Unmasked Desires

Alexis! Get downstairs! Breakfast, now!" her mother's voice echoed through the house.

"I'm coming, Ma!" Alexis called back, rushing down the stairs. She grabbed an apple from the fruit bowl, heading toward the door.

"Won't you eat something, Alexis?" her mom asked, but Alexis didn't respond.

She reached for the doorknob, about to leave, when she turned back and glanced at the table. A smirk tugged at her lips. "Ma, there's barely enough on that table for you and Suzy. I'm good. I have to go to work."

She turned again to leave.

"What about school? You're not going?" her mom asked, voice heavy with concern.

"Mom, we need to pay rent for this month and next. I need to work back-to-back. We can't depend on you alone. You're drinking more than you're earning." Alexis's eyes darted to the empty beer bottles stacked in the corner. Her mother let out a weary sigh.

As she stepped outside, Alexis spotted a pile of bills on the porch. Unfazed, she gathered them up, slipping them into her bag with a sigh. It was just another day of survival.

***

By the time Alexis returned home that evening, the weight of responsibility had pressed down on her even harder. The dimly lit house felt more like a burden than a comfort. Her mother was slouched on the couch, glass in hand, while Suzy sat on the steps, looking abandoned.

"Suzy, did you eat?" Alexis asked, already knowing the answer.

Suzy nodded, but her eyes betrayed the truth.

With a sigh, Alexis headed to the kitchen. The fridge was nearly empty, save for some leftover pizza. She reheated it and sat at the table, counting the day's earnings, trying to make sense of their ever-growing debt.

The clinking of her mother's glass made her pause.

"Welcome home, honey," her mother slurred.

"Hi, Ma." Alexis took a deep breath, trying to keep her patience. "So, how much did you make this month? I already paid the urgent fees-water, electricity. Whatever you have left needs to go toward food, Suzy's meds, and school fees."

Her mother fumbled through her pockets and pulled out a crumpled bill. "Twenty bucks."

Alexis's heart sank. "Twenty bucks? Mom, we have over a million dollars of debt! Dad died just five months ago, and we're drowning. I dropped out of college so we could afford SUZY's school, and you've become a drunk. I'm not your mom, you know? I'm your daughter. You need to start showing up for Suzy. This is unbearable."

Tears welled up in her eyes, her voice cracking with frustration. She grabbed her bag and the pizza, heading upstairs without waiting for a response.

**

The next morning was painfully quiet. Alexis, lost in the pile of bills, didn't even notice her mother until she spoke.

"Alexis," her mom's voice was soft, almost unfamiliar. "I know I haven't been much help since your dad passed. It's just... been hard. But I'm going to stop drinking. I promise. I'll get sober. I love you and Suzy. I just... I want to do better."

Tears shimmered in her mother's eyes as she squeezed Alexis's hand.

"I know, Ma," Alexis replied, feeling a flicker of hope. "I love you too."

She kissed her mother's cheek before grabbing her bag. "I've gotta go to work. I'm taking extra shifts. I'll see you later."

---

At the local event planning company, Alexis approached her boss, MR. Johnson, nervously.

"Hey, Mr. J, any chance I could pick up an extra shift? Things are tight at home."

He gave her a warm smile. "Of course, Alexis. You've been doing great work. I'll bump up your pay, too."

Relief washed over her. "Thank you! I'll do my best."

"There's a special delivery tonight-some coolers to a club. Think you can handle that?" MR. Johnson asked.

"Absolutely," Alexis nodded, eager to take on the task.

---

Later that night, she arrived at the club, her heart racing as she prepared to set up the coolers. Just as she reached for the door, someone on the other side opened it, knocking her back into the table. Coolers tipped over, drinks spilled, and Alexis found herself drenched.

She looked up, stunned, as the man who caused the mess just stood there, his phone to his ear.

"Wait, I'm on my way down," he muttered into the phone before turning to leave.

Fuming, Alexis stormed up to him. "Are you blind? Didn't you see what just happened upstairs?"

He glanced at her, raising an eyebrow. "What happened upstairs?"

"You've got to be kidding me! Who's going to pay for the wasted drinks? Pay up," she demanded.

"Why should I? That was your mess."

"You can't be serious. You opened the door without looking! Fine, we can both pay. But I'm sorry," she said, expecting at least a hint of remorse.

Instead, he walked up to her, brushing his fingers along her cheek, sending her heart racing. She swallowed, unsure of how to react.

He leaned in close to her ear. "Get lost. I don't appreciate attention-seeking women."

Stunned, she stood there, lost in her thoughts, as he flashed a grin and walked away.

"Hey! Stop right there!" Alexis shouted.

The man stopped, sighing in frustration, but before she could say another word, a van sped past and hit him.

She watched, horrified, as he rolled over the hood, hitting the ground hard, blood pooling beneath him. The driver didn't stop he just adjusted his mirror, looked back, and drove off.

Alexis's heart raced. She moved toward the man, who lay there, coughing up blood, trying to speak.

"Help..." he managed, stretching a weak hand toward her.

Before she could reach him, a hand grabbed her arm.

"Alexis, let's go!" her mother hissed, pulling her back.

"Mom, what are you doing here? He's going to die!"

"Let him die. We don't need the police on our backs. Suzy called. We need to go home."

Alexis looked back at the man, his hand dropping lifelessly to the ground.

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.

