LOGIN“Do you regret it?” he whispered, as he pushed my night gown above my breasts. My heart pounded as his fingers trailed down my skin, stopping just above the lace on my thighs. “I should,” I said barely above a whisper “But I can’t.” His lips curved into a wicked smirk and his hands tore my pants into shreds. “Then say it, Elise. Say you’re mine.” And I did, knowing that the man I’d just given myself to… might be the reason my mother was killed. Elise Anderson never believed in love after betrayal destroyed her world. Her fiancé and best friend planned to kill her for her inheritance, and she swore never to be weak again. So she made a deal with the devil himself, he was a man called Ravien Drayton, Verya’s most ruthless billionaire. It was supposed to be a contract marriage, as it escalated from kissed to steamy nights And when secrets began to unravel, Elise discovered the man she loved was her stepbrother, and the son of her mother’s killer. Now she’s trapped between vengeance and desire, torn between the truth that could destroy them… and a love that refuses to die.
View MoreElise's POV
"Yes... oh God, yes... harder, baby..."
That was the voice I heard that made me freeze at my own front door, key halfway to the lock. That voice sounds just like my best friend, Olivia's voice.
"You like that? Tell me how much better I am than her." I heard another, and that's Morris, my fiancee.
Wait, Morris?
My hand trembles as the key slips in clattering against the doorknob. I could hear my own heart beat at that point.
No, this can't be happening.
The sounds grow louder as I step inside. This is our apartment and the same place where Morris proposed to me six months ago.
"Baby, you're so much tighter than Elise..." I heard as my feet carried me forward, down the hallway, toward our bedroom and when the door is cracked open, through the gap, I saw them.
Olivia is on her hands and knees on my bed, and Morris is behind her, gripping her hips, thrusting into her with an urgency I haven't seen in months.
"Does she know?" Olivia gasps between moans. "Does she suspect anything?"
"About us?" Morris laughs,
"Elise? She's clueless."
"And the policy?" Olivia's voice drops lower,
"The life insurance?"
"Already done. Fifty million, baby. All mine once the accident is arranged." He said and my legs almost gave out.
"When?" She asked.
"Two weeks. Maybe less. I'm just waiting for...fuck, I'm close..."
I couldn't listen anymore as I stumble backward, my hand flying to my mouth to stop the sob coming up my throat.
I had just went to Harrington & Associates, the event planning firm where I'd worked for three years. Mr. Harrington had asked me to come in early to finalize the contract for the Montgomery wedding, a huge account, one that would finally give me the promotion I'd been working toward.
I'd been so excited and I'd even texted Morris
: "Big day today! Wish me luck!"
He'd replied: "You don't need luck, babe. You're amazing. Love you."
What a liar.
I was gathering my things, ready to head to lunch with Mr. Harrington to celebrate signing the contract, when I grabbed my bag and felt paper crinkle inside. It was off because I didn't remember putting any documents in my personal bag.
Curious, I pulled out a folded document and it turned out to be an Insurance Policy.
It says it was Insured by me and that the beneficiary was Morris James Jones, for a sum of Fifty million dollars.
My signature was at the bottom. But I'd never seen this document before, talkless of signing it.
I held it up to the light, examining the signature. It looked exactly like mine, like someone had copied my signature.
My hands started shaking, why would Morris need a life insurance policy on me? Why would he forge my signature? There had to be an explanation as maybe it was a mistake, maybe he'd gotten confused, thought I'd signed it when I hadn't.
I'd called him about three times and when there was still no answer. I'd texted though he didn't reply.
I'd left the office in a daze, barely remembering to tell Mr. Harrington I felt sick, that I needed to go home.
I'd driven home on autopilot, with my mind spinning with possibilities of what was going on as I seriously hoped that whatever it was that I was thinking of is not real.
Life hasn't been easy ever since my mom had died about four years ago. My dad had in my younger years abandoned my mom and I and she had struggled to bring me up in the best way possible, only for her to be murdered without any trace.
The murderer is still out there doing whatever, as the case remained unsolved till it was closed.
Morris and Oliva had been with me all those years without my mother, they had been the family I never had, and now... God! they're going to kill me? A sound escapes my throat, and I clap my hand over my mouth, but it's too late.
The sounds from the bedroom stop and I knew they had known I was there
"What was that?" Olivia's asked.
"Probably nothing. Stay quiet." He replied and I soon heard footsteps coming outside.
I stumble backward, and my elbow catches a picture frame on the hallway table. It crashes to the floor, and the glass shattered.
"Fuck! Someone's here!" He said before kicking the door open with his legs. Morris stands there, completely naked, his face flushed as Olivia scrambles to cover herself with my sheets.
Morris's eyes lock on mine and we just stared at each other for what seemed like an eternity.
"Elise." His voice is too calm. "Baby, this isn't what it looks like."
