LOGINNatalie’s POV
I never thought this day would ever come, a day when Lucien was this close to me and even on the same bed as me, the maid left after dropping off the message then I let out a sigh of relief as I peeked under my duvet… “Get the fuck out Lucien! What the fuck were you thinking?” He slowly crawled out of the covers then looked straight at me before speaking “If you wanted me gone, you would have just said it, but instead here you are, accommodating the idea of me under your sheets” I stared at him in anger before replying “I don’t care whatever shitty ideas you got going on in your head but you better start taking your leave before I scream” He just sat there looking at me, and I just prayed he didn’t hear me calling out his name 5 minutes ago, that would inflate his stupid ego. “Scream? But I thought I heard otherwise some minutes ago” He paused raising an eyebrow at me. ‘Shit’ He did hear it, I’ll just act like I didn’t hear what he said, good idea. “Get the fuck out of my room Lucien.” “I don’t think that’s the proper way to treat a visitor” “Visitor? Are you kidding me? Couldn’t you have ‘Visited’ someplace else; must it be here?” “Just wanted to see how my little sister was doing, is it that bad?” “You came in without knocking, it’s already as bad as it looks, what if I was naked or something?” “But you weren’t…” “What if…” “Shh” He said placing his finger over my lips then parting them open slowly “Quit whining, someone’s waiting for you downstairs… “I wasn’t expecting anyone, so who could it be?” “And you are asking me exactly why?” “Get off, better be out of my room before I come back” I shrugged before bolting out of the room to check who was here to see me. It’s so early in the morning and I already have another ‘Visitor’ who could it be? For all I know, it could be an intruder or a killer posing as a visitor so as I walked down the stairs, my heart raced uncontrollably thinking of all the possibilities. I reached the living room and there was no one there, it was all quiet, and no one was in sight. “That’s strange” I walked slowly towards the door, opened it and looked outside, there was no soul in sight then I shut the door. I was about going to my room angrily then I noticed a white paper on the dining table, I flipped it open to read what was written, I stared at the letter in confusion because it was another letter like the one, I threw out earlier the one that said my mum didn’t die by accident. “Whosoever was playing this mind games with me, it really isn’t funny” I folded the letter back into four overlapping segments then looked around the living room if someone was watching me secretly, but there wasn’t. I tucked the letter away in my pocket before going back to my room, hopefully that asshole was gone now. I got to my room, and he was still there, standing in front of my mirror going through my stuff calmly and precise then he finally spoke. “You’re back? So soon?” “What do you mean so soon, and what are you doing over there?” “Why natty?” “Why what?” “Why did you take it off?” I stared at him in confusion as his voice only got colder and sharper “Take what off?” “The gift I gave you, your birthday gift, it should be on you every fucking time natty” “I just took it off to have my bath…what’s the big deal about that?” “The big deal is…” He paused stepping closer to me with the necklace in his hand. He spun me around pinning me to the wall and tucked my hair aside then put the necklace on me. “The necklace is a gift from me, and it shouldn’t ever be taken off, even if you have to bath, put it right back on afterwards, do you understand natty?” I just stared at him in confusion, I just took it off for a few minutes and he’s already pissed about it, he turned me around as my back hit the wall then he gripped my neck tighter than before. “It looks good on you” “You’re…choking me Lucien” he only loosened his grip on me a little before slowly letting me go as I let out a cough. “Stop making me hurt you.” “Leave my room!” He left without saying another word to me, and his silence scared me even more than when he was talking, I laid on my bed for some time, looked at the walls then the mirror, nothing seemed to catch my attention, so I just picked up my phone and was scrolling through some videos, nothing really interesting to watch so I just set the phone back down on my stool and went to take a shower…as the warm water hit my skin it felt so peaceful, then I heard the door open few minutes later it closes. “Who’s there?” There was no response from the other end, I hurriedly wrapped myself in a towel close by and stepped out… there was a big box on my bed… “I didn’t remember putting that there, who’s is it?” I opened the box slowly and there was a note tucked in by the side of the box and it read ‘I’m having a gala party this afternoon with some of my work colleagues I’d like you to come little sis.’ The more I read, anger continued to boil in me “Who does he think he is? First, he chokes me, now I’m just expected to go to a party with him. He’s delusional” I tossed the letter aside and was about to also throw the box out then I noticed another note, I opened it up and it says ‘I didn’t think you needed to read the second letter, put on the dress and be down in an hour, don’t make me fetch you’Natalie's POV Lucien looked down at me, his hands still resting on my shoulders."Natalie?"The moment I met his eyes, everything I'd been holding inside me finally broke.I threw my arms around his neck and buried my face against his chest. The tears came before I could stop them, spilling down my cheeks as the weight of everything I'd endured settled over me.I cried for the fear, the lies, the nights I'd spent wondering whether I would ever escape the nightmare that had become my life. I cried for the person I'd been before all of this happened, and I cried because, despite everything, I was still standing and Lucien held me tighter."It's okay, Natalie," he whispered, stroking my hair. "I've got you. You're safe now."I shook my head against his chest, unable to find the words I needed. "It's over," he murmured. "You don't have to fight anymore."For so long, I'd forced myself to be strong. I'd swallowed my fear, hidden my pain, and kept moving because stopping had never felt lik
