LYDIA

"Hard Launch? Business Mogul, Adrian Blackwell and Socialite, Vanessa Darnell  Spark Dating Rumors As The Duo Steps Out In Style."

I stared at the plastered cozy photos of both my husband and sister.

Judging from the smile on his face... the same one I haven't seen in months, it was obvious that he wanted to send his message across.

The last tabloid had called them, "The Gala's Most Talked- About Pair"

Adrian hated me and for the past eight months he had spent everyday reminding me of how my v our wedding was a mistake.

The bedroom door slammed open behind me pulling me out of my reverie, I didn't spare a glance cause I knew exactly who was there.

"You were complaining about not being invited to anything..." he started, his voice icy as ever.

I finally turned around to look at him and found him standing in the doorway, staring at me with those furrowed brows.

He had on a suit which most probably cost enough for my vacay to the Maldives.

That's if he'll let me go.

His dark hair was styled just right, into a loose dutt that made him look sexy.

A sexy jerk, if I may.

But I couldn't miss the familiar expression of barely concealed disgust. 

He reserved it only for me.

"We have somewhere to be." 

I gave him a questioning look before asking, "Where are we going?"

He stepped into the room.

"We have been invited to have dinner at your parents home," he explained.

My stomach twisted because meals with the Darnells were never just that. 

It was always a performance and I hated to be in their carefully orchestrated play with every fiber of my being especially because that was the reason I was here in the first place.

I-the adopted daughter-was always the villain in the story.

And my sister, Vanessa, who was in fact the epitome of evil, was the golden goose.

"I would need a change of clothes," I told him, gesturing to my home outfit with my hands.

His raised brows told me that he didn't seem impressed nor convinced.

"What you have on will suffice," he said to me in a no nonsense tone.

It was the tone he always adopted when he wanted to fire incompetent employees.

And I hated it.

I let out an irritated hiss.

Was he blind? 

I was dressed in worn out brown slacks and an oversized hand me down polo shirt that was hardly appropriate for a family dinner.

Adrian checked his watch. 

"We don't have time."

I rolled my eyes, standing.

"I just need fifteen minutes to-"

"Lydia," he barked, cutting me off, "I said we do not have time for you to do that!"

The glare he flashed me in the silence that followed made me flinch.

But the silence lasted for only a moment before I stubbornly started toward the adjacent closet anyway. 

"Damn you!" He growled, at my side in three long strides and gripping my wrist.

I gasped, my eyes flying up to meet his as his finger clasped over my hand.

His grip was not hard enough to hurt, but firm enough to stop me.

"Didn't you hear me?" He snapped.

I swallowed, blinking.

His jaw tightened and I could see the veins in his neck begin to jut out.

Shivers ran down my spine.

"Adrian, you know I can't go like-"

He hissed.

"Lydia, you shall go with me, now." 

He began to pull me toward the door before I could register what was happening. 

"Adrian?" I gasped.

He mumbled curses as he began to drag me down the dark corridor to the stairs.

I should have fought. 

I should have ripped my arm away from his and told him to go without me. 

But living eight months in this facade of a marriage had worn me down. 

I had learned that fighting Adrian Blackwell was like fighting a brick wall. 

It was a totally pointless move, and did I mention, excruciatingly exhausting.

I was silent as he dragged me down the flight of stairs and out the door with the light rain pouring all over my unbound hair.

He shoved me into his car and slipped into the driver's seat with another hiss.

Then we zoomed off.

I stared straight ahead as he drove through the bleak city to my parents house.

Adopted parents.

I looked out the window to see that the light rain had finally come to a stop.

Nut the sky was still looking sad and gray. 

My slowly mind drifted back to our wedding day in the suffocating silence until I could vividly see my adopted mother's face.

I was instantly back to the moment when she had ordered me to put on Vanessa's wedding dress.

No had been my first answer.

But she had begged me, desperately, even going to her knees to plead with me.

"It will be just until we find her," she had said in her mawkish voice.

My sister Vanessa, had had the guts to ditch her own husband on her wedding. 

Her fingers had begun digging into my shoulders when I took too long to answer. 

"You'll switch back with Vanessa when your father brings her over. I promise."

But Vanessa never came back in time. 

I was still clad in her dress with my hands trembling as I recited the vows I never meant to say in her place.

Then the priest had announced, "You may kiss the bride," with a smile and my poor heart had rapidly dropped to the bottom of my churning stomach in an instant.

