SERENA

I need to cry to rein in my rage, but all I can do is get angrier with each passing second and imagine hurting and unaliving them over and over in my head.

I sighed for the umpteenth time this evening, and I'm on my tenth bottle.

The sun was already setting, and the bar was getting full, reminding me I've been here since morning.

Since I was broke, I'd taken my father's credit card instead. It's the least he could do since I'd be marrying the most notorious man in Los Angeles in two weeks just to preserve his life.

"Another bottle." I slurred out to the waiter opposite me.

He eyed me but gave me the bottle, nonetheless, giving me pity eyes as I drank myself to stupor.

It's ironic, isn't it? I lost my life two days ago, yet I'm in the most expensive bar, drinking my soul away.

It just feels like it keeps getting worse. In movies, the victim usually makes a comeback and gets her revenge instead, I'm being married away, and it feels like the most I'm going to get is..... nothing.

I dropped my head on the table tiredly. and the last thing I remembered was someone sitting down beside me, and from the cologne, it was a male.

I woke up with the worst hangover and ran to the toilet to vomit.

I washed my face after and stared at myself in the mirror, I looked like I've been run over by all the trials and tribulations of the world.

That was when my brain clicked.

Something was different.

I'm not in my room, and I'm stark naked.

Horror filled my features in an instant as I ran outside to the main room and found a man on the bed. His back was facing me, showing the spider tattoo he had on his neck.

I grabbed my clothes from the floor and wore them quickly, cussing under my breath. My brain was still foggy about what happened last night.

Casting a last glance at the man on the bed, I ran out quietly.

It was a one night thing and a very big mistake. No one can find out. If the media found out, it would only confirm their rumors.

That I'm a whore.

I can't make the same mistake twice, so I locked myself in my room and counted the days to my wedding.

It was finally the day of my wedding, I came out of my room feeling sick like I've been for the past three days.

The house was surprisingly silent.

When I got to the living room, I found two maids waiting with my wedding gown.

"Where is my father and Janet?" I asked, eyeing the maids.

"Waiting for you in the church." One of them answered.

I nodded, trying not to act surprised. They didn't even have the balls to stay with me.

A wave of dizziness hit me again, causing my steps to falter.

"I need a doctor." I told them.

"We were asked to prepare you for the wedding." The other answered.

"One of you can get me a doctor while the other helps me prepare. There's not much to do anyway." I replied.

One of them nodded and left.

With the help of the other maid, I freshened up, wore my wedding gown, and used a mandatory perfume, curtsy of my soon to be husband.

The doctor came in after I dressed up and took my blood after I explained my symptoms to her, promising to be back in the evening with the result.

I went outside and entered the car outside like an obedient girl as it drove me to my wedding, arriving at the church in no time.

I stood outside the double doors of the church, my heart beating fast against my chest.

It was just me alone this time, unlike the day I got married to George. Ava had been there for me.

Shaking away the thoughts of my best friend and my husband, I took a step forward, and the double doors opened.

Everyone was seated and staring at me.

The supposed Kane Wilder was standing at the altar, facing the priest, his back turned to me.

I kept my eyes down as I walked down the aisle.

I stopped at the altar and glanced up, ready to greet my soon to be husband with the fake smile plastered on my face.

I froze when I saw the tattoo on his neck. It was the same one on the man I had a one night stand with.

Then time stood still when he turned, revealing his face.

Memories of that night came rushing back in my head, his hands on my body and me matching his pace just as easily.

I shut my eyes tightly to block out the memories and opened them again.

His green eyes pierced into my mine, as if searching deep into my soul.

He was the most beautiful man I've ever seen, his six foot three body easily towered over my five foot five.

His cheeks were well defined, and his muscles threatened to rip out against his shirt.

This man here, the one I'm about to get married to, is the same man I had a one night stand with, and he is none other than my ex best friend's stepbrother. Kane.

How did I not know??

I should have checked the internet for information on him.

I glanced back at the audience, searching for.......

I found her in the crowd.

Ava was smiling back at me, confirming my nightmare.

If I was scared of Kane Wilder before because of what I've heard, now terror filled my bones.

I'd experience Kane's cruelty one time in the college, and that was the first and last time I saw him.

I shuddered at the memory.

How did my father get involved with Kane in the first place?

The rest of the cchurch wedding went by in a blur, we said our vows and moved to the reception.

It was like an out of body experience for me.

We were called to take our first picture as a married couple.

Kane stood beside me rigidly, and my cold body moved on its own, close to him to catch some of his warmth.

He leaned down and drawled in my ear in his deep husky voice, "You're mine now, Vita Mia."

Heat rushed to my cheeks, and I bit down my lower lip to swallow back a reply.

I focused on my father, he's the reason I'm doing this, so Kane wouldn't kill him.

Because if he said he would, then definitely, he would do it with no doubt.

I noticed the doctor moving around in the reception hall and excused myself from Kane.

Walking away fast before he had a chance to stop me.

Ava double crossed me halfway, a big smile on her face.

"So, I guess we are even now."

I scoffed in response, "Not even close."

She raised a perfectly arched eyebrow, "You have my brother now, so that's enough."

"Return my mother's house." I countered.

"Now that we are even. I'll give you a parting gift, " She continued as if I didn't just make a demand, "Do you know why my brother's previous wives died?"

I narrowed my eyes at her, not giving her the reaction she expected even though I was curious.

"They were pregnant." She continued, " They died because they were pregnant for him. Kane hates children, he hates having one, so if you know better, you'd have your wombs removed. Don't ever think of having children."

I searched her eyes for signs that she was joking and found none.

She was not. She was saying the truth.

She walked away before I had a chance to recover from the shock and clung to my ex-husband, turning to smirk at me.

I shouldn't trust her words, I have no reason to believe her, but who knew him better than his sister?

Dread pooled at the bottom of my stomach, not like I planned on carrying his baby, but what if a mistake happened somewhere in the future?

I went in search of the doctor to clear my head and found her by the balcony.

She turned to me with a big smile, "Your test result is back."

I was too tired to return her smile, but I felt her excitement.

"I'm okay?" I asked, collecting my test result.

"Yes." She grinned, "Both of you are."

I frowned, "Both of us?"

"You're pregnant, Serena."

All the air left my lungs, and I collapsed to the floor.

Now, my life is basically ruined.

There would be nothing to go back to.

I glanced back at the reception hall, Kane's eyes were on me.

"Are you okay?" The doctor's panicked voice pierced through my ears.

"I need to go to the bathroom," I said to the doctor and left the reception hall without looking back.

I can't die, not yet.