[BL] A Marriage Ruled by Family, Saved by Desire-Chapter 42: Crossing Lines Betrayal Unveiled

~Alistair’s POV~

The blood drained from my face. "What?"

The maid flinched at the sharpness of my voice, her eyes darting toward the hallway in fear. I took a deep breath, forcing my heart to stop its frantic hammering, and regained my composure. "You can go," I said, my voice now a cold, steady clip. "Tell them I will be downstairs shortly."

Once the door clicked shut, I didn’t waste a second. I dressed with precision, choosing a sharp, dark outfit that made me look every bit the powerful husband I was. I checked my reflection once, my face was an unreadable mask, and then I headed down.

As I reached the bottom of the stairs, the clinking of silverware echoed from the dining room. Alex’s father sat at the head of the table, focused on his meal, while his wife sat beside him, playing the part of the devoted hostess. He was the first to spot me.

"Alistair! Son, come here," he called out, his voice booming with genuine warmth. "Join us."

I walked into the room with measured steps, pulled out a chair, and sat across from them. I offered a polite, practiced nod. "Good morning, Father." Then, I turned my gaze to my mother-in-law, my eyes narrowing just a fraction. "Mom. You called for me?"

"I did, son," she replied, smoothing her silk napkin with a look of feigned innocence. "I wanted to inform you that I sent Alex and Sarah to the grocery store. I hope you don’t mind."

Every nerve in my body screamed with irritation, but I wouldn’t give her the satisfaction of seeing me crumble. I leaned back, a thin, sharp smile touching my lips. "I don’t mind at all, Mom," I said smoothly. Then, I tilted my head curiously. "Though, I am wondering... why send Alex and Sarah? Isn’t that what we have a full house staff for?"

Alex’s father paused, his fork hovering mid-air as he looked at his wife. "That’s a fair point. Why bother them with errands? That’s what the staff is getting paid for, isn’t it?"

I watched the color drain from her face as she fumbled for an answer. I kept my smile fixed, enjoying the subtle shift in the room’s power.

"Well," she started, her voice hitching, "I just thought they needed the fresh air, and Sarah mentioned she needed a few specific things for her... condition..."

"Sweetheart," Alex’s father interjected, his voice calm but edged with authority. "Next time, please leave such errands to the staff. And more importantly, don’t you think it’s rather inappropriate to send Alex out alone with Sarah while his husband is here in the house?"

The silence that followed was deafening. My mother-in-law stared at her husband, her mouth opening and closing like a fish out of water. She hadn’t expected him to be so direct.

I didn’t let her recover. I reached out and gently patted the table. "It’s alright, Father. Truly. If the errand was that urgent, I don’t mind. I trust my husband."

The word "trust" struck her like a slap. Realizing she had lost this round, she pushed back her chair, the legs scraping sharply against the floor. "I have matters to attend to," she snapped, her face burning with restrained fury as she swept out of the dining room.

Alex’s father watched her go with a weary sigh, then turned back to me, his expression softening. "Pay no mind to her mood, Alis. Join me for breakfast, we have quite a lot to catch up on."

As we resumed our meal, the tension gradually eased, giving way to a surprisingly warm atmosphere. He asked about my work and how things were going between his son and me, his eyes searching mine with quiet paternal concern.

"Is everything truly alright between you two?" he asked gently. "I know my wife can be... difficult. And Alex can be a little absent-minded at times. Is he treating you well, Alis? I want the truth."

His gaze softened, but there was quiet steel beneath it. "You’re like a son to me. And if he’s not giving you the respect you deserve, I’ll be the first to set him straight."

I felt a lump form in my throat at his sincerity. "He’s a good man, Father. Truly."

Just then, I caught the shadow of my mother-in-law returning to the doorway, hovering as if waiting for a moment to strike. I cleared my throat, raising my voice just enough so it would carry across the room.

"Actually, Father, Alex treats me like I’m his entire world," I said, a soft, confident smile on my face. "He goes above and beyond to make sure I’m happy. I couldn’t ask for a more devoted husband."

