For six years, my stepbrother Draven, the heir to a mafia family, and I have been in a secret relationship.

Every night, his hands would trace every curve of my body with desperate hunger.

The way he would look at me in those intimate moments made me believe I was the only woman who could ignite such passion in him.

Until a month ago, when I found out I was pregnant.

The day before Valentine's Day, I snuck into his study, planning to surprise him.

Through the crack in the door, I heard him talking to Nico, the family's consigliere.

"Aren't you tired of your little stepsister, Jasmine? The engagement is right around the corner. You haven't actually fallen for her, have you?"

A cruel smirk played on his lips.

"Fall for her? She was an easy target who fell right into my lap. It would've been a waste not to take a bite."

"Her mother drove mine to an early grave. These six years have been her penance. And she's deserved every moment of it."

"Besides, I've said it before. My wife will be Bianca Tyler, and no one else."

"Marrying her secures the Tyler family's port smuggling routes. That's all that matters."

So, what I thought was love was nothing more than an elaborate act of revenge.

Every one of his embraces was a calculated lie.

Fine. It was time for me and our unborn baby to disappear from his world completely.

For six years, my stepbrother Draven, the heir to a mafia family, and I have been in a secret relationship.

Every night, his hands would trace every curve of my body with desperate hunger.

The way he would look at me in those intimate moments made me believe I was the only woman who could ignite such passion in him.

Until a month ago, when I found out I was pregnant.

The day before Valentine's Day, I snuck into his study, planning to surprise him.

Through the crack in the door, I heard him talking to Nico, the family's consigliere.

"Aren't you tired of your little stepsister, Jasmine? The engagement is right around the corner. You haven't actually fallen for her, have you?"

A cruel smirk played on his lips.

"Fall for her? She was an easy target who fell right into my lap. It would've been a waste not to take a bite."

"Her mother drove mine to an early grave. These six years have been her penance. And she's deserved every moment of it."

"Besides, I've said it before. My wife will be Bianca Tyler, and no one else."

"Marrying her secures the Tyler family's port smuggling routes. That's all that matters."

So, what I thought was love was nothing more than an elaborate act of revenge.

Every one of his embraces was a calculated lie.

Fine. It was time for me and our unborn baby to disappear from his world completely.

...

"Stop worrying about her and focus on planning the engagement ceremony with Bianca. As for Jasmine Blakemore... I have my ways."

"Picture the scandal. A girl so infatuated with her own stepbrother, she crawls into his bed every night."

"When a sordid affair like that gets exposed in front of everyone at the engagement party, how could she ever show her face in public again?"

"If she comes begging me then, I can just set her up somewhere else. She'll be my secret lover forever, a permanent penance."

Nico's voice softened with pity as he tried to reason with him.

"Even if her mother did what you say, Jasmine was just a child back then. What does that have to do with Jasmine?"

"She'd just turned eighteen. Besides, she's never been involved in the family business, never even held a gun. She doesn't understand any of this."

"Aren't you going a little too far, tormenting her like this?"

"Everyone can see how much she loves you. If she finds out the real reason you got close to her, you'll destroy her."

Draven let out a harsh breath. His jaw clenched as he ran a hand through his hair.

A flicker of guilt crossed his features before he quickly masked it.

The soft click of a metal lighter followed, his movements more agitated than usual, as if even he was beginning to question the path he'd set himself on.

"So what?"

"Don't talk to me about her being innocent. Was it innocent when that bitch stole my mother's husband and left her to die of a broken heart?"

"Her sin was being born to that woman."

"If she was really so pure, she wouldn't have climbed into my bed six years ago. She made her choice."

Nico let out a long sigh, making one last attempt.

"That may be so, but after six years together, I can't believe you haven't felt a single thing for her."

"Draven, I have to remind you. Some things, once done, can never be undone."

Draven's face darkened, and he shot Nico a vicious glare.

"Fall in love with my enemy's daughter? What kind of pathetic fool do you take me for?"

"As tempting as she is in my bed, it doesn't change the fact that she's a sinner's daughter."

" I know exactly what I'm doing. "

"Once I've avenged my mother, I'll send her away immediately."

Nico seemed to give up. I heard him stand up.

The footsteps grew closer.

I panicked and tried to hide, but a wave of dizziness washed over me, and I stumbled back against a console table in the hallway, instinctively cradling my stomach as a heavy vase crashed to the marble floor.

Crash!

