Alexa's POV
After shopping for hours, forcing myself to plaster a smile on my face for those hours, we drive down to the restaurant.
We passed by the restaurant on our way from the hotel we were lodged in. The interior is beautiful. It has tall glass windows that overlook the ocean taking my breath away.
I've never been to a restaurant like this before and it amazes me to know how connected this family really is.
This type of restaurant would take months to get a reservation for paupers like me.
We both step into the restaurant as I try so hard not to glance around, reminding myself of my role as a sophisticated pretense bride.
One of the waiters appears with a smile tugged on his face as he greets us politely before leading us to a separate section upstairs.
It's a VIP section barely noticeable from the entrance.
We both settle down, sitting opposite each other.
At first, I was nervous but it has died down since she didn't say anything throughout our shopping. Surprisingly, I am still calm and not nervous as I stare at the woman in front of me going over the menu.
"What would you like to order, darling?" She questions, looking up to meet my gaze.
I flash her another one of my joyless smiles before responding. "I would have whatever you would."
She nods in satisfaction before telling the waiter to bring us the finest wine first and we would order our meals later.
Perhaps, she wants us to discuss it first before the meal.
"It's a nice restaurant", I mutter with a smile. She stares at me for a while before smiling back with a nod.
I just want us to get done with this so I can go back to the hotel.
The waiter appears back with a bottle of wine and two glasses on a tray which he places on the table separating us. He helped with opening the bottle and pouring a little portion of it into each of the glasses before leaving.
"I hope you aren't tired yet?" she asks.
Seeing this as an opportunity to get this done with, I reply immediately. "I'm exhausted already."
"I wanted us to have a lone time without the prying eyes of your husband", she chuckles and I am tempted to ask her why she doesn't want Xander to be here, even though I kind of know what this means. "How did you meet again?"
I furrow my brows.
That was the exact thing she asked last night before he came downstairs for dinner. What is she trying to do? Is she trying to collaborate my answer with yesterday's? Does this woman know what is between Xander and I isn't real? Why is she doing this?
I pick up the glass of wine, whirling it around my finger before taking a sip. "We talked about that already."
"I'm just curious…"
"We met at a party", I cut her short, feeling irritated but trying not to show it.
She purses her lips as she sips on the wine while I take a long swallow, the anxiety from earlier mixed with fear back.
Remembering Xander's words for me to remain calm, and composed, I try to calm my nerves and relax but it isn't working.
I never had a reason to pretend all my life. Having to do this is pretty difficult and I hope it won't affect the deal with Xander.
I just wish he was here. I wish I listened to him when he suggested coming with us. If only he was here, I wouldn't be this worked up. His presence would assure me and I won't have to answer every one of her questions.
Besides, I am sure she would be mindful of whatever she wants to say to me if he was here.
We continue to watch each other in silence until she clears her throat to break the moment of silence between us.
"Do you know about Daniella?" She demands, making me raise a brow and wondering if she is someone I am supposed to know.
Slowly, I shake my head. "Is she someone I am supposed to know?"
She nods. "I'm surprised you don't know her considering how long Xander claims you two have been together and how close you are."
Xander told her we have been together for a long time. How long? We didn't talk about that.
I shrug, not wanting to say the wrong thing. "Perhaps, he forgot to mention who she is."
After a while, I ask out of sheer curiosity. "Who is she?"
She looks up and smiles with satisfaction. "Xander's ex."
My eyes twitch and I murmur. "Oh!"
If Daniella is Xander's ex, then I have no business with her. Why is she asking if I know her then? Is this to make me jealous?
"Everything is confirmed now so there should be no more pretense between us", she states, leaning backward with her arms around her bosom.
Just then, two hefty men clad in all blacks appear, standing right behind her. One of them is holding an envelope while the other stands with his hands clasped behind me.
Suddenly, it dawns on me.
This restaurant is hers. And her question about me knowing Daniella was to get words out of my mouth.
Shit!
She takes the envelope from the man and tosses it towards me.
"I like you, Alex and I won't want you to fall into the wrong hands. Stop with the pretense. Sign that and get lost!"
