Shadows of the past

Alex sits alone on the lower floor of Bistro Bliss, scanning the crowded room and wondering whether Caleb's mystery woman is Melanie because he knows that Melanie has a twin sister and they look too alike.

His thoughts return to their stormy history, and Melanie's unexpected exit from Pearl Coast is still fascinating to him because nobody could find her, and all leads failed. He had done everything to find her because their previous debate was inconclusive, and the last time she caught him cheating, she slipped off the grid for a bit and crept back to him when she wanted to end the radio silence. He was confident that this time would be no different.

“Could Melanie be in Orion? Her sister lives here, after all,” He wonders as he orders food and starts eating, but his hunger is gone, and his thoughts continue going back to Melanie as these two weeks without her have been misery.

He sets his food aside and plunges himself into a 45-minute internal debate about whether to investigate if Melanie is really the one with Caleb just or leave it alone. However, his interest tires out, and he calls a waitress.

"I need to collect something from my pal at the VIP lounge... I will spend just five minutes, I guarantee." He signals the waiter and leans in, his voice low.

"I'm afraid that is not how we do things here, sir." The waiter raises an eyebrow.

"Make an exception." He insists as he gently slips him a hundred-dollar bill.

"Follow me." The waiter's expression shifts, and he nods.

As they clamber to the VIP floor, Alex’s heart quickens, wondering what he would experience. The waiter leads him to the Private Oasis, pushes open the door, and that is when he sees her clad in a black floor-length satin gown; her rich, dark brown waves are curled loosely, and her dark brown eyes complement her porcelain smooth skin, her heart-shaped face with high cheekbones and her small nose.

She is busy, scrolling through her phone without paying attention to where she is going, so Alex uses it as his cue to show up by obstructing Melanie’s way. Melanie crashes hard into his chest, and her phone flies from her grasp.

"Whoa, easy there," he breathes, steadying her by the shoulders.

His dark hair is well-styled, and his piercing blue eyes appear to bore into hers. Melanie's gaze latched into his, and he could sense the shock and discomfort written across her face.

"Whoa, easy there," he breathes, steadying her by the shoulders, but Melanie's eyes harden, her gaze penetrating as Alex stands straight, his 6'1 mass looming above her, his tailored brown suit fit nicely, enhancing his broad shoulders and chiseled features.

He stands transfixed, his eyes glued onto the woman who had just plowed into him, and he jumps to the conclusion that it is Melanie... It had to be her, and for a moment, they just stared at each other, the past hanging awkwardly in the air.

He examines her face, taking in the identical features—the same dark brown, almost velvety eyes with a warm, earthy tone and undertones of espresso. Her eyes are piercing, yet sweet and welcoming. The same wicked curve of her lips that he was used to, but something feels different, more like a small shift that he can’t quite place. As they stood there, Melanie's posture turned from wonder to unease, and she looked like she'd rather be somewhere else.

“What is he doing here?” Alex could practically hear her thinking, but he couldn't blame her because their past was just too messy.

As he holds her concentration, his eyes stray to the little mole below her left earlobe, establishing that it is Melanie and not Kalinin. He was persuaded now, since Kalinin, her twin sister, has a similar mole but on the right side. The mole is a minor differential only someone close to them would notice, and Melanie herself had taught him how to identify her and her twin sister apart.

When they were younger, they used to put their mother through a lot. Therefore, she got a tattoo artist to help her put the mole there so that they would not confuse her by modifying their identities all the time simply because of how identical they were.

“What is Melanie doing in Orion?”

“Why did she disappear from Pearl Coast without a trace?” His brain whirled with questions.

"I'm extremely sorry. I wasn't monitoring where I was going." Melanie's voice pierces through his mind. Her tone is pleasant; however, her eyes flash with fear.

"No harm done," he murmurs, immediately releasing his hands on her shoulders and she immediately bends down.

As Melanie bends to get her phone, he can't help but notice how her silk dress embraces her contours. His thoughts are a tangle of emotions, surprise, curiosity, and a sense of remorse.

"No worries, accidents happen," he smiles, assuming a carefree tone even though he is replying to her seconds later, and by the time he replies, Melanie is already done fishing for get phone and her stare lingers on his, searching for something but he keeps his look neutral, revealing nothing.

"Are you okay? That was quite a collision.” He asks without hinting at their shared heritage. Instead, he plays the part of a concerned stranger.

"Yeah, I'm OK…Thanks." Melanie nods, her gaze darting around the VIP area.

"What brings you to Bistro Bliss?" Alex goes ahead to ask, even though he knows the answer to his query.

"Just enjoying a night out." Melanie's response is warm but guarded, and he can feel an underlying tension, but she doesn’t elaborate.

"Alex, what brings you here?" Caleb walks up to them, his gaze narrowing slightly.

"Just meeting a friend... Didn't mean to intrude." He provides a gorgeous smile, but Caleb's gaze stays dubious.

As he and Caleb chatted, he assessed the dynamics. Melanie is visibly scared of him, yet Caleb acts protective, although Alex’s purpose is to collect information without raising suspicions.

“I need to make this call,” Melanie adds as she excuses herself because she is getting tired of pretending around him Alex, on the other hand, makes a mental note to examine Caleb Wellington and his link to Melanie, and then he also creates a reason to depart like Melanie.

Outside the VIP lounge, he pulls out his phone and dials a number.

"Ryan," he says, when the phone connects.

"I found her." He informs Ryan.

"Where?" Ryan's voice is alert.

"Bistro Bliss, your family’s restaurant, and she is with Caleb Wellington." He remarks, but Ryan's pause is telling.

"This changes things." Ryan lets out as he links the facts that Alex’s missing fiance is no other person but Melanie, the closest thing he has to a best friend.