Chapter 5: A Record

Samantha POV...

The maid's legs almost gave way as she led me through the silent halls. I was tempted to ask her what was going on, but my lips felt too heavy to open.

Everything that happened with the previous maid replayed in my head, the way her lips quivered when she spoke, her torn clothes, the bruises on her body. None of it was adding up. My mind sat heavily in my chest, whispering warnings over and over again. Something was wrong.

I swallowed hard, trying not to think too much about it. I forced myself to remain calm, even though my mind was in utter chaos.

What if you're next?

Do you even know what he did to that woman?

You were warned not to get involved, but you didn't listen.

You have no family. You're just a poor orphan.

If he kills you and buries you here, who would come looking for you?

My thoughts refused to stop, driving me dangerously close to insanity.

"Nothing is going to happen," I whispered to myself when the whispers became unbearable. "He needs me. I am his wife."

I had to force some sense into my head.

"Ma'am, we're here," the maid said, stopping abruptly. "I'll leave you now."

She didn't wait for my response before turning and hurrying away.

"You're leaving alre-"

The words died in my throat. I swallowed them back, knowing I had no choice but to face my fears alone.

I stood there, shaking, staring at the large brown door for several minutes. Something about it felt different. It looked older, worn out, and nothing like the other doors in the house.

Why was this one different?

"Come in, Samantha."

A sharp pain pierced my chest at the sound of his voice. My legs quivered as my hand slowly wrapped around the doorknob. I didn't wonder why he knew I was there, he was a man of misery anyways.

I closed my eyes and took a deep breath before finally pushing the door open.

I froze and my heart almost leapt out of my chest when I saw him, his huge, imposing figure standing right in front of the door, staring straight into my eyes.

"Sweet Lord..." I gasped.

One hand flew to my chest, the other braced against my knee as I struggled to steady myself.

"Why did you do that for? You scared the living daylight out of me, and that isn't funny one bit." I took deep breaths, trying to calm my nerves.

He didn't answer. He didn't even act like he had done anything wrong.

He simply turned around and walked toward the bed.

I stared at him, wishing I could grab the flower vase resting on the table opposite me and smash it on his head. Nothing annoyed me more than how nonchalant he acted whenever he did something cruel or strange.

"Close the door and come closer," he said. His voice came out hoarse, heavy with authority and command, even though he made no effort to enforce it.

It hurt that I couldn't react, that I had to act like an obedient dog. I shut the door and walked toward him, just as he commanded.

His eyes slowly traveled over me, lingering on my face before he finally spoke again.

"My family will be here for lunch tomorrow, so keep that in mind and behave accordingly."

I stiffened.

"When they arrive, they'll have a lot of questions for you," he continued. "Answer none of them. I'll do all the talking. Do you understand?"

I nodded calmly. That wouldn't be a problem. I wasn't a fan of answering questions anyway.

"My mother will ask the most questions," he added. "She'll use every opportunity she gets to touch your stomach, because they all believe you're pregnant."

His words caught me completely off guard.

"Pregnant?" I blurted out. "I don't understand what you're saying. I'm not pregnant, so why would they think that?"

"Watch your tone, Mrs. Samantha," he snapped. His eyes slowly burned with rage.

But I wasn't listening anymore. I needed answers.

"Tone?" I snapped back. "How can you say that now? You need to clear the air because at this point I'm completely confused." I paced back and forth in agitation, my fingers digging into my hair as my ears strained for a response.

"I told them you're pregnant," he said coldly. "I also told them we've been married for a year now. That's all you need to know, for now."

I stared at him as everything slowly began to make sense.

"You'll wear this tomorrow." He tossed a black nylon bag at me.

I caught it, confused, then froze when I opened it.

A fake pregnancy bump.

"You're going to put this on tomorrow and keep it on until they leave," he said casually, grabbing a bottle of wine from the bar in the corner of the room. "I hope that isn't too hard for you."

Anger surged through me. This was the last straw that broke the camels back.

"This wasn't part of the contract," I snapped. "You never mentioned this. I'm already not okay with you cutting off my communication, and now this? Did you even ask if I was comfortable with any of it? I'm not your puppet an-"

"You see, that's what you don't understand, Samantha." He walked toward me, swirling the wine in his glass. "You are my puppet. And I twist you into any position I wish."

My breath hitched as he got closer.

"Do you remember what I told you in the car?" A sly smile crept onto his lips, the kind that sent chills down my spine.

"Why don't you listen, Samantha?" His smile melted into frustration. Suddenly, he slammed the glass onto the floor. It shattered, the sound echoing loudly through the room.

I staggered back in panic, and he followed, slow and deliberate.

My heart raced wildly when my back hit the wall. There was nowhere else to go.

"I'm not a difficult man," he said calmly as he closed the distance between us. "If you just listen."

His breath brushed against my neck. My body trembled as his hands wrapped tightly around my throat.

"I don't want to hurt you," he said softly. "Just be the good puppet you're meant to be."

His grip tightened. I coughed, gasping for air, my eyes burning as hot tears spilled down my face.

