"You must be angry, right?"
He whispered the words low in my ear, his breath warm against my skin. I didn't react, but he already knew. Of course he did. Anger burned in my chest. How could I not be furious?
Father had hidden something this massive from me. A debt that size, enough to destroy everything, and he never said a word.
I know I wouldn't have been any real help, I was just his spoiled daughter, living in a bubble he'd built for me, but at least... at least I could have been there.
I could have stayed by his side, watched him more closely, and stopped him from spiralling. I could have stopped him from taking his life.
If I'd known about this mess, maybe he wouldn't have felt so alone. But instead, he chose to confide in an outsider?
Yeah, Daniel helped him, paid off the debt, but still. Was I really not trustworthy enough? Did he not believe in me enough to share even a hint of the truth?
"I know what you might be thinking right now," Daniel murmured. "but you have to know, he cared about you. That's why he didn't want you worried. He wanted to protect you."
"Don't talk like you knew my father better than I did!" I snapped, my voice cracked with raw hurt. "Just because you helped him doesn't mean you were closer to him!"
The words barely left my mouth before his grip on my waist tightened, his fingers digging in hard, bruising, a sharp reminder of exactly who held the power here. Pain flared through my side.
"You really need to control your tongue when you speak to me, Eva."
He leaned in closer, lips brushing the shell of my ear as he continued in that dangerous tone.
"But if you're that anger for punishment, go ahead. Keep pushing. This time, your pleading won't work like it did this morning. Got it?"
I nodded quickly, chills racing down my spine. I'd forgotten. In the haze of grief and shock, I forgot that he wasn't in a good mood today.
Forgotten that the Daniel sitting beneath me wasn't the friendly, quiet boy from six years ago. This Daniel was cold. Bossy. Ruthless. A stranger wearing the face of someone I once knew.
I understood now, I had to obey. Just like I'd thought earlier: the only way forward was to play the perfect wife. Swallow the anger, fake smiles, and act compliant until his guard slips. Arguments would only make things messier.
A dull, sore ache throbbed in my waist, another reminder of this morning's activities. If I pushed him again, if I defied him outright, he'd claim me again without mercy. And every time he did, the line between resistance and surrender would blur a little more.
I couldn't let that happen. I had to limit the sex, limit how much of myself I gave him. Or else I'll submit completely in no time. First my body, then my mind. Then everything.
I stayed silent, breathing shallow, letting the anger simmer quietly beneath the surface. For now, I'll play along.
"That's good. Just like that."
He murmured the words approvingly, his fingers lazily playing with my hair, twirling a strand around his index finger before letting it slip free. Then, as if something occurred to him, he spoke again.
"Did you have breakfast?"
I nodded once, keeping my movements small and compliant. The second he saw the submissive gesture, a slow smirk curved his lips.
He leaned in, closing the distance until his mouth met mine. His fingers slid to the back of my head, holding me in place as the kiss deepened.
Does this man not know anything besides getting physical? It's... annoying how good it feels. Ugh!! I hate myself for melting into it every single time.
We finally broke apart. Our lips parted with a soft, wet sound. Our foreheads rested together, breaths mingling in the small space between us.
My crimson eyes locked onto his black ones, dark, intense, already clouded with fresh lust. He looked like he could devour me right there.
"Go fuck in the bedroom. It's not the place for that."
The sudden voice hit me like an electric shock. I jolted upright, scrambling off Daniel's lap so fast I nearly stumbled. My gaze snapped toward the stairs, following the sound.
There she stood her black sharp eyes, piercing, almost identical to Daniel's. Long brown hair cascading over her shoulders. Taller than me, with a confident, commanding presence that filled the room.
She wore a crisp white tailored suit, A tomboy? Nah, I remember her she used to be different.
"Diana."
Her name slipped out of my tongue.
Diana Volkov, Daniel's younger sister. If memory served, she used to be the quiet nerd type, always holed up in her room with books, barely speaking to me.
Back then, she acted as if I annoyed her just by existing, but I never took it personally. Since that was just her personality. So I never let it bother me.
But this woman in front of me? No trace of that bookish girl remained. The vibe she gave off was the same as Daniel's, like she'd been forged in the same fire over the last six years.
What the hell did these two do?
"Eva."
She said my name as she descended the last few steps and walked toward us, stopping right in front of me. Up close, she wasn't that much taller, just a few inches, but the way she carried herself made the difference feel massive.
Wait a second... Had she been in this mansion the whole time?
Ahhh. Embarrassment flooded me. If she's been here this morning... she might have heard everything.
My moans, the bed creaking, the way I broke and begged for nearly an hour, fuck!, I wanna jump deep inside the sea right now!
Please tell me the bedroom is soundproof ashhh!!
"Or perhaps," she added, her voice was cool and edged with dry amusement, "should I call you sister-in-law?"