Hayden's pov 

Calm down. Calm down...

She's here.

She's here in my Villa. 

Is this a dream? If so I'd like to sleep for a little more. I sizzle coming from the frypan was merely background noise compared to the chaos in my head. 

There was a blend of emotions battling for dominance in my mind; anger, excitement, worry, curiosity, and more. Some of them were directed at her and the rest at my sperm donor. 

He never even deserved someone like her.

Then he dared to go around sleeping.

I was at war with myself every day, resisting the urge to just grab my car keys and drive over to take her from right under his nose. His affairs were more or less like an open secret, and Golden Cove was his usual spot for his disgusting extramarital affairs.

I thought she already knew about it, and just nipped it in the corner of her mind without thinking about it 

I wouldn't be surprised if he managed to gaslight her into thinking it was her fault he was cheating and to accept it.

"Hayden?" A tingle ran down my back hearing my name from her plump lips, her voice ever calming like light ocean waves.

I mentally cemented myself to be unmoved when I turned around and almost immediately failed. I'd given her one of my smaller shirts that stopped fitting right after I hit the gym. It inhaled her inside, stopping at her hips. I'd also given her some briefs I'd ordered online that ended up arriving in the wrong smaller size.

I was pissed off back then but now I'm almost grateful for their callous mistake.

I thought the day she'd wear my shirt would remain in my shirt would only remain in my dreams... no, Hayden, bad Hayden! Not now... that's not what she needs right now.

"Take a seat,"  I said gesturing to the bar stool placed in front of the kitchen Island.

It was physically painful to watch her move, each motion was unbearably slow and while they were brief, she'd pause as well. I'm sure she wasn't even aware that she was doing it, my body had probably grown accustomed to that after all the stress Elliot put it through.

If I didn't need to be here right now I would have driven back to Golden Cove and done something that would have landed me in a mugshot tomorrow.

"Is there something on my face?" The question shot at me unexpectedly, my face warmed up and I snapped my attention back to the noodles I was cooking.

"No, why would there be?"

Should I tell her that she's lost weight? No, maybe that would be body shaming... What if I just casually say it? 

I ended up saying nothing, I served her a helping of the stir-fry instant ramen with vegetables and sunny side egg and she gawked at me like I just found the final clue to solving world hunger.

"This is too much..." She said her tone wrapped in embarrassment, "I don't deserve all this..."

I never knew that I could feel such an intense mixture of rage and sadness at the same time.

She deserved the world and yet looks like she was about to break down over instant ramen. 

So much hard to changed about her since the first time I met her. 

Too much.

I can't forget the way her eyes sparkled like they had stolen the stars and hidden them behind those hazel orbs. Back then she was plump and skipped about with reckless abandon.

From the moment I saw her, I knew she didn't belong with a scheming wretch like Elliot.

Elliot had invited me to join them for dinner at his home, normally it was hard for me to ingest food knowing that his face was going to be at the other side of the table. But we had some business to discuss that day, and he hadn't stopped talking about his new catch for weeks. 

It made my stomach twist just thinking about it. 

There are very few things in this world that are more discomforting than knowing your father's 'girlfriend' was around the same age as you, pure, undiluted revulsion would mix up in my stomach just watching him mess around with them. 

That night, she was the one who answered the doorbell. 

I was doom scrolling through my phone, when her voice thrown up an octave entered my ears.

It remains the most musical thing I have heard to date.

"Hayden, right?"

I couldn't speak for 10 solid seconds when I saw her, time slowed down and my phone nearly slipped from my fingers. 

Then everything was bleak and dark again when my father showed up from behind, gingerly wrapping his hand like a snake across her waist. I watched it as my gaze sent invisible lasers at his spiteful touch.

"Welcome, Son," he said in that grating voice of his, squeezing her even tighter. My knuckles formed as I subconsciously knew what he was doing, he was drawing a line while showcasing a fresh catch. 

I never had any problem with getting women, in fact the way the ones falling out of my feet even when I lacked interest. 

Despite being partially aware of that, Elliot had this one-sided competition going on for years. Showing me that at his big age, he was able to get girls around mine, he was so proud of himself that I'd shifted between pity and disgust just looking at him.

But that's night I experienced something with Michelle, it was utterly different from the revulsion I was used to, no it was the complete opposite. 

I was on edge for the entire dinner, and when I went to my apartment that I lived in at the time I tried to push her away from my mind and also the anger that came from thinking about her in my father's arms.