Nico pulled the door open. When he saw me, his eyes filled with shock and sympathy.

Draven rushed out at the sound.

He saw the shattered porcelain at my feet and me, a pathetic mess amidst the spilled water.

Panic flashed across his face as he scrambled to help me up.

"Jasmine? What are you doing here? When did you arrive?"

I tried to force a smile, but the tears came first.

"Just got here. I wanted to surprise you, but I slipped."

He thought I was crying because of my own clumsiness and pulled me to his side with a patronizingly fond smile.

He casually ordered his men to clean up the mess, then led me into his study.

The moment the door closed, he pinned me against it, his hot body pressing against mine.

The contact, combined with the faint, lingering nausea, sent a chill through me.

"I've told you a thousand times, you don't need to give me any gifts. Jasmine, your presence is the greatest gift of all."

"You must be tired from the trip. Rest for a bit. I'll take you home after I'm done with family business."

He leaned down and pressed a gentle kiss to my forehead.

Every gesture was as tender as it had been for the past six years.

But I no longer felt an ounce of warmth.

I never knew a person could be such a convincing actor.

I remembered that rainy night, not long after I had first arrived at the Langley estate. I'd felt suffocated and snuck out.

In a dark alley, I was cornered by the Langley family's rivals. I was trembling with fear.

It was Draven who emerged from the shadows like a god. With swift, clean movements, he saved me at gunpoint.

Then he walked straight to me, taking off his suit jacket and wrapping it around my shaking body.

Even though his arm was bleeding, he comforted me in a low voice, "Don't be afraid. I'm here. No one will dare touch you again."

In that moment, I believed him. He was my only salvation.

I lost myself completely in the gentle fantasy he had created.

I never knew my salvation was just another hunt he had so carefully planned.

He was the one who had thrown me into hell with his own two hands.

While Draven was busy with his business, I sent an encrypted message to my mother.

"Mom, I want to leave this place."

"Don't tell anyone yet."

In the car on the way back, Draven brought it up, as if it were an afterthought.

"My father is pushing for the marriage alliance. I found a friend to help me play along."

"Don't worry, you're the only one I love. She's just a front. After the engagement, I'll still live at home with you."

I stared at the rapidly receding neon lights outside the window and nodded numbly.

Tears fell in silence.

After we got home, I went into his study to get a book.

His laptop was open on the desk, a chat program still active on the screen. He must have forgotten to close it.

His pinned contact was labeled "Bianca T."

I opened the chat. It was filled with cloying emojis and screen after screen of videos from our most intimate moments.

The conversation below was even more heart-wrenching.

"I told you, it's nothing but revenge for me. I'll play these recordings for everyone at the engagement ceremony."

"After that day, Jasmine Blakemore will be completely erased from the Langley family. The only one by my side from now on will be you."

"Don't worry. I'll handle any obstacles before you're officially the lady of this family."

The words on the screen cut into me like knives.

"Baby, tonight's video quality is pretty good. Her face looks especially innocent on camera."

I kept scrolling down and tapped on a video.

The screen showed my bedroom.

Clips of me changing, of me hugging a pillow and crying.

And... clips of intimate moments between Draven and me.

Every private moment had been recorded with perfect clarity.

And it had all become fodder for their pillow talk.

An audio message from Bianca played automatically.

"Draven, you're a genius. Making her fall in love with you, then destroying her with your own hands. This is far more cruel than just killing her."

"At the family meeting tomorrow, I'll propose we accelerate the port acquisition. The Tyler family won't wait any longer."

"But I have one concern. What if she actually causes a scene at the engagement ceremony?"

Draven's reply sent ice through my veins.

"She won't. She loves me too much to embarrass me."

"Besides, I'll just tell her that if she dares to make a scene, I'll make sure her mother goes down with her."

I abruptly put down the phone. A sharp cramp shot through my lower abdomen, and I doubled over, gasping.

Was our baby feeling my pain, too?

The antique music box he had given me six years ago was sitting on my dresser.

Sure enough, in the dim light, a faint red light was blinking.

Only then did I realize it was a camera.

He had been monitoring my every move from the very beginning.

"This music box…" I muttered to myself, feigning a casual glance at it. "I should ask him to get me a new one."

I sat at his desk, pretending to idly open a game on his computer. But my fingers flew to the hidden folders.

It was filled with records of his relationship with Bianca, from their university days to the present.

Every important holiday, every intimate trip.

There were also detailed progress reports on the port acquisition.

