Home / Romance / Stealing My Sister's Fiancee / LXX - Soft Light, Sharp Edges

Share

LXX - Soft Light, Sharp Edges

Author: Dianna Styles
last update Last Updated: 2025-04-12 23:08:19

PRESENT

The morning sun slipped gently through the thin curtains, painting the room with a soft golden hue. The light danced across the walls, like it was trying to wake me with careful hands.

My body felt heavy. Exhausted. My muscles protested when I tried to move, and not without reason—the night had lasted too long. Far too long. As if time itself had decided to stop when Aaric dragged me into a storm of his own making.

The blanket wrapped around us felt hot and thick. I could feel the warmth of his breath against the back of my neck, his strong arms coiled around my waist like chains, locking me into a hold that offered no room to retreat. Our bare skin still touched, undeniable proof of everything the night had left behind.

I inhaled slowly, trying to steady the rhythm of a heart that hadn’t quite calmed down. My neck ached, my hips throbbed with a dull pulse, and one side of my body was nearly numb from being held by Aaric the entire night.

Very slowly, I shifted the blanket an
Continue to read this book for free
Scan code to download App
Locked Chapter

Related chapters

  • Stealing My Sister's Fiancee   LXXI : You Knew, Didn’t You?

    I had no schedule today. For the first time in a week full of chaos, there were no production calls, no interviews, no fittings or scene rehearsals. Just an empty day… and a body far too tired to make use of it.So I decided to take a nap.The bedroom curtains were half drawn, letting in a soft light that warmed the room without being blinding. I lay down on the bed that hadn't been made since morning, my face sinking into a pillow that still held the faint scent of my shampoo, and my thoughts began to drift... slowly...Then came the sound. The door opening gently, its hinges creaking just enough to pull me out of my half-dream.That walk.I knew it. Steady, slow, and heavier than the air around me.Aaric.I didn’t open my eyes. Not yet. But I knew he was coming closer. The mattress shifted slightly under his weight as he sat at the edge of the bed. His breath was near, calm but filling the room.I kept pretending to be asleep, hoping he was just there to look... and leave. But of co

    Last Updated : 2025-04-13
  • Stealing My Sister's Fiancee   LXXII - We Looked Good in the Ruins

    Aaric didn’t say another word after that warning.He just closed the bedroom door and disappeared downstairs. Like a storm that comes without rain, just wind that steals the breath from your lungs. I stared at the door for a while, hoping he’d come back and say something, explain something—or even yell. Anything. But there was nothing. No footsteps returning.Only silence, and the hum of the AC making the room feel even emptier.I didn’t think I’d be able to sleep again.But it turned out my body was more exhausted than my mind. Or maybe it was the constant battle inside me that wore me out until I finally gave in to the soft mattress and the cold pillow.It was a little past nine in the morning when I let my eyes close completely.And I don’t know how many minutes or hours passed before I felt something else.Not a dream.Something real. Warm. Heavy. Wrapping around me from behind.That familiar scent of mint and soap.His arm curled around my waist, his strong fingers slowly slippin

    Last Updated : 2025-04-14
  • Stealing My Sister's Fiancee   LXXIII — Stay Still, Look Pretty, Don’t Die

    Aaric’s black car slid smoothly through the city streets, now coming alive with the glow of night. Through the window, the lights from towering buildings and luxurious billboards created the illusion of a glittering world—a world I never truly belonged to.I sat silently beside Aaric, fingers gripping my small clutch tightly, while the red silk dress hugging my body felt too revealing, too loud. My shoulders were bare, my skin almost glowing under the soft interior lights of the car. I looked like someone who knew her place—but truthfully, I had no idea what I was doing.“I feel like I’m walking into a slaughter,” I murmured under my breath.Aaric turned to me, a playful smirk tugging at the corner of his lips. “You look lethal tonight, Maya.”I scoffed and turned back to the window, but out of the corner of my eye, I could still see his gaze lingering on me. His eyes swept over my body unapologetically, like he’d carved me himself.“You’re not helping,” I muttered, feeling the heat r

    Last Updated : 2025-04-15
  • Stealing My Sister's Fiancee   LXXIV - Every Siren Sang Your Name