"Really?" My voice cracks. "Because it looks like you're fucking my best friend in our bed while planning to murder me for fifty million dollars."
His expression doesn't change, neither did he act like he was ashamed, that's when I know, this isn't the man I thought I loved.
"You weren't supposed to be home yet," he says, and starts walking toward me slowly.
And before I knew what was happening, he reaches for the kitchen doorway and he comes back holding a knife.
"Morris?" My voice is barely a whisper.
"What are you doing?"
"I'm sorry, Elise. I really am." He doesn't sound sorry.
"But you've left me no choice. We needed more time. The accident was supposed to look natural. But now..."
He takes another step forward.
"Now we have to improvise." He said slowly.
"Morris, please..."
"It'll be quick. I promise." He said and he lunges at me.
Instinct takes over. I see the knife coming toward me, and my body moves before my brain can catch up. I kicked his balls and he immediately fell on his knees, holding them in agony.
"You bitch!" Olivia screams, finally wrapping the sheet around herself and rushing to his side.
"You fucking bitch!"
I didn't wait to hear more, I just ran away. I didn't even care if he was still chasing me or not.
When I got out the door,I just had to keep running.
It was already at night, and since our estate gets very silent even at night, no one was outside.
I was getting very scared and could hear footsteps approaching from my house. That was when I spotted a black car parked not too far from where I was standing.
The headlights were still on and I could see someone sitting in it and about starting the car. I immediately ran towards it and got in.
"Drive, please." I said to the driver as soon as I got in, not even bothering to look at his face.
Ravien's POVThe moment Elise walked away, I had shoved Sophia back hard."What the hell was that?" I demanded.Sophia smoothed her dress, completely calm. "What? I was just trying to talk to you.""By kissing me?" I asked disgusted."You didn't stop me," she pointed out.She was right. I hadn't. Not immediately, and I hated myself for it."This can't happen again," I said firmly. "Do you understand me?"Sophia's expression hardened. "You're really going to choose her over me? After everything?""There's nothing to choose. You work for me, Sophia. That's all this is." I told her."That's not what you said five years ago." She told me and i froze finally recalling it then.Five years ago when Sophia had first started working for me. I had made a huge professional mistake. I was known as a playboy, but not with people who work with me,it was always with influencial outsiders who had one thing or the other to contribute to my success.I'd interviewed her myself and she was qualified, p
Elise's POVThe last thing I remembered was the headlights, then nothing.When I opened my eyes, everything was white and sterile and I had only gotten to know that it was the hospital and not Heaven after my head rebooted for some minytes. I tried to sit up, but my head spun."Hey, easy." A nurse appeared at my side, gently pushing me back down. "You need to rest.""What happened?" My voice came out rough and dry."You fainted. The car stopped in time, and you weren't hit. But the shock made you collapse." She checked something on a monitor beside my bed. "You've been out for about two hours."Relief washed over me as I realized that I was not hit. The door opened and Ravien walked in, but not with the concern I might have expected. He looked annoyed, his jaw tight as he checked his watch."You're awake," he said flatly. "Good."The nurse looked between us, clearly expecting more emotion from him, but he just stood there, arms crossed."Mr. Drayton, your fiancée needs rest..." She
Elise's POVRavien didn't come back to the penthouse that night. I waited up for a while, thinking maybe we'd talk more about what his mother had said, but eventually I gave up and went to the guest room.I couldn't sleep really because every time I closed my eyes, I saw Evelyn's face, the way it had gone pale when I mentioned my mother's name and the fear in her eyes.What did she know about my mother? That was the only question that kept running through my mind.Finally, around dawn, I gave up trying to sleep and got out of bed.The penthouse was silent and empty and I checked, and Ravien's bedroom door was still open, the bed untouched. He hadn't come home at all.I wandered to the kitchen, hoping coffee would help clear my head. I found everything I needed and made myself a cup, but I don't even know where to go because I haven't really gone around the house ever since I got there. I was very cautious of Ravien, and that his really stern eyes scares me a lot.I found the coffee ma
Ravien's POVI had my driver drop Elise off at the penthouse the next morning and I didn't bother going with her. I had meetings all day, and babysitting my fake fiancée wasn't on my agenda.When I finally got home around eight PM, she was sitting in the living room, looking uncomfortable and out of place."The guest room is down the hall," I said without preamble, gesturing left. "Second door. Bathroom's also attached. Don't touch anything in my office or my bedroom." I said with my hand pointing towards my bedroom.She stood up quickly. "Okay."I walked past her to pour myself a drink, loosening my tie. It had been a long day, and coming home to find someone in my space wasn't helping."Thank you," she said quietly from behind me. "For letting me stay here."I didn't respond as there was nothing to thank me for. This was a business arrangement. She needed a place to stay until the wedding made it official, and I needed her nearby to control the narrative.My phone buzzed and it wa
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