The Tyler family controlled the city's most important smuggling routes.

Through this marriage, Draven could not only get revenge on my mother but also absorb the Tyler family's power into his own.

He would be injecting new blood into the declining Langley family.

The plans for the engagement party were just as meticulous.

From the venue decorations to every last detail of my humiliation, he had overseen it all personally.

He had even marked down the exact seat where I would be sitting.

Footsteps sounded on the stairs.

I quickly closed the laptop and deleted all my browsing history.

Don Langley spoke up at dinner.

"Draven, your engagement ceremony with Bianca Tyler will be in three days."

"The marriage alliance can't be delayed any longer. The Tyler family's port resources are very important to us."

Draven looked up, feigning surprise. "So soon?"

"Of course. Time waits for no one." Don's tone left no room for argument.

The wine glass in my hand suddenly slipped, and shards of glass scattered across the floor.

A small piece cut my fingertip, and a bead of red blood welled up, but I felt no pain.

Draven was instantly by my side, taking my hand with a look of deep concern.

"Jasmine, why are you so careless?" he murmured, dabbing at the cut with his napkin.

Seeing his tender, loving expression, a fresh wave of pain washed over me, solidifying my resolve to leave this world of lies.

After dinner, my mother, Elena, came to my room, her eyes full of worry.

"Why do you suddenly want to leave? Didn't you always want to be part of the family?"

"Have you told Draven you're leaving?"

Looking at my mother's weary, haggard face, my eyes stung.

"No. I need you to keep this a secret for me."

"Mom, after I'm gone, you and Don live a good life. Don't pay any mind to what outsiders say."

I had to believe my mother. She would never do such a thing.

She didn't deserve to be treated so unjustly.

Late at night, Draven pushed the door open, bringing a chill from outside with him.

He trapped me between the wall and his searing chest, leaning down to nuzzle my neck.

"Jasmine?"

"Are you asleep?"

I kept my breathing even, feeling the weight of him as he sat on the edge of the bed.

He reached out and stroked my hair.

"I'm sorry. I scared you today."

His voice was apologetic. If I hadn't known the truth, I would have been moved, would have felt myself falling even deeper in love with him.

"You know our relationship can't be public. The engagement is just for family business, just an act."

He placed a kiss on my forehead. "It'll be over soon. Just bear with it for a few more days. After the ceremony, everything will go back to normal."

But in the darkness, my tears streamed from the corners of my eyes, soaking the pillowcase.

"Jasmine, I know you're awake. You're the only one in my heart. Stop sulking, okay?"

I fought back the ache in my heart and managed a nod.

He let out a sigh of relief and pulled me into his arms again.

After a moment, he spoke tentatively.

"It's a Langley family engagement ceremony, so it can't be shabby. As my family, you might need to..."

"Okay, I'll be there."

I knew what he wanted to say.

Better to face it head-on and preserve what little dignity I had left.

He was surprised by my compliance, but since his goal was achieved, he didn't push it.

That night, he stayed in my room as usual.

And I, in my heart, had said my final goodbye to this man.

The next morning, I snuck out of my room while the rest of the family was still asleep.

Draven had just left to handle some family business, and I headed out right after him.

With three days left, I needed to make final preparations for my departure.

I never expected to run into Draven and Bianca here.

Outside a jewelry store, Draven got out of the driver's seat and walked around to open the passenger door for her.

Bianca linked her arm through Draven's, her smile radiant.

"The custom rings from this jeweler are just perfect, Draven."

She deliberately raised her voice, drawing the attention of passersby.

Just as she'd hoped, murmurs of envy rose from the crowd.

"Is that the Tyler family's daughter? She's so elegant. That ring on her finger looks like it's from the C brand's heirloom collection. I heard one of those is worth eight figures!"

"That's her, alright. I heard she and Draven have been together since business school. The two families even bought an entire estate just for the engagement party. The security costs alone were in the millions!"

"Oh my god, they look like a prince and princess. It's breathtaking. If I could land a man of that caliber, I'd be smiling in my sleep..."

In a daze, I was brought back to reality when a clerk ran out after me.

"Miss Blakemore? Miss Blakemore? You forgot your documents."

His call caught Draven's attention.

Just as I was stuffing the papers into my bag, Draven appeared in front of me.

When his eyes met mine, he looked flustered.

"Jasmine?" He dropped Bianca's hand and took a few steps toward me.

"What are you doing here?"

