Capítulo 19: Chapter 19 Doris As The Spy

Alicia leaned back to avoid Louis' smooch and ended up with his lips on her chin. His breath was getting heavier, and he was holding her tightly by the waist with one hand while the other gripped her chin. He asked with a serious tone, "Why did you tell Leo that I'm your cousin?"

Alicia looked down and answered in a soft tone, "We're splitting up soon, and there's no need to make it a big deal by going around and telling people we're married. Your family is bigwigs, and if we break up, it might affect how my colleagues judge me. I don't want to be called a 'gold-digging ex-wife,' so calling you my cousin is just more convenient."

Louis shot her a meaningful look and said, "You're quite thoughtful."

Alicia chuckled self-deprecatingly and said, "I have to be, being a small fry and all."

Louis responded with a smile, "You're not a small fry. You're one of the few people in the city who can make me spin around like a top." His eyes were full of hidden meanings.

Alicia blushed and turned her back on him. "Don't flatter me. I wouldn't dare to play games with you," she said.

Suddenly, Louis' phone started ringing, and he took it out of his pocket. He glanced at it, and his expression changed slightly. Alicia looked over curiously and caught sight of the name "Maddie" on the screen, making her feel disgusted. "You should answer it," she said, trying to pretend she didn't care.

Louis raised an eyebrow, "Aren't you mad?"

Alicia thought to herself, "Of course I am, but you would answer it anyway."

"Come on, answer it, don't keep her waiting," she urged.

Louis gave her a deep look and answered the phone, "Maddie, what's up?"

Madelyn's weak and pitiful voice came through the phone, "Louis, where have you been? You didn't come to the hospital yesterday. Can you come today? I can't even eat without you. I feel so sad."

Alicia was disgusted, so she leaned in and mimicked Madelyn's tone, "Honey, I've already taken off my clothes. What are you waiting for?"

The phone went silent as if it had died. Louis lowered his eyes and looked at her, a smile playing at the corners of his lips. Alicia stared back at him expressionlessly, the two of them locked in a silent standoff.

Finally, Madelyn's voice came through the phone, weak and exasperated, "You're busy, Louis. I'll let you go."

And with that, Madelyn hung up.

Alicia was experiencing conflicting emotions. She said flatly, "You should go see her at the hospital. She's severely depressed, with a bad hand injury. If she takes more sleeping pills and tries to commit suicide again, I'll blame myself."

Louis reached out and tousled her hair, "I'll make a phone call outside."

He stepped outside and called Morris. "Keep an eye on Maddie," he said. "She just called me, and I'm afraid she's taking things too hard."

"Got it," Morris replied after a moment's pause. "We all kind of spoiled Maddie when she was young. She thinks there's still a chance for you two, so she's not careful with her actions. Sorry for the trouble."

"It's not a problem. I'm partly responsible for her depression," Louis said.

After hanging up the phone, Louis waltzed back into the room to find Alicia lounging on the bed, her nose buried in an ancient tome. He leaned in close and grazed her cheek with his fingers before nuzzling his nose into her hair. "I gotta go now. I'll swing by later on tonight, though."

Alicia, for her part, was pretty chill about it. "Don't sweat it. You've got work to do and it's a haul to get out here anyway," she responded.

Louis took a good look at her and grabbed her wounded hand to give it a once-over. "Why don't you come with me then? This place is in the middle of nowhere. It's tough going all by yourself. Plus, your hand's not even healed yet, and eating's still giving you fits."

Alicia felt her heart sink. It was so hard to get over someone who kept pulling her back in whenever she tried to leave. And every time she started to soften up, he stuck a blade right in her heart.

She pulled her hand away and said evenly, "You can head out now, and don't come back tonight. I grew up here without you, and I'll be just fine."

"Hey now," Louis said, giving her other hand a playful pinch. "You may look dainty on the outside, but you're one tough cookie. Your heart's even harder than mine, believe it or not."

Alicia scrunched up her face, thinking to herself: It's your heart that's hard, buddy. Why you gotta pin that on me?

Louis got up and sauntered towards the door. "Well, I'm really taking off now. Aren't you gonna see me out?"

Alicia turned away, feeling conflicted. She wanted him to go, but not really.

As Louis strode out, he spotted Leo, and his mood took a turn for the worse. "When you skippin' town?" he asked gruffly.

"I've got a few days off. I'll head back the day after tomorrow. Since I'm a doctor, it's easier for me to take care of Alicia while she's still getting her wound dressed," Leo said, giving Louis a small smile.

Louis glared over at the two bodyguards posted up by the door, deep in conversation. "You two better stay put and keep an eye on Alicia," he ordered.

The guards popped up instantly and replied politely, "Yes, Mr. Martinez."

Louis then turned his attention to Doris, who was cleaning up some dishes by the pool. "Doris, come with me," he said.

Doris quickly dried off her hands and scurried after him to the car. Once she got in the passenger seat, she started to fidget and blurted out, "Yesterday, Mrs. Martinez told me to turn off my phone. I was too scared not to listen to her."

Louis crossed his legs and leaned his arm on the window, rubbing his forehead. "Don't worry about that. I'm askin' you something else. What's Alicia's deal with Leo Grainger?"

Doris thought for a moment before replying, "Mrs. Martinez is real polite to Doctor Grainger and keeps her distance. She doesn't seem to be interested in him. But Doctor Grainger seems to have a soft spot for her and treats her right. He even had someone erase the hospital security footage for her and drove her over here. Mr. Martinez, you want me to let Doctor Grainger know that Mrs. Martinez is your wife?"

"No need to worry. I'll play along if she wants to," Louis responded.

Louis whipped out a check from his bag and handed it over to Doris. "Take good care of her and make sure she doesn't end up alone with that Shen guy."

Doris grinned and pocketed the check. "Don't sweat it. I'll keep those two on opposite ends of the earth."

Doris hopped out of the car and Louis watched her go, feeling a little hollow inside. "What an ungrateful troublemaker," he grumbled to himself. "I went out of my way to find her in the middle of the night, and she can't even come out to say goodbye."

As the car rumbled down the road, it kicked up a storm of dust in its wake. Just before they turned the corner, Louis glanced back and caught a glimpse of a slender figure in a white sweater at the intersection.

It was Alicia.

Louis' lips curled up in a faint smile. "Well, at least she knows how to show some appreciation," he mused to himself. As the car rounded the bend, Alicia vanished from sight.

Louis slowly rolled up the car window, reminiscing about the first time he met Alicia three years ago. Back then, she was just a twenty-year-old college graduate, a small and delicate girl with a milky complexion and huge, adorable eyes. She wasn't much of a talker, but there was a certain distance in her smile, as if she was holding something back.

He remembered it being a bone-chilling day, and she even brought him a gift. He couldn't recall what it was, but he did remember her fingers being red and puffy from the cold. Louis gazed at her hands and felt an inexplicable pang of sorrow. It was also on that day that they pledged to be man and wife.