He had reached for me, arms wrapping around my waist and drawing me closer.

I prayed Vanessa would come.

She never did, up until the moment Adrian had lifted the veil and beheld me instead of her.

I recalled the way his face had fallen, eyes instantly icing while his entire body had gone rigid in my arms.

"You are not my bride," he had snarled down at me in a low whisper.

Then he stormed out of the hall before I could speak, shouting for Vanessa after calling me an imposter and a fraud.

Yet nothing could have ever prepared me for when Vanessa finally arrived.

She had taken one look at Adrian and lied through her perfect teeth, telling everyone present that I had drugged her. 

My jaw had fallen slack when she said I had orchestrated all of that to steal her groom out of jealousy. 

And my adopted mother had instantly backed her up without any hesitation.

Adrian's grandfather had insisted that the alliance proceed cause the wedding was already done with the papers signed. 

So Adrian was stuck with me.

Likewise I was stuck with a husband who would have rather married anyone else.

"We're here," Adrian said, his husky voice jolting me back to the present.

I looked up at the Darnell mansion. 

Every window was glowing, warm and welcoming-a bogus lie, just like everything else about this damned family.

My husband was out of the vehicle before I could unbuckle my seat belt, heading for the front door where Vanessa was waiting.

She was wearing a red dress that perfectly accentuated all of her bold curves and her blonde hair was curled and styled back to make her look like a movie star.

I watched her reach up to kiss Adrian on the cheek, a gesture that made him smile.

I felt a pang in my chest.

Something hot rushed up from my stomach at the sight but I pushed it down.

A sigh left my lips cause I couldn't remember the last time he had smiled at me, like actually smiled.

I climbed out of the car, bent down to tie the frayed lace of my canvas shoes, and Adrian was already inside the house by the time I straightened up.

I started toward the door and reached Vanessa waiting in the path. 

She flashed me a seemingly sweet smile that didn't reach her sharp eyes.

"Watch out, sister," she said. "What you own will soon be mine."

I could decipher the false concern dripping in her voice any time and any day.

The photo of her and Adrian on the cover of the magazine flashed before my eyes.

Rage bubbled inside of me.

Both of my palms curled into tight fists while I stared straight at her.

But I said nothing. 

I never did.

That was my biggest mistake.

LYDIA

We had barely made it halfway through dinner when Vanessa stood up.

I watched uninterestedly while she began to clink her wine glass with her fork.

The annoying smile plastered on her face started to irk me and I looked away.

After all, the meal was more interesting than anyone or anything going on here.

"Everyone, I have an announcement I would like to make, good news," she said.

Her tone was cheerful.

Suspicion warped through me as I lifted my gaze to look at her, curious now.

When her eyes met mine, the glow in them was so bright it nearly blinded me.

I began to wonder why she had looked so smug and triumphant all evening.

My mother stopped eating and clasped her hands together on the table. 

"Oh, darling, what is it?"

Vanessa placed the glass down and reached for her flat stomach with one hand.

She glanced at me and held my gaze.

"I'm two months pregnant."

There was silence for a moment.

My brain began to process the news.

"Oh my," my mother started and the table erupted with congratulations.

I just sat there and watched as my parents hugged her, my mother crying.

Somehow, deep down inside of me, I felt relief that she was pregnant.

She would finally leave my husband alone and build her own fucking family.

But that relief was soon cut short.

My suspicion grew larger when Adrian stepped forward and wrapped her in his arms like she was fragile.

She squealed softly into his chest and my gut feeling whispered the unspeakable.

I sat up in my chair, frozen with my fork hanging halfway to my mouth.

Two months?

For some reason, my sixth sense told me something was wrong with these settings.

If I remembered correctly, my husband had accompanied my sister on a trip two months ago to help her sort out the problems she had with her start-up company.

A tight lump grew in my throat as I fought over what was the truth and what mustn't be the truth.

I turned to look at Adrian the moment she stepped away from Vanessa. 

He was smiling down at her with that same soft expression I had seen him give her at the door when we arrived. 

It was an expression he never gave me.

"Adrian," I started.

My voice came out strangled. 

"Is it yours?"

The table went silent. 

All eyes turned to me.

I saw him swallow, his Adam ape bobbling slowly with the motion.

His jaw tightened making unease settle in my stomach.

"Lydia, don't make a scene."

My eyes widened like saucers before my heart fell to the soles of my feet.

"I shouldn't make a scene?!" I screamed, my nostrils flaring in anger.