I gave a faint smile, my gaze sweeping over Bianca.

"Running a few errands for my mother."

Bianca came up from behind and affectionately linked her arm through his again.

"You must be Draven's sister, right? It's nice to meet you."

"Draven talks about you all the time."

"We just finished picking out our rings and were about to look at gowns."

My gaze fell on how tightly their bodies were pressed together. I nodded calmly and turned to leave.

But Draven chased after me, grabbing my arm and speaking urgently.

"It was Father's arrangement, you know that."

He wanted to explain, but with Bianca right there, his words seemed utterly powerless.

Seeing him so anxious for my sake, I suddenly wanted to laugh.

Bianca was the one he'd loved for years.

Now their engagement was imminent, and his act of revenge was almost at its finale.

Who was he still performing for?

"Bianca is coming to the house for dinner tonight. I'm telling you in advance so you don't misunderstand."

"Don't worry, I know my place. Since it's Don's arrangement, you should cooperate. I won't cause any trouble."

"You go on. I'll be waiting for you at home."

Seeing that I was acting normally, he seemed relieved. He had someone drive me home, then turned and left with Bianca.

Knowing Bianca was coming for dinner, my mother spent the afternoon in the kitchen, preparing a lavish meal.

She looked so small and subservient, like a servant who could be dismissed at any moment.

I went into the kitchen and helped her plate the food.

"Mom, you don't have to do this."

"It's fine. Today is an important day."

She gave a bitter smile and continued to garnish the expensive truffles.

When Draven arrived with Bianca, my mother and Don presented her with a priceless diamond bracelet.

I, on the other hand, hid in my room, feigning a headache. But it wasn't long before Draven burst in with a gift box.

He handed me a car key, his face full of deep affection.

"I know our relationship has been kept in the dark, and you've been through a lot."

"But after the engagement, nothing will change between us. I'll still live at home and be with you, just like before."

"Jasmine, don't be angry with me, okay? This old sports car... it holds a lot of our memories. Now, it's officially yours."

"It's a special gift."

I looked down at the rusty car key, a bitter irony filling me.

I knew that just yesterday, he had made a show of gifting Bianca a brand-new, custom-built, bulletproof luxury car.

"Okay, I won't be angry with you."

"Go eat. They've been preparing for a long time."

I did my best to placate him, to seem completely unfazed.

Seeing me act as usual, Draven seemed to think I'd been bought off by a beat-up sports car, that his cheap display of affection had worked.

After he went downstairs, I turned and tossed the car key into the fireplace.

The sound of toasts and cheers drifted up from downstairs.

I heard Draven's voice, ordering my mother around like a servant, telling her to serve the next course and refill the soup.

I sat on the floor, hugging my knees, and stuffed all the jewelry he had given me over the past six years into a garbage bag, ready to throw it all away.

The moment the bag knocked against the table, Bianca suddenly appeared at my door.

Looking at the mess on the floor, she smirked triumphantly.

"What, you can't take it anymore?"

"Jasmine Blakemore, you're even weaker than I thought."

She licked her lips, her smile dripping with scorn.

"Oh, by the way, you didn't know, did you? Draven told me he's disgusted by being intimate with you in that old sports car. He said the faded leather seats are as dull and boring as you are."

"And when it comes to certain things, I can give him a much fresher experience."

"Not just in the car, but in many other places... yachts, private jets, places you'll never go."

All the air left my lungs. A sharp pain seized my chest, and my breathing grew ragged.

Six years of suppressed anger and humiliation erupted in that instant.

I lunged at her, raising my hand. "Shut up!"

But before my palm could even touch her face, she suddenly threw herself backward.

Her knees hit the floor hard, scraping the skin.

"Ah!" she cried out in pain, tears instantly welling in her eyes.

Draven burst into the room at the sound and saw Bianca collapsed on the floor.

His face darkened instantly.

"Jasmine!"

He grabbed my wrist and flung it away.

I lost my balance, and my head slammed against the corner of the table.

Warm liquid trickled down my forehead. It was blood.

But my own pain was nothing. My only thought was for my baby, hoping it was still safe.

He didn't even glance at me. He knelt and helped Bianca up.

"Are you badly hurt? Do you need to go to the hospital?"

Bianca leaned against his chest, her eyes full of grievance.

"I just wanted to be friends with her. I didn't expect..."

Draven looked up, his eyes fixed on me with a coldness I had never seen before.

"Jasmine, I dare you to touch her again."