Chapter 49

Zade

I watched as Alexa made her way out of the room and I just could not get over the way she acting.

It seemed too weird and out of line for Alexa to be like this. Saying foul words and putting someone down was not something Alexa would typically do.

And now she was saying all these about Cloris, things she didn’t even say the first time when I had changed her maid to Cloris, things she did not say when she had rejected her being her maid so why was she saying all these things today?

“This is quite suspicious,” I said to myself as I sat back on my chair.

I know I should not be thinking like this but I needed to confirm things and find out why she was acting like this ever since the night I saw her in the garden.

‘Or did someone enchant her? I doubt that’ I thought but immediately dismissed it.

I decided that I was going to call Cloris over and question her about all this or if she had noticed anything while she was with Alexa.

I turned back around and got back to work.

The sooner I finish the work on my table, the sooner I could get to questioning Cloris and finding out what’s wrong.

I sighed as I focused on the papers in front of me, skimming through it and noting down important things that needed to be addressed.

About an hour later when I was done with the papers in front of me, I sighed in relief as I got up and headed out of my office and down to the living room.

When I got to the living room, I looked around and saw that everywhere was empty so I decided to call on one of the guards.

“You there” I called out to one of the guard as I got to the entrance of the palace.

“Good evening your highness,” they all greeted in unison while bowing immediately they noticed my presence and heard my voice.

“Whatever,” I said. “You,” I called out again pointing to one of them and he moved towards me as he bowed slightly.

“Go to the maid quarters and call on Cloris for me and tell her to meet me in the living room,” I commanded him in a urgent tone and he got to it.

“Yes your majesty,” he said as he made his way into the palace and I followed behind him.

I got to the living room and sat in the chair as I waited patiently for both of them to come meet me.

“Good evening your majesty,” Cloris greeted as she got to my front and I nodded me head to acknowledge her.

The guard bowed once again as he walked away and went back to his post.

“Sit down,” I say to Cloris as she stood awkwardly in front of me probably worried I was going to punish her or something.

“There’s no need your highness, I’m fine like this,” she replied meekly and I could hear he voice shaking.

She was scared of me.

“I said sit, I didn’t ask,” I said to her in a time that left no room for argument and immediately she turned around and went to sit on the chair adjacent mine. “Good,” I said to her as she sat down gently on the edge of the chair fearing to get too comfortable.

“Alexa came to me and reported your insolence to me,” I said to her and I could see her body visibly tense up. “Care to share with me why you are acting out of line,” I questioned her curiously eager to hear her own side of the whole story.

“I’m sorry your highness,” she said to me, her voice meek and distant and it irked me.

“I didn’t ask you to apologize,” I replied her my tone strict and commanding. “I asked you to tell me what transpired between you both,” I said to her urging her to speak.

I saw as she started rolling her fingers around each other in nervousness, staring at everywhere but me before her gaze finally settled on the floor. I could see that she was contemplating whether to tell me what she thinks or she should just accept the blame.

“I am talking to you aren’t I?” I spoke up questioning her as I saw that she was not ready to talk.

“I’m sorry you highness but something is not right with Luna Alexa,” she let out and I stared at her in shock.

“What do you mean by that?” I questioned her awaiting her reply.

“Well, she looks different and she has been very rude and quite dismissive since last night that she got back from her walk in the garden,” she started saying. “Plus she was not talking to you because she was mad at you and also ignoring, sorry to say and now all of a sudden she is cool with you and is all over you?” She asked her voice inside but her countenance and expression showed me that she was sure of what she was saying.

“You didn’t apologize or anything and she is all smiles with you? I’m sorry your highness but that does not seem right,” she spoke up again letting me know of her thoughts. “And this morning, she called my name stupid. She also said I was stupid like my name and also slapped me, Luna Alexa has never done anything like that and she’s not one to be rude,” she said as she kept on talking and I kept mute while listening to her.

“Something is wrong somewhere your highness, that is not the same fun loving Luna Alexa that asks me to call her by her name and is free with me,” she finally let out and immediately became mute again like she was not the one that has been talking.

“Hmmn,” I said as I sighed heavily. “Are you sure of all your observations?” I asked her to make sure she was not just lying and saying these things to get herself out of trouble.

But then again, she would not dare lie to my face and I also noticed Alexa being weird so she was not lying.

“I would never dare lie to you, your highness, she said to me almost shaking on her seat.

“Alright then, you can go. I’d see to it,” I say to her dismissively and she hurriedly got up and walked out of the living room leaving me to my thoughts.

This was all weird, Alexa was acting out of character and I wondered what to do.

A thought popped up in my head and I decided to get into action.

I got up and went to the garden and picked out fresh flowers, her favorite type of flowers.

