Chapter 29

“OH, MY gosh, Casey! Is he the Montefort Winery’s CEO?” Sara asked Casey excitedly as soon as they got near the stage and saw Alexander’s tarpaulin on the center. “He’s a handsome hottie!” she added and let out a low squeal. “If I knew that you’re going to pretend as his wife, I should have taken your place beforehand.”

Casey frowned at her junior editor. “I can’t believe I hear it from you,” she said and nudged her shoulders. “We’re here to do the covers and not to act as fangirls.”

Art cleared his throat. He was standing behind them and looking sideways, acting as Casey’s bodyguard. “I can’t believe too that I’ll be doing this, Casey. We took a twelve-hour trip just to be in this event because you’re afraid to ride a plane. I feel like throwing up!”

“I feel you, Art. I wish we have enough time to take a rest and let our motion sickness pass before we do this untold plan of Casey,” Sara agreed and leaned on Art’s shoulders. “But, I can’t wait to see Alexander,” she said as she looked around the event place. “The beach looked so calming, though. And, look at those people swimming around the stage with champagne glasses, they look hungry for wines.”

“Montefort will be launching their newest wine label,” Casey informed. She looked at her colleagues, who looked sick as hell and rolled her eyes heavenwards. “You know what? It wasn’t my fault if I developed a temporary phobia because of the accident—” She paused then thought about Billie. “If I developed a phobia on planes, then it’s possible that Billie has it too…”

“No doubt,” Art said. “She’s just a kid. And kids tend to have a lifetime phobia on the things that gave them horrible experiences as a child.”

She thought about Alexander and his fear of the ocean. The man developed Thalassophobia when the boat that he’s riding on a beach sunk and almost drowned him to death because no one was around to look for him… Then, there’s a chance that Alexander won’t allow Billie to come here because of her phobia.

“Casey, you mentioned to us that Alexander has a phobia of the ocean. How did you know about it? You hadn’t met him before you planned to follow her wife, right?” Sara asked. “And, I don’t think that he made it public too. It’s kind of embarrassing to let the public know about your weakness.”

Casey didn’t answer. She looked at the stage built near the water. It seemed not sturdy enough to hold a lot of people on top. Her chest started to tighten. Thinking about Alexander becoming uncomfortable and uneasy made her worry too much. Why the hell did he accept a launching setup like this? She asked in her mind and drew her brows together.

“Hey, Casey,” Sara called her attention with a snap of her fingers in front of her face. “When your face is covered like that, I wouldn’t think that your face is different,” she said and giggled. “Those were Casey’s eyes and not anybody else.”

Art looked at her closely. “Now that Sara has mentioned it, I realized that you’re really looked like Casey when wearing a mask with bangs,” he said with furrowed brows. “Are you sure that Alexander didn’t notice the difference between you and Amara?”

Casey swept them away. “They really think I am…” She lowered her voice and looked around. “That I am the real Amara.”

Art and Sara looked at each other and shrugged their shoulders. “So what are we going to do now?” Sara asked. “It looks like Alexander hasn’t arrived.”

“Nah. I’m sure he’s already here. He never came late on his events,” he said confidently that made her colleagues impressed. “I’ve been his wife for three months. It’s enough to know his good and bad habits.”

“Then what are his bad habits?” Sara asked, narrowing her eyes at her.

Alexander’s habit of making love to her on an early morning flashed before Casey’s eyes. She shook her head before it clouded her thoughts. “He’s… He’s grumpy,” she said and looked away from Sara.

“Oh, my gosh, Casey’s blushing,” Sara taunted and laughed at her. “Casey, don’t tell me that—”

Squeals and whistles roared on the event when the emcee started to speak and mentioned the winery’s name. After a quick introduction, the man that made Casey’s nights sleepless and empty went up the stage. Her heart almost jumped out of her ribcage when she saw him topless and in beach shorts. His mouth-watering golden skin and well-sculpted body made the audience squealed and screamed together with applause.

“Good afternoon, Boracay!” Alexander greeted the public. “Thank you for coming and participating in this event. I really appreciate each and every one of you,” he said and flashed his dashing smile on them.

“He’s so handsome, OMG!” Sara screamed and took out her camera to capture Alexander’s every angle. “Casey, how could you leave a handsome husband like that?”

Casey ignored her junior editor and looked at Art. “Did our sources for this event send the details that we need?”

Art checked his phone. “Yeah, I just got it—” His brows furrowed as he read the message. “Casey, it says here that the person who booked and arranged this event is Esperanza Montefort and not Alexander himself.”

“What?” Her chest hammered. She looked at Alexander, who was now holding the champagne bottle and showing it to the audience. “Why am I having a bad feeling for this?”

“This wine concentration is designed and approved by someone special to me,” he said while holding the bottle. “She called this wine the ‘Estranged Kiss’ because whenever the liquid touched her lips, the taste varied from sour to sweet. According to her, she was like having a different set of wines in one drinking.”

Tears shone on Casey’s eyes as she listened to Alexander’s introduction to wine. Those wine descriptions were familiar to her. Every word and detail were like his kisses that marked her heart because the wine he’s currently holding and showing to the public is the wine he asked her to put on a unique label.

“Casey, looked at the stage!” Art shouted as the performers behind Alexander started on their dance number. “It’s shaking!”

Without wasting any moment, Casey ran towards the stage. But before she could reach the stairs, the corners that support it collapsed, making all the people on the stage sunk into the water. Casey watched wide-eyed as the big event of Montefort Winery turned to chaos. Reporters and scoopers went around taking photos and capturing the most embarrassing moment of the CEO. But it wasn’t the humiliation that bothered Casey; it’s Alexander and his phobia of the ocean.

“Alexander?!” Casey dived into the water to find him. On her every rise, she’s calling his name. “Alexander—” She noticed a man that is, instead of swimming to the shore, was going underwater. “Fuck you, Esperanza!”

Casey was right on her suspicion because the man that she saw was making his way towards Alexander. As soon as he got near him, he grabbed his shoulder and pulled him underwater. Casey dived, went to Alexander, and pulled him off the man. She rose on the water with Alexander, but the suspect points a gun at Alexander.

“No!” Casey swam in front of Alexander as soon as the man pulled the trigger. The bullet hit her back, making her lost her buoyancy on water. “Alexander…” Before she sunk deep, she heard Alexander calling her real name.

***