CHAPTER 1

Alicia's POV.

"It was you, I saw you do it, so stop lying." My step-sister, Lea yelled as she pointed at me, while trembling from the cold, she was obviously pretending to be feeling.

But that wasn't my main concern now. It was on Maya, my sister-in-law that was being pulled out of the pool, by my husband, Killian.

She was bleeding by the side of her head and seemed to be unconscious, not breathing either but Killian didn't want to believe that as he kept tapping her cheeks roughly, while performing CPR on her.

"Maya, please." His voice was strained with pain as he tightened his hold on her. "Just wake up."

Soon, we were all surrounded by the guests present, then Killian's parents and mine, who had all dashed out to see what the commotion was about.

It was Killian's birthday party tonight and I had gone towards the restroom to ease myself when I received a notification from Maya, that she wanted to see me by the poolside.

What for?

I mean we weren't on good terms but I still went, because I was curious and upon getting there, I heard a loud scream, followed by a splash so I dashed towards the pool, my heart skipping a beat in panic as I met a bloody scene.

Before I could scream for help, Killian had dashed outside and jumped into the pool to rescue his sister.

How did he get here so fast?

"Someone, please get an ambulance." I hurriedly screamed, my palms growing sweaty, upon seeing her condition as I prayed within myself that she was alright.

"Oh please! Would you quit pretending, you sly bitch!" I heard a familiar voice behind me and froze, before turning around to see Lea.

My sister, who despised me more than anything in this world.

The dark glint in her eyes made the hairs at the back of my head stand up as an ominous feeling, brewed in the air.

"What a...." She didn't even let me complete my sentence and cut in with a sneer.

"You pushed Maya into the pool, yourself after hitting her on the head with that wine bottle." Lea accused and my eyes widened in disbelief as gasps escaped everyone present.

"What?" Killian yelled the words before I could, gently giving his sister to one of his bodyguards to hold, before turning towards me with a darkened gaze.

"Alicia, is that true?" The sharpeness in his voice sent shivers down my spine as he looked like he believed Lea over me and even wanted to strangle me to death.

This was the man I was married to, my husband, though he might not fully give me his heart, because this was an arranged marriage but we co-exist well, with no problems, so he should know what I was capable of not doing.

Seeing him like this, towards me, caused my heart to tighten in pain against my chest.

"Of course not, why would I do that?"

"Because Maya doesn't support you marrying her brother and has made your life hell, since the wedding. I heard both of you arguing and even tried to separate you guys, but you pushed me into the pool too." Lea lied and my jaw dropped.

How was she able to spin all these tales?

Was she sick or now hallucinating?

I mean I knew my step-sister was a witch, but she surely wouldn't go this far, right?

"Oh my God! Gaius, I warned you, didn't I?" My step-mother, Eleanor, suddenly screamed as she clung unto my dad, who was shaking his head sideways in disbelief, while giving me a disappointed gaze.

"I warned you against letting Alicia marry into this family. She isn't stable enough and constantly picks on Maya." Eleanor was making things worse and trying to side with her daughter.

I narrowed my eyes, lost.

Pick on Maya? But that was impossible as it was the other way around instead.

I wanted to speak but I wasn't even allowed to or should I say, I was too stunned to believe all that was going on as a huge lump formed in my throat.

Yes, Maya and I didn't get along because she felt that I wasn't a good match for her brother, due to being an outcast in my own family after my mother's death and Lea moved in with us.

But I didn't hate Maya for that but rather, tried to please her despite the countless humiliation I had received from her.

She was so important to Killian, who would literally do anything for her and Killian was my world, because he was the one who saved me when I had no one so why would I repay him by harming his sister?

Was I the only one thinking this through?

Currently, Lea was wet from head to toe as if she had just emerged from the pool, but I on the other hand, was completely clueless about what was going on.

"How could you, Lia. How could you? You promised me that you would stop fighting her." Killian roared and I reared backwards in shock, blinking repeatedly at him to be sure he was the one speaking to me like this.

That I would stop fighting her?

But she was the one always bullying me while I said nothing just to please him and he knew this.

Even during our wedding party, she poured her drink all over me before releasing the tape of a panic attack I had to the event and Killian refused to scold her, while he chastised me for getting angry.

His excuse was that, Maya was still being childish and I should act like the matured one, when that's all I have been doing.

"Are you seriously going to believe me without any proof that I did any of this?" I asked and he went mute as he ran his hand through his dark hair.

The same one I pulled on continuously while we made love, but looking at it now, made my stomach turn.

"Lea would have no reason to lie. She is my best friend, Alicia, and you know it. Besides, in your family, it's now obvious that you are the problematic one." He snarled, his words slashing through me like a sword.

How could he talk to me, like that, when he knew the situation of my family?

The air around me, suddenly turned suffocating as I tried to breathe.

"If it's proof you want, I have one." Lea grinned at me as she led us all into the CCTV room.

When the operator displayed the video of what happened, my legs wobbled as I tried not to collapse to the ground in shock while watching myself on the screen, hit Maya on the head with a bottle, before pushing her into the pool.

"You whore!" Killian slapped me across the face hard as he gave me a kick to the stomach.

I fell to the ground, coughing badly as I tried to reach for him but he slapped my hand away harshly, wrinkling his nose at me in disgust.

"No, K-ki-killain, l-listen to me, p-please." I stuttured but was ignored as if I was a piece of trash.

"Someone please call the cops. We have a criminal in custody, here." Killian raged as I felt my world crumbling, fast.