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"Yes. When I realized how much you meant to me, I made up my mind to come back for you. I wasn't planning on doing so this early, however. I thought that I would wait until Lord Westworth was dead, but I missed you too much to stay away," she told him, putting on a facial expression Alexander thought was meant to be endearing, but only made her look more deranged to him.
"I was perfectly fine with letting you play the perfect husband in a perfect marriage for however long you could put up the act, but I realized I could not wait any longer. I missed you more every day, so I came back for you. It is me you love, not her, so it obviously would not have been too difficult to have her tossed aside." Alexander was utterly shocked by her words.
"So, is that why you came here and orchestrated the situation so my wife would see you with me?" he asked.
"Yes. I had already planted the idea in Caroline's head that we were still seeing each other, from the time we 'bumped' into each other at the shops. I just needed to make her see it too, so she would not doubt in her mind that you still loved me and would never feel that way about her," Isabella said animatedly. "I already knew her to be quite foolish and would not even ask questions or listen to an explanation from you. I knew she was weak and would avoid any sort of confrontation, choosing to run away instead of facing you and demanding an explanation, and that was exactly what happened.
"I would not have had to take such drastic measures if you had just listened to me and agreed to the affair instead of pushing me away," she sighed as though it had been bothersome to do all that work.
"That was a drastic measure indeed, considering Caroline is with child," Alexander said, shocking himself with how calm he was.
He looked at Isabella and could not help thinking that after all that she had told him, it was funny that the news of Caroline's pregnancy was the only thing that had gotten some sort of reaction from her.
"You mean I ruined your marriage when you already have an heir on the way?" she asked, her hands covering her mouth in shock.
"Yes, Isabella, you certainly did." He did not understand why she was acting shocked, as though it would have mattered if she knew.
"I am sorry, Alex. It was never my intention to do so. I had not taken into consideration that there might be a child on the way. I had no plans of ridding you of your heir. I thought that even if your relationship with her was ruined, we could have resumed our relations, and then you would marry another young lady who would provide you with the heir that you needed." Alexander saw the only sign of remorse from Isabella, at that moment.
"Even if I wanted you, you felt I would be comfortable being with another woman while I was with you? Is that how you see me?" he asked. Isabella amazed him. Alexander had a headache coming on from all the information he had been forced to process so quickly. He did not think she realized it, but there was something severely wrong with her.
"Oh, I know you are quite innocent, but I believe you would have learned eventually. Besides, that is the only solution as I am currently married, so it is not as though I can give you an heir. Who knows how long it will take before Lord Westworth dies? Will you wait for me to marry you, in the next five years or however many years it takes?" Isabella asked him. "Besides, I believe I already told you, I have no intention of marrying again."
Alexander stared at her, completely speechless. The woman was delusional. He gave a tired laugh. It was pathetic to think that even if he had not met Caroline, Isabella would still have married Lord Westworth and made him believe she was forced to. She thought he would have married someone else, but in truth, not knowing her true colors, he would have waited for her.
CHAPTERTWENTY-NINE
Caroline stood behind the room divider completely shocked to her bones. It baffled her that she still found the strength to remain on her feet after all that had just been revealed. Her eyes were brimming with unshed tears, and she was very angry. Not at Alexander or even at Isabella, despite how much she deserved it, but at herself. She could not believe she had so easily fallen for her trap.
The woman was right in her evaluation of her. She had run at the first sight of trouble. Instead of confronting them when she saw the kiss, she had run to her parents’ home, perfectly content in hiding from her problems. She could not believe how much she had put Alexander through just because she was stupid enough to believe the words of a stranger whom she knew sought the destruction of her marriage.
She clasped her hand to her mouth to stop the sob that was threatening to come out. Her realization of how unjustly she had treated Alexander who had done nothing but love her and fight for her, coupled with her pregnancy, made it difficult for her to control her emotions.
Completely remorseful, Caroline decided that she had heard enough and that now was a perfect time to come out of hiding. She stepped out of the room divider and showed herself to Alexander and Isabella. Isabella, who was the first to notice her, swore in surprise and got to her feet, looking between Caroline who was crying, and Alexander who did not appear shocked to see his wife in the drawing room.
"What is going on? What is this madwoman doing here, Alex? " Isabella asked.
Caroline turned away from Isabella who was still asking questions and faced her husband. His look of sadness mixed with hope caused the sob she had been holding to escape her lips. She had put that look in his eyes. She could not believe she had hurt the one person she swore not to hurt, thinking she was protecting herself. She walked toward him and stopped when she was only hair's breadth away.
"I am sorry, Alexander," she cried out. "I am so sorry I did not believe you, even after you tried to explain yourself to me. I should have read your letters as soon as you sent them, and I should have believed that you would never do anything to hurt me. Isabella is right. I was weak, foolish, and, oh, so naive. I should not have run away when I thought you had betrayed me, I should have tried to get the truth instead of simply assuming things. I am sorry, Alexander." She continued to cry, wondering how he would ever forgive her.
Alexander took her into his arms and said, "It is alright, Caroline. I do not blame you. At first, I was angry that you did not even listen to me but after hearing all that she had to say, I must say I am shocked by how much effort she put into getting you to fall for her lies. I never expected that any of this would happen, but it is my fault at the end of the day."
Caroline whimpered when she saw how exhausted and drained he looked. " How can you say it is your fault? It is not your fault at all, Alexander. I should have known better, and I am so sorry I did not."
"It's alright, Caroline, I forgive you. We could not have known the extent she would go to get her way. I forgive you. I just want us to move forward." Caroline nodded, eager to do the same.
"Was all of this planned? Answer me, Alexander," Isabella asked, suddenly cutting into their reunion.
"Yes, it was. I planned all of it," he said, and Caroline rested her head on his chest, glad that he had come up with a plan that had helped her see the truth. She could not believe she had almost let go of a good man simply because she was stupid enough to believe lies.
"Ha! So, the innocent young boy I once knew is gone," Isabella said, standing awkwardly, having not moved a muscle from where she had been when Caroline walked in.
"Yes, and you made sure of that," Alexander said. "Now, please leave my house, and yes, I never want to see you ever again. Make no mistakes about that."
Caroline watched as Isabella curtsied and said, "I hope you have a wonderful time holding up this sham of a marriage." With that, she moved from where she stood and shuffled awkwardly toward the door, her face flaming red.
Caroline felt Alexander take a deep and shaky breath and she felt remorseful once again. "I am sorry, Alexander."
