Bad Liar

Klaus

I couldn't think straight ever since Icarus left my office, and that had greatly affected my contribution to the conference, and production for the rest of the day.

After spending more than two hours doing nothing but pondering on Icarus's words, I finally decided to go home earlier than I had planned.

I did my best to concentrate on the road and distract myself with the soft music playing on the radio. But no matter what I tried, my mind remained consumed with the words Icarus had thrown at my face.. His criticism still echoed in my mind, and I couldn't shake off the feeling of inadequacy it left me with. Every word he has said struck fear into my body, and all I wanted to do was get to Lisa and be by her side.

All I could think about was how to show and convince her that I was not some cruel man who wanted to use her to my own benefit. We might not like each other, but I cared about her as my wife, and I respected her a little. Situations had forced me to act the way I acted on our first meeting, but now I was ready to show her another part of me, and to do everything in my power to make her love me. She was the only one who could keep Icarus out of my life for good,

As I pulled into the driveway and parked the car, I could feel my heart racing with anticipation and fear. Was this the right thing to do? Was an Alpha supposed to show his weakness, even if it was his partner? Was I really making the right choice? I was confused, but I decided to keep those thoughts away. I would come to a conclusion after I had met Lisa.

I leapt out of the car and rushed into the house, my footsteps echoing in the empty hallway. The only thing on my mind was finding Lisa, and firstly, give her a stern warning to avoid Icarus at all cost. And then, I'd do my best to shower affection in any way that I could. Although the both of us were slowly getting accustomed to one another, it was still going to be difficult to fully convince her that I didn't mean harm.

I found her in our bedroom, sitting on the edge of the bed with her head bowed, her shoulders shaking ever so slightly. My heart sank at the sight of her, and I rushed to her side, dropping to my knees in front of her.

"Lisa, what's wrong?" I asked, my voice filled with concern. I looked into her eyes, and I could see the pain reflected in them, the tears that she had tried so hard to hide.

She looked up at me, her eyes red and swollen, and for a moment, I felt my own heart break. "Nothing, everything's fine," she whispered, her voice barely above a whisper.

But I knew better. I could see through her facade, could feel the weight of her sadness hanging heavy in the air. "Nothing? You're my wife, and you can tell me what is going on with you," I pleaded as I reached out to brush away the tears that stained her cheeks. She slapped my hand away before I could reach her, but that didn't stop me from furthering my plea."You can tell me anything. I'm here for you."

She looked at me for a moment, hesitation and doubt visible in her teary eyes. Her lips trembled as if she was fighting to hold back the flood of emotions threatening to overwhelm her. And then, with a shuddering breath, she finally spoke.

"I...I fell." she admitted, her voice barely audible. "It was embarrassing, and I don't want to ever show my face out there.."

Lisa was good at being stubborn and unyielding, but she wasn't talented at the art of lying. There was no way she cried this much just because she fell down in public. There was no dirt on her dress, and no bruises on her skin. It was more than obvious that she was hurting emotionally, and I could only think of one reason why she'd be in such emotional pain.

"Is this about Mark? Did he do something to you in my absence?" My heart clenched with anger at the thought of him hurting her, and I felt a surge of guilt wash over me. I should have listened to Damon, making Mark her personal bodyguard had been a big mistake.

"N....no" Lisa said defensively, her face suddenly brightening up in pretense. "I told you already, I fell. It's nothing to be worried about." She maintained before wiping her tears and sniffling back the ones that threatened to fall.

Once again, it was easy to tell she was lying by her body language. Mark had clearly hurt her somehow, and she was doing all of this to cover up for him. She knew I wouldn't let any disrespect to my wife go so easily, especially when it was coming from a man whom I detested.

"I'm sorry you fell, I should have been here to guide you." I finally yielded, and I felt her breath a sigh of relief.

She shook her head, a small smile tugging at the corners of her lips. "You're here now," she said softly, before reaching out to hold the hand she had once slapped away. She leaned in closer, and without warning planted a kiss on my lips.

I was stunned momentarily, and for a good minute, I remained frozen staring at Lisa in utter shock. I never imagined she'd stoop this low just to save Mark, and just thinking about it made me sick to my stomach. I was overwhelmed with rage and disappointment, but unlike Lisa, I didn't let my emotions rise to the surface of my face.

Just now, Lisa had tried to turn me away from suspecting Mark through seduction. She was willing to throw herself dignity away just so he wouldn't lose his head, yet he had managed to hurt her someway.

Gently, without letting my emotions get in the way, I freed my hand from her hold and slowly pulled away from the kiss. I loved the taste of her lips on mine, but her motives were simply not one that I could condone. This would have been the perfect time for me to take advantage of her, but I didn't want to exploit my wife while she was at her lowest.

"You must be tired, I'll make you something to eat." I said as an excuse before rising to my feet. Lisa seemed to realize her mistake and immediately recoiled in regret and embarrassment. She nodded affirmatively to give me the green light, and only after then did I leave the room. I had intended to walk straight to Mark and have him tell me everything that went down between him and Lisa, but I decided that would come later. Caring for her and being by her side right now mattered most.