DEAL WITH DESIRE

Chapter 1

ADELINE

"I have endured everything that has been thrown at me, including being entangled in this unsolicited marriage with you, yet for some reason, you are right here, coiled up in the arms of my sister. I only have one question - Do you feel like a man now?" I refuse to let tears run down my cheeks though my heart aches like it has been smashed into a thousand pieces.

"Adeline, you look adorable whilst feigning anger, but this is all too much and vain, so quit it." Annika flips her hair backward as she leans in closer into Stuart's arm to stress a point that I already knew too well.

Stuart never loved me, and neither did he want to be in this marriage with me. His heart had always belonged to my step-sister, so I do not understand why my heart is hurting seeing them in this entangled position a few days before my wedding-Our wedding.

"Oh, that's where you've got it wrong. I'm not feigning anger; neither am I angry, to be clear. It's a few days to the wedding so surely the both of you should be able to control the urges, unless you're trying to do me a favor by letting someone else see you like this."

"The wedding would be called off, and we both know that we don't want this wedding, so that would be of much benefit to the both of us." I forced a smile and straightened my back as they both stared at me in shock. I can't let them see my pain, that would be the last thing I do.

"You're very much aware, Adeline, that I and Stuart used to be a thing, and I guess that would explain why you're paranoid seeing the both of us together, but seriously, this isn't what you think." I raise a brow as I lift the corner of my lips in a scoff.

"Your wedding is in two days and the worst thing I can do is to have any involvement with your husband. Maybe I would later after the wedding but just not now." Annika states as she disengages from Stuart's arm taking a seat in the room casually.

What does she mean by it isn't what I think? How else can one explain seeing her husband and his ex-girlfriend, who is, in fact, my step-sister, together in a compromising position? When I say compromising situation, I mean on the same bed; arms wrapped around each other--you get what I mean.

"You have not a single right to say that it isn't what I think because you are not inside of my head and do not have any idea what's going on inside of it." I subconsciously take a step back, refusing to let them see my fear though I am terrified of the fact that Annika has just changed her sitting position for the third time. Right now, she was walking towards me with a coy smile etched on her face; how bleak is that?

I swallow nervously as Annika gets to where I am standing, much to my detriment, and the hairs at the back of my neck rise as she places her filthy hands on me.

"Adeline, you would be very much surprised at how much I know of what's going on inside of your head, but trust me, I need you to dismiss the thoughts." I am on the brink of tears, and my eyes itch to let the tears roll down, but I can't let it. Not in front of them.

"Oh please, don't play the good sister role. We both know that you're way far from that." I bite the insides of my tongue to stop myself from screaming out my frustration.

"You judge me." She simply smiled as she circled me slowly, my heart pounding in my chest and it felt like they could hear it from even a mile away.

"It confuses me; why can't you just admit to Dad that you love Stuart?" I question and curse inwardly when I let a tear slip. The question seems to have ruffled her feathers a bit due to the way her face goes rigid but I wanted her to answer the question.

I have repeated the question ever since I got to know that Annika and Stuart were sexually Involved but no one had deemed me worthy to receive an answer to that.

"You ask too many questions, Adeline," Annika muttered and my eyes widened in shock as I felt a sting on my neck. A burning sensation raging like a merciless inferno blazed from the exact spot where she had stabbed with -whatever it was- and darkness began to creep in.

***

The time I woke up, I was on the bed somewhere that didn't look like my room, nor was it a tad bit familiar. I try standing from the bed, but as I do, the room begins to swirl in my eyes, and my head begins aching.

I placed both hands on each side of my head as I tried to recall how I got here but the only thing that crossed my memory was a blur of hazy darkness. Trying to remember only causes my head to ache even more; the room is dark, and as I stare out the window, I realize this is either nighttime or dawn breaking.

Am I dead? Is this what the afterlife looks like? Or am I being held hostage?

I tiptoed out of the bed and groped around the wall. By the tiniest strand of luck, I found something that looked like a light switch and I quickly turned it on.

The room was illuminated and I took in a deep breath of relief before looking down on myself.

"Argh!!' A shrill and loud cry escapes my mouth as I gaze at the bed in terror. There was blood all over the sheets.

Hold on, there's also blood on me! I lifted the dress I was putting on slowly in horror and it confirmed the sore I was feeling between my legs.