My feet slowly lifted off the floor.

"Be a good girl and obey every command without complaint," he whispered. "Or do I need to keep reminding you?"

With the last strength I had, I nodded.

"Good."

He released me.

I collapsed onto the floor, coughing violently, struggling to breathe.

"Now get lost with that useless nylon," he snarled, "before I come for you again."

He wasn't joking. His eyes were bloodshot, his face void of mercy.

I didn't know how I managed it, but the moment he took another step toward me, I fled the room.

As I ran, only one thought echoed in my mind.

What exactly have I walked into... and what really awaits me?

Chapter 6: The Meeting

Samantha POV......

"Smile. You wouldn't want them to think I am maltreating you, will you?" Adrian pulled my cheek, a forced smile on his face. I nodded my head, swallowing my pain and fear. I still haven't been able to forget what he did to me yesterday.

"You are one pretty lady." He tugged my hair behind my ears and held his hand out. "Hold my hand. I will lead you down the stairs." I gulped hard and wrapped my hand around his.

"Keep that smile." He spread my lips wider, that devilish sly smile still perfectly tugged at the corner of his lips.

Slowly, he led me down the stairs. Halfway through, he wrapped his hand around my waist. My heart sang in panic as his hand crossed my waist, and I felt a sensation I have never felt in my entire existence. Why would you do this? I wanted to scream, but that could wipe my existence from the world.

"You look gorgeous in this red gown and the bright makeup. Sorry, I forgot to compliment you earlier." I looked down at the red floral gown that highlighted my perfect curves, showcasing them to the world, and the fake pregnancy bump sitting calmly on my stomach.

"And be careful with the heels. Don't trip yourself." I looked down at my shaky legs that were new to wearing heels. They were frantically exhausted from having to try something new. "You won't want to show my family that I picked you from the trash, will you?" he yanked slowly. I nodded, avoiding eye contact with him. I wouldn't dare look into those deadly eyes.

"You will get used to it, dear wifey," he said calmly, like he hadn't been rude to me minutes ago. "We are close. Keep the smile brighter." I forced it again.

"No! That sucks. Even a fool would know that your smile is fake, so you better brighten up for real." His face went sour immediately. I gulped, trying to force a genuine smile now. "Now that is what we call a smile." We were standing at the end of the stairs now.

From our standing point, I could hear the sound of plates clicking and water roaring out of jugs. "Let's go. They are waiting for us at the dining," he said. I nodded and followed swiftly.

My heartbeat tripled as I stood in front of his family. Maintaining eye contact was almost impossible, but I could feel their eyes swimming around me. I felt Adrian's firm grip around my arm, and I felt a bit of reassurance.

Deep silent sat for a while before Adrian finally broke it, "This is my wife I told you all about," he said swiftly and led me to a seat.

He pulled out a chair for me and watched me sit before locating one next to me. Devil. The word echoed within me, but my face said otherwise.

"She's beautiful," an elderly feminine voice caught me off guard, and for the first time, I was able to look up, a peck of confidence dancing in me.

"Good day, ma," I greeted, realizing it was Adrian's mom. My eyes were glued to her, and I couldn't admire her less. Her expensive golden jewelry decorated her neck, hands, ears, wrists, and fingers. The grace with which she carried herself radiated effortlessly, even without her doing much.

"So you are the lady that locked my son's heart?" she smiled sweetly.

"I never knew Adrian would get married in his life, and I strongly doubted it when he told me he had a wife, and a pregnant one at that," his dad chirped with a bright smile. I turned to him and smiled calmly.

"So tell me, Samantha," his mom drew my attention back to herself. Samantha? She knows my name. This big mouth has spilled everything regarding me to them already.

"How long have you been pregnant, dear? We need to make preparations for the baby's arrival and-"

"She has been pregnant for four months," Adrian snatched the words from her lips. I gave a quiet sigh, glad he came to my aid. I would have shattered so badly and exposed myself.

"Four months already?" she clapped her hands excitedly. "Then it's time to start shopping. Tell me, Samantha, what do I get for my grandchild?" She turned to me with a bright smile.

"Uhmmm-"

Adrian sliced a soft pinch across my laps and passed warnings to me with his eyes.

"Mom, these questions are not necessary now. The good thing is that I have a wife and a pregnant one, so can we just eat?" Adrian's tone was filled with irritation as he spoke.

"But I would love to get something for the baby too. Is it a boy or a girl?" a soft-spoken voice sang, and I was forced to look.

It was a young lady, probably in her early twenties. She had this soft aura all around her. She was beautiful to the core, and her ocean-blue eyes spoke more volume to her beauty. Everything about her spoke wealth and luxury, and I couldn't admire her less.

"Yes, Adrian. We need to know, is the child a boy or a girl?" a voice intruded, not from the table but from a distance. I followed the voice, and my eyes landed on a young man walking towards us. He was wiping his face with a handkerchief, so I couldn't get a clear view of his face.

His figure was huge and intimidating at the same time. He was well-built and muscular, just like Adrian. Even without having a clear view of his face, I could tell he was handsome too. Beauty runs in the family for sure.

