Alec sat motionless on the couch, the weight of Maddy's words lingering in the air like a storm waiting to break. She needs space.
It felt like everything he had worked for, everything he had tried to build, was slipping through his fingers. Maddy was pulling away, and he didn't know how to stop it. The harsh reality of what had happened—the lies, the secrecy—hung over him like a dark cloud.
He ran a hand through his hair, trying to clear his thoughts. But there was no escaping it. No avoiding the mess he had created.
As the minutes ticked by, Alec stared at the door leading to the bedroom, where Maddy had disappeared. His chest tightened with every passing second. He had to fix this. He had to make her understand, to make her see the real him, the man he desperately wanted her to believe he was.
But the truth was complicated, far more complicated than he could explain in a few words. And the more he thought about it, the more he realized that the truth might just destroy everything.
A knock at the door jolted him from his thoughts, and for a moment, he sat frozen. He wasn't expecting anyone.
Who could it be now?
His heart raced as he stood up, the tension in his muscles tightening. Slowly, he walked toward the door, his hand hesitating on the handle. A sense of foreboding washed over him, as if the universe was conspiring to bring all of his secrets crashing down.
He opened the door to find a woman standing on the other side—tall, with striking features and an air of confidence that radiated from her. She was dressed in a sleek business suit, her heels clicking softly on the floor as she stood in front of him, waiting.
Alec's pulse quickened. He didn't recognize her, but there was something familiar about her, something in the way she carried herself that made him uneasy.
"Can I help you?" Alec asked, forcing the words out as his mind raced to make sense of the situation.
The woman didn't immediately respond. Instead, she stepped forward, her eyes scanning him with a calculating look.
"I'm looking for Alec Westbrook," she said, her voice smooth and deliberate. "You're Alec Westbrook, aren't you?"
The use of his full name sent a shiver down his spine. How does she know who I am?
"I am," Alec said cautiously, his instincts on high alert. "And you are?"
The woman smiled, though it didn't reach her eyes. "Let's just say I've been keeping an eye on you for a while now, Alec."
His heart skipped a beat. Another person who knew him for who he really was. Another threat.
"Why are you here?" Alec asked, his voice steady despite the unease settling deep in his chest.
"I have a proposition for you," the woman replied, stepping closer. "But first, I think it's time we get a few things straight."
Alec's mind raced. A proposition? From someone he didn't even know? He didn't trust this woman, but there was something in her words that made him hesitate.
He nodded, motioning for her to enter. "Fine. But you'll have to explain yourself."
The woman walked past him, glancing around the apartment with an appraising look before turning her attention back to Alec. She seemed unfazed, as if she had all the time in the world.
"I know about your little game, Alec," she said, her eyes narrowing slightly. "The lies you've been telling Maddy. The façade you've built."
Alec's stomach tightened. He didn't know how to respond. He had kept his identity a secret for so long, but now it seemed like everyone around him was starting to piece it together.
"You think you've been clever, don't you?" she continued, her tone laced with something like amusement. "But the truth has a way of coming out, Alec. And when it does, there won't be any hiding from it."
He swallowed hard, the weight of her words sinking in. "What do you want from me?"
The woman smiled again, a smile that felt cold and calculated. "I'm here to offer you a way out. A way to avoid the mess you've created. But you'll have to work with me."
Alec's mind raced. He didn't know who this woman was, but there was something dangerous about her—something that suggested she wasn't here to make friends. She had an agenda, and it didn't look like it involved him or Maddy coming out unscathed.
"I'm listening," Alec said cautiously, though every fiber of his being screamed at him to run.
The woman took a seat on the couch, crossing her legs elegantly as she looked at him with a cool expression. "I know about your father's plans. I know he's been grooming you to take over the family business. I also know that he's made it clear that he expects you to marry someone suitable—someone trustworthy. But the problem with that, Alec, is that your little act has already jeopardized your future."
Alec's heart skipped a beat. His father? Was she referring to the pressure his father had put on him to marry a specific type of woman?
"I don't know what you're talking about," Alec said, though it sounded hollow even to him.
The woman raised an eyebrow, as if she was amused by his attempt to deny the obvious. "Oh, come on. We both know the truth. Your father will never accept you for who you are. And if you keep playing this charade with Maddy, everything will fall apart. You'll lose it all—the company, the money, the power."
Alec's chest tightened. He didn't want to believe her, but something about the way she spoke made it hard to ignore the possibility that she might be right.
"I didn't ask for any of this," he muttered, running a hand through his hair in frustration. "I just wanted to find something real. Something... something that wasn't tied to my family's expectations."
The woman studied him carefully, her gaze sharp and piercing. "Well, now you have a choice. You can keep playing the game, hoping that everything will work out with Maddy, or you can accept my offer and make sure your future is secure."
Alec felt his stomach churn. He was standing at a crossroads, and the decision in front of him felt impossible. He didn't know if he could trust this woman—or if he could even trust himself anymore.
"What's your offer?" Alec asked, his voice low, almost defeated.
The woman's smile widened, but there was no warmth in it. "You help me, and I'll help you. We can both get what we want, Alec. But if you refuse, the consequences won't be pleasant. Not for you, and certainly not for Maddy."