Chapter 20: Close Escape

Mark wasn’t aware that Alex was right under that bed. He had no idea how close Alex was to finding out everything about me and him. My heart still raced from the shock. Mark sat very close to me, his hand gentle on my arm. “Ok fine I know it's weird right now but even of it's one, let's just go one ro—”

I held his mouth immediately, cutting him off fast. My palm pressed against his lips. I couldn’t let him finish that particular word. Not with Alex hiding there listening, or everything would explode for me. Mark’s eyes widened in surprise but he stayed quiet. I forced myself to stand from the bed with the bed sheets on me, legs shaky and sore. Little pains shot through me with each step but I ignored it. I grabbed Mark’s hand and led him outside the room. The sheet stayed wrapped tight around my body.

Mark kept asking as we moved. “What’s wrong, Evie? Tell me. You’re acting strange.” His voice was low, worried. He tried to stop and look at my face.

I couldn’t answer him. The words stuck in my throat. Alex was still in there. If I said anything, it would all come crashing down. “Just go, Mark. Please. I need to be alone right now.” My voice came out tired and flat. I pushed him into the hallway, shut the door on him, closing it quick but soft. Deep down I knew I hurt him badly. The look on his face before the door clicked shut stayed with me. I waited right there at the door, ear pressed close, listening to his footsteps walk away slow. They faded down the hall. Only then did I let out a long breath.

I turned back into the room. “Alex, get the fuck out of my room. Now.”

Alex crawled out from under the bed. He stood up, still naked, his cock dangling. He came close, trying to touch my arm. “We can still continue, Evie. I know you liked it. Your body showed me.”

The way I looked at him stopped him cold. My eyes were hard. “Lay your hands on me again and see what happens next.” My tone was sharp, cold. It carried real warning. Alex paused, rethinking fast. He saw I meant every word. With anger on his face and his cock still out, he quickly left the room without another word. The door shut behind him.

Outside, Mark and Alex almost ran into each other in the dark hallway. Mark stopped short when he saw him. “Where are you coming from? I thought you left the house already, couldn't find you in the guestroom.”

Alex kept his cool. “I went to the toilet.” Luckily for him, the angle he stood in was quite dark. Mark didn’t really see that Alex was half naked, clothes bunched in his hands.

Mark’s face showed clear disappointment from my reaction earlier. He didn’t push more. He just nodded once and went to join Evie’s mom in her room where she was still sleeping peacefully. The door closed quietly behind him.

I stood alone in my room after that, the bedsheet still around me. My body ached. The mix of shame and leftover feelings made my head spin. I didn’t know how much longer I could keep all these secrets without everything falling apart.

I couldn’t sleep that night. After everything that happened in my room, how close it all came to escalating, my mind kept spinning. I lay in bed staring at the ceiling for what felt like hours. The sheets still smelled like the mess Alex left behind. My body ached in places I didn’t want to think about. Mark’s face when I pushed him out flashed in my head over and over. I knew I made him feel bad. But telling the truth or allowing him to have me that night would have made everything worse. Alex was right under the bed.

I checked the door lock a few times. Sleep never really came. I just waited for the sky to lighten outside my window.

The next morning before anyone could wake up, I slipped out of bed early. I dressed fast in the dark, grabbed my bag, and left the house quiet. The streets were still empty. Cool morning air hit my face as I walked to the bus stop. I needed to get to work. Distance from that house, from Mark, from Alex, from all the secrets. Work would help clear my head. At least that was what I told myself. The ride felt long. I stared out the window, replaying the night. How did things get this complicated?

Alex woke up later that morning in the guest room. He got dressed in another clothes slowly because he still thinks Evie doesn't want to see him after what he had with her last night, thinking about the close call. He found Evie’s mom in the kitchen making tea. They exchanged goodbyes at the door. “Thank you for letting me stay. It was nice catching up with everyone,” Alex said, smiling like nothing was wrong.

Evie’s mom hugged him lightly. “You’re always welcome here, Alex. Tell me when you plan the next visit. Drive safe.”

Mark was in the shower at the same time, water running hot. He stood under the spray thinking about Evie’s strange behavior last night. When he got out, he dried off, put on his work clothes, and left after seeing Evie’s mom. “Have a good day,” he told her, giving her a quick kiss on the cheek. She smiled back, watching him drive off.

Evie’s mom decided to do some cleaning around the house. She started in the living room, dusting shelves and straightening cushions. Then she moved upstairs. When she entered Evie’s room, she found Alex’s trousers crumpled on the floor near the bed. She picked them up, holding them at arm’s length. She remembered clearly how Evie rejected the idea of Alex sleeping in her room. So how did these trousers get here? She stood there for a long minute, wondering. A small frown formed on her face. Something felt off. She folded the trousers neatly and took them to her room, but the question stayed in her mind as she continued cleaning.

The rest of the day passed by smoothly for most of them. Evie arrived at work and dove into her tasks. She answered emails, met with her team, and handled client calls. The busy routine helped push the night’s events to the back of her mind. She even managed a few laughs with her staff during lunch. But the worry lingered underneath.

Later in the afternoon, Evie sat at her desk reviewing some papers. The company phone rang on her assistant’s table. One of her staff picked it up, listened for a moment, then brought the phone over. “They wanted to speak with you directly, ma’am. It sounded important.”

Evie took the phone, pressing it to her ear. “Hello?”

A thick deep voice came through immediately. “It has been nice ignoring my messages and threats, but I think it has come to an end. Come meet me in the evening at that same bar you had your night with your dad. If you don’t come, it will really be over for your career. And I really mean it.”

The words hit her like cold water. Her grip tightened on the phone. They even contacted her through her company's phone