Michelle's Pov

Hayden, my stepson, was perfectly still for far too long. He must be really upset that after going through all the trouble of making me this meal the only thing I could do was refuse to reciprocate his efforts, the words were already out the only thing I could do now was apologize and hope he accepted it and let me eat. 

"I'm sorry, Hayden...I didn't–"

"Just eat," 

I think he's annoyed with me, but at least he's letting me eat. 

I forgot all shame for a second and started wolfing down the food. 

His eyes were burning down the side of my face but my mouth was moving and I didn't want to stop nor did my chopsticks which he had laid beside the plate of food. All the flavors exploded in my mouth sending the right signals to my brain, it's tasted so good that I moaned with relish. 

"Hmg" Hayden grunted, suddenly turning around while taking deep breaths. I flushed, he must have figured out how hungry I was.

The truth was, for the past several weeks, Beatrice had taken it upon herself to harshly police every single thing I ate, scrutinizing my diet with relentless criticism.

"This is exactly why you're fat like a pig and can't get pregnant, it's because of all this nonsense that you're inhaling into your body. I won't look away anymore," she had always complained that I ate too much and I could be more slim, more slender. I always knew I was on the chubbier side, it was an insecurity that I had battled and temporarily won in the past. That was until my mother-in-law showed up and started planting those uprooted insecurities again.

Before she wouldn't dare say such words to me, at least not without heavily sugar coating it. 

Back then when Elliot still cared about me he would immediately shut his mother down no matter how sugar-coated her words were. He wouldn't tolerate any disrespect towards me. 

Now..

I had tried to push those awful thoughts away, and while I was eating and quenching my hunger for the first time in weeks I was able to distract myself but as soon as the plate was empty my eyes were filled with tears.

"I'm sorry," I apologized to Hayden.

"Don't apologize," he said taking the plates away and taking care of them in the sink.

"Why did you come?" I asked, so many things confused me right now, and at the forefront of them was his sudden hospitality. From what I knew, he didn't like me one bit. In fact, the first night we met he was just staring at me like they snuck me into the planet, and when he was not staring he was shooting daggers with his eyes.

I could already guess what he was thinking. 

There was a strong chance he assumed I was nothing more than a shallow gold digger, clinging to his father's wealth and status, and that my presence in their lives had little to do with love and everything to do with money.

But the truth back then was that I loved Elliot.

And that's exactly why his betrayal cuts so deep.

While I still stayed under my father's roof working multiple jobs, there was something that kept me going even before I met Elliot. 

My dream of go to college. 

My major would be in Engineering.

I was a straight-A student, already scouting around for scholarships. 

Then I fell in love and that dream went down the pipeline.

Now I regret it deeply. 

"Your father...has another woman," I said quietly, I don't know why I confessed something so humiliating to him maybe because it was burning me from inside and I needed a way to let it out before I exploded so I just told him. 

Hayden kept washing the dishes without pause and replied; "I already knew,"

His reply struck me with the force of a slap, sharp and stinging. Heart pounding, I pushed myself off the barstool and deliberately approached him, each step heavier than the last.

"Why didn't you tell me anything?" The question shot out like an accusation, ".. if I knew..."

"If you knew... What would you have done?" He faced me after putting the dishes aside. 

"You have already been tolerating so much from Elliot I assumed that this was just another thing you had to learn to put up with as well,"

Shame overwhelmed me then came this undescribable urge to defend that man.

"I haven't spoken to him yet, I left before he could say anything... Maybe this was just a one-time thing and–"

"See? This is exactly what I meant..." 

He leaned in closer and before I knew it my back was pressed against the counter and he hovered over me like it was a dark tower.

"He's not even said anything yet, and here you're building up a case in your mind to defend him. Gosh, I'm really trying to help you, but if I'm being honest you're not making it easy,"

He placed his hands at my sides, effectively trapping me between his rippling muscles as he leaned closer enough that his musk swam unfiltered into my nostrils and his heated breath brushed at my neck. 

Goosebumps ran across my whole body as I rubbed my thighs together.

"Step back, please  .." I was supposed to yell but instead it came out as a whisper, my breathing became uneven. 

He was about to do just that, then I remembered Elliot and Natasha laughing and giggling together, disregarding my feelings...the sadness gave way to the anger.

I had to get back at him.

No matter what other way I felt, I'd show him that it took two to tango.

I grabbed Hayden by the collar of his shirt, pulling him down. I stopped when our lips were a millimetre apart, heated breaths intermingling. His eyes flashed with a look I didn't recognize, I got cold feet and was ready to pull away when he grabbed me by my waist, lifting me for his lips to embrace mine.

