Billionaire's Broken Trust

(Natalie's POV)

I watched my husband, Franklin Howard, laughing with my elder sister, Amelia Jackson, in the living room.

What pained me most was the way he got along with her. Franklin had never laughed like that with me.

Amelia Jackson was my half-sister. We had the same father but different mothers. My mother was my father's mistress, and because I was the unwanted child, my family didn't like me. I had three older brothers—James, Asher, and Felix—all of whom doted on Amelia.

Amelia and I were close in age, only a month apart, making her my elder sister. We were both fair-skinned, but while she was tall, I was short and chubby.

Franklin, a billionaire in this city, never liked me, his wife. Our marriage was a mistake I shouldn't have accepted.

Three years ago, my father and Franklin's father were best friends. During a business party at our house, something happened, and Franklin and I were caught in my room. I knew Amelia had set us up, but no one believed me, not even Franklin. He thought I had drugged him and lured him to my room.

We were forced to marry to avoid embarrassment, as Franklin's family was also disappointed. Everyone knew I was my father's illegitimate daughter, and they wondered why he had kept me instead of kicking me out and letting Amelia marry Franklin.

After my wedding, I discovered Amelia had a hidden crush on Franklin. She regretted drugging my drink, which I had served Franklin when he came to speak to me that night.

Many guests had brought their adult children, but none of them spoke to me. I was 22, naive, and found in a compromising position with Franklin. We married while Amelia wept, believing Franklin should have been her husband.

Franklin didn't like me. After that night, we never slept together, and I didn't conceive, even though it was my first time. We lived like hostile neighbors, and now that Amelia had graduated, Franklin wanted to divorce me to marry her.

How shameless of a sister to want to date her younger sister's husband! Amelia was so shameless. Franklin was five years older than me, making him 30 now that I was 25.

I watched Franklin in a white singlet that revealed his abs, evidence of his love for the gym. He was fair-skinned and more handsome than any other man I had seen. His skin glittered, and I saw the way Amelia drooled over him.

Franklin was very tall, with mascular arms and thighs. I barely reached his chest, being a shorty, though I had an hourglass figure. Franklin didn't find me attractive.

"How were your studies, Amy?" I heard Franklin ask Amelia, using her nickname.

Amelia blushed as she picked up the glass of wine Franklin had refilled while I sat at the dining table, setting up dinner. We had no maid because Franklin mandated that I not work without a meaningful certificate. As my parents' illegitimate child, I didn't further my education and was forced by my stepmother to learn tailoring, while Amelia went to university and became a certified accountant.

I wasn't even allowed to sew, as Franklin felt being a fashion designer was useless. He called me ugly and unfashionable, never taking me out with his friends or giving me money for upkeep. I only managed to save money when he gave me money to restock the house with food.

"It was fine, Frankie," Amelia said.

I hated that Amelia and my husband used pet names. This was my home, and Franklin only called me "Natalie!" He shouted my name with rage, as if he couldn't stand the sight of me.

"Natalie! Is dinner ready?" Franklin asked, settling across from Amelia on the black couch in our exquisite living room.

I had finished preparing pounded yam and vegetable soup. I looked at the food and at my husband and half-sister.

"Natalie! I'm talking to you!" Franklin shouted again.

"No food for you both," I replied, covering the food I had already served. I hadn't invited Amelia, nor would I serve her. She should leave and find her own husband to call pet names.

Franklin rose and dashed toward me. "Where are you taking the food? Have you lost your mind?" He slapped me and grabbed the tray.

I looked at him irritably, and at Amelia, who smiled and rolled her eyes, her target clear: my husband.

She had texted me last month, saying she was coming back to collect everything I had stolen from her, including my husband.

"Franklin, why did you slap me? I cooked this food, and you can't eat it?" I challenged him.

"Why? Didn't I give you the money for the meal? Did you work for it? Move away and get me water to wash my hands. Don't think I'll apologize for the slap. Come, Amy, don't mind your sister. That's how silly she behaves." Franklin called for Amelia, who seductively stood in her brown dress that accentuated her hips and bosom.

Amelia walked to the dining table, and I watched Franklin serve her the pounded yam and vegetable soup I had labored over. I knew Amelia was my sister, and I shouldn't be jealous, but Franklin had never served me food, especially not food I had cooked.

Franklin noticed I hadn't served water and went to the kitchen himself. He sat across from Amelia, who blushed, not inviting me to join them.

"Franklin!" I shouted, walking toward the plate of soup Franklin had served Amelia.

"What's wrong, Natalie? Should we leave this food for you? Come, Amy, let's get something more palatable," Franklin said, standing. I hated when he left to eat out after I had cooked.

"Franklin!" I tried to stop him, and he warned, "Stay away, Natalie. Eat your food since you don't want us to eat it. Who knows if you poisoned it?"

"What?" I frowned, his words breaking my heart. He quickly took the stairs to his bedroom.

Yes, Franklin and I had separate bedrooms. I looked back at Amelia and shouted, "You shameless slut! Aren't you ashamed to date your sister's husband? As beautiful as you are, can't you find your own husband?" I cursed at Amelia, and she hissed.

"Get out of my house!" I was enraged, remembering how Amelia and her brothers had mistreated me. I had thought marriage would bring happiness, but this family wouldn't let me be.

As I rushed to push Amelia out, she fell and pretended to be hurt.