ALICE’S POV
“I’ll tell you everything but are you ready for the truth?” She flashed me one of those evil smirks of hers that seemed to make my blood boil.
“You sound as if you won some lottery ticket, Elizabeth. I don’t care about what your truth is, but I want you to know I trust my husband and I’m sure he wouldn’t do anything to break my heart,” I snarled at her face, but it felt more as if I was trying to convince myself.
I was scared. What if Elizabeth had managed to… No, she hasn’t.
“What if it’s a lottery ticket?” Her grin grew wider.
“Then spit it out!” I yelled at her face.
“My pleasure,” she bowed mockingly. “While you were off to Dad’s place, Liam got all cozy with me and lost control. That night we…”
“Alice!” My name was suddenly yelled out, cutting Elizabeth’s confession short. I turned around slowly to see Liam standing there. He had this look on his face as if he was scared.
“You need me for something, Liam?” I asked him. He gave me that worried look and the next thing I knew, he slumped to the floor, unconscious.
“Liam!” I rushed to him, gently placing his head on my thigh. “Liam… What’s wrong with you… Wake up, Liam.” My brain was going blank, each passing second, my heart was beating fast against my ribcage. Am I losing him?
“Get the doctor!” I yelled at Elizabeth.
“You don’t expect me to run all the way to the hospital, right?” She flashed me an irritated look.
“Call the fucking doctor!” I yelled at her, fully agitated. Immediately, she dashed out of the room.
“Be fine, Liam,” I patted his head.
___
LIAM’S POV
I could hear Alice’s frantic voice, feel her gentle touch. Guilt gnawed at me for faking this, but it was the only way to stop Elizabeth’s confession. I needed to find a way to explain everything to Alice without her hating me.
I felt a soft pat on my head and forced myself to stay still. Just then, Alice’s voice rang out again, closer this time, filled with desperation and fear. “Please be okay, Liam. I can’t lose you.”
I wanted to reassure her, to tell her everything would be fine, but I needed to stick to the plan. Just as I was about to open my eyes, I heard Elizabeth’s footsteps returning with the doctor.
“He’s fine. Like I said earlier, he must have passed out due to stress, there’s nothing to be worried about,” the doctor repeated for what seemed like the tenth time.
Alice’s relief was palpable, but I could sense her lingering worry. “I’ll take my leave now, Mrs. Turner,” the doctor said, his voice gentle.
“Thank you,” Alice replied, her voice trembling slightly. I could feel her lingering by my side, her hand gently stroking my hair. I hated myself for putting her through this.
ALICE’S POV
The doctor’s words provided some relief, but I couldn’t shake the fear that something else was wrong. I stayed by Liam’s side, watching him breathe evenly. He looked so peaceful, so vulnerable. My heart ached with love and worry.
“I need you to wake up soon, Liam,” I whispered, leaning down to kiss his forehead. “I need you.”
I left the room quietly, deciding to prepare breakfast. I needed to keep myself busy, to do something productive instead of worrying endlessly.
LIAM’S POV
I listened as Alice’s footsteps faded away. I opened my eyes slightly, feeling guilty for the charade but knowing it was necessary. Elizabeth’s confession would have destroyed everything. I couldn’t let that happen.
I heard Alice return a little while later, carrying a tray of food. I closed my eyes again, feigning sleep. She placed the tray on the bedside table and sat down beside me, her presence comforting and warm.
“Please wake up soon, Liam,” she murmured, brushing a strand of hair from my forehead. “I need you.”
I stirred, pretending to wake up slowly. “Alice?”
She was at my side instantly, her eyes wide with relief. “Liam! You’re awake. How are you feeling? Are you hurt anywhere?”
“I’m fine,” I assured her, forcing a smile. “Just a bit dizzy.”
She helped me sit up, her touch gentle and careful. “You gave me such a scare,” she whispered, her eyes brimming with tears.
“I’m sorry,” I said softly, my heart aching at the sight of her distress. “I didn’t mean to worry you.”
After some gentle coaxing, Alice fed me breakfast. Her care and concern touched me deeply, making me feel even more guilty for deceiving her.
“Thank you,” I said, my voice sincere. “You’re amazing, you know that?”
She blushed, a shy smile spreading across her face. “Just doing my job as your wife.”
We chatted about small things, avoiding the topic of Elizabeth and focusing on each other. It felt good, almost normal.
“Do you want to watch a movie?” I asked, hoping to keep her distracted and happy.
“Sure,” she agreed, her eyes lighting up. “What do you want to watch?”
“How about Twilight?” I suggested, knowing it was one of her favorites.
She grinned. “I haven’t seen that in ages. Let’s do it.”
We settled in front of the TV, the familiar scenes of Twilight playing out on the screen. We talked about the characters, debated the storyline, and laughed at the cheesy moments. It was a welcome distraction, a brief escape from the chaos of our lives.
___
ALICE’S POV
Watching Twilight with Liam was comforting. We laughed, argued over Team Edward and Team Jacob, and just enjoyed each other’s company. It felt like a normal couple thing, something we hadn’t had much of lately.
As the movie played, I couldn’t help but steal glances at Liam. He seemed more relaxed, the stress lines on his face softening. I reached out, taking his hand in mine, and he squeezed it gently.
“I’m glad you’re feeling better,” I said softly, leaning my head on his shoulder.
“Me too,” he replied, his voice warm. “Thanks for taking care of me.”
“Always,” I whispered, feeling a deep sense of contentment.
The movie ended, but we stayed on the couch, talking about everything and nothing. For the first time in a long while, I felt like we were truly connecting, like the distance between us was shrinking.
“Liam,” I said hesitantly, “about what Elizabeth said… Do you really have nothing to hide?”
He looked at me, his eyes serious. “Alice, I promise you, there’s nothing between Elizabeth and me. What you saw was a misunderstanding. Please believe me.”
I wanted to believe him, I really did. But a nagging doubt lingered in the back of my mind. I pushed it aside, focusing on the here and now. “I trust you,” I said finally, hoping it was enough.
He pulled me into a hug, his arms wrapping around me tightly. “Thank you,” he murmured. “That means everything to me.”
We stayed like that for a while, holding onto each other as if the world outside didn’t exist. For now, it was just us, and that was enough.
LIAM’S POV
Holding Alice in my arms, I felt a sense of peace I hadn’t felt in a long time. But beneath that peace was guilt. I knew I needed to come clean about everything, but I couldn’t bear the thought of losing her.
As we sat there, her warmth against me, I made my a promise to protect her from the truth for as long as I could. For now, we could have this moment of happiness, this fragile peace.
“Do you want to watch another movie?” I asked, trying to keep the mood light.
“Sure,” she said, her smile brightening. “Your pick this time.”
I chose a lighthearted comedy, something to keep us laughing and distracted. As the movie played, I held her close, wishing that this moment could last forever.
But deep down, I knew that the truth would catch up with me eventually. And when it did, I just hoped that our love would be strong enough to survive it.