The hammer dropped, and I swallowed hard. Oliver wanted to take my precious evening gown and give it to Eve. No.
“That’s Alicia’s. Mr Kensington, I won’t clothe your mistress, and I’d like you to leave. I don’t approve of cheating,” I stated firmly. Inside, I screamed for Oliver to deny those words.
“Mystique, you work for me!” Oliver thundered, and I held my ground.
“That can be changed. The contract with Eliganz is seasonal. Once I’ve delivered the season, I can sign with perhaps… um, I hear Zade has a new CEO, and he’s turning things upside down over there. My designs would put Zade on the map, just like Eliganz,” I said calmly.
Oliver turned puce. “Are you threatening me?”
“No. Merely making a statement. Mr Kensington, I refuse to let my label be associated with scandal. Mystique has a reputation, and from what I’ve seen lately, Eliganz and the CEO may no longer suit my needs.” Outside, I was icily calm; inside, I was shaking. Oliver’s scowl descended, and he stepped forward. Oliver didn’t deny anything, and a part of me was slowly dying.
“Don’t forget, I made Mystique what it is,” Oliver stated.
“No, you didn’t. Six special women did, including your wife. Alicia is a lovely lady and always spoke well of you. That’s why I signed with Eliganz. However, clearly Alicia was deluded. Leave, Mr Kensington, and return to your mistress.”
“Eve is not my mistress! She’s my assistant.”
“That you’re willing to spend fifty thousand on,” I retorted and turned away. Oliver stomped off as I swallowed tears.
What had happened to us? Where had everything gone wrong? I walked over to an armchair and sat down, drawing my legs up and wrapping my arms around them.
Was it me? Had I changed? Maybe being Mystique caused those issues, huh? Had my alter-ego given me fake confidence and made me disrespect everything Oliver had given me? Had I really become a selfish, greedy person so petty that I was jealous of an employee?
Thoughts ran through my head, all doubting what I’d witnessed, and I wondered if I’d driven Oliver away. Despite his saying Eve wasn’t his mistress, all signs pointed to the opposite. Nobody bought their assistant a fifty-thousand-dollar dress. Nobody.
Oliver
How dare Mystique speak like that? The bitch wouldn’t go to Zade. That was an empty threat. Designers peaked and troughed, and Mystique hadn’t been around long. She should be careful before I ruin her. And not giving me that evening gown! I was furious. The dress would suit Eve a lot better than Alicia.
I felt a pang as I drove home. Four days had passed, and Alicia hadn’t come crawling on her hands and knees for forgiveness. In fact, Alicia outright ignored me. Worse, she’d not cooked dinner, organised my clothing for the following day, orhad coffee waiting. Alicia hadn’t let me return to our marriage bed either. My plans for punishment were backfiring. Alicia should have been pleading for forgiveness by now.
My wife had only me to depend on; I’d made certain of that. So why wasn’t Alicia crying and begging for attention? Somehow, I’d managed to keep Alicia from seeing those women lately. Because I was damn sure they were behind her flash of independence. But something was amiss, seriously wrong. Plus, on two nights, Alicia arrived home after me. Where had she been? Alicia claimed she had taken some stuff to charity one night. The second, she alleged she’d been stuck in traffic. Had Alicia been with Cain? A sinking sensation hit my stomach.
Alicia was the perfect housewife and business wife. Was Cain looking at her for himself? Could Cain be courting Alicia with the intent of stealing her? Damn! I might be in danger of losing Alicia. Worried, I swung my car around and headed to the mall. Too much effort had been spent turning Alicia into the ideal wife. I wouldn’t lose her now. It was time for jewellery; Alicia adored that. I’d woo her back and then reinforce her place in my life. Alicia loved me; she was already mine and just needed some reassurance. After all, Alicia was delicate.
Alicia
Oliver’s car pulled in, and I ignored it, and kept making lunch for myself. Heavy footsteps rang out as he walked towards the kitchen where I was.
“Darling,” Oliver called, and I refused to answer. I was still stewing over the fact that Oliver had intended to give my dress to Eve. He entered and, out of my peripheral sight, I saw him move towards me. However, I didn’t respond, but kept slicing the salad.
Oliver’s hands cupped my arms and ran up and down them, like he was soothing me. What had Oliver done now?
“What do you want?” I asked as I moved the tomatoes aside and began cutting a cucumber.
“Put the knife down, darling,” Oliver murmured.
“Oliver.” I sighed as I did as he asked and faced him. “What?”
“Alicia, I was wrong,” he murmured, and my jaw dropped open. Those words had never crossed Oliver’s lips. Oliver was never in error.
“About what?”
“How it would be perceived between Eve and me,” Oliver said softly.
I stiffened and turned my back again.
“Alicia, don’t do this. Honey, I never meant to hurt you.”