It was rare to find someone who liked these flowers and if it was really Alexa, I would find out from her reaction when I give the flowers to her.

After picking the flowers and snipping out the thorns, I headed back into the palace and went straight for Alexa’s room.

I didn’t bother going to my room to freshen up or rest after the busy day.

As I got to the front of her room, I noticed the door was opened a bit and I peeped into the room, from the little opening, I could see her laying in the bed messily and the room was scattered with clothes and her pillows were on the floor.

I was surprised because Alexa would never ever let her room get that messy and likes staying in a clean room.

I sighed as I raised my hand to the door and knocked on it and I placed the hands with the bouquet of flowers behind my back.

“Who’s there?” I heard her ask from the other side of the room with a bored tone.

“It’s me, Zade,” I answered and I could hear her shuffling to get up.

Before I knew it, she was now in front of me as she opened the door smiling at me and I returned the smile. She was dressed in a pajama top and pant I had never seen her in before and I wondered where that had come from.

I peeped over her shoulders and saw that the room was now clean and the bed was made.

‘Did I imagine her bed being messy?’ I asked as I tried to wrap my head around the situation.

“Hi my love,” she said greeting me happily as she urged me to come into the room. She was bouncing with joy and immediately I stepped into the room, she closed the door behind me and threw herself into me, wrapping her hands around me in a hug.

I returned the gesture as I wrapped my free hands around her.

“I promised to come see you when I’m done with work and here I am now,” I said to her while trying my best to keep a smile on my face. “I got you flowers,” I said as I brought my hand from behind my back and revealed the bouquet of flowers I was holding and pinged it at her.

She immediately moved away from me as she started sneezing profusely.

“Get. That. Thing. Away. From. Me,” she yelled at me between sneezes and I wondered why was wrong. Is she allergic?

“I. Am. Allergic. To. Tulips,” she said shin to me between sneezes as if she had read my mind and heard the question.

What??

Allergic to tulips? But they were her favorites.

This is not my Alexa, ‘who was this person?’ I asked myself still surprised.

“Please take them away,” she said all in one breathe and I hurriedly took the flowers out of the room before returning back to meet her.

“I’m so sorry, I didn’t know you were allergic to them. I wouldn’t have gotten them if I had known,” I say as I lied through my teeth. “Do I need to get you anything for it,” I questioned.

I needed to confirm more things to know of she was an imposter or not.

“It’s fine, I never really told you about my allergies and they are not that serious,” she replied me as she started breathing normally again and made her way to the bed to sit and I followed suit.

When I sat beside her in the bed, I pulled her closer to me and started running my hands through her hair and she moaned in satisfaction as her body melted against mine.

“Random question, what is your favorite color?” I asked her.

“Well my favorite color is green,” she replied me ecstatically and my hand froze in place.

Green?

But Alexa’s favorite color is gray.

Who was this in my arms?

“Okay my love,” I say to her through gritted teeth as I decided to confirm one last thing.

“We are going to see your brother tomorrow,” I let out and she moved away from my arms to look up at me.

“What?” She asked as her eyes met mine

“I’m so sorry I didn’t tell you earlier. I just wanted us to take a trip to release tension and spend more time together and your brother said he missed you,” I continued as I kept lying waiting for her reaction or her to say something about me mentioning a ‘brother’ she didn’t have.

“Oh Zade,” she cooed. “Thank you so much, I miss my brother too and I can’t wait to see him and spend time with you,” she said and that was all it took for me to push her away from my body with anger.

“What the hell Zade, why did you push me like that?” She questioned me angrily but I didn’t give a shit.

“Who the hell are you?” I growled at her as my anger increased gradually.

“What do you mean?” She asked me sounding oblivious. “I am Alexa, your Alexa,” she replied as she stood up and tried to touch me but I moved away.

“Don’t you dare touch me,” I yelled at her and she jumped back in fear.

“I don’t understand what is going on, what’s wrong?” She asked again feigning innocence.

The audacity of this person in front of me.

“Ever since that night I met you in the garden you have been acting weird and I wanted to confirm my suspicions and they were right,” I started saying, my voice deadly calm. “I. Light Alexa’s favorite flowers and you are allergic to it, I asked if your favorite color and it’s totally different from Alexa’s and the final straw was when I mentioned you having a brother and you were excited, Alexa does not have a brother,” I let out and I watched as her face turned blank at the realization that she had been caught.

“So I would be asking again, who the fuck are you?” I asked once again trying my best to keep my anger under control.

“I am Alexa, I don’t know what you mean,” she said as she opened her mouth trying to convince me.

The fact that she was still lying after she had been caught only added to my anger.

“Who the fuck are you and where is my Alexa?” I growled out at her as I moved closer to her and wrapped my hand around her neck.