I stood up so abruptly that my chair fell backwards and landed on the floor.

"My sister is pregnant for you, my husband and I shouldn't make a scene?!"

"Lydia," My mother snapped, getting tired of her feet. "Sit your stupid ass down."

I glared at her.

"No." 

She went wide eyed.

My entire body was trembling as I ignored her and turned back to Adrian.

"How could you do this to me you, bastard? You got my sister pregnant while we are still married to each other!"

"Lydia," he replied in a sharp voice. "Our marriage is almost over in case you forgot."

I gasped softly.

"There is only four more months before I will be completely rid of you."

The words shouldn't have hurt considering the circumstances of our marriage.

But fuck it, it did.

I felt it deep down in my bones, it was almost as if my ribcage was pressing tighter around my heart.

"Look, until then, I would advise you to never forget your place Lydia."

"My place?" 

I scoffed in disbelief, refusing to acknowledge that all of this was happening.

My eyes went round the dining table to behold each and every one of them.

But none of them could meet my eyes.

Except her.

My sister.

Vanessa stood beside Adrian, smirking wickedly in what I supposed was triumph.

"What exactly is my place in this family?" I muttered, the question more mine.

"Second place," Vanessa murmured.

My head snapped towards her.

"And is that the reason you were sleeping with your second place's husband?"

Her eyes nearly jumped out of their sockets as she stood there, thunderstruck.

"Y-youu," she stammered. "How dare you?"

I rolled my eyes.

"Mother, can you see how Lydia is taking to me!" She complained.

"Lydia!" My mother called, and I turned around to look at her.

I watched my mother's face grow firm with disapproval before she spoke.

"You should be grateful," she spat, "because everything you own is because of Vanessa!"

Those same lines.

Again.

I have had to listen to them ever since I was adopted into this poisonous home.

"You were unwanted."

The corner of my lips curled in distaste.

"If not for Vanessa who asked us to adopt you, you would never have had education, a home or even a family to call yours."

I sighed exhausted because now my mother sounded like a broken record.

"And is this how you will repay her?" She continued to be partial.

I shook my head slowly as a dry scoff escaped from between my lips.

"Grateful?"

I exhaled sharply through my nose as my teeth ground together.

"I should be grateful that my husband is having a baby with my sister?"

"Vanessa is not really your sister," my father began quietly, joining the conversation.

I was gobsmacked.

"Father, what do you mean?" 

He stared up at me.

"You're not blood related. Besides, Adrian should have been hers from the start."

The words hit me like a brick and I looked at Vanessa, who was still smiling.

She had run away from the wedding, why did she want him now?

Because I wanted him?

"You planned this," I whispered. "You wanted him all along, didn't you?"

Vanessa's smile grew wide as she stepped forward, leaning into me.

"Of course I did." 

Her voice dropped lower.

"Did you really think I would let you keep him after you stole him?"

My breath hitched.

"I told you Lydia, whatever you think is yours will eventually be mine."

LYDIA

It was rather whatever she handed down to me and later saw it to be better, she'd reclaim!

"I just took back the man you stole from me Lydia. That shouldn't be a problem."

She took a step back.

I saw red, lunging across the space to wipe the damned smirk from her face.

"I didn't steal him. It was fucking you who abandoned the wedding!" I screamed.

I was so close to getting her when Adrian caught my arm and pulled me back. 

His grip was firm like steel.

My breath came in ragged gasps as I stared up at him with angry eyes.

"Let go of me!" I yelled.

"That is enough Lydia," he barked with furrowed brows. "We are leaving."

I shook my head.

"No! No we will not! I still have so many things to say to this husband snatcher!" I was mouthing away.

He hissed and began to drag me out of the dining room, towards the front door.

"Leave me be!" I was shouting as I tried to wrench my arm free.

But he held onto me tight.

I leaned down and bit into his arm just as we arrived at the entrance.

He groaned, pushing me away and releasing me so suddenly. 

I stumbled backwards. 

"Fuck you!" He grunted.

"Fuck you too!" 

The retort seemed to have angered him.

"What did you expect, Lydia? You were never supposed to be my wife. That was always meant to be Vanessa."

I closed my eyes.

"Then why on earth didn't you just end everything back then?" 

I opened my eyes to look at him, hating the fact that my voice was shaking.

"Why didn't you just tell them no when they made you stick with me?"

"I tried."

The tears gathered fast at the corner of my eyes, threatening to fall down my cheeks.

