Bound by Fate, Freed by Love

Chapter 12 Unexpected Journey

The dining room was bright, sunlight streaming through the wide windows as everyone sat down for breakfast. The table was adorned with freshly baked bread, fruit, and hot tea, but neither Amara nor Samar felt particularly hungry. They exchanged polite nods as they sat side by side, maintaining the charade they had agreed upon.

Alyssa's cheerful voice cut through the air, lively as always. "So, we have some exciting news!" she began, grinning from ear to ear. Her gaze flitted between Amara and Samar, making Amara feel uneasy. She could sense that something big was coming—something she probably wouldn't like.

Fidel, seated across from them, remained quiet but gave a small, knowing smile, his eyes darting to his older brother for a brief moment. Samar caught it, his body stiffening in anticipation.

"Fidel and I wanted to surprise you both," Alyssa continued, her excitement bubbling over, "and we've planned something really special for you two."

Amara's stomach tightened. She glanced at Samar, but his expression remained unreadable, his eyes focused on Alyssa as though bracing for what would come next.

"We've arranged a honeymoon!" Alyssa finally announced, her face lighting up as though she had just gifted them the world. "And the destination is the Maldives! Isn't that amazing?"

The room fell into an awkward silence. Amara blinked in shock, her heart skipping a beat. Her mind raced—how could this be happening? A honeymoon? With Samar?

Samar's lips pressed into a thin line. He shifted slightly in his seat, his discomfort palpable. He hadn't expected this; neither had Amara. Their eyes met for a brief moment—both equally stunned, equally uneasy. But they couldn't react too strongly without drawing suspicion.

Amara forced a smile. "Wow, that's... surprising," she said, her voice strained as she tried to mask her anxiety. Samar remained silent, his jaw tightening, clearly struggling with the same feelings.

"Oh, I know!" Alyssa beamed, unaware of the undercurrents of tension swirling around the table. "And guess what? Fidel and I are coming with you! We'll all go together. It'll be so much fun! The whole idea was Fidel's," she added, glancing at her husband with adoration.

Fidel gave a small nod, but his eyes briefly flickered toward Amara. There was something in his expression—something that made Amara's skin prickle. Samar saw it too. The tension between the brothers was almost tangible.

Samar cleared his throat, finally breaking his silence. "That's... very thoughtful of you both," he said carefully, his voice low and controlled. Amara could tell he was trying to suppress his unease. "But this is quite unexpected."

Amara swallowed hard, her thoughts spiralling. This trip was going to be unbearable. How could she handle spending so much time with Fidel watching her from a distance, while Alyssa remained blissfully unaware? And Samar... what was he thinking? Did he regret dragging her into this more than ever?

As Alyssa continued babbling excitedly about the hotel and beaches, Samar leaned in slightly toward Amara, his voice barely above a whisper. "We'll stick to the plan," he said, his tone firm but reassuring. "Just trust me."

Amara nodded slowly, though her heart was far from steady. The thought of playing the role of a happily married couple under the scrutinizing eyes of Fidel filled her with dread. But what choice did she have? She had agreed to this for her sister's sake, and now there was no turning back.

When breakfast finally ended, Amara excused herself from the table, retreating to her room. Her mind raced as she paced the floor, her eyes glancing at the half-packed suitcase by her bed. She felt trapped, suffocated by the weight of her decisions. The thought of spending the next few days pretending to be in love with a man she barely knew while Fidel lingered in the background, watching, unsettled her to the core.

A soft knock at the door startled her. Samar stepped in, his face still composed but his eyes showing the strain of the situation.

"I need to talk to you," he began, his voice steady but laced with tension. "I think there's something more behind this honeymoon plan."

Amara frowned, her heart racing as she listened. "What do you mean?" she whispered, her mind still swirling with the shock of the morning's announcement.

Samar took a deep breath, his gaze locking with hers. "I think Fidel might have doubts about our marriage—about how real it is," he explained, his voice careful. "This whole trip... it might be his way of checking on us, to see if we're really convincing as a couple."

Amara's heart sank as his words hit her. Fidel was testing them? She felt the walls closing in again, the pressure mounting with every new revelation. "You think he's suspicious?" she asked, her voice barely audible.

Samar nodded. "He knows me too well. He knows I've never been interested in marriage before. So for me to suddenly marry you... he might be wondering if there's something else going on. And I wouldn't put it past him to use this trip to watch us more closely."

Amara's pulse quickened. She could feel the weight of the situation pressing down on her chest. "What are we supposed to do?" she asked, her voice tight with anxiety.

"We stick to the plan," Samar said, his voice firm. "We act like the perfect couple. We need to make him believe this marriage is real, or things could get worse. I'll handle Fidel, but you have to play along."

Amara nodded, though her heart felt like it was in freefall. The stakes were higher now. Not only did she have to pretend for the sake of their agreement, but now they were under Fidel's watchful eye, and one wrong move could unravel everything.

"We'll get through this," he said, his voice calm yet determined. "I'll make sure nothing goes wrong."

Amara bit her lip, feeling a flicker of gratitude for his steady presence. Even if they weren't truly married in spirit, at least they were in this together. But as she looked out the window, imagining the sun-soaked beaches of the Maldives, she couldn't shake the feeling that this trip would change everything.

The rest of the day passed in a blur for Amara. As she returned to her room to pack for the unexpected trip, her mind couldn't stop replaying Samar's words. The idea of Fidel watching them closely made her feel uneasy, especially knowing the history between them. She glanced at her reflection in the mirror, trying to steady herself. This trip was going to test her in ways she hadn't imagined.