SELENAI slowly opened my eyes, feeling a bit disoriented looking around my room as I realized I wasn't alone in my room. Aiden was standing by my window, dressed in his pajamas and staring at me with a blank expression. A jolt of fear ran up my spine as I wondered how long he had been there, watching me sleep."What are you doing here?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper, as I rubbed the sleep off my eyes.He didn't answer right away, instead continued to stare at me intently. I felt my heart rate pick up, unsure of what to make of his strange behavior."The maids said you didn't eat while I was away yesterday," he finally said, his words slow and measured.I sat up in bed, pulling the covers up to my chest as I studied him. I could not shake the feeling that something was off about him today."How long have you been here?" I asked, my voice tinged with a hint of panic."A while," he said with a shrug. My stomach dropped as I realized he had been watching me for some time. I
SELENAI couldn't believe Aiden's audacity when he asked if I had a boyfriend or an ex. His question infuriated me. Did he think it was possible to have a boyfriend while being locked up in here in his house?If I had a boyfriend, I was sure I would have gotten dumped the moment he noticed my absence for close to a month. In a sarcastic tone, I answered, "Oh sure, Aiden. I have a crazy ex-boyfriend who I just can't seem to shake off. He's handcuffed to my closet door as we speak." I added a scoff for good measure.Aiden chuckled at my response, which only fueled my frustration. Didn't he see that his question was inappropriate and uncalled for? I wasn't going to take his mindless interrogation sitting down."It's not like any of that matters when you have me locked up in here.""Well if you did, killing will be the only solution.""What?" I snapped, folding my arms across my chest as he looked at me, I could feel my heart racing and my palms sweating. I started to become even more a
AIDEN"She just needs to eat, she will be fine," the doctor said checking his wristwatch and then her pulse. My heart had skipped a beat when I saw her face darken as she got up from my lap, I had watched men die before my eyes but the sight of Selena like that terrified me and I wasn't sure I wanted to witness that moment again even though it had occurred within a split second."Do you have any medication to induce eating?" I asked the doctor. If she wasn't planning on eating my food, I might as well make her want to eat it. I didn't understand her stubbornness and desire to cause harm to herself by starving.I thought bringing her sister would make her more cooperative but it seemed it only made her more stubborn, I was sure this little incident would be an eye-opener for her to eat and take care of herself."I do, is she having difficulty eating?""Yes, preferably something strong," I said as the doctor nodded his head slightly to me understanding what I meant, he reached into his
SELENAIf there was anything I felt as Aiden fed me the bowl of ice cream down to the last scoop, it was nothing but embarrassment, I still couldn't believe that I had blacked out in front of him and even the thought of being in an unconscious state terrified me.What if I had died?As we sat quietly, I couldn't even bring myself to imagine my death in his arms. How would my mother have felt at the news of her first daughter dying? How would she have coped without me by her side? The thought of it broke my heart. I had thought starving myself and being defiant would make Aiden let me go and replace me as soon as possible but it seemed my plan had backfired. I was the one who was likely to die from the plan and I was sure when my mother and sister would be mourning me, Aiden would have already moved on to find someone to replace me as his fake wife.He had even concluded that I was unfit for the event, it was obvious I was of no importance to him and any mistake from me would lead to
SELENA"Denver?"He looked just as handsome as he did in high school - maybe even more so now. I suddenly felt shy and nervous but tried to keep my cool. "Ma, this is your dance instructor, Mr Denver Reese," Sofia quickly introduced us but I could tell she knew she didn't need to. I smiled, feeling a bit embarrassed.It was a strange feeling to see Denver again after all this while. I had always admired him from afar during high school but never had the courage to approach him. Now, he was going to be my dance instructor and I wondered how I was going to cope."I should have known it was you Selena when Mr Frazier mentioned to me that I would be teaching a young beautiful lady," Denver smiled but I knew he was lying. Aiden would never say such, and much less describe me that way to someone."I can't believe you actually took dancing seriously," I smiled at him. I remembered how much he loved to dance back in high school and even had a dance group."I now have a studio in town, you c
AIDENI was in my library when I was informed the dance instructor had arrived, I informed Sofia immediately to inform Selena but minutes later when I was done with my paperwork and decided to check the living room cam on my laptop, I found them in an awkward position.It was like they knew each other before and the way she smiled at him, angered me. She had never looked at me that way before, I didn't know when I got on my feet and headed straight to the living room to end the dance class immediately. The dance instructor was surprised by my presence when I finally entered the living room and placed my hand on Selena's waist but he was more stunned when I introduced her as my wife. "I am so sorry Sir," he apologized bowing his head and keeping his distance from Selena immediately. "I wasn't aware, your men had failed to mention it to me.""And where do you know my WIFE, Mr Reese?" I asked.I knew that look he had shown to Selena when I was watching them on my laptop, it was a look