    My eyes swept across the room, but there was too much movement. Too many shadows. People were hiding behind chairs, tables, thick columns like the one I was behind. I started moving—crouching low, my knees nearly touching the ground—toward the wall closest to the exit.And then I heard it.“Maya!”His voice.I turned and saw Aaric across the room, half running toward me. His body was slightly hunched, one hand gripping a weapon, the other pushing aside anyone in his way. His black suit was a mess—covered in dust, wine, maybe blood—I couldn’t tell for sure.Someone blocked his path. Another armed man, a stranger’s face, clearly not one of Aaric’s people.They fought. Not just with guns. But fists. Wrestling. Punches. Aaric slammed a fist into the man’s jaw, then drove his elbow into his neck, knocking him to the ground.He came toward me. “This way!” he shouted.I rose from my hiding spot, my legs feeling like they didn’t belong to me. He grabbed me just as gunfire tore through the spo

    Last Updated : 2025-04-16
  • Stealing My Sister's Fiancee   LXXV - Better Than Cashmere

    The morning came slowly.Sunlight slipped through the gap in the curtains, brushing against my skin like warm fingers that weren’t quite ready to wake me up. The air in the room was still cold, but something kept me from moving.An arm around my waist. Heavy. Warm. Familiar.Aaric.Once again, he was holding me like I was the only thing keeping him from falling. Like my body was the anchor that kept him alive.I slowly opened my eyes and glanced at the digital clock on the nightstand. Almost seven. Still enough time before I had to get ready for the shoot. But my body didn’t want to move. Not yet.I thought I’d have trouble sleeping after last night—after the blood, the gunshots, and seeing the true face of Aaric’s world. But instead, I slept more soundly than I had in a long time.And that... was a problem.I took a deep breath and slowly peeled myself out of Aaric’s embrace. It wasn’t easy. He mumbled something in his sleep but didn’t wake up. His arm dropped onto the bed as I got u

    Last Updated : 2025-04-17
  • Stealing My Sister's Fiancee   LXXVI : You Look Better in Heartbreak Lighting

    After an hour-long break, I was back on set. My hair was still slightly damp from the setting spray Amira had used, and my skin felt a little sticky from the fake tears that had been washed off and reapplied. But inside me, Helena’s pulse was still lingering.The shooting space was different this time—brighter, more open. We were on the dining room set. The next scene showed Helena finally coming home after disappearing for a few days, trying to act “normal” even though her world had just fallen apart.Daniel was already in his seat, wearing a soft cream sweater, his hair tousled like he’d just rolled out of bed. He was reading the script, marking up a few lines with a pencil, occasionally scribbling notes on facial expressions.I sat across the table and grabbed the hot coffee waiting for me. As I took a sip, I stared at the set in front of us: a long wooden table, two tea cups, and a vase of slightly wilted flowers. The props were perfect—just understated enough. Like Helena’s relat

    Last Updated : 2025-04-18
  • Stealing My Sister's Fiancee   LXXVII — Too Close for Pretend

    The coastal night air greeted me as the front door clicked shut behind me. My shoes tapped wearily against the wooden floor, and a moment later, I saw him.Aaric.Standing on the second-floor balcony, leaning against the glass railing, his silhouette tall and still under the soft, dim glow of the outdoor lights.The ocean stretched out behind him. Dark and calm. A stark contrast to the chaos inside my head.He didn’t say anything.But he looked at me.That look... deep, unhurried, like he was trying to etch the image of me into his memory.For a second, I wanted to go to him. Ask how he was after nearly dying last night. Make sure he wasn’t carrying any invisible wounds.But I didn’t move.Because I knew: the moment I made room for emotion, none of this would be about the deal anymore.Our arrangement was clear. I came to him when my reputation was in ruins, and he—with all his power and toxic influence—offered help. A house. Protection. Career support. In return, I had to stay here.

    Last Updated : 2025-04-19
  • Stealing My Sister's Fiancee   LXXVIII —The Calm Before the Wreck

    Morning came without a sound.I sat at the edge of the bed, wearing a thin T-shirt and sleep shorts, while the early sunlight slipped quietly through the gap in the curtains, casting strange patterns on the wooden floor.My phone buzzed on the nightstand. The screen lit up: Mom.I let out a reflexive sigh. Answering a call from my mother wasn’t just a conversation—it was like walking into a job interview without knowing what position you were applying for.I hit the green button.“Maya.”Her voice was cold and firm as always—no hello, no small talk.“Morning, Mom.”“I spoke to Mellan last night.”I straightened up, suddenly feeling like a little girl caught breaking the house rules.“Yeah?” I answered cautiously.“We’re going sailing next week. The Blackwood family’s private yacht. Summer vacation. We leave Monday. I want you to come.”I froze. “I have a shoot next week.”“I checked your schedule. Nothing that can’t be moved,” she said quickly, like she’d already planned this far in a