From the corner of my eye, I saw her face contort with a bitter scowl as she rolled her eyes, clearly disgusted by my public display of loyalty.

In the middle of our conversation, the front door swung open, and Alex walked into the living room alone. Sarah was nowhere in sight. He moved with a quiet confidence, each step deliberate as he made his way toward the table.

"Good morning, house," he announced. He came straight to me, leaning down to press a lingering, warm kiss to my cheek. "Good morning, my love. I hope you slept well."

"Good morning, baby," I replied, my voice sweet enough to make his mother wince.

Alex turned to greet his father, asking about his flight and the business trip. His father was in the middle of answering when his mother’s voice cut through the air like a knife.

"Alex! Where is Sarah?"

Alex continued talking to his father, completely ignoring her as if she were white noise. 𝘧𝓇ℯℯ𝑤ℯ𝘣𝓃ℴ𝓋𝑒𝑙.𝑐𝘰𝑚

"Alex! I am talking to you!" she snapped, her voice rising. "Where is Sarah? Why didn’t she come back with you?"

Alex finally turned his head, his expression one of bored indifference. "How am I supposed to know where she is, Mom?"

"How?" she shrieked. "You both left this house together in the same car!"

Alex stood up, his height making the room feel smaller. "Mom, let’s be clear. I told you I had an important errand to run. You practically forced Sarah into my car, insisting I drop her off at the grocery store. I did exactly what you asked. I dropped her off, and then I went to my meeting. What happens to her after that is none of my concern."

"You left her there?" she gasped, horrified. "You didn’t think to wait for her and bring her home?"

"Why would I?" Alex asked, his tone flat. "It’s not my job to be her chauffeur, Mom. She’s an adult. I’m sure she can find her own way back."

"Alex! How could you be so heartless?" his mother started, her voice shrill with indignation. "She’s a guest! She’s—"

"Enough, honey," Alex’s father said firmly, his voice cutting through the tension. He turned his piercing gaze on his wife. "Why wouldn’t he leave her? Why did you insist she follow him in the first place? You know he has his own life, and his husband, to focus on."

"But I only thought—"

"I don’t care what you thought," he interrupted sharply. Then, turning back to us, his expression tired but resolute, he said, "Alex, Alis... why don’t you two go upstairs and get settled? I need a private word with your mother."

Alex didn’t need to be told twice. He reached for my hand, his fingers interlacing with mine, and led me away from the dining room. As we climbed the stairs, the air grew lighter with every step away from his mother, while his father’s voice dropped into that low, serious tone that signaled a long-overdue reckoning.

The moment we stepped inside our room and the door clicked shut, I pulled my hand back. I turned to face him, my expression unyielding. "Where did you go, Alex? And don’t give me the ’grocery store’ excuse."

Alex didn’t answer with words at first. He stepped into my space, his hands sliding around my waist to pull me flush against him. "Baby..." he murmured, leaning his forehead against mine.

I didn’t melt. I braced my hands against his chest, pushing back just enough to look him in the eye. My voice grew dangerously quiet. "Answer my question."

Alex saw the flash of iron in my gaze and realized the time for games was over. He let out a heavy sigh, his grip on me tightening slightly. "Alis... you put that pillow between us last night. You wouldn’t even let me touch you. I couldn’t just lie there and let this nightmare continue. I had to do something."

He took a steady breath, his eyes locking onto mine. "I went to meet Julian. He was at the table with us that night in Singapore. He’s a family friend... but more importantly, he doesn’t drink. I knew if anyone was going to witness what happened, it would be him."

My heart skipped a beat. "And? What did he say?"

Alex reached for my hand, his thumb stroking my knuckles. "Come here, babe. Let’s sit down."

I followed him to the edge of the bed, my pulse racing. We sat side-by-side, but I didn’t lean into him yet. I needed the truth more than I needed his warmth.

"I asked him everything," Alex began, his voice low and urgent. "He told me that by the end of the night, I could barely keep myself conscious. He said I wasn’t even able to stand on my own, let alone ’willingly’ go to a room with Sarah."

He looked at me, his eyes burning with a mix of anger and relief. "He told me it was my mother, Alis."