The forever smile on her face has disappeared. Right now she is looking grim and dangerous. Like someone who could kill and it makes cold shivers run down my spine in fear.
My heart begins to beat twice its normal rate as I stare at her in confusion.
What does she mean by signing this and getting lost? Does she know about the agreement between Xander and I?
As if hearing my thoughts, she raises a brow in question. "You don't want to sign?"
A few seconds turn into a long minute as I stare, hoping Xander will appear and wishing for the ground to open up to swallow me.
The truth is out now. She knows.
Her plans worked. Ours didn't.
Perhaps, she must have seen something from the camera she installed in our rooms or it is just her instinct.
Or is it my acting? Is my acting that bad?
"Sign this now!" She slams her fist on the table, making me jerk upright in fright.
I don't know what this entails but I am not going to do her bidding. Xander has my word. At first, I thought he was the bad one but now I know who the bad one is.
She is obviously a bad person.
Wanting to keep up with the pretense, I pick up the envelope with shaky hands, opening the seal to bring out the document before dropping my left hand on my lap to tap on my phone.
I want to alert Xander.
We never knew it would get to this. I'm sure he didn't expect she would want to coerce me into anything but he saved his number on my phone just this morning so I could call him if anything came up.
I close my eyes, hoping she won't notice.
Finally, I open the first page of the document to see if it is a contract. With my left hand, I type the X word on the search button, hoping Xander will pop up but from my peripheral view, there is nothing with X.
Didn't he save it as Xander?
Wanting to buy more time, I gaze up and ask. "What is this?"
What the hell did that jerk save his number with on my phone? Sweetheart? Husband? Honey? Darling? Love?
Shit!
She smirks mischievously. "What does it look like?"
"I'm asking because I don't understand…"
"Cut the crap!" She yells, interrupting me. "I'm sure you are literate so read the content and sign it!"
I gulp down nervously before looking down like she requested of me. I type the H word on the search button and Hubby pops up.
Jerk! I mutter inwardly before tapping on it to call.
With my focus on the document, I finally realized what this is about.
She knows. She knows this is a sham. She knows I am not his wife. How much she knows is what I don't just know.
Before me is a contract of an annulment between Xander and I. She wants me to sign an agreement to leave after getting paid the sum of $20 million.
I look up to meet her intense gaze, then she smiles with confidence.
Shaking my head, I say. "I can't do this. Xander and I love each other and I …"
Deep laughter erupts from her. "Love? Xander doesn't do love. I knew from the very first moment we met that you were fake. Besides, Xander wouldn't even spare any other lady a glance aside from Daniella. Mentioning the inheritance and the condition for claiming it which is marriage made him bring you into the picture suddenly. I know it all. Contract marriage is the trend these days, isn't it?"
"No", I reply sharply. "I am not into a contract marriage with Xander. We truly love each other. I am not a gold digger like you are thinking so I can't sign this."
She doesn't say anything so I take it as a cue to leave.
With the loud thumping of my heart, I rise with my phone in between my palms. I don't even know if Xander picked up the call or not. If he did, he must have heard our conversation. The only problem now is that he might not know where we are and I don't think my phone location is trackable.
"Make her sit", she orders the two men who swing into action immediately by holding me back down, making my phone drop to the floor.
With their firm hold on me, the finger of the first man digging into my skin, she commands again with a high-pitched voice. "Sign this willingly or I will make you sign it forcefully."
Her gaze holds nothing but pure hatred. My body trembles against the men's hold.
Should I just sign it? If I do and still go against her wish, does it have any legal consequences?
Before I can figure out what to do, one of the men grabs my hand, dropping the pen in between before forcing my hand on the signature part for me to sign.
I struggle with them until Xander's mom slaps me across the face.
I stop struggling.
The same man holds my hand again and places the pen on the part to sign when a loud voice stops him, causing Xander's mom to jump up suddenly.
"Let go of her this instant or you will have yourself to blame!" The loud familiar voice growls out and relief washes through me as soon as they let me go.
I lift my head to stare at the woman before me who is boiling in rage.
Then I smile.