Chapter 4 Alexander's Coldness

The air in the lavish living room felt tense as Amanda cautiously approached her husband, Alexander. Weeks had passed since their wedding day, but instead of basking in newlywed bliss, a palpable chill had settled between them.

"Alexander, is everything alright?" Amanda asked tentatively, her voice tinged with concern as she reached out to touch his arm.

Alexander's response was a curt nod, his gaze fixed on the flickering flames of the fireplace. "Just tired, Amanda. Long day at work," he replied, his tone clipped and distant.

Amanda's heart sank at his dismissive tone, the distance between them growing more apparent by the second. "I understand," she murmured softly, withdrawing her hand and retreating to the other side of the room.

As she watched Alexander retreat into his own thoughts, Amanda couldn't shake the feeling of unease gnawing at her. Something had shifted between them, and no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't seem to bridge the growing divide.

Amanda found herself increasingly isolated, her mother-in-law's tacit approval of Alexander's behavior serving as a silent condemnation of her presence in the household.

"Mother, can't you see how Alex is treating me?" Amanda's voice trembled with emotion as she pleaded for understanding.

"Amanda, dear, a wife's duty is to stand by her husband, no matter the circumstances," Lady Hawthorne's response was firm, her eyes devoid of sympathy.

"How can you even say something like this? But what about my feelings?" Amanda's voice wavered as she struggled to make her mother-in-law understand.

"Your feelings!? What feelings are you talking about? Look.. Young lady.. over here, we don't care! Whatever you see, you take!" Lady Hawthorne responded with so much contempt.

"Are you saying this because you don't have a female child? Even if you don't have a female child, are you not a woman?"

"How dare you! Have you no regards? Look-"

Before her mother-in-law could finish delivering her words, the sound of the front door opening interrupted their conversation.

As the door swung open, it instantly captured their attention. Their eyes turned in the direction of the door, curiosity and intrigue filling the room.

They were greeted by the entrance of a strange woman -Tasha, followed by Alexander, who stumbled in.

Amanda's heart sank at the sight of what she saw. "Alex, who is she?" Amanda's voice was barely above a whisper, her eyes wide with disbelief.

Alexander's expression hardened as he turned to face Tasha. "She's our new housekeeper," he replied, his tone leaving no room for argument.

Amanda's heart clenched at his words, knowing they were a lie meant to conceal their true relationship. Desperate to maintain the facade, she forced a smile and greeted Tasha politely.

As Tasha settled into their home, Amanda felt like a stranger in her own house, invisible and powerless. She watched in silence as Tasha took charge, her authority unquestioned by Alexander.

Frustration boiled within Amanda, threatening to spill over. "Alexander, we can't keep lying to her," she implored, her voice tinged with urgency.

Alexander's eyes narrowed, his voice low and threatening. "You will keep quiet, Amanda. We have an arrangement, remember?" His words hung heavy in the air, stifling any further protest from Amanda.

Defeated, Amanda retreated into herself, the weight of her silence crushing her spirit. She knew that the facade of their marriage was beginning to crack, but she felt powerless to stop it.

Amanda's patience wore thin as Tasha continued to assert her dominance in the household, her every move orchestrated by Alexander's silent commands.

One afternoon, Tasha strutted around the room with an air of entitlement, barking orders at Amanda as if she were a mere servant.

Amanda, on the other hand, appeared submissive, carrying out Tasha's demands with a forced smile.

All of a sudden, Amanda broke her silence, "Tasha, please, I'm not just the housemaid," her voice tinged with frustration as she attempted to assert her authority.

But Tasha merely scoffed, her eyes cold and calculating. "You may not be the housemaid, but you certainly act like one," she retorted, her tone dripping with disdain as she dismissed Amanda's protests.

Desperate to break free from the suffocating silence that enveloped her, Amanda found herself confiding in Tasha, her words tumbling out in a rush of pent-up emotion.

"Tasha, you need to know the truth about me and Alexander," Amanda began, her voice trembling with uncertainty as she braced herself for Tasha's reaction.

