Love Rekindled

Chapter 3: A Bold Pretense

As the day wore on, Roxxane couldn't shake the feeling that her peaceful Alpine adventure had taken an unexpected and dangerous turn. Alex, the mysterious man she had taken in, had finally shared more details about the predicament he had found himself in.

"I owe you an explanation," Alex began, his eyes filled with a mix of gratitude and guilt. "Elena, the woman I was on a date with last night, is married to a powerful and vengeful man. When I left her, she called her husband, and he's determined to make me pay for it."

Roxxane nodded, her mind racing with the gravity of the situation. "So, the police are looking for you because of this?"

Alex grimaced. "Yes, and her husband has connections. I don't stand a chance if they find me."

Roxxane weighed her options carefully. She was far from home, in a foreign country, and had no experience dealing with the kind of trouble Alex had brought to her doorstep. But she couldn't ignore the desperation in his eyes. She had to do something.

A loud bang on her door awakened Roxxane from her thought's.

"Mademoiselle, I am a police officer. Please open the door at once. This is for your own protection."

She approached the door but hesitated to open it immediately. Something held her back, and she couldn't quite understand what it was. Instead, she asked, "What is the matter?" The police officer replied, "A criminal, mademoiselle. He had been detected in a room around here but managed to escape. Please open."

She realized that the situation was even more serious than she had expected. The police are now involved in the incident. Was the man really a criminal? After all, engaging in a relationship with a married woman could be considered a crime. Should she open the door and surrender the man? Or should she hide him? If he was indeed a criminal, that would be harboring a criminal, and she would be an accomplice to a crime. She didn't know this man well enough to risk her safety for him. In truth, she disliked handsome men who were fond of seducing women, especially those who were married.

On the other hand, what if he wasn't really like that? Would she gain anything by surrendering him? "Open the door," the man whispered to her. She flinched and looked at him. "What?" She was taken aback when she realized that their faces were only inches apart.

THE man's face was so close to Roxxane's. She hadn't even felt him getting closer. She suddenly became physically aware of him. He was actually taller up close. Standing at five foot four, she was never intimidated by anyone's height. But this man was intimidating and larger than life. She wanted her knees to tremble and give way. For a few moments, she forgot what they were talking about.

"If you don't open it, they will suspect that I'm inside. So you should just stay calm and pretend to be innocent," the man instructed her.

Her face heated up at the implication he was making. "How dare you! I am innocent!"

"That's why you should open it," he urged.

"And let them see you? Let them recognize you as that woman's husband?"

Did this man have a death wish? She wanted to protect him to prevent his brain from exploding, but he wanted to endanger himself.

He shook his head. "He won't recognize me. He hasn't seen me. I escaped while he was still in the anteroom of the suite."

She gave him a sarcastic smile. Very convenient. Her concern for him turned out to be pointless.

"Mademoiselle!" the police called again.

"He's obviously in there. Beat the door down," another male voice said.

Following that were thuds on her door. Why did she get caught up in this big mess? In her anger, she opened the door. And just as she opened it, a man rushed in, as if he was about to break down the door. She was caught off guard by his attack. It was too late for her to dodge his large body. Fortunately, the man she was with in the room managed to hold onto her, preventing her from crashing into the wall. However, she still ended up sitting on the carpeted floor.

"Murderer!" the man shouted, full of accusation towards the one who hurt her, and quickly approached. "My love, has he hurt you?" he asked with so much gentleness that it caught her off guard.

He called her "My love." Was she hallucinating, or was this man really showing affection towards her? "I am not sure," she said faintly. "Help me up." Her world was spinning. She heard and saw all sorts of things.

He lifted her gently and carefully carried her to the bed. She didn't need to be carried because she could walk, but it didn't end there. He sat beside her and held her hand.

"Get out, the two of you get out!" he angrily ordered the two men who were following behind him. "Look what you've done."

With partially open eyes, she observed the two men. One was wearing a police uniform, and the other was dressed formally, presumably the woman's husband. It seemed like her madness had taken over, and she pointed at the man who, in her opinion, seemed unwilling to let go of life. "You, why did you attack me?" she asked in a trembling voice.

"I didn't, I didn't," he squeaked. "I was seeking the man who was with my wife. I thought he was he--"

"Oh!" she groaned, covering her face. She immediately turned to the stranger beside her and allowed him to envelop her in his arms.

"Leave you two, before I file charges against you for what you did to my fiancée," he threatened the two. The police officer kept apologizing profusely, but fell silent upon seeing the sharp gaze of the stranger. With just a nod from him, the police quickly retreated towards the door, pulling the furious husband of the woman along with him.

"They have finally left," the person whispered to her. She breathed a sigh of relief. It's a good thing her acting was effective. She lifted her head and caught a mischievous glint in his eyes.

As the day turned into evening, they received an unexpected visitor—a neighbor from a few chalets down the lane. The neighbor, a friendly woman named Margot, had come to welcome the new "couple" to the village.

Roxxane and Alex exchanged nervous glances as Margot chatted away, asking about their backgrounds and how they had met. Roxxane did her best to answer smoothly, sticking to the fabricated story they had created.

"We're on a romantic getaway," she explained with a charming smile. "We met through a mutual friend and instantly clicked. It's been like a dream being here in the Alps together."

Margot seemed delighted by their story and extended an invitation to a local village gathering the following evening. "It's a great way to meet the other couples in the area. You'll love it!"

Roxxane accepted graciously, inwardly panicking at the prospect of their ruse being put to the test so soon. Once Margot left, she turned to Alex, her expression worried.

"That was close," she whispered. "We have to be careful, and we can't let our guard down."

Alex nodded in agreement, his eyes filled with gratitude. "Thank you for doing this, Roxxane. I know it's a lot to ask."

Roxxane placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder. "We're in this together, remember? We'll make it through."

The days passed, and Roxxane and Alex continued to play their parts as the loving couple. They attended the village gathering, where Roxxane's acting skills were put to the test as she spun tales about their fictitious courtship. They danced together, their hands intertwined, all the while acutely aware of the danger that lurked in the shadows.

As they returned to their chalet that night, Roxxane couldn't help but feel a growing sense of unease. The web of lies they had woven around them was becoming increasingly complex, and with each passing day, the risk of discovery grew.

But Roxxane was determined. She had embarked on this adventure seeking excitement, and while she hadn't expected it to take this particular turn, she couldn't abandon Alex now. Their fate was entwined, and they would have to navigate the treacherous path ahead together, no matter how bold their pretense had become.