Chapter Twenty Six

Alice sat by the poolside, her thoughts tangled in a whirlwind of emotions. The kiss with Kelvin had left her restless, confused, and questioning everything she thought she knew about him—and herself.

She felt a surge of romantic emotions flowing through her. He was her husband and it was right before men and heaven that she would weave fantasies about him.

She thought to herself, maybe Kelvin was sincere about making the three years of their marriage worth it. Maybe he was being sorry for deceiving her into the marriage and making her to suffer. She remembered how he had apologized to her by the pool, showing regret and remorse.

The only thing she prayed earnestly in her heart was for love to bloom in his heart for her, so strong that he would never want to divorce her after getting his inheritance. And she would be able to forget Daniel and his love.

“A penny for your thoughts?” she heard and glanced up to see Daniel standing beside her, his usual easy smile in place. His presence was both a comfort and a reminder of the emotions she was desperately trying to suppress.

“You always seem to find me at the right time,” she muttered with a small smile.

Daniel chuckled as he sat beside her, stretching his legs out. “Or maybe you always end up where I am.”

Alice rolled her eyes but let out a small laugh.

They fell into their usual lighthearted conversation. Alice found herself relaxing. Daniel had that effect on her—he made things feel simple, easy.

He joked about an elderly couple he had seen arguing over a sunbed, and Alice laughed, shaking her head. “You’re terrible.”

“You love it,” he teased, nudging her lightly with his shoulder.

And yes, she did.

But then, Kelvin stepped into the poolside area, his sharp eyes immediately locking onto Alice and Daniel. The sight of Alice laughing—with Daniel—stirred something primal in him.

Jealousy. Raw, uncontrollable jealousy. He didn’t stop to think, to ask himself why he was feeling that way, knowing that the only reason he started the display of love and affection towards Alice was because of his grandmother's planned arrival on the ship.

He strode toward them, his steps firm and deliberate.

“Alice.” he called

She stiffened at the sound of his voice, looking up at him. “Kelvin?”

He turned to Daniel, nodding stiffly. “Daniel.”

Daniel met his gaze, something knowing flickering in his eyes.

Kelvin shifted his attention back to Alice. “I need to talk to you.”

Alice frowned. “Can’t it wait?”

Kelvin didn’t answer. Instead, he reached down, gently but firmly taking her hand in his.

Alice’s breath hitched at the unexpected touch.

“Excuse us,” Kelvin said to Daniel, smoothly, pulling her up from her seat.

“Kelvin—” Alice protested

“Now.” His voice was calm, but there was an unmissable edge to it.

Alice barely had time to glance back at Daniel before Kelvin led her away.

They reached the lobby, and Kelvin finally stopped, releasing her hand as he turned to face her. His jaw was clenched, his eyes burning with something Alice couldn’t quite place.

“What the hell was that?” he demanded.

Alice crossed her arms. “What was what?”

Kelvin let out a frustrated breath. “You and Daniel. Laughing, talking like—like you’re so damn comfortable with him.”

Alice’s brows furrowed. “Are you seriously angry because I was having a conversation? He is my friend and basically family”

Kelvin ran a hand through his hair, exhaling sharply. “You were awfully too comfortable with him”

Alice blinked, caught off guard. “Im confused Kelvin"

Kelvin stepped closer. “I just can't stand seeing you both laughing together”

Alice scoffed, anger sparked in her. “Oh, so you can spend weeks with Anita, but I can’t have one friendly conversation with Daniel?”

Kelvin’s expression darkened. “Don’t compare that to—”

“Why not?” Alice snapped, her voice rising. “Why do you get to dictate what I do when you are doing much worse—”

And then, he kissed her. Hard, desperate and unplanned.

Alice gasped against his lips, the anger still burning inside her, but her body betrayed her. She didn’t push him away.

Kelvin hadn’t meant to kiss her—hadn’t even planned it. But the fire in her eyes, the way she challenged him, sparked a desire in his heart, one that he could not contain - it sent a rush of something wild through him, something possessive.

Alice felt the rush of heat, the way his fingers curled around her waist, pulling her against him. She knew she should stop, but she didn't want to. She wanted it. He was her husband after all.

The kiss deepened, slow and intense, neither of them pulling away. Kelvin’s grip tightened ever so slightly, as if silently begging her to feel what he felt. And indeed, Alice did.

Then slowly, they pulled away. Alice wide eyes met his, a storm of emotions raging within them—shock, confusion, and something else she didn’t want to name. Her lips were still parted, breath shallow, as if she wasn’t sure whether to speak or to leave.

Then without a word, Alice turned and walked away.

Kelvin stood frozen, watching her disappear down the corridor, his own breath unsteady. His body still buzzed from the kiss, his mind a mess of questions he wasn’t ready to answer.

What had pushed him to do that? - he wondered. He had never meant to cross this line. He had not realized how much feelings he was suppressing —the feelings he wasn’t supposed to have for her.

After leaving Kelvin, Alice went to her suite, her heart still pounding from the kiss. She touched her lips absentmindedly, feeling the ghost of his touch lingering there.