"Lydia, the marriage certificate and the contracts had been signed. My grandfather insisted we honor the agreement." 

He turned away from me while running his hand-the one I bit-through his hair. 

"This will all be over," he began, his gaze returning to my face, "in four months."

I swallowed softly.

"Then I'll marry Vanessa."

My heart shattered.

The tears started to fall before I could stop them, my vision blurring rapidly.

"What about me?"

God, I was such a fool... why had I ever thought he'd grow to love me?

My voice was small, like that of a timid mouse.

"I will make sure you get a sizable alimony, one enough to allow you to disappear."

His hands came to rest on my shoulder.

"So Lydia, I am begging you, just be sensible until then. Please."

I hated the desperate look in his eyes.

None of this was my fault.

This situation.

It was all Vanessa's.

"Sensible?" 

I wanted to scream. 

"You want me to be sensible while you parade your pregnant mistress in front of me, gracing magazine front pages?"

He exhaled deeply.

"Lydia, there was never a time that I never promised you love. Yikes, I never even promised you respect."

"You knew what this marriage was from the beginning-just a business facade."

I made to speak but he beat me to it.

"And it's all your fault. It could have been me and Vanessa!"

I flinched slightly, always hating whenever he raised his voice at me.

"We could have had our happy ending if you hadn't meddled and drugged her!"

I shook my head, blinking my tears away.

"It wasn't me. I never drugged anyone!" I started. 

He just glared at me.

I continued, desperate to make him believe me no matter what.

I need him to see I wasn't the liar.

It was his beloved.

Vanessa.

"It really wasn't me. I tried to tell you what happened at the wedding. I tried to explain that I was forced by my..."

"Enough!" 

His voice was flat. 

"I don't care." 

My heart dropped to my duodenum.

"What you did at the wedding is in the past. This stupid marriage is almost over and nothing you say will change that."

He made to open the door... then hesitated.

A spark of hope lit in my chest because I thought he wanted to hear me out.

But he turned away from the door, from me and walked back to the dining room.

The realization that if had always been her sank in as he left me standing there.

I have had to abandon my life to step in for her shame only for her to decide she wanted this life and ruin mine!

Suddenly, a resolve I never had possessed me and I stormed after him.

I couldn't take it anymore.

Adrian had to know everything that happened that day, especially Vanessa's elopement with her lover.

I would expose that black lotus bitch.

But my legs stopped at the top of the stairs, my body freezing as the sound of their laughter drifted to me from the dining room. 

I knew they were celebrating the baby who would replace me completely.

It was enough to break down.

The sobs that raked through my body as I leaned against the war was pure agony.

I couldn't do anything else but cry for what I had never acquired and lost all the same.

Maybe I wasn't worth it.

The sound of footsteps behind me caused me to lift my head and I saw Vanessa.

She was standing at the top of the stairs with a smug expression on her face.

"You look upset," she said sweetly. "You should go home and rest."

"Why are you doing this?" 

My voice was barely a whisper. 

"What did I ever do to you?"

"You existed." 

I held back a fresh batch of tears, my fingers clenching into fists at my side.

"You were always there Lydia. The diamond, always shining just a little too bright for comfort."

She took a step closer. 

"But don't worry. I will make sure you never have anything good again. You only deserve the crumbs from my table."

Something inside me snapped and I started to reach for her with pure rage.

"Fuck you Nes..."

Her heels snagged on the rug and I watched in horror as her eyes nearly popped out of her head as she instantly stumbled backwards.

I hadn't meant to push so hard. 

I just wanted her away from me. 

I stood frozen as her body hit each of the steps with a sickening sound.

And it wasn't until she landed at the bottom in a crumpled heap that a scream escaped my throat.

LYDIA

It was rather whatever she handed down to me and later saw it to be better, she'd reclaim!

"I just took back the man you stole from me Lydia. That shouldn't be a problem."

She took a step back.

I saw red, lunging across the space to wipe the damned smirk from her face.

"I didn't steal him. It was fucking you who abandoned the wedding!" I screamed.

I was so close to getting her when Adrian caught my arm and pulled me back. 

His grip was firm like steel.

My breath came in ragged gasps as I stared up at him with angry eyes.

"Let go of me!" I yelled.

"That is enough Lydia," he barked with furrowed brows. "We are leaving."

I shook my head.

"No! No we will not! I still have so many things to say to this husband snatcher!" I was mouthing away.

He hissed and began to drag me out of the dining room, towards the front door.

