Chapter 3

Amelia POV

What?. Lawson's words settled in my head like a death sentence.

And in that moment, I knew my nightmare had only just begun.

I didn't even hear the rest of what he said after he finished speaking. Because for a terrifying second, I was sure I was going to throw up right there on his expensive marble floor.

“I…..I don't understand. What do you mean by that?” I asked, my voice barely sounding like it belonged to me.

Lawson stepped away from me slowly, as if he was giving me space to breathe but his eyes did the opposite. His eyes were cold and calculating eyes, he didn't look like a man asking for help. He looked like a man passing judgement.

“My son hates me,” he said calmly, and the bluntness of his words shocked me the most.

“He’s been waiting for the right moment to take everything I built. The company. My name and my power. And one day he will.” he added.

My heart began to pound harder in my chest when he divulged all those words to me.

“He doesn't respect me. He doesn't fear me. And that makes him dangerous.” he said, and I swallowed hard.

“And what….what does that have to do with me?” I asked softly. And he stepped in front of me.

“Everything.” he voiced out

The air left my lungs. And fear crept into my soul.

“Get close to my son and make him fall deeply in love with you.”

“That’s…. That's insane.” I breathed. “I don't even know him.”

“You will,” he replied without any hesitation. You are young. You are beautiful. You are soft.” His gaze dragged over me slowly. “And Jayden, my son is not.”

My chest tightened.

“He's going to be sharp when you are gentle. Cold when you are warm. You'll be everything he doesn't see coming.”

The words crawled under my skin

“You want me to… manipulate him?” My voice shook. “You want me to seduce him?”

“I want him distracted,” he said flatly. “I want him blind. I want him weak.”

“I won't survive this.” I thought wildly, balling my hands into fists.

“And if I don't?” I whispered. Lawson leaned closer to me.

“You are going to do it. Because if you don't, I won't be responsible for what happens to your family.” he said and the word family echoed in my ears.

“Your adopted father may not care much for you. But your adopted mother? She loves you. She would be devastated if anything happened to her because of your stubbornness.” he said and my body went cold.

What kind of family is this? My mind screamed at me.

A son who hated his father.

A father who wanted his son destroyed.

And me. I was caught between them.

I had walked into hell.

“You have two weeks. Jayden isn't easy. He's smarter than you think. More ruthless than I ever was. Don't underestimate him. And Amelia you have just two weeks, if there is no progress then this arrangement ends between us.”

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Lawson's words still echoed in my head. I sat in front of my laptop, staring at the screen without seeing it.

Two weeks. Manipulate a man I had never met. Betray someone just to save myself. And I hated every part of it.

My adopted father might barely tolerate me, but my adopted mother. She was kind and gentle. The only person who looked at me like I truly belonged somewhere. I couldn't let Lawson touch her. I wouldn't.

I opened my laptop to finally find my peace again, but then I noticed that nightreader27 didn't comment.

That alone unsettled me more than it should have. I refreshed the page once more. Then again. There wasn't any message, no reaction. Just silence staring back at me from the screen.

It wasn't like him or her. Whoever nightreader27 was. They always showed up and always said something, even if it was a single line. Even a quiet thank you.

My chest felt tight. “Are you okay?”

The question stayed trapped in my head. I didn't type it. I don't know why, maybe I was scared of the answer or scared that they wouldn't be one.

I closed my laptop and stood up. I needed air and space, something that wasn't my thoughts.

I decided to walk and anyways I hadn't really seen the house I was living in since I arrived. It was huge and too big to feel like a home.

My footsteps echoed softly as I moved through, my hands brushing the railings and the furniture itself.

I entered a corner. And then I heard a pleasurable sound, a girl moaning. At first, I thought I was imagining things but then the moaning increased louder.

I might not have had my first time yet but I wasn't naive enough to not know when someone is moaning.

I should have walked away, but curiosity kept eating me up. Despite every part of my mind telling me to turn back and mind my business. I disobeyed and followed the sound.

I stood in front of a door that was in front of me, two bodies moving against each other in the dim lights.

“Oh, Fuck me!.” the girl moaned out loudly followed by another muscular voice “beg daddy to fuck you!- how could they be so clueless as to leave the door open.

“Oh fuck it!!!- he moaned this time around and I swear that deep voice did something to me.

I felt shivers course through my body and I just stood there frozen. I was supposed to be disgusted but I found myself enjoying the sexual movie being displayed in front of me.

I began to feel some sensation in between my legs. My clit began to breathe and I didn't help matters when I accidentally brushed my thighs against each other.

“Ahhh.” I moaned out unexpectedly but I was quick enough to cover my mouth with my hand to avoid being heard.

All I could say was brushing my thighs together was an accident but after I did it, it felt so good and I wanted more. Even if it meant me using my hands to pleasure myself.

Normally I wouldn't feel like this but the tension was so high that I couldn't stop myself anymore. I also wanted to feel what she was feeling, and even better.

This is wrong, I told myself. I was married. I shouldn't be standing here. I shouldn't have been feeling this but Lawson had never touched me.

He has never wanted me. Even the thought of his hands on my skin made my stomach rumble in irritation. I didn't want him anyways.

Whatever this feeling was, it felt different and it was just like an escape to me. Like my body was reminding me I was still alive

Without thinking twice, I slipped my hand into my trouser, my fingers reaching for my pussy as I felt the wetness. My panties were already soaked.

I squeezed my eyes shut, breathing slowly, trying to regain control. Stop. You shouldn't be doing this.

But the ache didn't go away. It only grew stronger.

I began to rub my thumb on my clit in circles. Then I proceeded to use my hands on my breast, stroking my nipple sensually as pleasure took control of my existence.

“Hello stepmother- the voice came from behind me as my eyes involuntarily opened on its own.