Chereads / A Heart Like Hers / Chapter 2 - Chapter 2: A Web of Secrets

Chapter 2 - Chapter 2: A Web of Secrets

Alec's heart pounded as he stood in the small, dimly lit hallway of Maddy's apartment. The tension between them was palpable, the air thick with unsaid words. Maddy was still standing by the door, her fingers nervously toying with the edge of her sweater as she stared at him. He could feel the weight of her gaze, the unspoken question hanging between them—What aren't you telling me, Alec?

He swallowed hard. He had to find a way out of this.

"I know what you're thinking," Alec said, his voice hoarse as he tried to steady himself. He took a step closer to her, the warmth of her presence almost overwhelming after the cold uncertainty of their conversation.

Maddy didn't say anything. Instead, she looked at him, her expression unreadable.

"You don't need to worry about me," Alec continued, though he wasn't sure if he was trying to convince her or himself. "I'm just... here to get back on my feet. I've had a rough time."

Her lips pressed into a thin line, and he saw her hesitation. Maddy wasn't fooled, but she was trying to figure out just how far he was willing to go with the lies he had spun around them both.

"Why can't you just tell me the truth?" Maddy finally asked, her voice quieter now, but the hurt in it was undeniable. "What's so difficult about that?"

Alec felt a pang of guilt stab him. He had never wanted to hurt her, but every step he took deeper into this charade only made it harder to pull back.

The door to the apartment creaked, and the sound made both of them freeze. For a moment, the silence stretched, heavy and full of unspoken tension.

"Who's there?" Maddy called out, her voice tight.

Alec stepped instinctively in front of her, his protective instincts kicking in, though he knew the real danger was not outside the door—it was in the lie he had built. He had to make her see the truth, but he didn't know where to begin.

Before Maddy could respond, a faint voice called from the other side of the door. "Maddy? Is everything okay?"

Alec's blood ran cold. That voice—it was a man's. But not just any man. It was a voice he didn't recognize, but one that carried an authority that made the air in the room feel suddenly suffocating.

Maddy glanced at Alec, her brows furrowing in concern. She seemed torn, unsure whether to answer or to keep everything quiet for now. But the urgency in the stranger's voice left her no choice.

"Just a second," she called out, stepping away from Alec as she walked toward the door. Alec watched her, his thoughts racing. Who was this man? And why was he here?

Maddy opened the door a crack, just enough to peer out. "Can I help you?" she asked, trying to keep the nervousness out of her voice.

Alec couldn't hear the other person's reply, but Maddy's expression shifted to one of discomfort, her face paling slightly. She looked back at Alec over her shoulder, her eyes wide with something that might have been fear, or perhaps uncertainty.

Then, the man's voice rose, muffled but clear: "Maddy, I know you're hiding something. I need to talk to you. It's important."

Alec's mind spun. The man's words were enough to make the hairs on the back of his neck stand up. What was he talking about?

Before Alec could step forward, Maddy closed the door, her eyes meeting his, an unsettling tension settling in the room. She didn't say anything at first, but her silence spoke volumes.

"Who was that?" Alec asked, trying to sound casual, though his insides were anything but.

Maddy took a step back, a slight frown tugging at her lips. "That was someone I... know," she said carefully, avoiding his gaze. "It's nothing, really."

Alec wasn't convinced. He could sense the walls she was building between them, but he wasn't sure what she was hiding. The way she reacted to that voice—there was something she wasn't telling him.

"I don't like being kept in the dark, Maddy," Alec said, his voice lower than usual. "I've been honest with you... up to a point."

She glanced at him sharply, the tension between them crackling in the quiet space. "You think you've been honest?" Her words were sharp, but there was a hint of pain in her eyes. "You've been hiding things from me, Alec. I can feel it. And now, there's someone at the door, acting like they know something I don't."

Alec hesitated. His chest tightened as he felt the weight of her words. Could he tell her now? Could he risk revealing his identity, or was it too late? Would she even believe him?

"I'm not the man you think I am," Alec said, his voice barely above a whisper. He looked at her intently, hoping she would understand that there was more at play here than she could see. But as he spoke, Maddy's expression darkened, and she took a small step back, her arms folding tightly over her chest.

"I already know that," she said quietly, almost to herself. Her eyes met his, full of frustration. "But what I don't know is why you couldn't just tell me. Why you had to lie about who you really are. How am I supposed to trust you now?"

Alec opened his mouth to explain, but before he could, the knock came again—louder this time, more insistent.

"Maddy!" The voice from outside was urgent, tinged with an edge of authority. "We need to talk now."

Alec could hear the shift in Maddy's posture. The way her eyes flickered nervously toward the door told him she wasn't prepared for what came next.

"Maddy, you should let me handle this," Alec said, moving toward the door. But before he could reach it, Maddy stepped in front of him, blocking his way.

"No," she said firmly. "I need to deal with this myself."

Alec wanted to argue, but something in her tone stopped him. She was shutting him out again, and he wasn't sure why. Was it the lies? Or was it something more—something he couldn't see?

Maddy opened the door slowly, her face composed but her eyes betraying her nerves. The man outside stepped forward, and for the first time, Alec saw his face—sharp features, dark eyes, and a look that instantly made Alec feel like a stranger in his own skin.

"Is everything okay, Maddy?" the man asked, his voice cool but with a note of concern. Alec could feel the tension rising again. The stranger's presence was unsettling, as if he knew more than he was letting on.

"I'm fine," Maddy replied, but there was a hesitation in her voice. "Just... just trying to figure things out."

Alec stood still, watching the exchange, feeling more like an outsider than ever.

"Who is he, Maddy?" Alec asked, his voice sharper than he intended.

But Maddy didn't answer. Instead, she turned to the stranger. "We'll talk later," she said quickly, closing the door and locking it behind her.

Alec's pulse raced as the room filled with a heavy silence. What had just happened? Who was that man? And why had Maddy reacted so strongly to him?

Maddy stepped away from the door, her eyes never meeting his.

"I can't do this anymore, Alec," she whispered, her voice barely audible. "You've been lying to me. I don't know what to believe anymore."

Alec's heart sank. This was it. The moment he had feared. Maddy was pulling away, and he was losing her—slipping through his fingers like sand.

But then she looked at him, and for a fleeting moment, Alec saw something in her eyes that wasn't just disappointment. It was confusion... and maybe just a hint of something else.

"I'll be honest with you," Alec said, his voice filled with emotion. "I will, but... please, give me a little more time."

Maddy stood still for a long moment, her gaze lingering on him, before she finally nodded, though it wasn't with the conviction Alec had hoped for.

"I don't know if I can trust you again, Alec," she said quietly.

And then, just like that, she turned and walked away.