CHAPTER 42: 42: THE UNEXPECTED SLAP

Adrienne felt the blood drain from her face. The tiny diamond ring box—the very one she had watched Alexander slide onto her other persona’s hand just hours ago—slid from her nerveless fingers and clattered softly onto the thick carpet.

"W-what did y-ou s-say?" she stammered breathlessly in shock, her eyes wide as saucers.

Alexander looked entirely serious, his troubled, distant expression replaced by the laser-focused determination of a CEO announcing a hostile takeover.

"I said, let’s make a baby, Adrienne," he repeated, his voice calm, rational, and utterly terrifying. "My mother has changed the terms. Marriage is no longer enough to secure the shares. The final clause requires a direct heir. A grandchild."

He walked past the discarded ring box without glancing down, heading toward his window to draw the dark curtains and stare out at the city skyline.

"She gave me a six-month deadline," he continued, leaning over to pick his pyjama shirt from the chaise lounge that Adrienne had been eyeing. "And since you are my wife, and we are both adults capable of producing one, we will proceed with the most efficient plan."

He paused, his magnificent, shirtless frame backlit by the warm glow of light. He looked back at Adrienne, whose face was a masterpiece of disbelief and horror.

"Don’t worry about the contractual details; I’ll have the lawyers draft an amendment tomorrow. We’ll simply integrate this new term." Alexander’s lips twisted into a pragmatic, cold smile. "Consider it phase two of our business agreement. And given the timeline, we don’t have much time to waste."

He stepped closer to Adrienne, eyeing her up and down, "I’ll give you a few minutes to think about it." He said and left the room, the door closing with a gentle click, leaving Adrienne alone in the vast, silent room, reeling from the sudden, catastrophic expansion of her role.

Adrienne stood motionless, the phrase "Let’s make a baby" cycling through her mind, each repetition tightening the knot of panic in her chest.

A baby. With Alexander. The man whose lips she had kissed—as Adrian—just an hour ago. The man who now owned her life, her time, and apparently, her uterus.

It was simply impossible!

Now he wished he were in some omega-verse world where men could get pregnant. However, if he got pregnant as a man, it would affect his career as Adrian.

Everyone at the office will know he’s pregnant, especially the daddy of the baby, his boss, Alexander.

"I can’t even get pregnant. I can’t let him sleep with me, he’ll know everything is fake! Fuck..." she pranced, walking back and forth as she tried to come up with a tangible idea on how to solve the situation.

’We can’t have a baby, we can’t have a baby, we can’t have a baby!’ She grew anxious, rubbing her sweaty palms together as she bit hard on her bottom lip.

"Oh?" She paused as she almost crushed the box of rings under her feet.

Her eyes fell on the simple diamond ring box lying on the carpet. It symbolised the entire elaborate, brittle lie she had built. She bent down, snatching it up, her fingers trembling.

She had to make a choice, and she had to make it tonight, before Alexander could enforce the terms of the "new contract."

She raced to the window, staring out at the dizzying city lights.

"What do I do? This is getting more complicated than I imagined!" She panicked.

After a few minutes of muttering and sweating, Alexander emerged, wearing only a fresh pair of black pyjama bottoms that rode dangerously low on his hips, he found Adrienne standing by the bed, the diamond ring box clutched in her hand.

His gaze was instantly drawn to her.

"Decision time, Adrienne," he stated, towel-drying his hair, the droplets of water tracing paths down his sculpted chest. "I suggest you sleep in the master suite tonight. We begin the process tomorrow."

Adrienne took a deep breath, forcing herself to focus on the business at hand.

"Wait," she said, holding up a hand. "You changed the terms without consulting me. I need to counteroffer."

Alexander paused, a brow arching in challenge. "I’m the one paying you, Adrienne. I can enforce any change I see fit."

"No, you can’t," she argued, the adrenaline clearing her mind. "The contract stated that I must appear as your wife. It said nothing about physical intimacy, or producing an heir. That requires a new negotiation. You don’t own my body, Alexander, it was never part of the deal."

She stepped forward, mimicking his business stance, folding her arms across her chest.

"I –"

"Wait, you think I’m going to sleep with you?" Alexander chuckled, shaking his head.

Adrienne paused, furrowing her perfect brows, "Are you not?" She asked carefully.

Alexander walked over to her, his hand cupping her delicate chin. His eyes flashed with dangerous recognition for just a few seconds before they hardened again.

"You dare to think that I would want to get between your legs, dear wife?" He raised a brow, smirking, "You think too highly of yourself, Adrienne." His eyes fell to her lips, then he scoffed and stepped back

"I would never touch you, I’m a man of my word," he said, lowering himself on the bed.

"Then? How did you plan to make this baby?" Adrienne asked, hiding her relief.

’At least I don’t have to think of ways to make him not see my fake boob’s and nonexistent pussy,’ she rejoiced inwardly.

"IVF, sweetheart. We’ll head to the hospital tomorrow to retrieve your eggs... and mine –"

"No!" Adrienne stumped her feet, her chest heaving.

Alexander did react, he simply sat calmly, staring at a raging Adrienne.

"I’ll compensate you, money-wise," Alexander shrugged.

