Chapter 6- INVISIBLE

I stayed slumped against the wall for a long time, his release still sliding down my thighs. The house was quiet now. Too quiet.

Later that night, I couldn’t sleep. I wandered the halls, trying to find water, when I heard voices from the guest wing, low, intimate.

I froze outside the slightly ajar door.

Lia’s voice. Soft. Trembling.

“I never stopped thinking about you,” she whispered.

His reply was quieter, rough with something I couldn’t name. “They took you from me.”

I peered through the crack.

They were on the bed. Lia’s dress was already off her shoulders. His hand was between her thighs, moving slowly. She moaned softly, arching into his touch as he kissed her neck, the same neck he had marked on me earlier with anger, now touched with something dangerously close to hunger.

“I should have been yours tonight,” Lia breathed, her fingers in his hair.

He made a low sound and pushed her back onto the sheets, settling between her legs. His shirt was open. He leaned down, kissing her deeply as his hips rolled against hers. I could see how hard he was again, pressing against her through the last thin barrier of fabric.

His hand moved to free himself. Lia whimpered in anticipation, spreading her legs wider, pulling him closer

The floor creaked under my foot.

He froze. His head snapped toward the door, eyes locking with mine through the narrow opening. Dark, dangerous and caught between fury and raw lust.

Lia’s breathless voice broke the silence. “Don’t stop…”

Lia’s voice barely faded before Adrian pulled away from her.

The room went silent.

His eyes stayed locked on mine through the narrow opening of the door, sharp and unreadable. For one horrible second, nobody moved.

Then Lia finally turned.

Her expression changed the moment she saw me standing there. The softness disappeared from her face almost instantly, replaced by something colder. Something that looked satisfied.

I stepped back immediately.

“I was looking for water,” I said quickly, hating how weak my voice sounded.

Adrian stood up from the bed slowly. His shirt hung open, exposing part of his chest, his dark hair slightly messy from Lia’s fingers. The sight made my stomach twist painfully.

He looked angry that I had interrupted them. But worse than that, he looked guilty, and I didn’t understand why. “You should learn to knock,” he said coldly.

I swallowed hard and lowered my eyes. “I didn’t mean to interrupt.”

“Clearly.” he said, then he left the room leaving me standing by the door

Lia pulled the blanket against her chest dramatically. “Serena, why were you spying on us?”

“I wasn’t spying.”

“Then what were you doing outside the room?” she asked softly.

I looked at her. The fake innocence in her voice made something bitter rise inside me.

“I already said I was looking for water.”

“And you just happened to stop outside this door?” she asked.

I didn’t answer. Because honestly, I had stopped because I heard Adrian’s voice. And I caught him having sex with my younger sister. That wasn't the humiliating part.

The way he touched her wasn’t fueled by anger or resentment. It was careful like he wanted her even more. Like she mattered.

I turned away and left quickly before she could see the tears burning behind my eyes.

The hallway felt colder on the way back.

Every step hurts. Not physically, but emotionally.

I reached my room and shut the door quietly behind me before leaning against it. My chest tightened painfully as the images replayed in my mind.

His hands on her. The way she smiled at him. The softness in his voice. I closed my eyes hard.

Stupid.

What exactly had I expected?

He loved Lia. Not me. I was just the mistake forced into her place.

Nothing more.

I walked slowly toward the bathroom and stared at myself in the mirror. The marks on my neck were still there. It was dark and visible. My fingers brushed against one carefully.

Hours ago, his mouth had been there. And now he was in another room touching my sister.

A shaky laugh escaped me before I could stop it. The sound felt broken. I turned on the shower quickly, almost desperately, and stepped under the hot water. But no matter how long I stood there, I still felt dirty.

The next morning, I woke up exhausted. I barely slept.

Every time I closed my eyes, I saw Adrian looking at Lia the way he had looked at her last night.

Wanted.

Like she belonged to him.

I forced myself out of bed anyway.

There was no point hiding in the room forever.

After changing into simple clothes, I walked downstairs quietly. The mansion already felt unfamiliar even though I had only been there two days.

Staff members moved around politely, but nobody smiled at me. Nobody greeted me warmly. I could feel it. They already knew. The fake bride.

I had barely stepped into the dining room when Adrian’s mother looked up from her coffee. Her eyes landed on my neck immediately. Disapproval flashed across her face.

“You should cover yourself properly,” she said coolly.

Heat rushed into my face. “I’m sorry.”

She took another sip of coffee before speaking again. “A woman in your position should avoid giving people the wrong impression.”

I didn't say a word but instead I sat quietly at the far end of the table, hoping the conversation would end there.

It didn’t.

“You caused enough embarrassment already,” she continued calmly. “The least you can do now is behave properly.”

I lowered my eyes to the table. “Yes, ma’am.”

The room fell silent again. Then footsteps entered the dining room.

Adrian.

I felt his presence before I looked up. He walked in wearing a dark suit, calm and composed like nothing had happened last night.

His gaze briefly met mine. Only briefly.

Then he looked away first. Lia entered right behind him. She wore one of his shirts. My stomach twisted instantly.

His mother noticed too, but instead of reacting badly, her expression softened slightly. “You should eat something, dear,” she told Lia gently.

Lia smiled sweetly before sitting beside Adrian naturally, like she already belonged there.

Maybe she did.

Maybe I was the only person pretending otherwise. “You didn’t sleep well?” Lia asked me suddenly.

I looked at her carefully. The question sounded innocent, but her eyes told a different story.

She knew exactly why I hadn’t slept.

“I’m fine,” I replied quietly.

“She looked pale this morning,” Lia said, turning toward Adrian. “Maybe the stress is finally getting to her.”

Adrian cut into his food calmly. “She’ll survive.”

The words landed harder than they should have. Because he didn’t even sound angry anymore. I forced myself to keep eating even though my appetite was completely gone.

The silence around the table felt unbearable. Then Lia suddenly reached for Adrian’s hand.

Naturally and Comfortably.

And he let her.

Something inside me cracked quietly. Just enough for me to finally understand the truth.

There was no place for me here.

Not in this house. Not in this family.

And definitely not beside him. I stood abruptly.

His mother frowned. “Where are you going?”

“I’m not hungry anymore.”

Before anyone could stop me, I walked out of the dining room as calmly as I could manage.

But the second I reached the hallway, my chest tightened painfully again. I pressed a hand against it, breathing slowly.

Because no matter how much I told myself Adrian Laurent meant nothing to me. Watching him choose my sister right in front of me still hurt far more than it should have.