When yet another curveball puts Andy and Lex's relationship into serious jeopardy, the stakes become higher than they've ever been, forcing the couple to fight not only for their love but also for their lives.
• - • - • - • - • - • - • - •
Life see...
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
During that original phone call, I must have asked Ana a hundred questions. While I was convinced I had to infiltrate Becker's penthouse to get the computer, I wasn't about to take unnecessary risks. The goal was to beat the asshole at his own game, not to get killed.
Everything she'd told me confirmed my decision. Aside from her Colombian friend, whose beauty had put her on the man's radar, Becker didn't pay attention to the house staff. He couldn't care less about the maids, and his housekeeper was in charge of hiring, managing, and firing the cleaning crew. Ana hadn't even been in the same room as Becker for over a month now, since the maids were usually to keep off the rooms he used the most whenever he was home.
In the eventually that Becker had some vague idea of what I looked like, from the busted picture of me that had been on TV a couple of times, he might never even come across me. And if he did, he wouldn't care enough to pay attention to me, or he wouldn't recognize me. I'd make sure of that.
Despite all the certainty I had, all the assurance I tried to muster, my insides were still twisted in knots, my stomach so clutched I could feel it in my throat. If only doing the right thing didn't mean I also had to do the wrong one...
During the two days I'd planned this, I hadn't told Lex a thing. He wasn't ready to hear it, still searching for another solution, still suggesting plans that were quickly dismantled for lack of viability. There was no way he would ever agree to this, so I had to go behind his back.
My throat was so tight with emotions, I could barely breathe as I watched him sleep. He seemed so peaceful in the white sheets, his face relaxed and serene. The evening before, I'd made love to him. Contrary to the rough sex we'd been having lately, it had been tender, slow, and sweet. In a way, I'd asked forgiveness for what I was about to do. Hopefully, his wrath wouldn't be lessened by my display of love.
On my side of the bed, laid on my pillow, I'd left a note for him. Only five words were written on it, but something told me I could have written a thousand, it still wouldn't have been enough. So upon waking up, he'd notice I was gone, pick up the small piece of paper, and read 'I love you. Trust me'.
Outside, dawn was almost breaking, which meant I needed to go. There was no way I'd arrive late for my first day of 'work'.
With a heavy heart and a heavier conscience, I ripped my eyes away from Lex's sleeping form to head to the common area. From the couch, I took my bag, which didn't have much in it. My phone, a small wallet with nothing but a few small bills and coins, and various items to make it look more real, like a packet of tissues, lipstick, earplugs...
As I reached the door that led to the hotel's corridor, I caught a reflection of myself in a mirror. The strange sight compelled me to check my appearance one last time. It was strange how I looked like the same person, but in a different font, somehow. My hair was slicked back tightly, held by products and tied with a hairband. To give the illusion of long hair, I'd attached a fake bun with a color that perfectly matched mine. I'd never really used foundation, and after I'd spent a large part of the day before training to blend and contour, I knew I wouldn't either in the future. But for now, it was a necessary evil, as it allowed me to hide another one of my recognizable features – my freckles.
