Alina remained inMaxim's strong embrace. Her head rested on his shoulder, and his palm, warm and authoritative, rhythmically and persistently stroked her back, descending to the curve of her lower back. Fortunately, there was no sharp terror; only a dull, naggingpain in her templesremained, a testament to yesterday, and a burningdisgust for her own weakness. Overriding all this was the realization:he was her fiancé. She thought about herself bitterly.
— Why can't I just give myself to him? Why am I so useless? He's my fiancé! He's saving my mother! I must, I must respond to him! But I can't. It's so shameful, so humiliating. What humiliation it is—to be so incapable of responding to his claims, incapable of repaying him for his sacrifice and strength.
Maxim's kiss slid from her neck to her lips. He was about to finish what he'd started. Alina tried to pull away, instinctively, involuntarily, and the movement made her shudder—not from arousal, but from a deep, internalrepulsion. Maxim, who acted with calculated precision, froze abruptly. His hand lifted from her skin. He felt thaticy spasm—her body was rejecting him, and that was an alarming signal for him. Maxim stopped.
— Damn! No, this won't do. She's conscious, she remembers. It's one thing when she was out cold, and quite another to take her now when she looks at me with that fear. I risk losing what I've been working toward for two years.I must keep her. I have to force myself to stop. But as soon as she becomes my wife, as soon as she signs the documents, I'll get what's mine. Then I will possess her however and whenever I want. For now... for now, I'll have to play the damn"good guy".
Maxim literally forced himself to pull away, demonstrating a tormented, feigned effort.
— No, Alina.
His voice becamelow, velvety, full of flawless,false remorse. He slowly moved away, sitting on the edge of the bed, which itself was part of a carefully planned performance.
— Forgive me. I... I shouldn't have.
He turned to her, clenching his fists—a gesture simulating a struggle with his own, nobly suppressed desire. He sank to his knees by the bed, took her hands, and pressed his forehead to their backs. It was a gesture ofcrushing defeatthat was meant to obliterate her remaining resistance.Guiltdescended upon Alina with renewed, sophisticated force.
— He stopped! He—the one who has every right to me—shows such strength of spirit, such...nobility, and I can't even respond to him. My coldness is a slap in the face to his sacrifice. It's hard for him, he's fighting himself for my sake, and I... I am not worthy of this nobility.
Shame over her own coldness and rejection was literally consuming her.
— Will... will you forgive me?
She whispered, and her voice heldawkwardness and genuine shamefor her ingratitude. Maxim raised his head, and his eyes showed a mixture ofmanly pain and unwavering fidelity—a flawless mask.
— I will always be by your side, Alina. I will wait. Just remember that we need to win. That's the only thing that matters now.
His tone became serious, businesslike, shifting the conversation from the emotional to the realm ofharsh duty.
— And for that, we must prove to everyone—thatwe are one. That we are a real couple. This is our only chance.
He stood up, his hand gently stroking her cheek.
— Are you with me?
She nodded, feeling theweight of dutyfinally crushing her, but simultaneously granting a fragile sense of hope for salvation.
— Yes, Maxim. I am with you.
In the evening, Karina gathered all the couples on the set. The atmosphere waselectric, as if before a storm. A huge screen hung over the glass stage, which resembled an arena, and in front of each participant stood inconspicuous equipment withsensorsthat promised to expose the most cherished lies.
— We move on to "Sincerity"!
Karina announced, her voice filled with almostreligious pathos.
— Our show is about the truth. Now we will check who is pretending here. The technology will record the slightest changes inpulse, skin tone, breathing. You must provoke a genuine emotion in your partner, by any means. A real one.
Volodya and Eva went first. Volodya took Eva's hand. His face was deathly pale, his eyes lifeless. This was hislast, desperate test.
— Enough of being the key that opens the right doors. No more nobility. Just the facts. I need to see if she is capable of even one emotion towards me.
Volodya leaned in close to her ear and, making sure no one but Eva could hear, whispered, looking at the screen where the thin lines of their physiological indicators were already dancing:
— Have you ever seen a man in me, Eva? Or have I always been just a key to a rich life for you? Are you ready to stoop to treachery to get Alexey?
Eva flinched. Apparently, the mention ofAlexey's name hit the mark. The equipment registeredemotional arousalconnected to Alexey, not Volodya. Volodya saw it. The last flicker of hope died in his eyes. He leaned in for a moment, as if to kiss her, to check his hunch. He touched her cold cheek with his lips. Nothing stirred on the device recording their combined emotional response.Emptiness.
