CHAPTER 2
Roxanna's POV
My whole words crumbled before my very eyes as I watched my supposed fiance and my stepsister.
How could Devian break the trust I had in him this much? Didn't he love me? He said he did.
But what was all this?
“Roxanna, I can explain.” Devian suddenly said as he put on his shorts and climbed off the bed, I saw a smirk form on Reina's face as she sat up on the bed, using the blanket to cover herself up.
“Roxanna, it's not what you think” Devian began to say as he came to stand before me, but before he could proceed with his words, I raised my hand to slap him.
Devian’s eyes widened as he held onto the side of his face I had struck.
“Explain what?! That you're sleeping around with my sister?!” I yelled as tears stung my eyes.
Devian always professed love to me each time we were together, we even had our marriage coming up in two weeks.
But all this while I was getting overly excited, the man was whoring around with my step sister.
Devian's gaze darkened as he glared at me.
“Fine! It's exactly what you think! Yes, I slept with Reina!” He shamelessly admitted as he stood before me with a darkened gaze.
I stiffened in shock as a part of me had been begging him to at least still try to give a reasonable explanation why he cheated on me.
“I chose Reina instead of you, I love Reina and I can't even imagine I was willing to end up with someone like you! You're ugly, disgusting and so huge. You could sit on me and I'd snap like a damn twig! Lose some fucking weight bitch.” He yelled again.
My heart clenched at every word that came out of his mouth, his words were like venom, trying to consume my soul as the tears kept flowing out of my eyes.
“Devian, why? After everything we've been through together, you still went ahead to betray the love we shared.” I said through clenched teeth, but Devian laughed out.
“We shared? Roxanna, I'm sorry to say this but I was always in love with Reina and not you. You're nothing to me.” He spat out and I staggered in shock as his words hit me with a force that shattered me.
This was not the Devian I used to know. My Devian was nowhere to be found.
“What's going on here?” I heard a voice from behind, but I didn't even need to turn to know that it was my father.
I wasn't surprised that he followed me all the way here. He had a big ego and would never let me walk out on him without punishment.
I saw Reina hurriedly put on Devian’s shirt shamelessly as she climbed off the bed too.
“Father, you're here.” She said softly as my father walked further into the room.
I turned slightly to see him glaring at me.
“What other troubles have you come here to cost you this child?!” He yelled in my face as I shuddered and shut my eyes.
“Father, I caught Devian and Reina together in bed. How could Reina do this to me?” I asked him, watching his face and waiting for a reasonable reply from him.
My father averted his gaze from me and replied, “So what? You both aren't married yet and besides it's Devian's choice. He is old enough to make the decisions and choose what he wants. It's not my fault that he chose your sister.” The shameless words that came out of my father's mouth were the most disgusting words I heard in my entire life.
I turned to Devian, and he also averted his gaze. “Father, did you just hear what you just said yourself?!” This time, I couldn't hold back the anger in me as I yelled at him, but the next minute, I felt a slap descend on my face and my head swiped to the other side.
I held onto the side of my face that stung so much from the slap just now, then I turned to see who had slapped me.
It was Evelyn as she had a deathly glare on her face.
“How dare you raise your stupid voice on your father?!” She asked in anger and I saw Reina smile at me from the corners of her eyes.
“Mum, stop!” She yelled and suddenly ran up to her mum with a pitiful look in her eyes.
“Mum please don't hit big sis, she has every right to be mad. I'm the one to blame here.” she said and cast her gaze down to appear dainty and caring.
I knew all this was just an act of hers as usual. She never missed any chance to make me look bad.
“It's not your fault Honey, she's just jealous that you're better than she is!” Evelyn said and pulled her daughter close. I glared at them both in anger.
“Reina, I thought I could trust you,” I said to her, feeling stunned by everything that was unfolding. I had to pass through all these at this time of my life when I needed help the most.
My brother at the hospital, my fiance cheating on me and everything.
Reina turned to me and blinked.
“I'm sorry, Sister Roxanna, but please don't take Devian from me.” She suddenly uttered and her mother walked forward immediately.
“She can't take him from you when she is already getting married to someone else.”
My head shot in her direction and I saw a smirk on her face.
“What? Getting married to someone else?” Reina asked and Evelyn nodded.
“Since you're pregnant for Devian already, I th_”
“Pregnant?” I cut her short in shock, “Sof–So–Reina is pregnant?” I asked in a shaky voice and Reina nodded shyly with a small smile.
“Who owns the child?” I asked again, my heart beat accelerating as I already guessed the answer.
“It's Devian's.” She replied and the tears I was holding in came rushing out of my eyes.
Devian got Reina pregnant? That was the most disgusting thing I could ever imagine.
My stomach churned in disgust as I felt like vomiting. Devian was having a child with my step sister?
“As I was saying, since Reina is already pregnant for Devian, why not let Roxanna here take her place and get married to Ciel Sébastien instead?” Evelyn continued her words.
I turned to look at her and shook my head.
“I won't marry him.”
“Sorry sweetheart, I already accepted their proposal on your behalf. And the wedding is set to happen tomorrow. Yes, it's fast because they're desperate to marry off their handicapped son.” She chuckled at the last part while I shivered in fear.
This family of mine was hell. Everyone had a twisted mind and didn't care for you except for their selfish gains.
“After the wedding with Ciel is completed tomorrow, I would personally pay in money to commence the treatments for your brother's surgery. Now be a good girl and go back home to prepare.” Evelyn said sternly, not giving me a break to even think it through.
Reina walked up to stand before me as she winked since she was backing the others.
