CHAPTER 5

Aleen's POV::

"Yes. I went crazy. I couldn't resist him. I swear. I don't know what came over me, Charlie. It was insanely intense. You know how I feel about him. How badly I have been fantasizing about him. I told you I caught him jerking off and he called me name. This was a long time coming." I breathe the words. They are the truth.

I knew what I was doing in the moment and yet I couldn't stop. Even now, the guilt still hasn't hit. It makes me wonder what kind of a person I am in general. Christine, my mother and I don't have the best relationship but we get along. When we are apart from eachother. We can never stay in the same house together for too long. But all that is no excuse. It really isn't. I just fucked my stepfather and I enjoyed it. I don't feel any remorse yet.

"Am I a bad person?" I ask Charlie, she is still staring at me like she can't recognise me. I know she is not judging me. She is just actually very surprised I went ahead and did what I had been fantasizing about.

"You are not a bad person, Aleen. I have met Stephane, I understand. But you are absolutely crazy! Fucking him up here when your whole family is downstairs! That is bold of you! I didn't know you had that in you. Wow!" Charlie squeals in my face. Okay, she is really surprised. All this theatrics is not really typical of her.

"I know! It was crazy. Oh my God!" I say, feeling safe that she didn't judge me. I have spent years telling her my craziest fantasies about Stephane, and working up the courage to do anything about the fatal attraction I felt for him.

"So what was it like? Was he really as big as you imagined? Was it as good?" Charlie's eyes sparkle mischievously at me.

I blush even deeper as I nod. It was better than I imagined. It was great.

"Aleen!"

We both stiffen. It is Christine's voice at the door. My mother. Charlie's eye go wide at me, I am sure mine is doing the same thing.

"Aleen! Are you in there?" She asks from the door. There is no way to tell if she had been hearing all we had been saying.

The door clicks and I know she is going to look in here, see me looking like this and narrow her sharp blue eyes at me, suspicions and rebukes floating out of her. We look nothing alike. We act nothing alike. It is where all our differences stem from. How different we were. I looked like my dad. Down to my hair and eye colour. Emerald green eyes and blonde hair. Opposite Christine's blue eyes and auburn hair.

"Yes. I am in here!" I yell just before the door opens and she peers in.

"Oh, you are here too." She smiles at Christine who is swallowing hard.

"What are you girls doing in here?" She narrows her eyes at us. Immediately. As expected. My stomach tightens with all the nerves seizing my breath.

"Charlie's period came." I speak up, pointing at her, she widens her eyes at me and then turns to my mother, she nods.

Christine stares at us both for a second before turning around. Gesturing for us to follow her.

"Do you need an aspirin?" She asks without turning around.

I jab Christine to reply and she coughs.

"No. I am fine." She says, she doesn't sound convincing. My mother is too busy climbing down the spiralling staircase to notice.

"You girls have missed most of the party. Don't get out of my sight again. I mean it." She narrows her eyes pointedly at me. I resist the urge to stick my tongue out at her like an insolent child but her commanding tone doesn't sit right with me.

She turns and walks straight to Stephane's waiting arms. I feel my blood stop roaring in my ears when his dark stormy eyes meet mine across the room. My stomach heaves as I watch my mother smile when he leans down to whisper something in her ears. She takes his hand and they go to the dance floor with all the couples slow dancing to soft music.

"Is that... isn't that Stephane dancing with your mother?" Charlie whispers to me. When I don't reply, she turns to look at me and see that my gaze is locked on Stephane's from across the room. I want to look away but I don't. Actually, I can't. He holds me spellbound, as he sways to the music, my mother in his arms. I feel a strong sense of disgust and anger so intense that I look away. Only for a second. My eyes rove the large living room with all the guests and I pick out a young average looking guy.

"Oh no. Don't do it, Aleen." She follows my gaze and can read my face. She knows exactly what I want to do. And she also knows what I would do it. Nothing would stop me.

I walk up to the guy, quickly adjusting my hair and dress as I reach him.

"Hey." I smile as he turns around to look at me in surprise.

"Hi." He replies with a smile, confidently. He is well dressed and we should be age mates or so.

"Would you mind dancing?" I ask him, I would never have been this bold if I wasn't focused on revenge. As stupid and crazy as that sounds. I don't care. When it comes to my stepfather, I become reckless and dangerous. Just as how likes me. So, I will give him a show.

"I would love to dance with you." He says, he quickly drops his glass of champagne on a passing tray being chaffeured around by the waiters.

"Great." I smile widely, offering him my hand.

I pull him to the centre of the dance floor, directly opposite Stephane and my mother. I let this stranger whose name I didn't even know yet hold me close and we sway to the music. All the while pretending not to notice Stephane's dark eyes boring coldly into my bared back.