, though she still didn't look entirely convinced.
"Guess what?" Camille asked, her face beaming as she stood beside Alexei, her smile returning.
Alexei raised a brow, clearly not impressed by her presence. "What?"
"I'm moving in!"
Alexei's body stiffened, his eyes widened. "You're what?"
"You heard me," Camille laughed, nudging him playfully. "Mother thinks it's a wonderful idea. We'll be seeing a lot more of each other before the wedding."
The word "wedding" hung in the air, like a knife twisting into Aurelia's chest. No. This can't be happening. She watched from her hiding place, heart breaking with every word.
Camille continued to chuckle and chat excitedly, oblivious to the pain she was causing. "It's going to be perfect. No more distance between us. We'll get to spend so much time together, like we've always wanted." She laughed lightly, her perfectly manicured hands clinging onto Alexei's biceps.
Alexei felt lost. He had never been interested in Camille in such a way. She was enticingly beautiful, yes, but just not for him. His family had probably mistaken his friendliness for attraction. He had to stop this.
Camille suddenly beamed brighter, jumping slightly. "I almost forgot the most important part..." She trailed, making Alexei raise an eyebrow. What could be more important than all she had already said?
"The wedding is in a month!!!"
Aurelia and Alexei's eyes widened. No. This couldn't be. They had barely a month to set things straight. They had to act fast. Although the question still lingered at the back of their minds: What are we going to do?