    Last Updated : 2025-04-20

Latest chapter

  • Stealing My Sister's Fiancee   She Stood Anyway

    I didn’t know why I agreed. Maybe because I was too tired to say no, or maybe because Marcus said it so casually—like he was inviting me to watch the sunrise. Not like he was asking me to walk to the quieter part of the ship and watch a theater rehearsal up close.“We’ll just take a quick look,” he’d said, like fifteen minutes could erase all the tension from the dinner we’d just survived.The back deck of the ship felt like another world. No elegant dining tables here, no classical piano music, and most importantly—no Mellan and no Aaric. Just a small, semi-permanent stage with rows of stage lights hanging above like manmade stars. Around it, the crew and cast moved in rehearsal clothes—some in dance shoes, others in loose shorts and tight black tees.Marcus stood beside me, hands in his pockets, eyes fixed on the stage like a man who genuinely appreciated art. I, on the other hand, stood with my arms crossed, trying to calm the heartbeat that hadn’t settled since dinner.“You know w

  • Stealing My Sister's Fiancee   A Seat at the Table

    Dinner on the main deck started promptly at seven.They even sent out little invitations to our cabins, like this was a small wedding, not a family vacation wrapped in pretense.The dinner table stretched long across the deck, covered in crisp white linen with a centerpiece of white flowers and tall, slender candles. Each place had a cushioned chair and a small name card tucked neatly above the plate.The waitstaff looked like they were serving dinner to senators.I showed up five minutes late. Just enough to signal disinterest, but not long enough to start a scene.“Yes, Maya’s sitting next to Marcus,” my mom said as I arrived, her voice cheerful but her eyes already issuing a warning before I could say a word.Of course.Marcus stood and pulled out my chair, polite as always. “You look great,” he said quietly as I sat down. “Santorini colors suit you.”I gave him a small smile. “Thanks.”Across the table, Mellan was sitting with Aaric, showing him photos on her phone, laughing, chat

  • Stealing My Sister's Fiancee   The Weight I Wear

    The room was spacious. Dark wood panels lined the walls, streaked with shiny gold accents, and the floor was covered in thick cream-colored carpet—too soft for shoes to tread on. Sheer white linen curtains danced in the ocean breeze, revealing an endless blue beyond the private balcony.I should have been grateful to be here.But all my body wanted to do was collapse.Ever since we boarded the yacht this afternoon, I hadn’t had a single second to just sit still without someone approaching me—family, guests, or people Mom had invited solely because their last names carried weight.“Maya! I’m a huge fan of Helena!”“You still look as gorgeous as ever. Are you filming something new?”“Is it true you and Marcus are still friends? You two are just perfect together.”All of it with wide smiles. All of them with eyes waiting for a slip. A crack. A weakness.And me?I smiled. I nodded. I recited the answers I’d memorized. “Thank you. Yes, we’re still close. Filming starts again next month.”T

  • Stealing My Sister's Fiancee   I Packed a Smile and Left My Heart

    The sky looked freshly washed from the night before. The morning air was still cool, the sun hadn’t turned harsh yet, and the street outside Aaric’s house felt too peaceful for a day I knew would slowly tear me apart.A black SUV had been waiting in front of the gate since 8:10.I walked down with a small suitcase, lips glossed just enough, sunglasses covering half my face, and a professional smile I’d been practicing in the mirror all morning. The same smile I used to wear for the press when I was with Marcus. Now I wore it for my own family.The car door opened.My mom sat inside, dressed in an ivory blazer and an expensive scarf wrapped too perfectly around her neck. Her eyes scanned me quickly, then she gave a small nod. No compliments, no critique. That meant: “acceptable.”Next to her, Dad was busy on his phone as always, giving a half-nod without even looking up.And in the backseat—someone who made my breath catch for just a second.Mellan.Her face was glowing. Her long hair

  • Stealing My Sister's Fiancee   LXXVI : Half a Heart, Fully Sketched

    The house had gone still. Even the waves sounded farther away than usual, as if intentionally giving space to the worries stacking quietly in my chest.An open suitcase sat on the bed. Summer dresses folded neatly. A straw hat. Leather sandals. Two bikinis I chose not because I planned to swim, but because I thought—that's just how it’s supposed to look. That’s how a woman should show up on a vacation with her younger sister’s fiancé’s family.Tonight, I wasn’t Maya. I was just… a prop in someone else’s story.I opened the drawer on the right side of the wardrobe, looking for sunscreen or maybe a light t-shirt—anything to fold, just to keep my hands busy. But the drawer stuck. I tugged a little harder… and as it opened, something slipped out from underneath.A dark brown leather notebook. The corners worn. No label. No name.My heart started pounding.I stared at the thing for a few seconds. It felt like stealing. But this was… my room too, wasn’t it? At least, by our agreement.My fi

