Twisted Ties

Ch. 4 - WAIT AND SEE

KURT

"Abigail is a good person, mother," I said, my tone firm but patient as I settled on my chair in my office.

It had been a month since Abigail's death, and this was the first time my mother had called. I expected concern, maybe a hint of apology to come the moment I picked up her call; instead, her venomous words poured through the line and perforated my eardrums. However, I was the only one who knew Abigail was dead.

“Good person?” My mother's laughter was laced with venom. "That woman is a manipulator, Kurt. She's using you and our family's name and wealth. Can't you see that?”

I closed my eyes, weary of this old argument we had all the time. “You don't know her, mother. She loves me, and you know damn well that she does.”

“Love?” She scoffed and went on. “Well, I can say she does adore you, but Kurt, she doesn't love you. No woman would do what she did for you, no woman.”

“She doesn't love me, yet she forgave me for my mistake a year ago. That speaks volume about her character. The least you could do was call and ask about her!

"

“No woman forgives a man for cheating!” my mother exclaimed and went on. "You cheated on her, Kurt, and the fact that she is still in your house is worrisome. What if her hurt and anger boil into something so destructive, and she kills you? What happens then?”

I bit back my resort, eyes tight shut. The painful memory of Abigail’s discovery lingered. She had found me in bed with another woman on our matrimonial bed. I had been driven by her past betrayals.

She cheated too, but no one knew this except me. And honestly, I wasn't planning to tell a soul. It was the secret between Abigail and me.

My marriage to Abigail was complicated. I could kill her, and she could kill me. Alexia wasn't wrong when she said she didn't trust me. If I were to warn Alexia about anyone, I'd start with myself, followed by my own family—my mother, sister, and the rest.

"Mother," I said, my voice firm and ready to dismiss her. "Abigail is my wife. The woman I love. Whether you like her or not, I do not care. Have a nice day.”

I dropped my phone and cursed. This wasn't what I envisioned. This wasn't how I wanted things to turn out to be, but being with Abigail, I knew it was risky to have her as a wife.

A knock on my door disrupted my thoughts, and I asked the person to enter. It was my personal assistant.

The young Italian man kept his face straight as he spoke to me. “Your visitor is here, sir.”

I nodded and asked him to leave. The visitor was actually Alexia. Today, Derek called me and told me Alexia had to make a post to Abigail's fans that she wasn't dead. A month was enough for Abigail to recover. The investigation will start properly today.

I was going to take Alexia out for a proper makeover. It wouldn't be easy, but I hope it was worth it.

After about an hour into the shopping, I watched Alexia pick up some clothes that had nothing to write home about. I immediately noticed the difference between her and Abigail. My wife's taste had always leaned towards exquisite dresses and fascinating jewelry, whereas Alexia just chose simplicity.

She was different from Abigail. Their mannerisms, voice, behavior, and even faces looked different. Yes, they were identical, but to me, I can clearly see that Abigail was nothing like Alexia.

Abigail was like a sunrise—gentle, warm, and soft. Alexia was dazzling, dramatic, and impossible to ignore with the way she glanced at me.

For some crazy reasons, I wanted more of Alexia's company than Abigail.

“Try this,” I suggested, holding up a sleek designer dress.

“I don't want it.” She said, her eyes darting at the price tag. “I can't afford it.”

I smiled, recognizing the hesitation. “I'll pay for it.”

Alexia gave me a curt look and placed the dress back on the rack. “I am here to buy myself some clothes wearing this hoodie, so people won't see me. You wanted to tag along to keep me safe, so do that, Mr. Howard, and don't make people get the wrong impression about us. I need to make my hair look like Abigail's.”

She said and walked away, leaving me wondering what I had done wrong. I knew she didn't trust me, and I knew it would be hard to do that. It's been about three weeks since she agreed to act like Abigail, and today we would be meeting Derek to tell us the first line of action.

Alexia was attended to in the saloon, and a few minutes later, she came out with dark, short, curly hair. It was at that point she looked like Abigail.

We went back home and when Derek saw her, he was astonished. The only thing that made Abigail and Alexia different was the color of their eyes.

“You two look so identical,” Derek said, clearly amused.

Alexia smiled; it was a kind of smile that didn't reach her eyes. “I appreciate that.”

Derek smiled too and handed Alexia Abigail's phone. “Here is the plan,” he began. I unlocked the phone and found a way to access Abigail's most-used social media page. The first step is to reassure Abigail's fans that she's alive. She is an influencer, and we need to make sure people know she's not dead.”

Alexia nodded, her brow furrowed. "What do I need to do now?”

“Make a live video,” Derek instructed, “that is convincing enough. Tell them Abigail got involved in a bomb blast, but she wasn't in the car when it went off. Keep it a brief, reassuring video.”

As Derek outlined the plan, I couldn't help but think about Alexia's ability to do this. Was she really ready for this? She looked like she could use some motivation, but I knew she wouldn't want any from me.

Derek gave her a sheet of paper. “This is Abigail's new login information. Just login and do what is necessary.”

Alexia scanned the page, her eyes widening. “You've been busy.”

Derek's smile was fleeting. "We need to move fast; also, you have your life to return to. We need to ensure you get your life back on track.” He explained and turned to me, “Are you cool with this, Kurt?”

I was about to say something when Alexia cut in. “He doesn't have a choice.”

"Ready?" Derek asked Alexia. “Be natural. I've watched her videos, and it's all natural. Give it your best. It's only for about three minutes.”

Alexia took a deep breath. "Okay, I'm ready.”

Derek helped her set the phone on the tripod, and with a nod, she began.

"Hello, everyone…” She started with the introduction and went on. “I know there's been speculation about my disappearance and the fact that my husband made it public that I was in a bomb blast."

Her voice trembled, and she looked at me. I gave her a reassuring smile before she continued.

"I'm here to reassure you—I am alive. Indeed, the bomb went off, and it hit me, but here I am. I appreciate your love and support during this difficult time. I am back fully, and I won't leave.”

As Alexia spoke, I couldn't help but wonder what lay ahead. The messages poured in; most of them were wishes for Abigail's fast recovery, and others talked about how they found the ‘new’ Abigail more alluring.

I was also watching the live video, and I knew this was one step out of several ones we would take. The journey had a long way to go. I was skeptical about this whole thing; I was scared of Alexia's life.

What would this video do? Would this video calm the storm or fuel it? And apart from that, something kept telling me all this could be from Abigail's lover, the one she cheated on me with. The same person I had seen, talked to, and whose presence still haunted my marriage.