CHAPTER 2: Who are you?

CHAPTER 2: Who are you?

Edward stirred awake and opened his eyes, and he was confronted with brown locks that cascaded down the slender, very nude back of a woman in his arms. The room smelled heavily of sex. He quickly realised he was also naked underneath the soft silken sheets.

He was momentarily confused until he remembered he had invited Veronica. The servant must have brought her to his room last night. From the state of the room and their nakedness, he knew they had had sex.

His brows furrowed when she stirred and turned around, revealing her face, and it was not Veronica. Edward quickly sat up and slipped out of the bed, his mind reeling with confusion on who the strange lady who laid in his bed was. His quick movements caused her to open her eyes. Onyx eyes clashed with baby blues. Edward was quickly reminded of the vibrant light blue colour of the sky on a sunny day when he saw her eyes.

“Who are you?” He thundered.

Sarah froze with her eyes wide as saucers,like a deer caught in headlights. When she agreed to take Veronica’s place and marry a stranger, she had not given thought to what he might look like, but she certainly was not expecting this adonis looking man.

She attempted to lower her eyes, but her gaze fell on his morning stiff, which was proudly standing erect, and she flushed furiously when she remembered what had happened last night.

Edward was still watching the woman in his bed as the gears were turning in his head. Was she sent from the Maxwell's? But she was not Veronica. He remembered he was naked and picked up his discarded briefs, and slid them on, all the while still looking at the strange lady.

Sarah was a bit relieved that he had covered up but became more conscious of her own nudity beneath the sheets, and she pulled the sheets higher on her chest.

Edward noticed this but chose not to comment. “Listen you either tell me who you are, and how you got into my bed, or am getting you arrested,” he seethed his patience wearing thin. He hated being kept waiting or repeating himself.

Sarah's head quickly snapped up, her eyes widening in panic. “Please don't do that. Am Sarah–Sarah Maxwell,” she stuttered.

Edwards' brows knitted in confusion. “Maxwell?”he asked, and Sarah bobbed her head vigorously. He had no idea of a Sarah, only Veronica.

“Are you related to the Maxwell's?” he further queried, trying to figure out how and why she was there.

She bobbed her head again. “William Maxwell was my father. Am here because of the conditions of the agreement,” she blurted out quickly too gripped by nerves and a growing trepidation.

Edward could not understand what was going on. He had only agreed to invest in the company because it was a good avenue to acquire large amounts of the shares of the company. Then he had added the marriage condition because he was ready to settle down and felt that the beautiful daughter of the Maxwell's would be a good fit for him.

As far as he could remember from the background check he had carried out on them, they had only one daughter— Veronica. What the hell was even going on?

“As far as I know, the Maxwell's have only one daughter, and that is Veronica Maxwell. I know what she looks like, and that is not you,”Edward said in a voice that was laden with anger.

Edward hated being cheated or made a fool of, and he never spared people who fooled him from his stinging wrath. So help Maxwells if they were trying to play smart with him.

Sarah pulse raced with fear and mounting panic. Her nakedness added to her feeling of vulnerability.

“Am telling you the truth. I am not Veronica, but Veronica's sister… half sister,”she added in a wobbly voice.

Edward's attention was momentarily distracted by the marks he was sure had been left by him on her swan-like neck, but her revelation swiftly broke him from his trance.

Edward was more confused. He was about to say something else when a knock came on the door.

“What?” He snapped furiously.

Sir, someone is here to see you,” a servant answered from behind the door

“Am busy. Get rid of them. Now!” he thundered, still watching Sarah with his sharp gaze that had her squirming and cowering away.

Sarah was scared. The man before her looked like he was going to murder her. She couldn't believe that he was the same man who had seduced and made love to her all night.

“Mrs Maxwell said it was quite urgent,” the servant pressed on.

At the mention of the name, both Edward and Sarah's heads snapped towards the door.

“I'll be there soon,” he replied and turned back to Sarah.

“Get dressed right now,” he ordered before disappearing into his closet. Sarah slid down from the bed and winced from the pain that shot up in between her legs.

As she dressed up despite her pain and discomfort. She was fidgety and nervous. She had finished dressing up when her eyes fell on the patch of red bloodstain on the bed—a stark reminder that she was no longer a virgin.

Edward walked out of his closet, fully dressed, and saw Sarah staring at the bloodstain on the bed. He was shocked that she had been a virgin, and he felt a bit sorry for the harsh way he had been treating her all morning.

Remembering the current situation, Edward shoved down the remorse, and the hard glint reappeared in his eyes.

“Let's go.”

Sarah was surprised that he was already back in the room. She tried to pull out the sheets to avoid him seeing it.

She was about to quickly pull off the sheets when Edward grabbed her arms.

“I clearly remember telling you to go downstairs. I hate repeating myself. But I especially hate being disobeyed,” he warned in a cold voice.

Sarah gulped deeply, terrified by the anger in his eyes. Why had he been angry at her since he woke up? He was nicer last night. She looked at the stain on the sheets, and he did the same, a devilish smirk on his face.

“I already saw it. Now quit playing the shy maiden act, and come with me now.”

Tightening his grip on her arm, Edward pulled her downstairs with him .As soon as Estelle saw Sarah, she sprang to her, getting into character.

Shedding fake tears that could fool anyone who didn't know how much she hated the girl, Estelle ran to Sarah and held her arms.

“Oh Sarah, how could you do this to your sister?” She cried bitterly.