Chapter 42

Lillian

This was a family dinner so I didn't understand why Sage and Oliver were here. The dining room was filled with silence, the atmosphere colder than the Arctic.

The bond between father and sons was terrible. They barely acknowledged each other's existence.

Sage was the one trying to make small talk but snapped her mouth shut after no one paid attention to her.

I, on the other hand, was busy trying to be a good daughter-in-law. I set the table with the butlers and here I was filling my fiancé's plate.

He was staring at me as I dished salad into his plate. Suspicious that I was acting sweet all of a sudden after giving him the cold shoulder just hours ago.

" Don't worry, I didn't poison it. There are many ways to get back at you other than poison." I whispered and left his side.

He stared at the salad before picking up his fork.

A small smile crept on my face. Take note ladies, there are many ways to get back at a man.

His expression changed as soon as he filled his mouth. Immediately, his eyes snapped at me, and I gave him a sweet smile.

He reached for the napkin and spat out the food.

" Is something wrong?" Mr Kent asked.

Zayden cleared his throat." No."

He put his fork down, staring at his food. I sat my ass down beside him and began eating.

I might have added a little bit of excess salt and vinegar.

Sweet little me.

" Are you going to leave the food untouched, Lillian spent her time making that!" Mr Kent mentioned.

All eyes were now on him.

" I've lost my appetite." He snarled.

I grasped, pouting my lips." Come on, eat some more."

I added some steak to his salad, a steak that I had also garnished with too much salt in the kitchen.

His jaw tightened." Are you doing this on purpose?" He whispered.

I batted my eyelashes at him." What do you mean?"

He gritted his teeth." I'll just have bread."

Aiden suddenly spoke." Try not to ruin this dinner and eat up."

Zayden hissed under his breath and picked up his fork.

I nudged him under the table, flashing my teeth at him. If we were alone, I'm pretty sure he would have snapped my neck.

He picked up his fork slowly. You should see the expression on his face as he forced the food down his throat.

I giggled to myself before concentrating on my food. My eyes unconsciously landed on Aiden.

He maintained eye contact for a few seconds before looking away.

The news of my wedding with Zayden didn't go down well with him. I don't know if he was mad at me or not but he had refused to speak with me since he arrived and only kept sending glares my way.

Mr Kent suddenly cleared his throat, raising his wine glass.

" I hate Long speeches but I'm grateful we all made it here. It's going to be a nice family dinner." He paused, sipping on his wine before continuing.

Nice family dinner! I scoffed internally, a graveyard was more noisy than this place.

" Lillian, welcome to the family, I'm looking forward to the wedding." He raised his glass again.

I smiled sweetly." Thank you."

Sage dropped her fork noisily. Anger is visible on her face. I hadn't spoken to her since she arrived with Oliver.

As for her brother, he seemed unconcerned.

The dinner ended sooner and everyone retired to their rooms. I went over to the balcony; I didn't have a room of my own to retire to because Zayden and I were expected to share the same room.

And right now, I don't want to be as much as ten feet close to him.

I closed my eyes, breathing in the night air when Aiden walked up to me.

He stood beside me, a conflicted expression on his face.

"Did he force you to do this?" He asked.

I sighed." Nope."

" Then why?" He turned to face me.

I shrugged." Because I want to marry him."

He scoffed." In just a few months, you suddenly want to marry my brother?"

I nodded." That's the thing about love."

He chuckled." You're not in love with him."

"Yes, I am." I lied.

He gripped my hand." Don't do this, you don't know what you're getting yourself into."

I frowned, releasing my hand from his grip." Why does everyone keep telling me this."

" Because we know zayden better than you do. He's not someone you should trust. He'll use you, he is going to hurt you."

I swallowed, my stomach roiling. A part of me is already aware of that. If he doesn't hurt me emotionally, he will physically. He has every tendency to do so but I knew how to handle that already.

" I've made up my mind, Aiden. I'm marrying your brother."

He shook his head." You don't know him."

I rolled my eyes " It takes time to get to know someone."

"Zayden is a monster."

I turned to look him in the eye, and what I saw terrified me.

He reached for hand." Back out why you still can. I can't afford to see you hurt."

" I can take care of myself." I shifted away from him. My inner self was screaming at me to listen. I had received a warning from not one but many people.

The only person who said something good about Zayden was Noah, and he only said there was little good in him.

I scoffed." You ignored me when you arrived and now you suddenly don't want to see me hurt?"

He bit down on his lips." When I first saw the news of your engagement on the internet, I thought it was a joke until Dad told me about it. I can't describe what I felt at that moment."

I creased my brows." What do you mean."

" I like you, Lillian, I like you a lot, and your marrying Zayden is not something I can accept."

Wasn't my heart supposed to flutter? Well, it didn't.

I waited for the butterflies in my stomach to move but they remained still.

He just confessed and I didn't feel a thing.

He continued." I don't expect you to accept my confession, you like my brother. But that doesn't mean I'll give up."

I frowned." I don't like your brother, I simply respect him."

He shrugged." Deny it all you want but that doesn't change the fact that you like him."

I remained silent.

" I see the way he looks at you. I know for sure he wants your body, but the other look in his eyes is that of a predator. You won't like the other side of him, Lilian." He phrased.

I groaned in frustration." Will you please stop this blabbing and get to the point? You said Zayden is bad; tell me why the hell you think he is evil."

Aiden straightened his back." You should have noticed that he's abusive."

" Yes and?"

He was about to speak but paused." Zayden he......"

He looked distressed. Biting down on his lips, he ran a hand through his hair.

My heart was beating erratically. Whatever he was about to say would plant a huge blow in me. I could feel it.

He sucked in a breath." He's a murderer."

I held my breath for a second, and then chuckled." Stop it, don't joke about that."

He maintained a straight face." He killed my mother."

My smile disappeared. I haven't heard a thing about their mother. No one ever speaks of her.

" He killed Oliver's brother." He gritted his teeth, and I just stood there staring at him.

I paled, my whole body tensed.

" He crippled a girl in high school. At 17, he sent a ten-year-old boy to his grave. He pushed the kid down a cliff during summer camp."

My heart is racing and I feel like I'm going to pass out.

Aiden clutched my shoulders." He raped Sage. That's why her father is so adamant that he marries her. He took her dignity."

I was now sweating and breathing heavily.

He raped sage!

Zayden raped someone!

I shook my head, taking a step back. Aiden might be lying for all I know.

He closed the distance between us." Zayden, that's not even his real name!" He snarled." He's not who you think he is, Lillian."

My hands trembled. Zayden is not his real name? That's a lie,I can't believe it.

He's lying, he's lying because he's jealous I'm marrying his brother.

" Why do you think he's always on edge? Why do you think he's ready to do anything my father asks, huh? " He grabbed my shoulders again, shaking me.

I opened my mouth to speak but I couldn't form words.

" Because he knows that with any wrong move, he'll spend the rest of his life in jail. He's insane Lillain. He's a psychopath!"

My knees buckled, I nearly fell to my knees, but Aiden kept me upright.

I felt something wet on my cheek and then realized that I was crying.

" I ...I don't believe you." My voice cracked.

He chuckled." I was there, I saw him murder our mother in cold blood all because he thought I was a favourite child."

I shook my head." You're lying, there's no proof. Do you think I'll believe all that?"

He grabbed my hand." Do you want proof? I'll show you proof."

Panic sat in as my mind raced with disjointed thoughts. Fear gripped my entire being like a vice.

My hands were trembling violently, I struggled to breathe as Aiden led the way, pulling me towards the basement.

This was supposed to be a nice family dinner not a fucking horror movie.