[BL] A Marriage Ruled by Family, Saved by Desire-Chapter 46: Enemies Outside, Lovers Inside

~Alistair’s POV~

I leaned up and pressed a soft, lingering kiss to the spot, whispering an apology against his skin.

Alex sighed, leaning into my touch before gently pulling away. "You should change your shirt, love," he murmured, glancing at the damp patches where his tears had soaked the fabric. "Before we go down, there’s something we need to discuss."

He led me to the edge of the bed and gently sat me down, but the softness in his touch didn’t match the sharp, calculating look that crossed his face.

"When we go downstairs," he said quietly, his voice calm and deliberate, "we can’t let them see us like this. We have to keep pretending as if we’re fighting, as if we’re on the verge of breaking up."

I blinked, taken aback. "Why? I thought the point was to stand together."

"I need to see her next move, Alis," he explained, his eyes darkening. "I want to understand exactly what my mother’s end goal is for our marriage. If she thinks she’s finally succeeded in driving us apart, she’ll become overconfident. She’ll stop hiding. I need her to show her true colors so I can end this once and for all."

"But what about your father?" I asked, my heart hammering. "If he thinks we’re failing, he might..."

Alex didn’t let me finish. He tightened his grip on my hand, a silent reassurance.

"I’ll figure out how to explain everything to him later," he said gently. "But for now, when we’re in front of her and Sarah, we act like enemies. In here, behind this door, we’re united."

His eyes held mine, steady and serious. "The second we walk out, we’re strangers."

I paused, my heart caught between caution and trust as I considered the risk. Playing along with his mother’s scheme, even as an act, felt dangerous. But the fierce determination in Alex’s eyes steadied me.

After a moment, I gave a slow nod. "Okay," I said quietly. "I’ll play my part."

I changed into a fresh shirt, and we walked toward the door. For a brief moment, our fingers interlaced, one last squeeze of solidarity. But as we reached the top of the stairs, within sight of the household, we let go.

Our faces transformed. We donned masks of cold, bitter resentment, our bodies stiffening with manufactured distance. We descended into the lion’s den, looking every bit like a couple whose love had finally turned to ash.

When we walked into the living room, the atmosphere was already tense. Alex’s father sat on the large sofa, his expression carefully neutral, though the weariness in his eyes betrayed him. My mother-in-law sat beside him, poised and dignified, a faint look of satisfaction she couldn’t quite hide lingering on her face.

Sarah was seated near the window, her posture proper and hands folded neatly in her lap, but her gaze shifted toward Alex the moment he stepped inside.

"Sit," Alex’s father commanded, his voice echoing in the quiet room.

We sat as far apart as the sofa would allow. I leaned away from Alex, crossing my arms over my chest and staring at the wall, while Alex slumped in his seat, rubbing his face with a hand as if he couldn’t stand the sight of me.

Alex’s father cleared his throat, his gaze sweeping over us like a weight pressing down. "I’ve been watching the two of you all day," the patriarch began, his voice sharp. "The display at the golf course was an embarrassment, not just to this family, but to the commitment you made to each other. And what was that noise coming from your room just now? I want an explanation, so both of you start talking."

Alex’s mother didn’t wait. She let out a long, dramatic sigh. "Oh, dear, isn’t it obvious? The tension has been building for weeks. I tried to tell you, but I suppose some things just aren’t meant to be fixed. It’s heartbreaking to see Alistair so... distracted by other men. And poor Alex, trying so hard to keep his dignity in the middle of it all."

I felt the urge to scream at her, but I held onto the plan. I let out a sharp, bitter laugh, looking directly at her.

"His dignity?" I spat the word out like it was poison. "That’s rich, coming from you, Mom. You’re so worried about his dignity, but where was the concern for mine when my husband was playing ’teacher’ to a house guest in front of everyone? If he’s losing his dignity, it’s because he threw it away the moment he forgot he had a husband."

Alex slammed his fist onto the arm of the sofa, playing his part perfectly. He looked at me with a manufactured rage that made the room go still. "Don’t you dare twist this, Alis! You were the one holding hands with a stranger! Do you have any idea how much of a fool that makes me look?"