Michelle's pov 

His kiss filled me with a need I couldn't describe, carving out a desire I had long since buried within myself trapped within the confines of my heart because it was something that Elliot could never fulfill, not like here but went out of his way to do so. 

Hayden pulled it out of me as his lips ravaged mine until I was out of breath and my face was flushed with color our eyes met questioning pleading for more, my heart was slamming against my ribs the bits of common sense that remained in my mind told me that this was wrong but before I blinked our lips met again like the opposite sides of a magnet a reached down his hand touching my thigh and going higher. 

If I didn't stop him now...then..

The thought only remained in my mind but did not go past my lips, didn't even get the chance as his tongue pryed through, entangling itself with mine our saliva mixed into a cocktail of deeper need his hand rose higher more defiant. Now my heart was beating so loudly I was half sure he could hear it he pulled me up plopping me on the counter without breaking the kiss. His other hand pressed more firmly to my lower back so that I was still pulled towards him. I reached my fingers around his neck, accidentally grabbing his hair and yanking on it. 

I was just about to apologize when he leaned towards me shivering, and moaned softly into my mouth.

"Please..." He was begging not asking, "...do that again," I was skeptical and a little freaked out by what I just learnt about Hayden, but still I complied holding a fistful of his hair and pulling on it. 

"Ugh..." It took his hand from my back and grabbed my other leg instinctively I rubbed them around his hips, our bodies were now glued together as we explored each other's mouths his tongue licking at every crevice in mind. I was so distracted by his kisses that I only came back to reality as he stood at the foot of the bed then dropped me on the king-sized bed. It was soft like lying on a cloud. 

I was catching my breath when I saw the threatening tent in Hayden's pants, I gulped, my mouth already felt dry on account of his tongue. Watching the bound in his pants grow was both exciting and scary at the same time. 

"That looks like it hurts," I said unable to take my eyes away."How much bigger are you going to get?"

He smirked..

"Don't tell me, my old man isn't at least this size?"

I blushed. 

Elliott has been my first and only, there was no other real-life experience to compare if he was above or below average. But I always liked to assume that he was at least average.

Or maybe it was his son who was the weird one.

His mention of his dad gave me another dose of doubt, what if I ended up regretting this? We had already made out... Was there really any backing out now? He took off his pants leaving just his stretched briefs ot on the bed walking on all fours then trapping me between his hands again as he hovered over me.

"Are you wondering if it'll fit?"

I hesitated.

"I'm just wondering if we're doing the right thing..."

He chuckled.

"We're not,"

•••••••

His tongue was lapping all the juices that was flowing out of my folds, each flashy whip from that lethal tongue of his sent me crashing into a wave of pleasure, then a tsunami began to build up my legs trembled raising higher and higher by themselves like they were trying to touch the roof then I reached my peak exploding with a mix of intense guilt and satisfaction.

Except there was more satisfaction than guilt. 

I was embarrassed to admit that even to myself, after giving his still clothed member one more passing look I slipped off the bed and straightened my clothes. I ignored how my legs were still wobbling like jelly. Hayden's eyes were watching me burning from his own unquenched desire, he got off the bed too.

"Are you just going to leave like that?"

He helped me from behind wrapping his hands around my waist and sliding his member between my butt cheeks lifting the hem of my dress until the only thing between us and direct contact was the soaked cotton of our underwear. I was getting moist and needy again, part of me wanted to dig my tongue into his throat once more and pull him towards the bed to have him go all the way with me but as the mist of pleasure was beginning to clear up guilt took its chance and snuck in.

This was wrong... Even if I wanted to get back at his father, using my stepson to do that was just plain wrong. I untangled his hands from around my waist, peeling myself away from him before turning around and letting our eyes make contact. His own eyes had darkened with want. I had to admit that even if I wasn't going to give in to him he was still making it as hard as possible to resist. 

All these years as my bedroom life with Elliot became more stale and predictable, I never once pointed an accusing finger towards him. 

In my mind, I was the one at fault.

I thought that there was something wrong with me because Elliot had never scratched the surface of what Hayden made me feel tonight.

"I'll sleep on the couch," I said offering no other explanation until I got to the door and paused as my fingers encircled the handle. "Let's just pretend like tonight never happened,"

"Can you?" He asked me his voice tight. 

I did answer, just pulled the door open, and left before I changed my mind and made another mistake.