Chapter 2 Two

Alexis gripped her bedsheets tightly, jolting awake in a panic. Her breath came in quick, shallow bursts as she reached for the glass of water on her nightstand. She gulped it down, her hands still trembling. The nightmare's remnants clung to her, the boy's anguished face vivid in her mind. Two months had passed since his death, but the guilt was as fresh as ever.

Alexis was about to leave, her movements robotic. "Good morning, Mom. Bye, Mom," she muttered, heading for the door.

Her mother's voice, filled with concern, stopped her. "Are you seriously going to ignore me over something so trivial ! ?"

Alexis hesitated, her guilt and worry evident on her fay. She walked slowly into the kitchen, her steps heavy with the weight of her conscience. As she reached her mother, her face showed the deep emotional turmoil she struggled to hide.

Alexis 's eyes filled with tears. "Trivial? A man's life is 'trivial' to you? Do you have any idea what I'm feeling? That was an accident scene! We should have called the police. If I hadn't intervened, he might have made it home to his family,he would have crossed the road. If I'd acted sooner, he might still be alive."

Her mother opened her mouth to respond, but a knock at the door interrupted. She went to answer it, leaving Alexis alone. The voices from the hallway were muffled, but Alexis could make out the urgency in their tone.

"I'm sorry, but you must leave today or face trespassing charges," a stern voice declared from outside.

Alexis 's brow furrowed in confusion. "Mom, what's going on? Trespassing? We live here! How can they accuse us of that?" Her voice cracked with frustration and fear.

Her mother returned, a strained look on her face. "It's not about the rent. They're expanding the factory today, and they've ordered an evacuation."

"Evacuation? Just like that, with no notice?" Alexis 's frustration bubbled over. "I paid two months' rent just yesterday! Why didn't they warn us earlier? Why are you so calm about this?"

Her mother sighed, her patience wearing thin. "Look, Alexis , what do you want to do? Argue with them? It's not worth it. They'll just call the cops, and we can't afford a court battle. You need to leave now and start looking for a new place. Call me when you find something."

Her mother's resolve was unshakable. Alexis felt a wave of helplessness wash over her but knew she had no choice but to comply. She left for work, the weight of her situation pressing heavily on her.

On her way to work, she spotted a woman she had seen often in the same distressed spot over the past two months. Something about her pain resonated with Alexis . She approached cautiously. "Hi, I know this might be a bit weird,but are you alright?"

The woman looked up, startled. She quickly masked her emotions. "I'm fine, really." she said like she practiced that line a million times over

Alexis , sensing the woman's struggle, offered gently, "It's okay to let it out. Keeping it all inside will only make it worse." With those words, she left, a bittersweet smile touching her lips despite her own turmoil.

By the time Alexis Clocked out and was on her way home, the exhaustion was evident on her face. But just as she was about to leave, she felt a tap on her shoulder.

She turned around to see the same woman, standing nervously behind her. "Can we talk?" the woman asked, her voice barely audible.

Alexis blinked, taken aback but nodded slowly. "Sure. What's going on?"

The woman fidgeted, her hands shaking slightly as she tried to find the words. "I just... I need someone to talk to. Someone neutral."

Alexis 's heart softened. She knew what it was like to carry a heavy burden. "Let's sit down," she suggested, guiding the woman to a bench nearby.

Over the next half hour, the woman poured out her story in bits, speaking of a brother she barely knew, of a family torn apart by secrets. Alexis listened quietly realizing that her problems, though different, mirrored the woman's in some ways. The weight of family expectations, the inability to escape.

The next day came quicker than expected, and soon, Alexis found herself standing outside a luxurious apartment complex,she took the elevator up to the Penthouse,the woman's instructions still fresh in her mind.

"This is the place?" Alexis whispered to herself, checking her phone again. As

Kathrine greeted her with a smile, her warmth a stark contrast to the building's sterile beauty. "Come in. Don't be shy," Kathrine said, pulling Alexis into the room. But as soon as Alexis entered, she noticed someone else in the room-Diego.

He barely looked at her, his face unreadable. His icy demeanor made Alexis 's stomach twist. "Hello," she managed to say, forcing a smile.

Diego didn't respond, his silence like a wall between them.

"Don't mind him," Kathrine said quickly, sensing the tension. "He's always like this. I'm sure you two will get along... eventually."

Alexis doubted that.

The day progressed too quickly, and before she knew it, Alexis was standing in the courthouse. Her heart raced as the official handed her a pen, her hand trembling as she signed the paper. It felt unreal ,Married? To a stranger? And worse she did it by proxy

"There. You're officially married, Mrs. Carrington," the official said with a small smile.

Carrington. The name hit Alexis like a punch. As she handed the pen back, her mind raced, trying to piece everything together.

Kathrine beamed, her excitement evident. "Are you ready for your life to change, Mrs. Carrington?"

"Carrington?" Alexis 's voice wavered, the reality sinking in like a stone.

"Yes," Kathrine grinned, "our brother's wife."

"Okay but I did this for my family ...we agreed they'd get a place to stay and with my younger sister's fees..."

"All taken care of in about 30 minutes a driver will pick them up and take them to the new place and your younger sister will be transferred to a new school under my families care"

Katherine's reassurance was swift. "Don't worry! And my brother is wonderful. Better than Diego, for sure. Even Grandma will love you."

As they arrived at the Carrington manor.As the doors opened, her breath caught in her throat. Everything was immaculate-polished, expensive, and cold. She didn't belong here, that much was clear.

Katherine greeted her family warmly. "Mother! Grandma! I've missed you both."

Her mother smiled giving her daughter her hug until she noticed Alexis . "She's the one?"

"Yes, Mom. Our brother's new wife," Katherine confirmed, a hint of frustration in her voice. "Where is he? He should be here to welcome his wife."

Diego's smirk widened. "I'll take her to him," he said, leading Alexis inside.

Alexis , feeling the weight of her new reality, finally asked, "Why didn't anyone tell me I was marrying into a billionaire family?"

Diego's eyes gleamed with a hint of amusement. "You should know our family's business. We run a lot of what you use every day."

"I know who you are," Alexis replied, sarcasm in her tone. "But your sister needed my help. I couldn't refuse. I needed the money for my family."

"Well, you should've," Diego said, opening the door to a grand room. He let Alexis enter before closing the door behind her.

What Alexis saw inside was both surprising and overwhelming, far from what she had anticipated.