For so long, she had secretly wished for Kelvin to look at her the way a man should look at his wife. She had buried that desire beneath layers of bitterness and hurt, telling herself she didn’t care. But after everything—the subtle ways he had started treating her differently, the jealousy in his eyes when she was with Daniel, the kiss…

Alice couldn’t ignore the small flicker of hope blossoming in her chest. And she decided to give in with the hope of still saving her marriage.

---

That evening, Alice stepped onto the ship’s open-air terrace, stunned by what she saw.

A beautifully arranged candlelit dinner, set up under the twinkling sky. A soft melody played in the background, blending with the sound of the ocean waves. The setting was intimate, romantic—the kind she had always dreamt of but never expected from Kelvin.

Kelvin stood by the table, dressed in a sharp suit, watching her with something unreadable in his eyes. He had done this… for her.

“Come,” he said, pulling out her chair.

As Alice sat down, allowing herself to enjoy the moment.

They talked lightly as they ate, Kelvin cracking small jokes that made her smile. He was charming, attentive, different. And with every passing second, Alice felt herself slowly letting go of her guard.

Maybe he really did want her. Maybe he was finally choosing her.

She took a sip of her wine, her heart swelling with a mix of emotions—hope, excitement, longing.

But then…midway through, a voice broke through the moment.

“Alice, my dear!”

Alice froze, her fingers tightening around the glass. She turned her head slowly, and there she was—Grandma Janet, standing a few feet away, beaming at them with her assistant.

Alice’s breath caught in her throat. Her heart, once soaring with hope, now plummeted like a rock. The realization hit her like a slap.

Kelvin had known. He had planned this dinner—not because he wanted her, but because he knew his grandmother was coming.

Alice felt her stomach twist painfully. This was all a game to him and once again she fell foolishly.

The warmth in her heart turned ice cold as her hope crumbled into bitter disappointment.

"I was worried that Kelvin was treated you bad but now I'm convinced that you both are indeed getting along very well. I will leave you both to your date and get some rest. We'll have breakfast tomorrow morning" Grandma Janet said beaming with joy before she excused

them. - her assistant following her.

Alice’s hands clenched into fists beneath the table as she watched Grandma Janet leave. The warmth of the evening breeze now felt suffocating, wrapping around her like an unwelcome embrace.

Slowly, she turned back to Kelvin, her eyes burning with betrayal.

“You knew,” she whispered, her voice trembling. “You knew your grandmother was coming, and that’s why you planned all of this, the apology breakfast, the couple's game, the kiss.....”

Kelvin didn’t flinch. He simply sighed, running a hand through his hair. “Alice—”

“Don’t,” she cut in, her voice sharper now. “You are a horrible person"

Kelvin leaned back in his chair, his jaw tightening. “Enough Alice. Grandma was getting suspicious, you intentionally refused to show for the last call with her, what was I supposed to do?”

"You were supposed to do the damn right thing, not manipulate me." Alice retorted.

"And what is that?" Kelvin asked.

"You know, don't ask me" Alice said, pushing back her chair. She walked away.

“Alice, wait,” Kelvin called after her, but she didn't answer her heart twisting painfully in her chest. She should have known, it was all too good to be true. Kelvin wasn’t changing. And she was a fool for thinking otherwise.

*******

Alice went into Kimberly’s suite that night, her chest heavy and falling with heavy breaths. The pain and anger still churned inside her, and she felt like she might burst if she didn’t get it out.

Kimberly, who had been lounging on the couch in her silk robe, immediately sat up when she saw Alice’s expression.

“Alice?” she asked, concerned. “What happened?”

Alice shut the door behind her and leaned against it, her hands gripping the fabric of her dress tightly. “It was all a lie, Kimberly. Everything Kelvin did… it was just to please his grandmother.”

Kimberly’s brows furrowed. “What do you mean?”

Alice let out a bitter laugh and walked over to sit beside her. “The dates, the couple’s game, the grand gestures—I thought for a second that maybe he really wanted to fix things between us.” She shook her head, her voice breaking. “But he knew all along that his grandmother was coming. He just needed me to play along.”

Kimberly’s eyes softened with understanding. She reached for Alice’s hand and squeezed it gently. “Oh, Alice…”

Alice blinked rapidly, trying to fight back the tears threatening to spill. “I feel so stupid. I let myself believe that maybe… maybe he cared. That maybe he saw me. But I was just a pawn in his game.”

Kimberly exhaled sharply, anger flickering in her eyes. “That man doesn’t deserve you.”

Alice bit her lip, gripping her knees tightly. “The worst part is, I wanted it to be real. I wanted to believe that he could love me.” She let out a shaky breath. “How pathetic is that?”

Kimberly pulled her into a hug, wrapping her arms around her tightly. “It’s not pathetic, Alice. It just means you have a heart. It means you wanted something real.”

Alice buried her face in Kimberly’s shoulder, allowing herself to feel the warmth of comfort she desperately needed. “I don’t know what to do, Kimberly.”

Kimberly pulled back slightly, looking into Alice’s eyes. “Then don’t do anything for now. Just breathe. And remember that you don’t have to go through this alone. I'm here for you.”

Alice nodded slowly, her heart still aching, but the weight on her chest feeling just a little lighter.