Beyond Betrayal: Marry His Brother Novels & Stories

His face was unreadable, but his eyes—those eyes held something fractured and furious beneath the surface. “That’s why I don’t let emotions interfere,” he said. “That’s why this marriage is a contract.” Aruna stepped closer. “Then why keep her photo?” Leonard’s fingers tightened around the edge of the desk. “Because forgetting is worse,” he replied. “Forgetting makes the same mistakes inevitable.” Aruna nodded slowly. “And the people who betrayed her?” she asked. Leonard’s lips curved into a cold smile. “They’re still alive.” Aruna’s pulse quickened. “And?”

"You're not allowed to say anything of that sort as long as you're still my lawful wife, Tiana!" I laughed miserably as I took a step back, and I raised my tone, "You were the one who refused to let me go, Ian! You were the one who knelt, begging the Langhams to let me marry into your family! It was you who promised the director that you would take care of me and love only me your entire life. If you can't do it, then we should get divorced!" Ian's veins throbbed on his forehead, and a guilty look flashed across his face. He remained furious, but he lowered his voice. "You have lived a life of luxury all these years. Have you ever suffered or gotten hurt all this time?"

I said. “All that to be thrown away by betrayal” I said as I looked up at him. He looked at me, his eyes holding confusion. “Yes, betrayal” “Raymond betrayed me. He slept with my sister on our wedding night, on our bed. He chased me out of our own house, and then he had the audacity to propose to Jasmine with that same ring that he used to propose to me, like I never even meant anything to him” i said as I tried to catch my breath.

I was done with their expectations and their failed attempts at arranging my life. From this day forward, I would forge my own path, and no one would stand in my way. The fire of revenge burned bright within me, and I would stop at nothing to protect what was rightfully mine. As I drove back to the mansion, tears streamed down my face, blurring the road ahead. A sense of defeat and desolation washed over me, suffocating me. Kelvin's betrayal was a blow I never saw coming, a wound that cut deep into my soul. I had thought our marriage was a union of two imperfect people working towards a better future, but now I realized I was alone in that endeavor.

my father added calmly as he stood, "prepare to face the consequences." "What consequences?" I asked. "That is not up for discussion," my stepmother snapped. "You have to understand that this family will not protect you anymore." Silence closed in. I straightened my back. "Then I refuse." My stepmother scoffed. "You are foolish." "No," I said quietly. "I choose myself." I walked away to my room, feeling angry and sad. I thought betrayal was the worst thing that night would bring, but I was wrong. It was a marriage I never chose.

The sea of faces partied through, but I heard nothing but those words: I’m not marrying you. My voice cracked. “What… what do you mean you’re not marrying me?” The planner coughed awkwardly and began clearing space for the rehearsal to start. People rustled. But I couldn’t move. I couldn’t think. I couldn’t breathe. Vanessa’s hand on Ethan’s arm tightened gently, insignificantly. But to me, it felt like iron. He looked at her, then looked back at me. “I’m marrying Vanessa. We changed the contract.” My head reeled. “That’s impossible. We signed everything. The license. Invitations. Deposits.”

I cut him off, “who you love, who you want to have a child with, none of that concerns me.” “All I know is that when I was still your wife, you cheated.” “You used the money I made to support another woman and her family.” “And you even wanted her to have a baby, put it under my name, and make me into some pathetic sucker.” With every sentence, his face drained a little more. “I…” His mouth opened, but no sound came out. “Whether you love Emma or not makes no difference to me.” I looked straight at him, word by word. “The moment you betrayed me, you should’ve known this day would come.”

There were no flowers, no family, no friends, no music, and no laughter or anything that made it feel like a wedding. I'd always imagined this day differently. Maya would have been my maid of honor, fussing over every little detail while Lisa stood beside me, teasing me to calm my nerves. At the end of the aisle would have been Nate. The man I thought I'd spend my entire life with. After the ceremony, we'd have celebrated with the people we lived with before disappearing together for our first night as husband and wife. I'd saved every piece of myself for that future For him. And now…..I was standing in a silent courtroom, about to marry his older brother instead.

The words came out way harsher than I intended but I was past caring. “We’ve been drifting apart for a while now, haven’t we?” he continued, as if I wasn’t crumbling in front of him. “You’ve been distant. Our marriage hasn’t been the same for years. I needed… more.” More? My mind struggled to wrap around the concept. Our marriage hadn’t been perfect, but I thought we were still in it together. I swallowed, trying to push down the rising wave of nausea in my mouth. “And the money?” I managed, the question slipping out before I could stop it. The inheritance—my parents' legacy—had vanished from the account. A cold realization came to me. Was this connected?

I struggled within my husband’s tight embrace, feeling a suffocating tightness constricting my chest and making my stomach tense more and more. "What do you need help with, Rex? Just say it clearly and stop beating around the bush!" "Helping you marry through the entire contract scenario he’s meticulously crafted since the beginning of our marriage," Rex said hoarsely, sighing heavily. As I came to terms with the bitter reality that my entire marriage to the billionaire was the result of a scenario orchestrated by Alex, a terrifying thought surfaced in my mind. I mustered every last ounce of strength to break free from his embrace. I forced myself to turn around and stare straight into Rex’s