— Excellent,
He whispered into her lips. His voice was dead.
— Now answer: do you love me?
Eva, realizing she needed to evoke a reaction, and knowing everyone was watching, offered a sickly,showy smile.
— Of course, I love you, Volodya.
She kissed him—a long,staged kissthat was supposed to look passionate. She thought this would at least cause a physiological reaction in herself that the sensors would pick up, to save their couple. She pulled back, looking at the screen with hope. The sensors barely moved. It was a reaction to physical contact, not an emotional explosion.A weak, steady peak. As if kissing air. Volodya smiled bitterly. There was no anger in that smile, onlypain and realization.
— The price of your love is right there,
He summarized, nodding at the screen where the lines of their emotions remained almostflat. He was hurting more than ever. But at the same time, this pain was asobering medicine. He was free from illusions. He understood: his years-long obsession was devoted not to a person, but to aphantomshe had created. He let go of her hand and took a step back.
When it was Maxim and Alina's turn, Maxim, confident in his victory, seated Alina in a chair and took the microphone.
— I want to declare to the whole country thatI love you, Alina. I will do everything to make you happy,
He pronounced. Then, he approached her, recalling their past night, and tried to repeat those caresses. He ran his hand over her shoulder, leaned toward her neck,expecting the familiar, even forced, bodily response. But Alina felt herstomach clench. Memories of the filth she'd tried to wash away overwhelmed her.
— No! Enough! I can't have his hands on me again! This is a lie, this is coercion! I'm tired of the pretense!
Nausearose in Alina. It wasphysical rejection. She jerked violently and covered her mouth with her hand to keep from throwing up.
— Sorry. I don't feel well!
It burst out of her, and she staggered off the stage.
In the control room, Alexey, who had been watching everything, jumped up. He saw it. Not a single needle twitched. In fact, it indicated that Alinarejected Maxim. She had no reaction to him. She had no feelings for him. He rushed after her.
— The show is picking up pace,
Karina commented after him. Alexey caught up with Alina in the corridor, abruptly, without warning,pinned her against the cold wall, blocking her escape. His hands, clasped around her waist, were strong, authoritative. Before Alina could comprehend what had happened,Alexey seized her in a kiss. His kiss wasfurious, demanding, yet filled with a wild, contained desire. He didn't let go. He kissed her. This washis test. This was his challenge to her false indifference. He wanted to know her reaction to him. His right palm slid upward, cupping the back of her head, deepening the kiss to the limit. He felt her lips first tighten, and then,involuntarily, part, accepting his onslaught. He kissed her, pressing her closer and closer until her body began torespond to him on its own, defying the commands of her mind. He felt that response with his whole being, and the realization that she was reacting to himwithout any drugs, without coercion, was a crazy, intoxicatingtriumph. Alina couldn't control her heartbeat, her growing desire. His left hand slid from her waist lower, pressing her hips against his, and this movement was almost afoul, a pure demonstration of his power over her body. When Alexey, withdrawing his hand from the back of her head,touched her chest, placing his palm directly over her heart, a genuine, wildmoan of desireescaped her throat, muffled by the kiss. He broke away from her lips, his breathing as ragged as hers. He locked his gaze with hers, his face contorted by the struggle with his own desire. He placed his palm on her heart. Her body was betraying her. She gasped for air, and beneath his hand, her heart pounded madly.
—Your body doesn't lie, Alina,
He whispered, his voice hoarse with passion and triumph.
— I saw your reaction to Maxim. I saw the emptiness. And I see your reaction to me now.You have feelings for me. So why did you leave me? Why are you with Maxim?!
— Alexey, it's none of your business.
— It is my business! I want to know the truth! What makes you be with him?!
— The truth?! You want to know the truth on a show where everyone pretends and cheats?! No matter how my body reacts, my true desire is for you toleave me alone.
She pushed him away with all the strength left in her tormented body.
— If you have an ounce of humanity—leave me alone.
Alina ran away, leaving him alone in the middle of the corridor.
— I can't do that, Alina,
He whispered into the empty air. After her reaction to Maxim, Alexey finally understood that Alina was with him forsome forced reason. And, most likely, that reason was her difficult situation and an urgent need for money, which Maxim had hinted at during their conversation. Alexey quickly dialed Igor, his assistant:
— Igor, listen carefully. Use all our connections and find out who Alina's stepfather owes money to and how much. Andpay off that damned debt.
Alexey was sure: once he paid off the debt, Alina would be free. This would destroy the only reason she might be dependent on Maxim.This was his way of fighting for her.