Chapter 3 A New Trap

'I sensed a negative energy from Mason, convinced that he had been concealing the truth and withholding things from me for quite some time.'

'The other day I discovered strands of hair in my hairbrush inside his car. The following day, I came across an unfamiliar stole in our shared post-marital mansion. Although he claimed it belonged to his mother, I doubted it, considering her preference for designer items and sophistication that wouldn't involve sharing a hairbrush.'

'He was glued to his phone, always acting shady, making sure to keep his conversations discreet and out of my earshot.'

'The other day, I spotted a blotch on his white shirt, and he brushed it off as paint. I wasn't fooled – it was clearly the lipstick mark from Monica earlier that day.'

'There are moments when I realize I overlooked the glaring truth about him, oblivious to everything happening right under my nose. How did I choose to ignore the countless red flags while he consistently took advantage of me?'

The miserable thoughts occupying Alice's mind were abruptly halted by the beep of her phone, signaling the arrival of a text message.

'Have you reached safely?'

Alice glanced at the text from an unknown number, furrowed her brow, and decided to dismiss it. Emotionally drained, she wasn't inclined to engage with anyone at the moment.

'???' Another text popped up.

'May I know who's messaging?' Alice finally edited a text back.

'Your husband.'

'My husband?' Alice pondered, emotions swirling in the aftermath of her ex's betrayal, momentarily overshadowing the fact that she had tied the knot just an hour earlier.

'Save my number now.'

Even through text, his tone exuded authority, and it dawned on Alice that she had inadvertently offended Andrew Kingston.

'Apologies, I was...' Alice was in the midst of composing an explanation with remorse when another text interrupted.

'Leave the past behind and focus on the present. Stay loyal to me and don't entertain thoughts of anyone else.'

It felt like a directive tinged with jealousy and an attempt to exert control over everything.

Alice edited out the last few words, sending only an apologetic text. She sighed at the lack of a reply, but suddenly, the incessant doorbell ringing startled her. Opening the door, she was met with an impatient Skylar rushing in.

"Man, Alice, I was seriously worried about you all night, but you switched up the door code; they're definitely guilty, huh?" Skylar embraced Alice, offering a comforting rub on her back.

Overwhelmed by Skylar's care, Alice acknowledged the depth of their connection. Skylar, her manager for the last five years and closest friend, stood as the sole reliable presence in her world at that moment.

Breaking the hug, she activated the recorded conversation from the previous night, tossed the phone to Skylar, and took a seat on the couch. Skylar joined her, and together they listened intently to the recording.

"Goodness, what a despicable pair of scumbags! And now they're about to bring another scum into the world..."

Skylar seethed with anger, but Alice interjected, "Skylar, let's refrain from using such harsh language, especially when referring to an unborn child."

Skylar let out a sigh. "You can't go easy on this jerk once more."

"Absolutely not; I've already initiated my revenge plan against him," Alice stated, her deep resentment for Mason and Monica seeping through her words.

"What plan?" Skylar frowned, her concern showing as she feared Alice might be contemplating a reckless move.

Alice's phone rang with Mason's call, disrupting their conversation. Before Alice could react, Skylar pressed the green button, putting the call on speaker.

"Alice, how can you be so inconsiderate?" Mason's voice raised.

'Look who is talking.' Alice and Skylar exchanged glances genuinely puzzled.

"What did I do?"

"Thanks to your supposed bachelor party, Monica is now in serious trouble because of you."

"But, how......."

"Enough with the backtalk; come to my place right now." call after delivering the order with rudeness.

"What does he think he's doing?" Skylar fumed, reacting to his tone and attitude.

"Let's find out..." Alice responded, a determined look on her face.

With a nonchalant shrug, Alice got up, slinging her shoulder bag over her shoulder and grabbing her phone. Skylar, albeit reluctantly, chauffeured her to Mason's mansion.

"Why not confront them? You've got evidence against them, after all," Skylar suggested after parking the car.

"I want to uncover his motives for betraying me. I need to know if he fell out of love or was just using me. Regardless, they both owe me tenfold. Patience; the right time will come," Alice declared, her eyes cold as she stepped out of the car.

A frown etched across her face as she observed the scene. Monica lay on the bed in Mason's bedroom, with him seated right beside her. This was the height of impudence.

She struggled to appear unruffled, but it proved more challenging than she anticipated. Managing to suppress her emotions, she veiled her disappointment behind a facade of cold aloofness.

"What was that for?" Alice arched her eyebrows, questioning Mason's behavior.

"She had a suicide attempt, all because of you. I swooped in just in the nick of time, thanks to some heavenly luck."

'That's quite the heroics,' Alice thought with an eye roll. "But how am I suddenly on the hook for this?"

"She had a morning meeting with her lead model, but thanks to the hangover from your party, she couldn't make it. You wouldn't happen to know anything about that, would you?" Mason's tone carried a harsh edge.

Alice's gaze shifted between Mason and Monica. 'Such deceitful liars, a duo of cunning individuals, intensifying my disdain for them.'

"You need to apologize and lend her a hand," Mason asserted with authority.

'Ugh, what a sly scoundrel! Has he ever loved me, or was I too blinded to see the real him? He cheated on me, called off the wedding, and has no sign of remorse on his face.'

"Apologize for what? Shouldn't I be the one owed an apology?" Alice countered, annoyed by their theatrical display.

Mason was caught off guard by Alice's tone. She had always been a pushover, never using such a harsh tone. 'She's upset about me missing the wedding. I need to calm her down first,' he thought.

"Alice, I sincerely apologize on behalf of Mason. The truth is, he couldn't make it to the civil affairs because of me," Monica hurriedly spoke, attempting to pacify Alice.

She intended for Alice to grace the runway and showcase her designed outfits in the designer contest; hence, she orchestrated the entire setup. Offending her was out of the question.

"But I'm counting on you, dear; you're my last chance. Please be my model for the designer contest," Monica said with a touch of desperation.

'What, walk on the ramp as a model?' Alice was slightly shaken. This could jeopardize her image and career in the industry.

"Surely she will, won't you, baby?" Mason interjected just before Alice could decline, pulling her into an embrace. "Please do it for us, for our company. And I apologize for scolding you; I was upset. Monica is the lead designer of my fashion house, and I can't afford to lose her."

Alice suspected Monica might have a hidden agenda in pushing her to do this. It could be a trap, and with Mason in the picture, she felt cornered. Her choices were either to comply, maintain amicable relations, and strategize for revenge, or let go of everything and move forward.

'No, I'll go along with this, but I won't let them manipulate me again. This time, I'll be the one using them," Alice thought, replying, "Fine, I'll do it," and pushing his hand off her shoulder.

"Perfect decision; I will text you the details and make sure to be punctual. Let me see you off." Mason rested his hand on her shoulder again and walked with her to the exit.

Monica's lips curled into an evil smirk, as she dialed a number.

"I executed your plan flawlessly. Killed two birds with one stone. She couldn't register her marriage, and soon she will lose her face in the industry."