Natalie's POV The woman standing before him didn't flinch. She looked at him with an expression I couldn't quite decipher, but there was no fear in her eyes. No hesitation. Only the quiet fury of someone who had waited far too long for this moment.Several guests turned toward the noise. Others exchanged confused looks, their attention shifting between the older man and the woman who had somehow managed to unsettle him with a single word.Elena. Lucien's mother.The woman Mr. Moretti had made Lucien believe was gone forever.I looked toward Lucien. He was staring at her, his face drained of color. His lips parted, but no sound came out. He looked as though the ground beneath him had disappeared without warning."Mother?" he whispered.Elena turned toward him… the hard expression on her face softened as she turned to him "Lucien."He took one step forward, but Mr. Moretti moved abruptly, placing himself between them."What are you doing here?" he demanded.Elena let out a short, humor
Natalie's POVThe room went silent. Every conversation stopped as the guests turned toward Mr. Moretti, their curiosity evident in the expectant faces surrounding the platform. Even the musicians had lowered their instruments, leaving the hall unusually quiet.Mr. Moretti took a final sip of wine before setting his glass on a nearby table. He adjusted his grip on his walking stick and made his way toward the front.Aiden's fingers remained intertwined with mine…I glanced at him, but his attention was fixed on the older man. There was something unsettling about the faint smile on his face, as though he already knew how the evening would unfold.I turned back toward the platform expecting the announcement to get started immediately “Today is a very important day for me,” Mr. Moretti began. “Over the years, I've worked hard to build this family and establish everything we have. I've made sacrifices, faced challenges, and learned some difficult lessons along the way.” Several guests nodd
Natalie's POV“Natalie?”Lucien's voice barely reached me above the music, but I heard it. I wanted to answer him. There were a thousand things I wanted to tell him, and not one of them could be settled by standing across a crowded room staring at each other.I took a step in his direction but Aiden moved before I could take another.His arm slid around my waist, pulling me firmly against his side. His fingers settled against my hip as though he needed to remind everyone in the room exactly where I belonged, I stiffened trying to think of anything I could say if I got closer to him..“What are you doing?” I whispered.“Standing with my wife.”“I can see that. You don't have to hold me like I'm about to run away.”His smile remained fixed for the benefit of the watching guests “Then stop looking as though you're about to.”I looked up at him, irritation prickling beneath my skin. Across the room, Lucien was still watching us. His expression had changed, His gaze dropped briefly to Aide
Natalie's POVI was standing in front of the mirror when Aiden walked into my room without knocking.I turned at the sound of the door, expecting him to tell me the car was ready. Instead, he stopped just inside and looked me over with an expression of exaggerated curiosity.“What's the occasion?”I stared at him, for several seconds, I genuinely wondered whether he had hit his head somewhere between his bedroom and mine.“Excuse me?”He glanced at my dress, then back at my face. “You look as though you're expecting someone important.”“Aiden.”“Yes, darling?”“Don't start.”“Start what?”I set down the lipstick I had been holding and faced him fully.“It's the day of the charity event. The event you've spent the last several days reminding me about. The event with all your precious rules. And now you're standing in my room asking me what the occasion is?”Then his lips twitched and he replied… “Oh, that.”I narrowed my eyes. “Are you trying to annoy me?”“Not intentionally.”“You're
Natalie's POVLater that afternoon, I found Aiden, I had made a decision. I wasn't going to argue with him today.Not because his apology had erased what he'd said, and certainly not because I had suddenly decided he deserved my trust. I simply couldn't afford to waste another day fighting over things that changed nothing.The charity event was approaching, and I needed to be prepared. Aiden stood near the windows in his study, examining something on his desk. I knocked lightly against the open door.He looked up with a smile spread across his face then he called out “Natalie.”“Are you ready for the event?”His expression shifted. “That's an interesting question.”“It's a straightforward one.”“Is it?” He put down the paper in his hand and turned to me fully “This morning, you were ready to tear my head off. Today, you're asking about our plans as though nothing happened.”“I don't remember saying nothing happened.”“Then what changed?”I stepped further into the room. “Must there al
Natalie’s POVMy bedroom door went flying with a loud bang as Lucien threw me unto the bed, he’s always like this every time a guy tries to talk to me and it’s getting under my skin…“What the heck is wrong with you Lucien? For goodness sakes you’re my stepbrother and why are you so pissed whenever
Natalie’s POV There was no way I could duck and hide because he was already close enough, he could hear my breathing get heavy, my heart drummed in my chest as I stood still thinking of what excuse to tell him. “Natalie why are you going through my stuff?” “I’m sorry I didn’t see anything I’l
“Mum?” I sprinted for the door as I saw her walked past, still in that dream again I never get past every single time, probably a nightmare of some sort but I didn’t see any blood yet. I opened the door to check if mum was alright, she was right there, within reach then I stretched my hand forwar
Natalie’s POV This felt more than just a regular punishment, I just stared at him in disbelief, The darkness casting his large shadow over me…“Aren’t you going to leave or…”“I’m going creep” I was still trebling but I had to put myself together, I really didn’t think he would take the punishment