"Leave me be!" I was shouting as I tried to wrench my arm free.

But he held onto me tight.

I leaned down and bit into his arm just as we arrived at the entrance.

He groaned, pushing me away and releasing me so suddenly. 

I stumbled backwards. 

"Fuck you!" He grunted.

"Fuck you too!" 

The retort seemed to have angered him.

"What did you expect, Lydia? You were never supposed to be my wife. That was always meant to be Vanessa."

I closed my eyes.

"Then why on earth didn't you just end everything back then?" 

I opened my eyes to look at him, hating the fact that my voice was shaking.

"Why didn't you just tell them no when they made you stick with me?"

"I tried."

The tears gathered fast at the corner of my eyes, threatening to fall down my cheeks.

"Lydia, the marriage certificate and the contracts had been signed. My grandfather insisted we honor the agreement." 

He turned away from me while running his hand-the one I bit-through his hair. 

"This will all be over," he began, his gaze returning to my face, "in four months."

I swallowed softly.

"Then I'll marry Vanessa."

My heart shattered.

The tears started to fall before I could stop them, my vision blurring rapidly.

"What about me?"

God, I was such a fool... why had I ever thought he'd grow to love me?

My voice was small, like that of a timid mouse.

"I will make sure you get a sizable alimony, one enough to allow you to disappear."

His hands came to rest on my shoulder.

"So Lydia, I am begging you, just be sensible until then. Please."

I hated the desperate look in his eyes.

None of this was my fault.

This situation.

It was all Vanessa's.

"Sensible?" 

I wanted to scream. 

"You want me to be sensible while you parade your pregnant mistress in front of me, gracing magazine front pages?"

He exhaled deeply.

"Lydia, there was never a time that I never promised you love. Yikes, I never even promised you respect."

"You knew what this marriage was from the beginning-just a business facade."

I made to speak but he beat me to it.

"And it's all your fault. It could have been me and Vanessa!"

I flinched slightly, always hating whenever he raised his voice at me.

"We could have had our happy ending if you hadn't meddled and drugged her!"

I shook my head, blinking my tears away.

"It wasn't me. I never drugged anyone!" I started. 

He just glared at me.

I continued, desperate to make him believe me no matter what.

I need him to see I wasn't the liar.

It was his beloved.

Vanessa.

"It really wasn't me. I tried to tell you what happened at the wedding. I tried to explain that I was forced by my..."

"Enough!" 

His voice was flat. 

"I don't care." 

My heart dropped to my duodenum.

"What you did at the wedding is in the past. This stupid marriage is almost over and nothing you say will change that."

He made to open the door... then hesitated.

A spark of hope lit in my chest because I thought he wanted to hear me out.

But he turned away from the door, from me and walked back to the dining room.

The realization that if had always been her sank in as he left me standing there.

I have had to abandon my life to step in for her shame only for her to decide she wanted this life and ruin mine!

Suddenly, a resolve I never had possessed me and I stormed after him.

I couldn't take it anymore.

Adrian had to know everything that happened that day, especially Vanessa's elopement with her lover.

I would expose that black lotus bitch.

But my legs stopped at the top of the stairs, my body freezing as the sound of their laughter drifted to me from the dining room. 

I knew they were celebrating the baby who would replace me completely.

It was enough to break down.

The sobs that raked through my body as I leaned against the war was pure agony.

I couldn't do anything else but cry for what I had never acquired and lost all the same.

Maybe I wasn't worth it.

The sound of footsteps behind me caused me to lift my head and I saw Vanessa.

She was standing at the top of the stairs with a smug expression on her face.

"You look upset," she said sweetly. "You should go home and rest."

"Why are you doing this?" 

My voice was barely a whisper. 

"What did I ever do to you?"

"You existed." 

I held back a fresh batch of tears, my fingers clenching into fists at my side.

"You were always there Lydia. The diamond, always shining just a little too bright for comfort."

She took a step closer. 

"But don't worry. I will make sure you never have anything good again. You only deserve the crumbs from my table."

Something inside me snapped and I started to reach for her with pure rage.

"Fuck you Nes..."

Her heels snagged on the rug and I watched in horror as her eyes nearly popped out of her head as she instantly stumbled backwards.

I hadn't meant to push so hard. 

I just wanted her away from me. 

I stood frozen as her body hit each of the steps with a sickening sound.

And it wasn't until she landed at the bottom in a crumpled heap that a scream escaped my throat.