“Sister Roxanna, please just marry Ciel for me and let me be with Devian. My child can't be without a father, and I know you wouldn't also let that happen. If you marry Devian, My child would be fatherless and the Sébastien's would never accept me because of my child. So just accept the Handicapped son.” She said, purposely adding the last part as if to mock me. The smirk on her face never vanished for once as she also tucked in her lips, stifling a laugh.
With those words said Evelyn walked up to me and pulled me by my arm roughly away from the house and straight to the car outside.
I winced at her tight grip, trying to get her hands off me, but she yanked and pushed me into the car.
“Get in and let's go home to prepare you for the wedding!”
The rain had just stopped.Soft mist clung to the windows of the Ciel's mansion east wing, blurring the sunrise into watercolor hues, lavender, gold, and pale blue. Inside, the world held its breath.And then came the cry.High, clear, and so small.Roxanne exhaled, sinking back into the bed pillows, damp curls stuck to her forehead. Her fingers trembled, her body ached, but her heart… her heart had never felt so full.The midwife smiled gently and whispered, “You did beautifully.”Ciel had arranged for her safe delivery at home to avoid the press trying to have a glimpse of his baby's new life.Across the room, he stood frozen, one hand covering his mouth, the other gripping the edge of the chair like he needed something solid to hold onto. His eyes were rimmed red, glistening with disbelief.Then the doctor turned, gently placing a small, wriggling bundle into his arms.Ciel cradled the baby as if holding the sun.“Hi,” he said hoarsely. “Hi there.”The infant blinked up at him
At Ciel's mansion, the atmosphere was in a celebratory mood.There were lovely fragrance sprayed across the whole area of the mansion.Although out of sight, there was a string quartet playing with a low, steady and reverent sound.Everything was planned out to be spectacular for her.Roxanne stood at the edge of the corridor, one hand resting lightly on the swell of her stomach, the other clutching a bouquet of ivory peonies and olive branches. Her gown shimmered like moonlight, simple silk, no train, no veil. Just her. Powerful. Radiant, and Free.“I feel like I’m going to drop the rings,” Finn whispered beside her.She looked down at him and smiled. He was dressed in a navy-blue tuxedo, his hair slicked to one side, trying so hard to look grown. He clutched the velvet ring box in one hand and held her arm with the other, eyes wide with the kind of solemn joy only a child can feel at moments that feel bigger than life.“You won’t drop them,” she whispered. “You’ve already car
At the Bellamy headquarters, the morning air was slightly cold, but with enough breeze to rustle the new massive silk banner that is draped over the building.Roxanne just got there.She was wearing a very tailored ivory suit.It has gold embroidery along the sleeves.It looked regal.Her hair was pulled back in a sleek knot, and her eyes gleamed with elegance and raw beauty.She looked very inch a powerful woman by her looks.And truly, she was.She is the CEO of the Bellamy Couture.Ciel was standing beside her.Tall and poised, with his hand resting gently at her back.Crowds were gathered around them, outside the company.There was a Pavilion, and different people were there.Journalists,ambassadors,designers, philanthropists, and board members from three continents.The company's name glimmered under the new leadership.Only this time, the name belonged to Roxanne.She stepped forward, her voice amplified and commanding, yet warm.“Years ago, my mother built something extraordina
For some reason, Devian was arrested and charged to Court.Ciel had a hand in it.He wanted to make him fall for real this time.What he did with Reina's phone may have helped him in his plan, but he figured if he could do something like that, then he was capable of much more madness.And he could not afford to let him live free.Since his detention didn't help matters, he decided to use the law.On the day of his hearing, the police brought Devian to the court.It was raining slightly.Cameras flashed before him like lightening.He was a part of the high society, and a scandal like this definitely makes the juicy news.He didn't flinch, nor blink as he was led into the Court room.His hair was damp, his once-pristine suit wrinkled and clinging to his frame. The arrogance he once wore like armor had been stripped away, piece by piece.He looked smaller now.Inside the courtroom, the silence was almost sacred. The judge had already reviewed the files.It was over 400 pages of cybercr
Evelyn drove her car towards Roxanne's house.The drive was slow, and almost reverent.It was as if she was going for something that would make or mar her.She was putting on a plain black coat, and heels.And also had with her a leather bag, which contained just one item.A letter.As she drove, the streets blurred past her window like a memory she does not want to go after anymore.Her phone buzzed in her lap, but she didn’t check it. There was no one she wanted to hear from. Not anymore.By the time she reached Roxanne’s building, the late afternoon sun had sunk low, casting long shadows across the pavement. She pulled over, and came out of the car, with the letter tucked into her coat.She walked towards the door and stood by it for a minute before she rang the bell.Then the door opened slowly after some few minutes.Roxanne appeared before her.She was dressed in a gray lounge wear.There were some faint bruises beneath her eyes.A testament of sleepless nights, and stress.H
The house where James was hiding was walled up.He have had his men also take Reina down there to stay with him.Reina had grown used to living among them. But this one cut deeper.Living with them means different things.It means she was now privy to their private dealings and discussions.And since they got there, she had been listening to their cries of frustration.Soon, she heard James and one of his men having a low conversation. “She’s unstable,” James said coolly. “She’s a risk now. We can’t afford to keep her in the loop.”“What about the plan?”“The plan is salvaging what’s left of our network,” James snapped. “She can rot in this house or disappear. It doesn’t matter now. She’s expendable.”The word rang in Reina’s skull like a gunshot.She was Expendable!!She backed away from the door like it had burned her. Her pulse thundered. Her palms itched. Her father was ready to throw her away like garbage. After everything. After all she had gone through.All this while, s