Chapter 4 - An Invisible wife

Alexandra lowered her head as his words felt like a sharp sword stabbing through her heart. She has lived all her life in her father's house like a shadow and in her supposed husband's house, she also has to be invisible. What crime did she commit to have a fate this cruel?

“Did you understand?” Bryan asked, tightening his grip.

Alexandra nodded, tears flowing freely down her eyes. “Ye-Yes.”

“Good,” Bryan smirked, then pointed at the down. “Now get out!”

Donna turned to the maids. “Take her to the room at the rear end of the hallway.”

Alexandra knew without being told that the room was going to be worse than the storeroom she stayed at in her father's mansion. Limping slowly, she followed the maids out.

“Wait,” Bryan said, making her pause in her steps. “I can't remember if I used protection so better take pills. I don't want any surprises from a gold digger.”

Alexandra’s fingers dug into the crescents of her palm. He clearly took advantage of her and took her innocence but doesn't even care how she felt. She nodded again but didn't turn.

“Cathy,” Donna called and one of the maids answered. “Brew a medicine and make sure you watch her drink it. We can't trust someone who stole her sister's wedding.”

Alexandra didn't say anything as she followed them out. The room at the rear end of the hall wasn't a store room, instead it looked more like an abandoned dressing room judging from how small it was but she didn't complain.

The medicine was brewed and she drank it as ordered because deep down, she also wouldn't want a child from a heartless man.

***

Alexandra had barely finished cleaning up and arranging the room when a knock came on the door.

When she opened the door, a maid handed her a small box. “This are your belongings,”

Alexandra thanked her before collecting the box and locking the door back. Inside the box were her phone, two books and a bracelet Kevin had given her on her last birthday.

Sadly, those were the only things she had ever since she was a kid. Her birthday had never been celebrated, she was never given an allowance and had no assets to her name yet she was Gary's eldest daughter. Till date, she didn't know what she did wrong to make her parents never love her.

She didn't know she was crying until the tears dropped onto the box. She quickly wiped them off, turning on her phone. She needed to check on Kevin, they should have let him go afterall she had done all they had asked for.

But when the call connected, Charlotte's voice came from the other end. “I was wondering if you would ever contact your lover boy.”

Alexandra's grip tightened on the phone. “What are you doing with his phone? Haven't I done everything you guys asked me to do?”

Charlotte's cold laughter came from the other end. “Everything? What if you escape? Aren't you good at that?”

Alexandra gulped, that was the first thing on her mind.

“Seems like I'm right?” Charlotte chirped when she didn't say anything. 

“What… what exactly do you want?” Alexandra’s voice cracked. "You love Bryan and he also loves so why do you—”

“Who said I love Bryan?” Charlotte mocked, cutting her off. “He's just a boring rich man so why should I marry him?”

“You… you—”

“Shhhh,” she interrupted her again. “You're just a replaceable spare. So keep quiet and do your part if you want to meet your lover again.”

Before she could reply, the phone went dead. Alexandra crumbled herself into a corner, sobbing into her tears quietly. Was she really just a spare? Someone replaceable at any time?

***

Alexandra didn't know when she slept off but when she opened her eyes again, it was already dark outside but the mansion seemed to be unsettled as she heard voices and hurried footsteps.

Her stomach grumbled loudly, forcing her to stand up and find her way to the kitchen.

But when she stepped inside the kitchen, she discovered what the commotion was all about. Bryan always had stir-fried fish every Saturday evening and that day was Saturday but the chef that was always in charge had suddenly travelled out of town just that evening.

Everyone knew how bad Bryan's temper was so they had been trying to recreate it but to no avail. She didn't want to intervene because he had clearly warned her to remain invisible but her conscience couldn't allow her.

“Let me try,” she spluttered, even though her mind was reminding her the kind of risk she was taking.

“What?” Cathy asked, she was obviously the head maid. “Do you have a death wish?”

“I was in charge of my family's meals back at home,” Alexandra explained, not sure where the confidence came from. “Unless you have another option.”

The kitchen fell into a choking silence. 

“Fine,” Cathy accepted, gesturing towards the gas cooker. “You have less than an hour.”

Alexandra nodded as she quickly washed her hands and began cooking. Luckily, stir-fried fish was her father's favourite so she had to cook that thrice every week back at home.

She was done earlier than expected and just as the maids were done setting the table, Bryan walked in with Charlotte in his arms.

Alexandra watched as they went to his room and returned afterwards to the dining room joining Donna who was already seated.

She watched as Bryan tasted her food, praying silently it was to his taste and he wouldn't notice anything but luck wasn't on her side.

“Who prepared this meal?” Bryan asked Cathy the moment he tasted the food.

“It's obviously my sister,” Charlotte replied before Cathy could. “Can you not yell at her? I love her cooking so much but she won't cook for me?”

Bryan turned sharply towards Cathy. “Get that woman down here instantly.”

Within seconds, Cathy returned with Alexandra, she didn't hear what they had talked about earlier so her heart was beating nonstop, scared of the kind of humiliation she has to face again.

“You're responsible for our meals from now onwards,” Bryan stated, intertwining his hand with Charlotte's on the table where Alexandra could see it.

But Alexandra was still dumbfounded to notice it. “I don't understand,”

“You don't have to make her do it,” Charlotte said, cowering into Bryan's arm like she was scared. “She might get angry and take it out on me. She might poison the food and—”

“I'm here. She wouldn't dare.” Bryan assured Charlotte patting her back fondly but the moment her gaze lifted to Alexandra it turned cold.

“From today henceforth, you're in charge of the meal in this mansion. You will taste each meal in front of me before anyone eats it.” Bryan ordered without battling an eye.