Chapter 7
889 Words
Alina's POV
When I woke up, the other side of the room was empty. The blanket Edrick used on the couch was still there, folded halfway like he left in a hurry. The morning light filtered through the curtains, painting the suite in soft gold. For a moment, it felt like peace until I remembered where I was. And who I was pretending to be.
I dragged myself up, went into the bathroom, and let the warm water run over my skin. It felt good. It felt too good for a woman living a lie. After showering, I dressed in one of the expensive silk robes in the suitcase. It's probably something Aria picked out.
Since we wouldn'tbe here for long, Edrick said there was no need unpacking.
A soft knock came, and before I could answer, a hotel staff wheeled in a breakfast tray. Pancakes, fruits, and freshly squeezed juice. The smell alone made my stomach growl.
“Good morning, Mrs. Vale,” the waiter smiled politely before leaving.
Mrs. Vale.
I will never get used to this title.
I probably shouldn't.
I sat down, picked up the silver fork, and took a bite of the pancakes. They melted on my tongue, buttery and sweet. For a brief second, I almost forgot the mess I was in. Almost.
Then it hit me like a slap. Aria.
I dropped the fork and grabbed my phone. It rang only once before she picked up.
“So, you finally remembered I exist,” her sharp tone cut through the line.
“Aria, don’t start.” I rolled my eyes.
“Oh, don’t start? You’re the one who went for my honeymoon, Alina. In my place! You couldn't cook up a lie and delay the trip? I would have made it!”
“I didn’t have a choice,” I said quietly. “Edrick didn't give me a chance to delay! What was I supposed to do? I wasn't sure you would even come, and I was scared he'd get suspicious.”
I was mad at her, but maybe she was right. Maybe i hadn't tried hard enough to stall the trip.
“Aria, I didn't have a choice.”
Her scoff was loud enough to sting. “You always have a choice, Alina.”
“Look Aria, it's not like I want to be here. It's suffocating pretending to be like you! And it's your fault, dont shift blames!”
“Yeah right, A whole month in the Vales private Island, I bet you hate it.” She scoffed.
I didn't want to argue further. I wasn't in the mood.
There was a pause. The kind that felt heavy, like the silence before thunder.
“Aria,” I said, my voice dropping, “did you really… trap him with a baby?”
The line went dead silent. I waited. Nothing.
Aria didn’t say a thing. Not yes, not no, but her silence was louder than any confession.
“I can’t believe you,” I whispered, my heart twisting. She really used pregnancy to marry a man? How low can she stoop. Even though she was an insufferable person, i hate how Edrick behaves towards her. Like she's nothing. No love, no empathy.
“Aria why? You actually—”
A sudden knock at the door made me jump. I glanced at the screen. She was still there, quiet.
“I have to go,” I said quickly and hung up. it was probably Edrick. Maybe he's back.
But when I opened the door, my heart stopped.
“Jason?”
He stood there, tall and calm, but his eyes… they were searching, like he was peeling me apart with just one look.
“Are you really Aria?” he asked. Straight to the point.
My throat went dry. For a second, I almost said no. I almost gave myself away.
“What kind of useless question is that?” I forced a laugh, stepping aside. “You’re in the wrong room, Jason.”
But he didn’t leave. He stepped in. His voice was low, steady. “Something’s off. I don’t know what it is, I'm confused, and it's killing me. But my instincts are never wrong. I know Aria. And I know Alina.” He took a deep breath. He looked drunk, but it was too early to be drunk. Right?
“I know you, Alina. You can deceive Mr Vale, but you can never hide from me. I know you.”
His words hit harder than I expected. My chest tightened. My nails dug into my palm.
“If you knew her so well,” I snapped, “then why did you cheat on her?”
The words tore out before I could stop them. My voice cracked halfway.
Jason froze. His lips parted, but no sound came out. His eyes widened, and I knew right then he suspected the truth.
Before either of us could speak again, the door swung open.
“Jason?”
Edrick’s voice. Sharp. Cold. Confused.
I turned around, my heart pounding so fast it hurt.
Edrick stood at the doorway, his eyes darting between Jason and me. His jaw tightened, and for a moment, nobody breathed.
I swallowed hard, forcing a calm I didn’t feel.
He looked straight at me.
“What’s going on here?”
- Writer
