Rejected 2

She rushed towards the stairs, her feet pounded against the wooden floor, but she could hear him storming after her. His steps conveyed his intention towards her, they were rapid and deadly.

"Don't do anything stupid, Nia," he hissed. She was about to run down the stairs, but he snatched her arm, and jerked it roughly.

His grip was painful, his eyes were cold and menacing. What hurt her more wasn't even his physical abuse, but the fact that he wasn't even feeling sorry.

"You're pathetic," he spat, his lips curled in disdain.

“Don't act like this is some big shock. Maybe if you actually took care of yourself, I wouldn't have had to find satisfaction elsewhere."

"So instead of coming to me, your wife to talk about our problems, you created even a bigger problem by sleeping with my best friend. Is this what you're saying?" She shouted in his face, him trying to justify his act only set her off the edge more, and something in her snapped.

Before she could think, her hand flew up and slapped him across the face.

The slap echoed sharply in the air, and for some seconds, he was utterly frozen in shock. But then he recovered, and his hand came down hard against her cheek.

Pain radiated through her as she stumbled, her balance wavered. She reached out instinctively, trying to grab something — anything to steady herself. Her fingers brushed against him, but instead of holding her steady, he shoved her away with all his strength.

Her world rocked...

The stairs rushed up to meet her as she tumbled. Her body twisted and slammed against the edges. The pain was immediate. Each step sent a jolt of agony through her. By the time she hit the bottom, she could barely breathe.

"Nia!"

She blinked through the different levels of pain, her vision swimming as Ares, Michael's brother, appeared above her.

This wasn't what he imagined coming to see when he accepted Nia's dinner invitation. Ares had expected champagne glasses and the aroma of food since Nia had invited him over to celebrate with them, but she was lying there like a broken glass instead.

He dropped to his knees beside her, his hands hovered with uncertainty as if afraid to touch her. His dark eyes were stormy with anger, his jaw tight, an unusual look for him.

"What the hell happened here?" Ares demanded, his voice sliced through the air.

"What happened?" Michael's voice came from the top of the stairs, dripping with contempt.

He started descending slowly, his face twisted into an infuriating smirk. "Why don't you ask her?"

"Don't," she whispered, her voice barely audible.

He reached the bottom of the stairs, standing naked and unashamed, his sneer deepened. "Don't buy into her act, Ares. She's nothing but a manipulative little bit—"

"That's enough!" Ares thundered and Michael's smirk faded, then he crossed his arms over his chest.

"Don't act all innocent, little brother," Michael said, his tone mocking. "You think I didn't notice the way you two used to look at each other? Always so cozy like a couple of lovesick teenagers."

"That's enough," Ares said through gritted teeth and a clenched fist.

"I always knew she was a slut." He spat as he glared down at her. "Hiding under the fact that you were former classmates and waiting for the right moment to whore herself out. Isn't that right, Nia? Or you think I don't know you've been fucking my brother?"

"How dare you?" she whispered. Her voice shook as she managed to get up from the floor.

He sneered, "Oh, don't play the victim. Let's not forget how this marriage even started."

Ares stiffened beside her, and his gaze shifted between them. She swallowed hard because the reality of their love clawed its way up her memory, up to the surface.

"You think I've forgotten what you did?" she shouted.

“You drugged me. You forced me into this marriage with you! Just because you wanted to be Alpha after my parents were gone. You blackmailed me!" she continued, the words poured out, raw and painful.

Her fists trembled at her sides. “You didn't give me a choice. You trapped me!"

For just one second, his smirk faded. But it came back even stronger, colder. "And yet, here we are. You said 'I do', didn't you? What does it matter now, your sob story?"

"It matters!" she hissed, tears streamed down her face. "It matters because I would never have chosen this life. I would never have chosen you!"

"Well," he said, "you're free to leave. Go ahead, take him with you. It's what you've always wanted, isn't it?"

"Nia," Ares said softly. His hand brushed her arm. "Let's go."

She thwarted his hand away and moved closer to Michael, "I reject you, Michael Hanover," she said, her voice trembled but firm.

“You're not my mate, and you never will be again. And you'll regret this." But her chest tightened as she looked around the house—the house that had once been her parents.

A gift they had given her before they passed. They were unsure about the marriage but still gave her their blessing. They didn't know she had no choice at all. Michael had her right where he wanted.

He followed her gaze. "Regret? No, Nia. I regret marrying you, but I don't regret using you as my pawn. Now get out of my house. Both of you!"