Chapter 30

As soon as the plane landed on the island, Alyssa couldn’t help looking around and staring at everything.

“Welcome to CAIN ISLAND”, Luther said, coming to stand beside her and looking incredibly pleased with himself.

She ignored the look on his face. “It’s very beautiful”, She said.

“And tj think you would have missed seeing this beauty because of your stubbornness”.

She turned to shoot him a glare. “I wasn’t being stubborn, Luther. It’s called having an opinion. You might want to get used to because it’s going to be happening a lot while I’m here”.

“Ate you still upset and uncomfortable about the marriage?”.

“It’s not that. But I’m still very uncomfortable with the idea”. Especially now that she knew that she was in love with him.

He turned to her and clasped her hand with his, staring deep into her eyes, making her heart do a flip.

She cleared her throat. “You said the island was yours? Why then are there so many people?”, She asked as they headed towards his huge mansion that could seen from afar, on foot.

“I bought this island years ago when I was an impulsive teenager, and built that huge house you can see in front. I have people fly in and out to clean the place and it wasn’t pleasing as I got older because of the amount of money being consumed because of it. So, instead, I hired a lot of workers and built them little houses so the could stay with their families and also attend to the mansion. I also flew in some other people who started small businesses to cater to the needs of the numerous workers on the island”.

Alyssa smiled. She knew he was bragging a little but she was happy that he was at least trying to make the lives of the employees easier. She felt proud of him and it made her see him in a new light.

“You seem to really love your people”.

“Yes, I do. And as their king, I want the best for them. It’s my duty”.

They got to the mansion and stopped when they saw a lot of people at the entrance waiting for them with fliers and wide smiles.

The guards that came with them from the capital stood in front of them, preventing the people from getting closer.

Luther waved his hands and tapped the man in charge. “It’s all right. They only came to say hello”.

“Welcome, your majesty”, A man among the group said and they all bowed.

Luther smiled and motioned for them to rise. He greeted each and every one of them gathered there and asked about there respective family members. Alyssa smiled at the affectionate way he communicated with them as she stood aside and watched.

“And who is this lovely young miss?”, One of the older ladies asked.

Luther walked towards her and pulled her into his arms. “This is Alyssa. My bride to be and your future queen”, He said and everyone began to voice their congratulations and greetings.

“It’s so nice meeting all of you”, She said with a smile.

“Perhaps, when we are both settled, A party would be held here and everyone would be invited”, Luther said and the crowd whooped in excitement.

***###

A little while later, Alyssa was led into the mansion and she could stop herself from glancing around in amazement at the beauty and splendor of the home. Luther introduced her to Grace, a kind looking young lady who would serve as her assistant while she was in the island. He excused himself with a peck on her cheek and told her he had some business to attend to.

Alyssa allowed Grace to lead her to her assigned room, but her mind was lost in thought. She couldn’t believe the turn of events in her life. From refusing Luther’s offer to now being known as his “bride to be,” it was all happening too fast.

Sitting on the comfortable bed in the spacious room, she thought about her feelings for Luther. She loved him deeply and the thought of being with him filled her with inexplicable joy, but she couldn’t help the feeling that he would never sincerely feel the same way about her.

After a few moments of refreshing myself, she decided to explore the mansion. It was indeed a beautiful place- modern and sophisticated.

In a bid to clear her thoughts, she decided to take a walk around the mansion to explore and get familiar with the vicinity. She made her way through the hallway, admiring the portraitures on the walls and the magnificent interior décor. As she walked around, admiring every nook and cranny of the mansion, her mind went back to that morning’s conversation with Luther.

She wondered what he was up to and why he hadn’t come down to her room to annoy the life out her.

Suddenly, she heard Luther’s voice coming from one of the rooms upstairs. She couldn’t resist the urge to eavesdrop and find out what he was saying.

As she drew closer to the room, she could hear Luther and the voice of another woman and her heart skipped a beat. She could hear the small moans and quiet grunts hat came from the room but she tried to convince herself that she was hearing things as she discreetly opened the door. She bit her lip to prevent a gasp from escaping her mouth. Luther stood between the legs of a strange beautiful woman who sat on the desk and they were passionately kissing and didn’t seem to notice her presence.

Tears pooled in her eyes as she turned and ran back into her room.

Alyssa couldn’t believe what she had just witnessed. Luther, the man she has been harboring feelings for, was caught in the arms of another woman. She couldn’t bear the sight and quickly retreated back to her room, closing the door softly behind her. She couldn’t believe that Luther, the man who had professed his love for Mitchell, was cheating on her. Her heart was filled with sadness and agony.

She lay on her bed, tears falling down her cheeks, as she thought about what just happened. She had spent so much time trying to bury her feelings for Luther, but it all came rushing back the moment she saw him with that woman. She tried to sleep off her sadness, but it was of no use. She couldn’t believe that she had allowed herself to be fooled by him.

Suddenly, there was a gentle knock on the door. “Who is it?” she called out. It was Grace, the helpful assistant who informed her that Luther was waiting for her downstairs for dinner. However, Alyssa was not in the mood to see Luther or anyone else, so she lied that she had a headache and would like to be left alone. Grace left, and Alyssa tried to sleep once again.

Just as she was about to drift off, the door opened, and in walked Luther. Alyssa’s heart skipped a beat as he moved closer to her. But she couldn’t bear his closeness and quickly got up, moving away from him. She told him that she had a headache and would like to be alone, but he insisted that she should see a doctor or let him call one for her.

Alyssa didn’t want to hear any of it. She could feel the anger building up inside of her as she thought about what she had seen earlier. When Luther asked her why she was angry, she didn’t want to tell him the truth. She couldn’t bear the thought of admitting her jealousy and heartache that he had caused her.

Luther’s persistence only fueled her anger further, and the next moment, she was running towards the sea. Luther followed her, and just as she was about to reach the water, he pulled her back, holding onto her tightly. She struggled, trying to free herself, but he was too strong.

Finally, he turned her around and asked her what was wrong. Alyssa couldn’t hold it in any longer. She told him everything, how she felt about him, and that his actions had hurt her immensely.

Luther asked her if she had seen him kissing the other woman, and Alyssa confirmed that she had. She was hurt and angry, unable to believe that the man she loved could do something so cruel. Luther tried to defend himself, but he knew that there was no excuse for his behavior.

Finally, Alyssa pushed him away, yelling that he was a “scumbag” and a “womanizer.” She knew that Luther could never love her and wondered why she had kept her feelings hidden for so long. But Luther wasn’t ready to let her go. He caught her arm and pulled her toward him, telling her that she didn’t need to be alone.

It was then that Alyssa broke down and told Luther that she loved him. She didn’t expect him to feel the same way, but she couldn’t bear keeping her feelings bottled up any longer. She cried, tears streaming down her face, as she spoke.

Luther’s expression softened as he heard her confession. He took her in his arms and without warning, he kissed her. Alyssa was surprised, but she could feel the passion and the indescribable emotions in it. She knew she shouldn’t indulge him, that he didn’t feel the same for her, but that didn’t stop her from melding into his arms.