  • Stealing My Sister's Fiancee   LXXVIII —The Calm Before the Wreck

    Morning came without a sound.I sat at the edge of the bed, wearing a thin T-shirt and sleep shorts, while the early sunlight slipped quietly through the gap in the curtains, casting strange patterns on the wooden floor.My phone buzzed on the nightstand. The screen lit up: Mom.I let out a reflexive sigh. Answering a call from my mother wasn’t just a conversation—it was like walking into a job interview without knowing what position you were applying for.I hit the green button.“Maya.”Her voice was cold and firm as always—no hello, no small talk.“Morning, Mom.”“I spoke to Mellan last night.”I straightened up, suddenly feeling like a little girl caught breaking the house rules.“Yeah?” I answered cautiously.“We’re going sailing next week. The Blackwood family’s private yacht. Summer vacation. We leave Monday. I want you to come.”I froze. “I have a shoot next week.”“I checked your schedule. Nothing that can’t be moved,” she said quickly, like she’d already planned this far in a

  • Stealing My Sister's Fiancee   LXXVII — Too Close for Pretend

    The coastal night air greeted me as the front door clicked shut behind me. My shoes tapped wearily against the wooden floor, and a moment later, I saw him.Aaric.Standing on the second-floor balcony, leaning against the glass railing, his silhouette tall and still under the soft, dim glow of the outdoor lights.The ocean stretched out behind him. Dark and calm. A stark contrast to the chaos inside my head.He didn’t say anything.But he looked at me.That look... deep, unhurried, like he was trying to etch the image of me into his memory.For a second, I wanted to go to him. Ask how he was after nearly dying last night. Make sure he wasn’t carrying any invisible wounds.But I didn’t move.Because I knew: the moment I made room for emotion, none of this would be about the deal anymore.Our arrangement was clear. I came to him when my reputation was in ruins, and he—with all his power and toxic influence—offered help. A house. Protection. Career support. In return, I had to stay here.

  • Stealing My Sister's Fiancee   LXXVI : You Look Better in Heartbreak Lighting

    After an hour-long break, I was back on set. My hair was still slightly damp from the setting spray Amira had used, and my skin felt a little sticky from the fake tears that had been washed off and reapplied. But inside me, Helena’s pulse was still lingering.The shooting space was different this time—brighter, more open. We were on the dining room set. The next scene showed Helena finally coming home after disappearing for a few days, trying to act “normal” even though her world had just fallen apart.Daniel was already in his seat, wearing a soft cream sweater, his hair tousled like he’d just rolled out of bed. He was reading the script, marking up a few lines with a pencil, occasionally scribbling notes on facial expressions.I sat across the table and grabbed the hot coffee waiting for me. As I took a sip, I stared at the set in front of us: a long wooden table, two tea cups, and a vase of slightly wilted flowers. The props were perfect—just understated enough. Like Helena’s relat

  • Stealing My Sister's Fiancee   LXXV - Better Than Cashmere

    The morning came slowly.Sunlight slipped through the gap in the curtains, brushing against my skin like warm fingers that weren’t quite ready to wake me up. The air in the room was still cold, but something kept me from moving.An arm around my waist. Heavy. Warm. Familiar.Aaric.Once again, he was holding me like I was the only thing keeping him from falling. Like my body was the anchor that kept him alive.I slowly opened my eyes and glanced at the digital clock on the nightstand. Almost seven. Still enough time before I had to get ready for the shoot. But my body didn’t want to move. Not yet.I thought I’d have trouble sleeping after last night—after the blood, the gunshots, and seeing the true face of Aaric’s world. But instead, I slept more soundly than I had in a long time.And that... was a problem.I took a deep breath and slowly peeled myself out of Aaric’s embrace. It wasn’t easy. He mumbled something in his sleep but didn’t wake up. His arm dropped onto the bed as I got u

Explore and read good novels for free
Free access to a vast number of good novels on GoodNovel app. Download the books you like and read anywhere & anytime.
Read books for free on the app
SCAN CODE TO READ ON APP
DMCA.com Protection Status