Chapter 5

CHAPTER 5

MILA

“Dawson darling, would you mind introducing this stray you’ve managed to get into this house without our consent?” The woman had a polished smile, but her tone sounded dangerous, and so was that curated friendly expression on her face.

“Mom, meet my wife, Camila Jones. And yes, you’re all looking at Michael’s daughter. We- “

“It’s Mila Briggs now, and I’m no longer associated with the Jones family. I can not wait to get acquainted with you all,” I intentionally cut into Dawson’s formality. He was touching details I would like concealed or erased if possible.

The intensity of these people’s gaze did not waver neither would they stop scrutinizing my existence.

“Casted out heirs or heiresses are not the type we associate ourselves with, Dawson.” The mother looked me down and back up with a shallow smile, her eyes glinting a different grudge.

“I wasn’t casted out. I willingly left my family’s name.” I squinted at her branded animosity. I’m not scared of her. Heck, I’m not scared of anyone here.

So long as I survived dealing with Gretta and her spawns from hell, I don’t think there’s much I wouldn’t survive.

“Sweetheart when I’m talking, let this ticking minute be the last time you would respond to me, okay?” Her graceful face weaved an effortless glare, sharp and intense.

“You’re not intimidating my wife now are you, mother?” Dawson slipped out of his quiet mode, matching his mother’s blazing aura.

“Your wife does not belong here, and should never be given the luxury to wear the family’s name.” An elderly woman stepped into the conversation, her tone as vindictive as the look on her face.

“Whatever, decide to possess you, brother?” The girl about my age scoffed and shook her head.

“She’s my wife, and the woman who would accompany me tonight to the minister’s conference instead of the bimbo all of you are desperately trying to pair me up with,” Dawson responded to them once again.

“Come on, Mila, let me show you up to our room.” He gestured as he held out his hand for me to take.

I looked through everyone’s burning gazes as I took Dawson’s extended palm, the hint of murder and many other dangerous intent gleamed low and measly above the surface of their expression.

This family wasn’t just not nice; they're a bunch of creep-lords.

“Welcome to the family, sister-in-law.” Some guy with a faint resemblance to Dawson flashed me a smile.

“In anything, you better avoid that one in particular. He’s not the warmth you should ever engage in,” he warned me after we’d taken a few steps away from him and were on the verge of ascending the stairs.

I waited till we’ve reached an edible distance away from his family before I unearthed my opinions.

“So, not a single person here is not a classist?” I shook my head at the realization. Including that elderly woman; she quite literally told me I didn’t deserve the family’s last name like it was some gold I’m supposed to care about.

“We’re alone now, we don’t have to talk to each other.” Dawson’s icy nature has made a comeback.

His gaze was harsh, cold and a blank face with nothing to read about.

We got to the room; our room. He opened it up as we went inside for a proper assessment. Large and wide, the bedroom was exquisite to the sight.

“Woah!” I gasped at the extravagant furnishing. Wealth has never looked this regal, but the room sure housed a king it seems.

“You’ve got a taste,” I remarked upon my observation of the so many grey coloured designs in just about everything colourful inside the room.

“Here.”

I glanced at him to see the stretched black and gold plaited credit card stretched for me to take.

“If you’re going to be my date tonight, I need you in something fancy at least. You’ve got to go shopping,” he suggested in a detached tone.

A tone that made it sound like an instruction.

I stared at the card for a few seconds before I collected it from him. “You’re going on a date with someone you can’t tolerate. Why is that?” I left his side to take in more of the room’s beauty.

He responded with silence, and I’m not about to let him have that.

“You can tell me why or I can promise to turn that date into the worst night of your life.” I cracked him a sinister grin.

“You think you can threaten me?” He raised a single brow.

I shook my head negatively. “I can’t, but I can definitely rattle you. You can ask my dad, and trust me when I say you don’t want me doing that to you.”

“Your presence would keep a certain somebody away from me. That’s basically your purpose and the reason behind this sham marriage. Is that enough information for your nosiness?” He quizzed and I rolled my eyes at him.

“Good, then I’ll see myself out,” he answered on my behalf and walked out of the room.

Dawson Briggs. Might just be the strangest man on the planet, and he’s now my husband? I still can’t believe it.

I probably should be thanking the universe for planting inside my head the mischievous idea to hurt my step-sister, because if I hadn’t? I would never have bumped into him.

“It’s time to wake up from your sweet dream, sweetheart. Dreams were never meant to run forever.”

I snapped out of my thoughts to the sight of Dawson’s mother standing inside the room with me. Her disdain glazing through her face in a fierce countenance.

“Who do you think you are to try and fit into this family?” The figure of the elderly woman from earlier also crept into view like she was waiting for the perfect time to materialize like a ghost.

“Because we’re nice enough to never attack unannounced,” another girl I recognised her voice from the earlier formality spawned into the scene as well.

“Okay, what is with the dramatic entrances? Are any more of you coming or there’s more lines to be said to present them?” I stared at the three faces funnily.

“I don’t think we need more to kill you. The three of us would do just fine,” the mother, also standing in the middle, muttered as they all began to approach.