"You’re a selfish douché, and a very stupid man," Adrienne walked over to Alexander, her hands on her waist.

"You think every woman out there is in a hurry to bear your child?" Adrienne questioned, frowning.

Alexander shrugged, "Technically, they are. I’m surprised you’re not. Chloe for example, she would kill to give me an heir –"

"Then by all means, get her pregnant!" She snapped, clenching her fists to school her jealousy so it didn’t show on her face.

She was hurt, and that was one of the things Adruan feared. He knew he could never be together with Alexander, but somehow, he imagined that if they did get together, Alexander would never be a fulfilled man because he would need children. Children that Adrian could never give him.

Alexander stood, towering over Adrienne’s small frame.

Adrienne tried to step back but a sharp gasp left her lips as Alexander suddenly pulled her in and threw her onto the bed.

Before she could react, Alexander had already climbed over her, caging her between his arms, his eyes dark.

"Alex, w-what are you d-doing? Get away f-from me!" She pushed against his chest but her wrists were easily pinned above her head.

She gasped, her green eyes roaming Alexander’s cold face, "Stop... please." She whispered.

She was scared of a lot of things.

First, she was scared that Alexander might discover her lie if he tried intimacy with her.

Second, she was scared Alexander might kiss her and find out that it was in fact the same lips he had kissed a few hours ago.

Everything with Alexander was dicey, and she couldn’t afford to expose herself just yet.

Alexander stared at Adrienne’s face for a long time, he might have stared too much because he slowly started to see Adrian in Adrienne’s face.

"Stop staring at me like that," he murmured.

Adrienne got confused, Alexander was confusing her.

"Like how?" She asked, taking the chance to slip her wrists out of his hold.

’I should never have kissed him. Now I’m seeing him where he isn’t,’

"Damn it," He muttered rolling off of Adrienne, pushing his fingers through his damp hair.

Adrienne quickly sat up, sighing in relief, "Are you alright?" She asked, facing Alexander, who looked very troubled.

She knew what was wrong with him.

Alexander must be thinking he was going crazy because he was starting to see similarities between her and Adrienne. And, after kissing Adrian in the car, his instincts must be convincing him to see signs where he shouldn’t.

That was why Adrian was going to make sure nothing like that happened again, no matter how much he yearned for another kiss. His security came first.

"You’re not answering? I think I know what’s wrong with you, Mr. Husband. I think that your incompetent, good-for-nothing secretary must have done something nasty today to get your mood so –"

"He’s not a good-for-nothing!" Alexander suddenly yelled, surprising himself and Adrienne.

Adrienne shifted, putting some safe distance between them.

"Wow, I’m sorry, I never knew you cared about your secretary like this. But I guess I know now," Adrienne said in shock.

She never imagined Alexander would have such a reaction when someone insulted Adrian.

What did it mean? That Adrian matter?

"I do not care about him. I was simply stating the fact. He’s good arm his job, and if anyone should insult him, it should be me, I’m his boss and only I have the right to do so," he stood and returned to stand in front of the window, "Do not mention him again." He sounded tired, drained.

Adrienne didn’t want to push it further, especially now he had forgotten about the baby-making process.

She stood from the bed, sighing quietly, "I’ll sleep in the guest room, then." She said and faced the door but was stopped by Alexander’s voice.

"I can’t get Chloe pregnant. She’s not to be trusted and would likely want to force a real relationship with me –"

"Is it such a bad thing? Loving someone?" Adrienne asked softly.

"I’ll never love, Adrienne. I don’t do relationships, it’s time-consuming and baseless. Also, Chloe... she’s not fit to be the mother of my child, she’s... unintelligent," Alexander turned to face Adrienne, his eyes serious.

"But you, I said you. Letting someone else do your job would be a waste of my money. Don’t you think," he questioned, smirking.

"What an asshole. You think people can be bought with money?" She glared at him.

Alexander strode closer, chuckling, "Yes, Adrienne. I just purchased my secretary’s entire life with my money. So, yes, people can be bought with money –" his words were cut short by a loud cracking sound as Adrienne’s hand collided on his cheek, his ear ringing with a high note.

The echo of her slap lingered longer than either of them expected — a sharp, ringing truth between two liars.

"Selfish, narcissist, proud, evil, wicked, vile, demonic, militant beast of burden! That is no way to treat a fellow human. And I for one will not sit and let you think in that egoistic head of yours, that you own the right to even the smallest strand of my hair!" She glared at him, her chest rising and falling in anger.

That slap was personal. It was for the derogatory way he spoke of Adrian, and it was for that soul-consuming kiss they shared which he had immediately dismissed and was never to be taken about. At least, now, Adrian could have a little peace, he was feeling so suffocated and helpless by all the situation surrounding him.

Adrienne had just given him a satisfying outlet.

Alexander stood frozen, his cheek still stinging badly from the ringing slap Adrienne had delivered to his left cheek.

He was in disbelief as a slap was the least he ever expected from Adrienne.

"Do not mess with me, Alexander. I’m ready to risk it all and expose our charade, even if it means I’d be going down with you. Just... do not mess with me. Bastard," She warned and stormed out of the room, leaving Alexander to drown on the chaise that had just occurred in his bedroom.