Alexis cautiously approached the table in the dimly lit room, her eyes fixed on the man drawing aggressively. She mustered up the courage to tap him on his shoulder. As he turned, she was struck with disbelief. Memories flooded back, the boy she mourned was right in front of her. "Sorry," he said, almost playfully. "Do you want to draw with me? Nobody ever talks to me," he asked, extending a crayon. "I painted outside the lines again, mommy is going to be upset with me," he whimpered, retreating to a corner, tears streaming down his face.

Katherine had been watching from the door,Shocked and bewildered, Kathrine called out, "Cody!!!" She entered the room to find both of them on the floor, her brother crying. Her mother rushed in after her. "Mother, what's wrong with him..."

"We should all go outside and talk. Okay, let's go," her mother said, guiding them out of the room. Once outside, emotions ran high as her mother revealed, "Ever since the accident, it's like he's been trapped in the mind of a child, a man with the mind of a child." Katherine's question hung heavy in the air, "So, my brother is a mad man?"

"He's just your brother, he's my husband. My husband is a mad man, and I found out the day I got married." The revelation left them reeling. Her mother's tearful explanation followed, "My son is not mad; he just has a Neurocognitive disorder. It will pass with time if he's looked after properly"

"So where do I fall into all this drama, I just want to go home now," Alexis said, folding her hands, her expression a mix of frustration and exhaustion.

"True, if he had an accident, why wasn't it covered in the news? We're one of the most influential and powerful families," Kathrine asked her voice tinged with a hint of concern and confusion.

"That's where she falls in. Nobody in the outside world knows about his condition, and we plan to keep it that way. During the incident, there were lots of reports, but we bought them off. We can't pay from company accounts there'd be questions. We can't let them know that the CEO is mentally unstable. Your father is at some pilgrimage in Africa and unreachable. Our personal accounts are half empty. There's only one place left his trust fund, and it was only accessible with a marriage certificate that we now have," there mother explained, her tone a mix of urgency and secrecy.

"So what, I'm useless to you guys now? I was just a means to a fat cheque and now I'm screwed," Alexis said with a rather mean and straight face, her eyes reflecting a sense of betrayal and realization.

"Well, you're also a means to a cover story. When he gets better, the cover story is that he left for a quiet honeymoon after a really quiet wedding .. intimate family only," the response came, Straightforwardly in an unemotional manner hinting at the intricate web of deception being woven.

"You're talking like all this is okay. I can't be married to him. Every time I see him, I'll be filled with guilt, he doesn't even know anything about what marriage means," Alexis expressed, her voice laced with inner turmoil.

Diego stood up, forcefully dragging her away. "Diego, let..." Katherine's words were cut short by her mother's intervention, "Let him talk to her."

He tossed her into the room, literally throwing her onto the bed. "You know I've had it with all the males in this family. Are you guys really so disrespectful?!" Face to face, he grabbed her by the back of her neck, tugged her hair slightly. "You talk about respect, as if you pass on the same courtesy to others around you. You call my brother mad as if you saw him in mental asylum. You should be grateful that he can look at you without wanting to tear your heart out, because you really don't deserve it. So from today, you will look after him," he declared firmly, releasing her. With blood-stained nails, he glanced at her without lifting his head. Despite his anger, a pang of regret hit him as he left the room. Alexis stood there, holding her neck, tears streaming silently, as the weight of guilt consumed her, realizing she was the monster all along.

She entered their bedroom, finding him engrossed in playing with toys. Approaching him gently, she introduced herself, "Hi, my name's Alexis , and I believe you're Cody, right?"

"I don't tell strangers my name," he retorted, moving to another corner to play with his toys.

"Um... Who said I'm a stranger?"

"Then who are?" he quizzed, leaving a sense of mystery in the air.

"Well I'm your caretaker, I'm here to watch over you, always by your side like a shadow. So, why can't we be friends?" she said with a warm smile, extending her hand for a handshake. He reciprocated the gesture, and she conversed with him as if he were her younger sister throughout the night, sharing laughter until he drifted off to sleep and she tucked him in.

"Good morning, everyone," Alexis greeted, her gaze shifting to Diego who averted his eyes. "How's Cody?" his mom inquired, scanning the newspaper. "He's doing fine, seems to have a fondness for everyone here..." Alexis responded hesitantly.

"Well, not everyone..." a woman in a sleek black gown and a pearl necklace entered. "Victoria, you're back so soon," her mother acknowledged. "Of course I am, it involves my father's company, so I took the first flight from Mexico city back home. Or am I not welcome anymore?" Victoria retorted, taking a seat at Cody's usual place at the breakfast table.

"Victoria, you know that's Cody's seat. He's practically the head of the family and next in line for the family business. So, why sit there when even mom doesn't sit there?" Katherine questioned with a stern expression. Alexis observed the unfolding family drama.

"So, we keep the seat warm for Cody, the mad man in fancy clothes," Victoria remarked. Diego, taken aback by the statement, abruptly left the table, struggling to find words amidst the tension in the room. The intricate family dynamics and power struggles were laid bare, for Alexis to see.

"I can't take this, I'll be with grandma in the garden. I should have had breakfast with her," Katherine declared as she left the room abruptly.

"Did you really have to say all that?" her mom inquired, folding up her napkin.

"The truth ?..." Victoria responded with a hint of laughter, then her gaze fell on Alexis .

"Who's she? Oh right I almost forgot, Cody's baby mama, or was it the wife?" she remarked sarcastically.

"Let's go, dear. We just lost a perfect breakfast," Mrs. Carrington said, guiding Alexis out of the room, leaving behind a tense atmosphere filled with unspoken tensions and unresolved conflicts within the family.