Chapter 15 Echoes of Deception
Maddie’s Pov
Alone in my room after the tour, I sank onto the four-poster bed, the silk duvet cool against my skin. The chamber was a study in luxury, high ceilings with intricate crown molding, walls papered in soft damask, and a floor to ceiling window, balcony overlooking the gardens we'd just traversed. But the opulence felt hollow, a gilded cage echoing with Ben's warnings and revelations. I replayed his words, dissecting them like clues in a puzzle I hadn't asked to solve.
The estate's vastness pressed in from all sides, even here. Through the French doors, I could see the sprawling lands, meadows alive with butterflies flitting among the flowers, the lake's surface now rippling under a strengthening breeze. The servants were invisible from this vantage, but I knew they were there, maintaining the illusion of effortless grandeur. My mind wandered back to the tour, Ben's voice droning on about family secrets, each detail a barb aimed at Alexander.
He'd been so insistent: the marriage to his mother four years ago, driven by Alexander's wealth and his penchant for older women who carried themselves with timeless grace. His mom, looking far younger than her years, had bridged any apparent gap, making the union seem natural to outsiders. But Ben painted it as mercenary, a transaction sealed in gold. Then the accident, a sudden, tragic end that left Alexander in full control. Ben's decision to maintain the stepfather-son facade was purely greedy, a leash on the fortune that kept him afloat.
And the board seat? That was the linchpin, the reason for our rushed contracted marriage. Alexander's promise had lured Ben into this fake marriage, with me as the unwitting, or rather, contractual pawn. Ben's hatred simmered beneath every word, his distrust a poison he hoped to inject into me. "He's staring at you too much," he'd said, as if Alexander's gaze was a threat rather than the spark that ignited something wild in me. "Stay away, he's dangerous, hiding things."
I laughed softly to myself, the sound muffled by the room's heavy drapes. If only Ben knew. Alexander had seen through the facade from the start,
"This marriage is as real as fool's gold, but what we have... that's fire." I'd kept that to myself during the tour, letting Ben believe his manipulations were working. Revealing the truth would unravel everything too soon.
Pacing to the window, I gazed out at the huge garden below, its paths now empty save for a lone servant watering the flowerbeds. The wedding site's gazebo stood as a mocking reminder, its structure elegant against the backdrop of natural beauty blooming azaleas, the stream's gentle murmur, the distant woods whispering secrets of their own. Ben's final words echoed: permission for discreet affairs, as long as they stayed hidden. "Can't risk the board or my stepfather knowing. Divorce in a year, clean break."
The hypocrisy burned. He'd bragged about his own indiscretions, that "long night with pretty girls," tossing it out like bait for jealousy. Little did he know my night had been longer, hotter, spent in Alexander's arms, our bodies entwined in a passion in a bridal suit meant for the newlyweds, that mocked the cold contract of our marriage. The soreness lingered, a delicious secret that made me smile despite the chaos.
Ben had retreated to bathe and rest, no doubt nursing his hangover in his opulent suite. I imagined him soaking in a claw-foot tub, plotting his next move in this game of inheritance and deceit. Meanwhile, I had my own plans. The estate's isolation offered opportunities, secluded spots by the water, hidden groves among the flowers, where stolen moments could unfold away from prying eyes. The thought of Alexander stealing a hot kiss there, made my inside tingle.
As midday approached, I changed into a light dress, the fabric whispering against my skin like a lover's touch. Venturing out alone, I explored the parts of the estate Ben had glossed over. The land's beauty was intoxicating: paths lined with blooming hedges leading to a hidden pavilion by the lake, where benches overlooked the water's serene expanse. Ducks paddled lazily, and the air hummed with the scent of jasmine climbing nearby trellises.
My thoughts drifted to Alexander. His car is parked in the driveway, he’s back home. Where was he now? In his study, perhaps, poring over documents, his mind is as sharp as his gaze. The tension from breakfast lingered, Ben's insinuations about scents and stares hanging like smoke. Did Ben suspect? Or was it just paranoia fueled by his hatred?
I wandered deeper, the mansion shrinking behind me as the natural world enveloped. The flowers, dahlias in fiery oranges, peonies in soft pinks, seemed to nod in approval, their petals unfurling under the sun. A small bridge arched over the stream, its wood weathered but sturdy, leading to a meadow where wildflowers danced freely, untamed by gardeners' hands.
Here, away from the house, I felt a flicker of freedom. But Ben's warnings gnawed at the edges, Alexander's secrets, the danger he posed. Yet, those very mysteries drew me in, a moth to flame. I knew the marriage was fake, a year-long pretense for Ben's ambitions. But what lies beyond? Divorce, yes, but with Alexander in the picture, nothing felt certain.
Returning as the afternoon waned, I passed a servant carrying firewood, her nod polite but distant. The mansion welcomed me back with its cool halls, but the tour's revelations weighed heavy. Ben wanted me to hate Alexander, to see him as the villain. Instead, it only heightened the thrill.
In my room once more, I lay down, the bed's embrace a poor substitute for what I craved. The estate's beauty masked deeper shadows, but I was ready to step into them.