[BL] A Marriage Ruled by Family, Saved by Desire-Chapter 93: Another Man in My House

~Alistair’s POV~

We exchanged a few more words before ending the call.

As soon as we hung up, Alex pulled me into a hug, a happy smile on his face.

We both understood what this meant.

Once the wedding was over... we were leaving.

And the only time she would see us again would be during brief visits.

For now, this was the easiest way to protect what we were building together.

That night, Alex and I stayed up late in bed, laughing softly at our secret plans until we finally drifted off to sleep.

The next morning, Alex had a lot to handle at the office, so he left very early. I didn’t have much to do at my workplace that day, so I decided to work from home.

Around noon, I got a text from Andrew. He said he was in the area for something and wanted to stop by afterward.

Since we were friends, I didn’t see any harm in it.

But I still felt I should inform Alex first, so I tried calling him to let him know. I called a few times, but it didn’t go through. I sent him a message, but there was no reply.

I figured he was busy at work, so I didn’t think too much about it.

When Andrew arrived later in the afternoon, we sat in the living room. I got him a drink, and we went over some work on my laptop, talking easily like we always do.

I felt comfortable because Alex already knew we were friends, so I didn’t think having him over for a bit would be a problem.

He stayed with me until late evening, and as time passed, we barely paid attention to the screen anymore.

I told him about the second wedding, how Alex’s mother was insisting on it, and everything we were planning.

Andrew looked at me and gave a small, genuine smile.

"You’re lucky, Alis," he said quietly.

I smiled at him softly.

We talked for a long time. He started by explaining some details about the business, sharing his experiences in the field, but after a while, the conversation became more personal.

He opened up about his past relationships, the pain he had gone through, and the struggles he had faced.

I listened, feeling a quiet sympathy for him, even though I couldn’t fully relate.

"I’m sorry, Andrew," I said softly. "I don’t really have that kind of experience. I’ve never dated anyone else. Alex was the first man I ever loved... the only one I’ve ever been with, and the one I married. He’s all I know."

Andrew sighed, a weary but kind look in his eyes. "That’s exactly why you’re lucky. To find the right one on the first try... and a man like Alex? He’s calm, he’s successful, and he clearly adores you. It’s rare."

"He is a good man," I agreed, a proud smile touching my lips. "Thank you. And don’t worry, you should take it easy. The right person will come for you too."

We got lost in the flow of conversation after that, moving from work talk to a movie playing in the background, just enjoying the ease of the afternoon. We weren’t doing anything wrong; we were just two friends passing the time.

But the moment Alex walked through the front door that evening, everything changed.

The air shifted instantly, turning heavy with a quiet tension that hadn’t been there before.

I stood up immediately, a smile on my face as I rushed toward him. "Baby, welcome home!"

I moved to hug him, but his eyes didn’t even land on me. His gaze went straight to Andrew, sharp and distant.

Andrew gave a polite, slightly awkward greeting. Alex barely acknowledged it before walking past us and heading straight to the bedroom.

Andrew cleared his throat, sensing the sudden tension. "I think it’s time for me to get going, Alis."

I walked him out to his car, my heart starting to beat faster. Once he drove off, I hurried back inside and went straight upstairs.

Alex was in the bathroom, so I waited in the bedroom, pacing a little.

When he finally came out, his skin was still damp from the shower.

I didn’t care that he was wet; I went straight for a hug, desperate to bridge the distance. "Baby, how was your day? How was work?"

Alex didn’t hug me back. He placed his hands on my shoulders and slightly pushed me away. "Work is fine," he said shortly, his voice devoid of its usual warmth.

"Hey... baby, is everything okay?" I asked, my voice already unsteady.

He didn’t answer.

He walked over to the dressing mirror and started his usual routine, moving quietly, almost mechanically. He changed into something more comfortable, ignoring the way I stood there watching him.

I walked closer, stopping behind him. "Baby, I tried to call you earlier," I said softly. "Andrew wanted to come over for work, but I couldn’t reach you. I called and sent a message, but you didn’t respond."

Alex didn’t say anything.

He kept adjusting his clothes in the mirror, his silence heavier than any argument we’d ever had. The tension in the room felt suffocating, and the more he ignored me, the faster my heart began to race.

I couldn’t take it anymore.

"What is wrong with you?" I demanded, my voice shaking. "I’m talking to you, Alex... and you’re acting like I’m not even here."

Alex finally turned around, but the warmth in his eyes was gone. He looked me over slowly, from my hair down to my toes, his expression cold and distant, and it sent a chill through me.

"If you don’t keep quiet right now," he said, his voice dangerously low, "you’re going to find exactly the kind of trouble you’re looking for."

"What do you mean by that?" I shot back, even as I felt myself shrinking under his gaze.

"I have nothing to say," he said sharply. "I don’t want to start another argument."

He grabbed his phone.

"I’m going downstairs to eat, and then I’ll come back up to sleep. Don’t question me. Don’t ask me anything. I’m not interested."

He paused, his voice turning colder.

"Whatever you do, Alis... that’s your life."

He turned toward the door, but I moved faster.

I stepped in front of it, blocking his path, my eyes already stinging with tears.

"You’re not leaving this room until you tell me what’s wrong," I said, my voice shaking. "I’m talking to you, Alex."

That was the breaking point.

"What was he doing in our house?" Alex suddenly shouted, making me jump. "Why did you bring him here, Alis?!"

I started shaking like a leaf. "He... he came for work. We were just—"

"Work?!" Alex cut in, stepping closer until he was right in front of me.

"In our home? You didn’t think you should tell me?" he demanded. "What if I came back with my mother? Do you want to start another hardship?"

"I tried to call you," I said quickly. "I couldn’t reach you—"

"And because you couldn’t reach me, you decided it was okay to have him here?" Alex shot back.

His eyes hardened.

"How many times has he been here when I wasn’t around? How often are you bringing him into our home without me knowing?"