AIDENMy heartbeat skipped at the sight of her.I had seen her in countless outfits before, but nothing could have prepared me for the sight before me. As she slowly descended, the intricate lace details of her corset gown shimmering in the light, I couldn't help but stare in awe.Every step she took was like a dream, and I could feel my heart beating faster with each one. The way the fabric hugged her curves in all the right places, and the way her hair cascaded down her back in loose waves - it was all too much for me to handle.I knew at that moment that I was staring at the most beautiful creature I had ever laid my eyes on. I was completely mesmerized by her presence, and my mind went blank as I tried to process my thoughts.As she finally reached the bottom of the stairs, she looked up and locked eyes with me. I felt my breath catch in my throat as she gave me a look of disdain but I barely noticed. Her makeup was flawless and perfectly accentuated her already stunning features
SELENAAs I stepped out of the car and looked up at the event venue, I was completely captivated by the stunning exterior decoration of the building. Every inch of it was covered in sparkling lights and colorful flowers that seemed to glow in the evening light. The walkway leading up to the entrance was lined with elegant lanterns and the sound of live music filled the air.Aiden offered me his hand, and I took it walking beside him. I looked around and I couldn't help but be impressed by the sight of all the men and women dressed in stunning formal wear. They all looked so elegant and refined like they had stepped right off the pages of a fashion magazine. I felt slightly intimidated by their poise and grace, but at the same time, I was excited to be a part of such a grand event.As we walked inside, I marveled at the opulent decor, from the beautifully crafted floral arrangements to the sparkling chandeliers that hung from the ceiling. The atmosphere was electric, and I couldn't he
~ TWO YEAR LATER ~ As the sun peeked through the stained glass windows of the quaint church, casting a warm glow on the pews and aisle, an air of excitement and anticipation filled the atmosphere. Today was a special day for Axel and Claire, as they were about to embark on a journey of love and commitment in front of family and friends. The delicate scent of flowers wafted through the air, adorning every corner of the church with their vibrant colors. The essence of love was palpable, adding an extra layer of magic to the already enchanting ambiance. Soft music played gently in the background, setting the perfect mood for the upcoming union. As the guests started to fill the pews, their eyes filled with joy and enthusiasm at the sight of loved ones coming together to celebrate the union of Axel and Claire. Aiden, Selena, and their son, Alex, and daughter Brianna alongside Astrid and her boyfriend Tom sat on one side, beaming with pride and excitement. Guests were the extended f
"Her water just broke," Aiden announced. They all got on their feet, Claire and Astrid rushed to her side helping her stand up as they could see the pain etched on her face, while the men ran to get the car ready. It didn't take long when they arrived at the hospital and she was taken to the theater in excruciating pain, Aiden remained outside the reception with Claire, Astrid, Axel, and Tom before the doctor informed him that he could join his wife."Everything is going to be alright," Aiden reassured her when he entered the ward to find her lying on the bed, her hand extended for him to come hold her. "It hurts so bad," Selena cried out. "Sorry," Aiden replied holding her hand in his firmly and planting a kiss on her forehead. He didn't know how else to comfort her, he could see the pain in her eyes and could only hope the delivery would happen sooner.After hours of labor pain, Aiden holding her hand and trying to soothe her pain with reassuring words, delivery began.Aiden had
"You are serious?" Claire asked just to be sure Axel wasn't joking around.He barely nodded his head to sign yes when she pulled him in for a hug, of course, she was going to move in with him and travel to another country if that was what he wanted.Everything seemed to be moving too fast when it came to how they felt for each other but for the first time in many years, she felt loved. She didn't feel like she was forcing herself on Axel like she had forced Luke to love her.Axel loved her and she could see it."I am happy for you guys," Astrid squeaked with joy, it had been a while since she last saw Axel looking at a woman the way he looked at Claire. It was like she and Selena weren't even in the room."By the way, there is something I was going to tell you, Axel, I hope I am not ruining the mood," Selena said. "I already told Claire and Astrid yesterday that -""Selena is pregnant," Astrid took the word right out of her mouth. "Are you sure you are not the one who is pregnant?" C
