To Have, To Hold

Chapter 11

### **Chapter Eleven: Cracks in the Mask**

---

The ceremony lingered in Elena's mind long after they returned home. Alexander had been honored for his contributions to the industry, his brilliance on display for everyone to see. Standing beside Marcus as the crowd applauded his brother, Elena had felt the weight of the room pressing down on her—felt the simmering rage coming off Marcus in waves.

Now, back in the quiet of their home, the tension was palpable. The silence stretched, thick and oppressive, as they entered their shared bedroom. Elena's steps were careful, as if one wrong move would set Marcus off. She could still feel the eyes of **Ethan** from the ceremony, his knowing gaze piercing through her. It had made her feel exposed in a way she wasn't used to, as if someone outside her world could see the truth she tried so hard to hide.

Marcus stood by the window, his back to her, staring out into the darkness. His reflection in the glass showed the mask he wore, still intact but slipping at the edges. She could sense the storm brewing, the way his fingers twitched at his sides, his jaw clenched tight. She braced herself for the inevitable.

"Do you think they know?" His voice was low, but it carried a sharp edge. "Do you think anyone sees what's really going on here?"

Elena didn't respond immediately. Her hands busied themselves with straightening the bedding, though her mind raced. She knew what he was asking. He wanted reassurance, wanted her to tell him that no one had seen through his carefully constructed image. That his perfect life with his perfect wife was still intact.

But she couldn't lie to him, not after what she'd seen in Ethan's eyes.

"I don't know," she said quietly, keeping her gaze down. "But people talk."

Marcus spun around to face her, his eyes narrowing. "People talk? And what exactly are they saying, Elena?"

His voice dripped with venom, the words wrapping around her like a noose. She swallowed hard, her throat dry. "I don't know, Marcus," she whispered, forcing herself to meet his gaze. "But they saw how distant we were. They saw how Alexander looks at you... at me."

At the mention of Alexander, something shifted in Marcus. His expression darkened, his fists clenching at his sides. "That's what this is about, isn't it?" he spat, stepping closer. "Alexander. Everyone loves Alexander. Even you, I bet."

Elena's heart raced, but she didn't dare move. She could feel the anger radiating off of him, and she knew how dangerous it could become.

"No," she said softly, trying to placate him. "This isn't about Alexander. It's about us."

Marcus sneered, the rage flashing in his eyes. "Us? There is no 'us,' Elena. There never has been."

The words hung in the air, a bitter truth neither of them had spoken aloud before. He turned away from her again, his hands gripping the windowsill as if to steady himself.

"I won't let him take everything from me," he muttered under his breath, though she wasn't sure if he was talking to her or to himself.

For the rest of the night, Marcus paced the room, muttering under his breath, his anger simmering just beneath the surface. Elena stayed silent, afraid of saying the wrong thing, knowing it would only take one spark to ignite the fire.

It wasn't until the early hours of the morning that Marcus finally collapsed onto the bed, exhausted. Elena watched him for a moment before slowly lying down on the floor, as far away from him as possible. The cold seeped through the thin blanket she pulled over herself, but she didn't care. Sleep eluded her as she stared up at the ceiling, her thoughts swirling in a chaotic mix of fear and longing.

---

The next day, Alexander visited as promised, bringing with him a sense of warmth and ease that Elena hadn't felt in a long time. **Liam** ran to greet his uncle with unbridled joy, wrapping his arms around Alexander's legs in a tight hug.

"Uncle Alex! Are we having another sleepover tonight?" Liam's eyes sparkled with excitement.

Alexander laughed, ruffling Liam's hair. "Not tonight, buddy, but I'll be back tomorrow. I promise."

Elena stood in the doorway, watching the interaction, a bittersweet feeling settling in her chest. Alexander's presence brought Liam so much happiness, but it also brought complications. The more time he spent with them, the more volatile Marcus became.

As Alexander caught sight of her, he smiled, his gaze lingering on her for a moment longer than usual. There was a softness in his eyes, an understanding that made her feel seen in a way she hadn't felt in years.

"Everything alright, Elena?" he asked, his voice quiet but filled with genuine concern.

She nodded, though the lump in her throat made it difficult to speak. "I'm fine."

But she wasn't fine. Not really. And she could tell by the way Alexander looked at her that he knew it too.

---

That evening, as the sun dipped below the horizon, Marcus returned home in a foul mood. He stormed through the front door, slamming it behind him, his anger barely contained. Elena stood at the top of the stairs, watching him with wary eyes.

"You know what I heard today?" he spat, throwing his coat onto the couch. "Alexander's being given another award. They can't stop praising him."

Elena didn't respond, knowing that nothing she said would calm him down.

"And now they want *us* to be there," he added, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "Of course. The perfect family. The perfect wife."

He stalked toward her, his gaze dark and accusing. "You'll be there, Elena. Smiling. Pretending. Just like always."

She swallowed hard, her stomach twisting in knots. She hated these events, hated being paraded around as if everything was fine. But she had no choice. She always had to pretend.

The night stretched long and suffocating, Marcus's words echoing in her mind long after he had retreated to his office. And as Elena lay on the cold floor once again, she couldn't help but think of the way Alexander had looked at her earlier. The way his kindness had stirred something inside her—a flicker of hope in the darkness that surrounded her.

---