The husband’s claim

Victor opened the bedroom door and stepped inside like he already owned every inch of me.

I sat on the edge of the bed in the silk nightgown he had chosen for me. My hands gripped the sheets tightly. My heart raced with fear and guilt. After everything I had done with Damien in this very room, I felt sick at the thought of Victor touching me now.

“Ava,” he said in a low voice as he closed the door behind him. “You look beautiful tonight. Come here.”

I stood up slowly and walked toward him. “Welcome home, Victor. You must be tired from the trip.”

He pulled me against his chest without answering. His hands moved down my back and rested on my hips. “I do not pay for a young wife so I can come home to a cold bed. You know what I expect.”

I swallowed hard. “I know.”

Victor tilted my chin up and kissed me. His mouth felt cold compared to Damien’s fire. I closed my eyes and tried to respond, but my body stayed stiff. All I could think about was Damien’s hands, Damien’s mouth, and the way he had made me feel alive just hours ago.

“You are tense,” Victor said as he pulled back. He looked at me with narrowed eyes. “What is wrong with you tonight?”

“Nothing,” I whispered. “I am just nervous. This is all still new to me.”

He smiled but it did not reach his eyes. “Then let me remind you who your husband is.”

Victor pushed me gently onto the bed and climbed on top of me. His hands moved under the nightgown and touched my skin. I bit my lip and fought the urge to push him away. Every touch made me feel dirtier. I had betrayed this man in his own house. Now I had to pretend I wanted him.

“Open your eyes, Ava,” he ordered. “Look at me.”

I opened my eyes and stared at his face. “Victor, please be gentle.”

He continued touching me intimately. His fingers explored my body while I lay there trying not to cry. To survive the moment, I closed my eyes again and thought of Damien. I remembered how Damien had made me moan his name. I remembered the way he looked at me like I was everything. The guilt crushed me even more. I was using thoughts of his son to get through my husband’s touch.

“You are not even wet for me,” Victor said coldly. He sounded angry now. “What is going on in that head of yours?”

“I am sorry,” I said quickly. My voice shook. “I want to please you. I really do. Please give me time. I am still adjusting to all of this.”

Victor sighed and continued anyway. He took what he wanted while I lay there silently counting the seconds until it ended. When he finally finished, he rolled off me and stared at the ceiling.

“You will give me an heir soon, Ava,” he said in a flat voice. “That is part of our deal. I did not save your family for nothing. Do you understand?”

“Yes, Victor,” I whispered. Tears burned in my eyes. “I understand.”

He got up, put on his robe, and looked down at me. “Clean yourself up. I expect better enthusiasm next time.”

Victor left the room without another word. I curled up into a ball on the bed and cried quietly. The shame felt like it would swallow me whole. I had sold my body to save my family, and now I was destroying myself even more.

The next morning I felt completely broken. My eyes were red and puffy from crying. I sat at the dining table pushing food around my plate. Victor had already left for meetings. I was alone until I heard footsteps.

Damien walked into the dining room. He looked at me and his face changed immediately.

“Ava,” he said softly. He closed the door behind him. “What happened? You look terrible.”

I stood up quickly. “You should not be here. What if someone sees us?”

“I do not care,” he said. He walked closer and touched my arm gently. “Tell me the truth. Did he touch you last night?”

I looked down at the floor. Tears filled my eyes again. “Yes. He did. I felt so disgusted with myself the whole time. I kept thinking about you. I hate myself for that too. I am his wife and I was thinking about his son while he touched me. What kind of person am I?”

Damien pulled me into his arms. “You are a person who was forced into a terrible situation. This is not your fault. I will get you out of this. I promise.”

I rested my head against his chest. “How? He is watching me. I can feel it. And I am so scared. What if he finds out about us? He will destroy my family. He told me last night that he needs an heir soon.”

Damien held me tighter. “I will protect you. I have been gathering information about my father. He has many enemies. We just need to be smart. Can you hold on a little longer?”

“I do not know,” I whispered. “Every time he touches me, I want to die inside. But when you touch me, I feel alive. This is tearing me apart.”

He lifted my chin and looked into my eyes. “I know it is hard. But you are stronger than you think. We will find a way. I will not let him keep you.”

We heard footsteps in the hallway. Damien stepped back quickly just before one of the maids entered the room.

Victor walked in moments later. He looked at both of us with sharp eyes. “Good. You are both here. We have a public appearance tomorrow night. A big charity gala. We will attend as a family. I expect both of you to behave perfectly. Smile for the cameras and act like we are happy.”

“Yes, Victor,” I said quietly.

Damien nodded but his jaw was tight. “Whatever you want, Father.”

Victor smiled coldly. “Excellent. Ava, make sure you look perfect. I want everyone to see what a beautiful young wife I have.”

After Victor left the room, I went back to the master bedroom to choose a dress for the event. I opened the closet and started looking through the expensive clothes. As I reached for a black gown, something shiny caught my eye near the top of the dresser.

I climbed on a chair to look closer. My blood ran cold.

It was a small hidden camera. It pointed directly at the bed. The same bed where Damien and I had spent the night together. The same bed where Victor had touched me last night.

My hands started shaking. I stepped down from the chair and stared at the tiny device. Victor had been watching me. He probably had footage from the night I spent with Damien. He might know everything.

“Oh God,” I whispered to myself. “What am I going to do now?”