"Yeah, as friends. I think that would be better for both of us at the moment, I feel there are still a lot of things we don't know about each other and-""Are you joking?" Claire's eyes widened as she adjusted herself on the bed again, her face etched with confusion at Axel's words as her eyes darted from him to his hands on hers."Hey!" Axel placed his hand on her chin raising her head so he could see her face, was she crying? "Claire? I was joking," he laughed out. "I didn't find it funny," Claire smacked his hand off her chin. Axel chuckled at her reaction, "I am sorry, didn't know you were a crybaby.""What? I am not," Claire protested looking away from him. How could he tease her like that? It wasn't her fault that she had thought he was being serious about them being 'just friends' when she was attracted to him. "You look cute when you lie," Axel smirked, he placed his hand on her chin tilting her head gently to face him as he kissed her on the lips. "I will have them bring s
“Where the hell is she?” Axel yelled grabbing him by the collar, he didn’t want to believe that Claire was dead, the time period was too short for them to kill her and her clothes had no sign of blood stain when he pulled it out from the boot. “Let me off and I will tell you, lover boy,” Vincent laughed. Aiden reached for his phone immediately in his pocket, dialing one of the bodyguards who was back at Emily’s house, “Check around the house, she has to be hidden somewhere,” Aiden ordered on the first ring. “We found her boss. Was about to call you, she is unconscious,” the bodyguard replied. “Alright,” Aiden said disconnecting the call and staring at Axel who was holding back on punching Vincent in the face. “She is alright, we might just need to get her to the hospital, quickly.” “You should have stayed in jail,” Axel said to Vincent punching him in the face as Aiden held him by the waist pulling him back. “Let me go Aiden, we need to end him right now so he doesn’t come back t
“Claire,” Axel called out staring at Vincent on the laptop, his hand forming into a fist as he caused under his breath. He hadn’t anticipated seeing Vincent, wasn’t he supposed to be in jail awaiting his death sentence? This was the reason he had been against Claire going to see Emily, he reached for the door ready to hop out as Aiden grabbed him by the wrist.“Our men are already circling the building, he can’t get away with it,” Aiden said.“You want me to sit here and allow Vincent to kill her?” Axel asked shoving Aiden’s hand away, he stared at Selena and Astrid who were in disbelief at the sight of Vincent, he opened the van door and hopped out running down the street to Emily’s house.Axel ran down the street as quickly as his legs could take him, he couldn’t believe that Vincent had escaped from jail and worse Emily was working for him, what was she bound to gain from Vincent? That douchebag! He should have shot him dead a long time ago instead of hoping that the system would
THE NEXT MORNING, Aiden briefed everyone on the plan again in the van a street away from Emily's house, "If you feel uncomfortable at any moment, you just think of an excuse and leave," Aiden reminded Claire."Sure," Claire nodded. Axel walked up to her helping her put on the camera properly over her shirt button, the camera design looked like a button from afar, "this is a recording device," Axel said, placing a pen into the pocket of her shirt. "Axel, can we talk about…" Claire spoke in a low tone. She had been trying to speak to him all morning but he seemed to be avoiding the question, she didn't know why he would just listen to her so she could explain everything to him. "After," Axel cut her off. "Do you have your earbuds on?" He asked instead. "Yeah I do," she nodded, tucking her hair behind her ear so he could see it. "I was going to tell you, believe me," Claire whispered in a low voice. "What part of after don't you understand?"She bit the bottom of her lips, sad by hi
"I was just joking," Claire brushed it off at the puzzled look on Axel's face, she didn't know why she had blurted something out like that to him. Never in a million years had she asked any man that question, she smiled trying to make him see that she was bluffing."Yes.""What?" She gasped. "You… you will be my boyfriend?""Isn't that what you want? Yes, I will," Axel nodded, kissing her on the lips as her eyes widened in shock, unable to comprehend that Axel just agreed without any hint of hesitation in his voice.She watched him get out of bed and into the bathroom as she scratched the back of her head, playing back what had just happened in her head. She was about to get out of bed when the door opened with Astrid entering, she dashed out back at the sight of Claire lying naked on the bed."I am so sorry, please I didn't mean to badge in, I am so sorry," Astrid apologized. "Shit," Claire cursed, she could have sworn she used the key when locking the door or was it Axel who locked
"Don't start what you can't finish," Claire whispered. "What?" Axel chuckled. "Don't look at me like that, you just end up stealing kisses when you want to and I think that should stop," Claire said standing up but she soon came crashing into the bed as Axel grabbed her by her wrist. He grabbed her by the waist shoving her on the bed as he hovered over her, "What naughty ideas have you been thinking while I was away?" He asked with a smirk on his face. "Don't flatter yourself, mister.""So, you didn't think about my lips on yours while I was away?" Axel teased. Claire stared at him trying not to give him the benefit of the doubt but her face was suddenly turning red and she could tell from the smile on his face, darn her face.Maybe she had thought about him and she didn't know why exactly, it wasn't like Axel was laying claim on her but he had kissed her like he was, she didn't want to assume his feelings for her, it was best to stop him from kissing her any chance he got but now