Alec sat down across from the woman, trying to hide the unease that threatened to overwhelm him. The way she spoke, the cold certainty in her voice—it felt like she was already ten steps ahead of him. And for once, he wasn't sure he liked it.
He leaned forward, trying to keep his composure. "What exactly do you want from me?" he asked, his voice steady, though his mind was in turmoil.
The woman folded her hands neatly in her lap, her eyes never leaving his. "I want you to stop pretending, Alec. Stop hiding behind this... this fabricated life you've created. I want you to embrace who you really are, and in return, I'll make sure your future is secured."
Alec's brow furrowed. "Embrace who I am?" He laughed bitterly, though it was more a reflex than anything genuine. "You mean, I should just stop pretending and tell Maddy everything? Tell her I'm the son of a billionaire? That my father expects me to marry someone of his choosing?"
The woman didn't flinch. "Exactly. You've been lying to her for too long. It's time for the truth to come out. And once it does, I'll make sure your father accepts you for who you are."
Alec's chest tightened as he processed her words. Could he do that? Could he really risk it all—his relationship with Maddy, the life he had built—and tell her the truth? Or was it the only way forward?
He stood up abruptly, running a hand through his hair. "I'm not sure I can just... throw away everything I've worked for," he said quietly. "I never wanted any of this. I just wanted a chance at something real. Something that wasn't tied to my father's expectations."
The woman's expression softened, though there was still a calculating look in her eyes. "I understand your hesitance, Alec. But you don't have a choice. The clock is ticking. And the longer you wait, the more it will cost you. Maddy deserves the truth. And you deserve to stop running from who you really are."
Her words cut deeper than he expected. Maddy... the woman who had shown him kindness, the woman who had opened her heart to him without asking for anything in return. He couldn't lie to her forever. But the thought of losing everything—the life he had carefully built, the future he'd hoped to have with her—was terrifying.
"I... I need some time," Alec said, his voice barely above a whisper. "I'm not ready to make that decision yet."
The woman stood up, her heels clicking sharply on the hardwood floor as she moved closer to him. "Time is something you don't have, Alec. You're running out of it. And if you don't make a choice soon, you might not have the luxury of time."
Alec's breath caught in his throat. The finality in her voice was unmistakable. She wasn't offering him a choice—she was giving him an ultimatum.
He stepped back, shaking his head as he tried to make sense of everything. "I don't know who you are, or why you're doing this, but I won't be pressured into anything. I'll figure this out on my own."
The woman's lips curled into a smile, but there was no warmth in it. "Suit yourself. But don't say I didn't warn you. The truth has a way of finding its way to the surface. And when it does, there will be no turning back."
With that, she turned and walked toward the door, leaving Alec standing there in stunned silence.
As she left, Alec's mind was spinning. Who was she? What did she really want from him? And why was she so determined to force him to tell Maddy the truth?
The door clicked shut behind her, and Alec collapsed onto the couch, running his hands over his face in frustration. What am I supposed to do now?
He glanced toward the bedroom. Maddy hadn't come out since their last conversation. The space between them had grown thicker, more suffocating. He could feel the distance, the unspoken tension that hung like a heavy curtain in the room.
Alec knew he had to act fast. He couldn't let Maddy slip away, but he couldn't continue hiding from her forever. The truth was a double-edged sword. Once he told her who he really was, there would be no going back. No pretending. No safe spaces.
But would it be worth the risk? Was telling Maddy the truth worth losing everything? Alec didn't know.
Later that evening…
Maddy walked into the living room, her steps tentative, her face unreadable. She had been quiet all evening, and the silence between them was suffocating. Alec felt his chest tighten as he stood, unsure of how to approach her. How could he explain everything? Where could he even start?
"Maddy…" he began, but she raised a hand, cutting him off.
"I don't want to talk right now," she said softly, her voice steady but laced with pain. "I need time, Alec. I need to think about everything you've told me. And honestly, I need to think about whether I can keep doing this."
Her words hit him like a punch to the gut. She was pulling away.
Alec's mind raced as he tried to find the right words, the ones that could undo the damage he had caused. But nothing came. The truth—his truth—felt like a weight that could crush them both.
"I'm sorry," Alec said, his voice hoarse, the sincerity in his tone undeniable. "I never meant for you to find out like this. But I can't keep hiding from you. Not anymore. The truth… it's not just about us. It's bigger than that."
Maddy's eyes flickered with something between confusion and hurt. "What are you talking about, Alec?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper. "What truth?"
Alec stood frozen, his throat tight as he tried to form the words. But before he could speak, there was a knock at the door.
Both of them turned toward it. Alec's heart skipped a beat as a cold sense of dread washed over him. Who now?
Maddy frowned and moved toward the door, but Alec reached out to stop her. "No, don't. Let me handle this."
Maddy hesitated, but she stepped back, her eyes filled with uncertainty as Alec walked to the door.
When he opened it, his blood ran cold.
Standing there was the same woman who had visited earlier, but now, she wasn't alone.
Beside her stood another man—tall, imposing, with a look in his eyes that could freeze anyone in their tracks.