"A fool?" I hissed, leaning toward him as if I couldn’t stand the sight of him. "You’ve been making yourself look like a fool since Singapore, Alex. Don’t blame me for finally looking for someone who actually knows how to pay attention!"

"Enough!" Alex’s father roared, his patience snapping.

"Darling, please," Alex’s mother said, her voice dropping to a soothing, manipulative purr. She walked over to stand behind Alex, placing her hands on his shoulders as if protecting him from me. "Don’t be too harsh on him. Alex is clearly struggling with his marriage. It seems you’ve both reached a breaking point. Maybe... maybe it’s time we consider a more ’peaceful’ arrangement, for everyone’s sake. Especially his."

She looked over at Sarah, a silent signal passing between them. I caught the flicker of a smug smile on Sarah’s lips before she quickly masked it with a look of pity.

"What kind of arrangement, Mother?" Alex asked, his voice sounding hollow, his head hanging low to hide the look in his eyes.

"A separation, sweetheart," she murmured, her fingers continuing that rhythmic, manipulative stroke on his shoulder. "I’m not saying you should get a divorce yet, but I think a separation is necessary. You need some time apart, just for a while. You could stay here, focus on the business... and I’m sure Sarah would be more than happy to help you navigate this difficult transition. She’s always been so loyal to you, Alex. Not like... others."

She shot me a sharp, icy glance before turning back to her son. "As for Alis, he can go back home, stay with his parents, or find somewhere else. You both need a break until things settle down."

Before Alex could respond, his father’s voice boomed through the room, cutting through the mother’s honeyed poison.

"Honey, that’s a terrible idea," he said firmly. "Telling them to stay apart is the same as telling them to get a divorce. That’s how homes are broken. You should be finding a way to help them fix this, not advising them to run from each other." He turned a stern gaze toward his wife. "No. I won’t accept that. They will stay here, and they will work this out."

He then looked at both of us, his disappointment palpable. "What is wrong with the two of you? You’re adults. Why can’t you get yourselves together?"

Alex played his part, looking up with a face full of manufactured resentment. "It’s Alis, Father. He won’t listen to me. I think what Mother said is—"

"Will you just keep quiet and stop talking nonsense?" his father snapped, silencing him instantly. "Neither of you is leaving, and you are not separating. You will stay under this roof and you will fix what is broken. Am I clear?"

Alex let out a frustrated huff, leaning back and crossing his arms. "Fine, Father. But I’m not sleeping in the same room as him. I can’t even stand the sight of him right now."

His mother pounced on the opening immediately. "That’s perfectly fine, darling! You shouldn’t have to be miserable. You can stay in Sarah’s guest suite... It’s fine with her, right?" She turned to Sarah with a triumphant glint in her eyes.

Sarah nodded eagerly, a tiny, rehearsed smile on her lips. "Yes, Mom. Of course."

"Enough!" Alex’s father roared, slamming his hand on the sofa. He glared at his wife. "Stop talking. Alex is not leaving that room. He will stay in the same room as his husband. I will not allow you to sleep anywhere else in this house, only where your husband is."

"But Dad—" Alex tried to protest, his voice cracking for effect.

"Enough! I’ve had enough of all this," his father snapped, pointing toward the stairs. "Both of you, get back to your room immediately."

We stood up in a heavy, jagged silence. Alex didn’t even look at me; he turned his back with a jerk and marched toward the stairs. I followed a few paces behind, making sure to keep a cold, visible distance between us. We were like two magnets with the same pole, pushing each other away. My mother-in-law watched us, her eyes narrowed, searching for any crack in our masks, while Sarah hovered behind her like a shadow.

We climbed the stairs in a rhythmic, angry stomp. The moment we crossed the threshold of our room, Alex slammed the door shut with a resounding thud that echoed through the hallway.

The second the lock clicked, the atmosphere shifted from ice to fire.

Before I could even catch my breath or utter a word, Alex spun around. The fake scowl vanished, replaced by a look of sheer, hungry adoration. He lunged for me, his hands framing my face as he captured my lips in a deep, breathless kiss. It wasn’t the kiss of a man who hated me; it was the kiss of a man who had been starving for me all day.

"Mm—Alex!" I tried to protest through my laughter, but he didn’t let me go.

"That was perfect, baby," he murmured against my lips...