As she revealed the truth about her relationship with Alexander, Amanda watched as Tasha's expression shifted from skepticism to shock. "I can't believe he would do that to you," Tasha murmured, her voice softening with sympathy.

But their conversation was abruptly cut short by the sound of Alexander's footsteps approaching. Panic seized Amanda as she realized the gravity of what she had done, knowing that Alexander would not take kindly to her.

"What the hell is going on here?" Alexander's voice was low and dangerous, his words tinged with barely contained rage.

Amanda's throat felt dry as she struggled to find her voice. "I... I had to tell her the truth, Alex," she stammered, her words barely above a whisper.

Before Alexander could respond, Tasha's hand came down in a heavy slap across Alexander's cheek, the sound echoing through the room like a gunshot. Amanda recoiled from the force of the blow, her heart pounding in her chest.

Alexander's expression darkened at the sight, his fists clenching at his sides. "Tasha, what the hell do you think you're doing?" he growled, his voice dripping with anger.

But Tasha merely sneered, her eyes blazing with contempt. "You lied to me, Alexander," she spat, her words laced with venom. "You told me she was just the housemaid."

Before Alexander could respond, Tasha stormed out of the room, leaving a stunned silence in her wake.

Alexander turned to Amanda, his expression darkened at the sight, his fists clenching at his sides. "You had no right!" he spat, his voice dripping with venom. "You silly butch! You've ruined everything!"

Panic surged through Amanda as she watched Alexander advance towards her, his movements predatory and menacing. "Please, Alex, don't! Please don't hit me!" she pleaded, her voice trembling with fear.

But her pleas fell on deaf ears as Alexander's rage consumed him. With a brutal ferocity, he lashed out at her, his fists raining down upon her with merciless force.

Pain exploded through Amanda's body with each blow, her cries of anguish drowned out by the sound of her own beating heart.

She stumbled away from Alexander's relentless assault, seeking refuge in the arms of her mother-in-law.

As Amanda sought refuge in the arms of her mother-in-law, hoping for comfort and understanding, she was met with a cold, unwelcoming embrace.

With a harsh shove, her mother-in-law pushed her away, her expression twisted with disdain.

"Don't you dare come to me seeking sympathy, Amanda," her mother-in-law's voice was like ice, cutting through the air with its sharpness. "You've disgraced our family with your foolishness and your lies."

Amanda recoiled from the force of her mother-in-law's words, her heart breaking with each cruel insult. She had hoped that her mother-in-law would stand by her, but instead, she found herself facing a harsh reality.

"How could you be so stupid, Amanda?" Lady Hawthorne's voice was sharp and unforgiving, her eyes cold and unyielding. "You've brought shame upon this family, and for what? Your own selfish desires?"

"You're nothing but a burden, Amanda," she continued, her tone dripping with scorn. "You've brought shame upon us all, and I want nothing more to do with you."

Tears streamed down Amanda's face as she realized what she had gotten herself into. She walked away into her room and locked the door behind her.

"Look what I've gotten myself into! Cheated with my sister's fiancé all for what? What was I even thinking? This pain is too much for one person to bear alone!" She cried out loud.

"Why did I do it?" she whispered to herself, her voice trembling with uncertainty. "Why did I betray my sister, my own flesh and blood, for the sake of my own selfish desires?"

"I was so blinded by ambition, by the promise of wealth and power," she murmured, her voice tinged with regret. "I never stopped to consider the consequences, the pain and heartache I would cause."

"And now I'm being forced to carry on this charade, to marry a man I don't love, all for the sake of my parents' greed and my own greed," she lamented, her voice choked with emotion. "How could they do this to me? How could they expect me to live a lie, to sacrifice my own happiness for their own selfish gain?"

"I wish I could go back, to undo the past, to make things right," she whispered, her voice barely above a whisper. "But I know that's impossible. All I can do now is try to find some semblance of redemption, to make amends for the pain I've caused."