Masked

Alex's POV

I walked back to my room, feeling like I was living in a nightmare. The press conference had been a blur, but I knew I had to keep up the charade.

As I entered my room, I saw a rack of clothes waiting for me. Maria, Julian's assistant, had left a note saying that these were the clothes I would be wearing for the next few events.

I sighed, feeling like I was losing myself in all of this. I had always been the type of person who wore what made me happy, not what someone else told me to wear.

But I knew I had to play along. For my mom's sake, I had to keep up this facade.

As I began to get ready for the next event, I felt like I was putting on a mask. A mask that hid the real me, the me who was scared and trapped.

I looked in the mirror, and for a moment, I didn't recognize the person staring back at me. The person in the mirror was polished and perfect, but I knew that was just a lie.

I took a deep breath, trying to shake off the feeling of unease. I knew I had to keep up this act, at least for now.

But as I turned to leave, I caught a glimpse of myself in the mirror. And for a moment, I saw the real me, the me who was hiding behind the mask.

It was a fleeting moment, but it gave me the strength to keep going. I knew I couldn't give up, not yet.

I made my way to the event, putting on a smile and pretending to be the happy, dutiful wife. But inside, I was seething. I'm putting up with all of this because I couldn't bear to lose my mother.

I was trapped in this loveless marriage, and I didn't know how to escape. But I was determined to find a way.