I picked up the glass of water in front of me and took a long gulp from it. I swirled the cup as I waited for more spontaneous questions to lash at me.

"Tell us, Adrian. Is it a boy or a girl?" he continued, putting a stop to his endless cleaning of his face.

I could finally get to see his face, but my excitement lived shortly as my eyes fell on the most unexpected being.

"Steven!" The word escaped my lips slowly, and my cup shattered on the floor without warning.

Chapter 7: It Can't Be!

Samantha POV

"What's wrong with you, Samantha? Are you okay?" Adrian asked, helping me up.

"Are you fine, dear? You startled every one of us," Adrian's mother rushed to my side, worry etched across her face.

I couldn't form a single sentence. My eyes remained glued to Steven, who was staring back at me with even more shock than I felt. His face had gone pale, his lips slightly parted, as if he had seen a ghost.

"What's wrong with you?" Adrian's father asked sternly. "Why are you staring at my younger son in that manner?"

Younger son? The words slammed into my chest.

I wanted a miracle, anything to prove that Adrian and Steven were not brothers. But no. They were brothers. They were blood, a family.

Someone wake me up from this nightmare, because there is no way my ex and my husband are brothers.

"Is she even with us?" Adrian's mom asked anxiously. "Maybe she's shocked because of the pregnancy. We need to take her to the hospital to keep her and my grandchild safe."

"Hospital? No," I said quickly, shaking my head. "I'm fine. It's just that your youngest son looks like someone I know."

I hoped desperately that was true. But the look on Steven's face told me I was lying to myself.

"I'm sorry for causing such a scene," I muttered sincerely. "It wasn't my intention."

"It's nothing, as long as you're fine," Adrian's mom said calmly. So far, she seemed to be the nicest person in the family.

"Thank you so much, ma," I said, trying to return to my seat, but she quickly pulled me back.

"No! You can't do that. There are pieces of broken glass all over the place. It could harm you."

"You shouldn't put yourself at risk like that," she added firmly, guiding me away.

"Yes, Samantha, you shouldn't play such dangerous games with your life, especially now that you're pregnant," Adrian's sister said. It was the first time she was addressing me directly.

"Let's go to the parlor and relax," Adrian cut in. "I'll ask one of the maids to massage you."

I looked at him, wondering what was going through his mind. He had seen the way I stared at his brother. I prayed he wasn't forming dangerous conclusions.

"Don't worry, Mom. I'll take her to the parlor," Adrian said, leading me away.

There was a light smile tugging at the corner of his lips, but somehow, I felt more uneasy than comforted.

As we walked away, I looked back one last time. Everyone's eyes were still on me, but Steven's gaze spoke louder than all of theirs combined. It was filled with uncertainty, recognition, and a question neither of us dared to ask aloud.

There was no doubt about it. He recognized me.

And I was shocked that he didn't cause a scene, just like me, he swallowed his shock whole.

"I'll be in the bathroom," I heard him excuse himself and walked away, leaving the rest of the family to wonder the strange chemistry that had just erupted between him and I.

"What did you mean when you said my brother looked like someone you know?" Adrian's question caught me off guard.

I turned to him, unsure of what to say. My lips quivered in hesitation as my mind scrambled for an answer.

"I asked you a question, Samantha," he repeated, his eyes fixed on me, cold and unreadable as always.

"I... yeah," I stammered. "He looks like a close friend from my former neighborhood."

I hadn't realized I could come up with a lie that fast. I searched his face, hoping he bought it.

"Your neighborhood?" he repeated slowly.

My heart skipped. What if he had caught the lie? I knew it wouldn't end well.

He went quiet, and somehow, his silence terrified me more than his words ever could. I studied his face, wondering if he was already piecing things together.

"I just hope you're telling me the truth, Samantha," he finally said, that deadly smile creeping onto his lips. "I don't treat lies fairly. I just thought I should inform you early."

He tucked my hair behind my ear. The touch felt more like a warning than affection.

"Sit here. I'll get a maid to give you a massage," he added, the smile still plastered on his face as he walked away.

I followed him with my eyes and his words echoed loudly in my head.

"I don't treat lies fairly". What have I gotten myself into?

What if the truth comes out?

What if he starts digging?

What if he finds a clue?

My thoughts spiraled and my chest tightened. Suddenly, I felt overwhelmed.

I glanced around, no sign of Adrian or a maid. Taking advantage of the moment, I hurried toward the bathroom.

I was feeling pressed and had to button it down.

I took the stairs leading to the toilet immediately. Halfway there, a strong grip wrapped around my wrist.

My heart shattered as I realized who it was. Steven.

He stood right in front of me, his hand gripping mine more firmly.

My eyes spoke the words my mouth couldn't, shock, disbelief, fear. I tried to pull away, forcing myself to react.

"What are you doing? Let me go," I whispered urgently.

But my efforts were useless. He pulled me closer.

"Come with me," he said quietly.

Before I could protest, he dragged me into the bathroom and slammed the door shut behind us.