Alec's blood ran cold as he stared at the door, the weight of the situation pressing down on him with a suffocating force. The woman from earlier was standing there, her cold smile still in place. But it wasn't just her anymore. The tall, imposing man standing beside her was the real threat—his dark eyes locked on Alec, as if daring him to make a move.
Maddy, still standing a few feet away, looked from Alec to the strangers at the door, her confusion growing by the second.
"Alec?" she asked, her voice shaking slightly. "Who are these people?"
Alec took a deep breath, his heart pounding in his chest as he turned to face her. The lies he had carefully crafted were beginning to crumble. Every word, every gesture, seemed to be unraveling before his eyes.
"Please, just... stay back," Alec said, his voice more tense than he intended. He turned to the woman at the door, trying to mask the panic creeping up inside him. "What do you want?"
The woman's gaze never wavered, her expression unreadable as she stepped into the room without waiting for an invitation. The man behind her followed, his presence so commanding that Alec felt his own strength falter. The woman's eyes flickered toward Maddy before returning to Alec, as though she were deciding how much to reveal.
"We need to talk," she said, her voice calm but cold. "And we need to do it now."
Alec's mind raced. His father? His business? Was this some sort of plan he didn't know about? Or was there something more sinister going on? He wasn't sure, but he could feel the weight of the woman's words pressing against him.
Maddy stepped forward cautiously, her brow furrowed in confusion and suspicion. "Alec, what's going on? Who are these people? Why are they here?"
Before Alec could respond, the woman turned her gaze to Maddy, her smile never fading. "We're here to help Alec. We're here to give him an opportunity. But the question is... are you willing to accept the truth?"
Maddy's eyes shifted back to Alec, searching his face for answers. Alec swallowed hard. He wanted to tell her everything, to be honest with her about who he was, but the timing—this wasn't how he had imagined it. Not like this.
"Alec…" Maddy's voice trembled. "What is she talking about?"
The man beside the woman spoke for the first time, his voice low and almost threatening. "The truth, Miss, is that Alec is not who he's told you he is. And your relationship with him? It's built on a lie."
Alec's heart skipped a beat. The man's words struck like a slap to the face. How does he know? Alec had kept his identity hidden, but clearly, there was more at play here than he understood.
"What do you mean, 'not who he says he is'?" Maddy asked, her voice sharp with growing frustration and confusion. She looked at Alec, her eyes filled with a mixture of hurt and betrayal. "Alec, what is going on?"
Alec clenched his fists, his knuckles white with tension. He didn't know how to explain this. How could he? He'd never intended for things to get this complicated. And now, standing here, facing these strangers—Maddy's confusion and anger—he realized he couldn't run anymore.
"I..." Alec started, but his voice faltered. "Maddy, I never wanted you to find out like this. I didn't want to hurt you. I—"
Maddy took a step back, her hands trembling at her sides. "No. I... I need to hear the truth. Now, Alec. All of it. Everything."
The woman smirked, clearly enjoying the drama unfolding before her. "She deserves to know, Alec. You've been lying to her for too long. And now, it's time to come clean."
Alec opened his mouth to speak, but the words refused to come out. How could he explain it all? The pressure from his father to marry someone 'suitable,' the fact that he had to hide his true identity to find someone who would love him for who he was, not for his wealth or status? His whole world had been a lie, and Maddy had fallen in love with a version of him that didn't even exist.
"Maddy, please," Alec said, finally finding his voice. "I didn't mean for this to go on so long. But I'm not... who you think I am."
Maddy's eyes widened, and she took a step back, her face slowly draining of color. "What are you saying, Alec? Who are you really?"
Alec swallowed hard, his throat dry, as he turned to face her fully. This was it. The moment he had been dreading. His life, his future with Maddy—everything—was hanging on these words. The woman's eyes bored into him, and Alec felt like a puppet being controlled by strings, but this was the only way forward. There was no turning back.
"I'm... I'm Alec Westbrook," he said, his voice barely above a whisper. "I'm the son of a billionaire. My father is the CEO of Westbrook Enterprises, one of the largest construction companies in the country. And he has... expectations for me. He wants me to marry someone from a wealthy family, someone trustworthy, someone who will uphold the family legacy. But I... I didn't want that life. I wanted someone who would love me for me, not for my name or my money. So I... I lied."
The room fell into a heavy silence. Maddy's face was a mask of shock and disbelief, her mouth slightly open as she processed what he had just said. Alec's heart was racing, and he couldn't bear to look at her, afraid of what he would see in her eyes.
"Maddy, I—"
Before Alec could finish, the woman interjected, her voice dripping with disdain. "You see, Alec? This is what happens when you try to build something on a lie. And now, it's all going to unravel. Your little game with Maddy? It's over. But I'm offering you a way out."
Alec turned sharply to her, his frustration boiling over. "I don't need your help," he snapped. "I've made enough of a mess without you getting involved."
The woman's smile widened. "Oh, but you do. You need it more than you think. And I'll make sure you get everything you want... on one condition."
Alec's pulse quickened. "What condition?"
She didn't answer right away. Instead, she glanced over at the man who had been silent up until now. He nodded, and the woman's smile turned even colder.
"You have to prove to me that you are who you say you are, Alec," she said, her eyes gleaming with something dangerously sharp. "You have to prove you're worthy of the life you claim to lead. And if you fail... then everything you've built will come crashing down."