LOGINThe hall was beautifully decorated, a shining chandelier illuminated the space with a warm glow. The guests seated at the table looked so elegant and composed.
William felt so overwhelmed and out of place. He held his third glass of wine tightly, his cheeks turning red. “Don't you think you've drunk enough for today?” a deep voice whispered in his ears, making him shiver. He slowly tilted his head to the left, he blinked. His brown deer-like eyes were drooping. Jacob took the glass from his hand, placed it on the table and stood up. “We better start going” he stretched out his hand to William. William stared at his hand, reached towards it, hesitated but placed his hands on his. His back felt hot, thanks to the stares trying to pierce through him like magnifying glass. Jacob took his hands in his, his hand was big and warm, leading him out of the hall. “Is it ok to leave like this?” William asked softly. “It's our reception. I can do whatever I like, I don't need to answer to anyone” Jacob answered, sounding steady and firm. William didn't speak a word till they reached the parking lot. During the drive home, he just sat in the car fiddling with his coat while Jacob was staring out the window. They remained like that till they reached Jacobs private estate. William immediately looked out the window. A huge white house stood tall and imposing, surrounded by white roses. Is this a house or a palace? The driver stopped in front of the house. Jacob got out of the car, climbing the stairs. I quickly trailed behind him. “Welcome sir.” the butler said, bowing down lightly and taking Jacob's jacket and his. “Congratulations on your wedding”. Jacob pulled down his tie and gently hummed his reply. “Thank you,” William said softly beside Jacob. His eyes darted from one place to another. The inside was much more sophisticated than outside. It exuded elegance, wealth and I mean a lot of money. Arts were hung in every corner, it radiated luxury. “Show him to his room,” Jacob said walking towards the little bar at the left corner of the room. “Right this way, sir.” the butler said, leading him upstairs. We walked across the corridor and stopped in front of a door. “This will be your room sir. And if you need anything, please feel free to ring the bell at the desk near the bed.” I quietly opened the door and walked into the room. “Bloody hell! Is this really a room?” He exclaimed, twirling around the room. “This someone's whole apartment” Our house can't be compared to this. The windows were covered in velvet curtains, a beautiful crafted desk was on the right near the window. The bed could hold three people comfortably. It looked so warm and cozy. Most importantly the blanket looked so thick. Looks like he won't be freezing in winter anymore. That's if he is still here then. He sighed as he sat on the bed, staring blankly at the door. Are we going to sleep together tonight, he thought. William was nervous, his heart thumping loudly. A thousand thoughts going through his mind. He might not come. But it's the wedding night. What if he comes in to take advantage of him. But he has the right, as his husband. No he doesn't. I never consented to this marriage. Who was the one standing at the altar then. “Enough, let's stop thinking about this” he said, jolting up on his feet. He walked towards the bathroom. The bathroom was twice the size of his room. He carefully took off his suit, and entered the bathtub and hummed. “That's it,” he felt his whole body relaxing. Standing in front of so many people is nerve wracking, he felt like an item in an auction where everyone was trying to find out his value. “So what is going to happen now” he whispered, sinking into the bathtub till the water was touching his lips, bubbles foaming on top. Knock. Knock “Coming!” he shouted as he quickly came out of the bathtub, wore the bathrobe hanging beside the door and left the bathroom. “Come in.” The butler came in, bowing lightly. “Dinner is ready sir.” William drying his hair with a towel. “I'm not hungry,” he said, sitting down on the bed. “You can go now …” “Matthew,” the butler said. “You can go now Matthew, thank you” “Very well,sir” Matthew said, shutting the door behind him. William climbed on top of the bed, sliding into the thick blanket, his head the only visible part of his body. “It's cozy,” he murmured, snuggling into the bed. “I will write in my will for me to be buried in this bed.” William, exhausted by all the activities he did today, drifted off to sleep. Unaware that his newly wedded husband was waiting for him in the dinning. ***** (The dining room at Jacob private estate) “Where is he?” Jacob said as soon as he sensed Matthew's presence. “He won't be joining you sir.” “Why?” “He said he isn't hungry and he sounded exhausted.” Jacob took the wine glass in front of him, his expression unreadable. He waved Matthew away with his hand without looking back. “Looks like I won't be having an awkward dinner tonight.” he calmly said, downing the glass of wine at once and left the dining table. The maids immediately came to clear up the table, the food was untouched. Jacob climbed up the stairs, and stared at the opposite room in front of him. His eyes were cold and emotionless. He took off his shirt, a dragon tattoo was etched on his back. The tattoo was very well detailed, it felt alive. He walked into the bathroom and stood in front of the running shower. His hands went to the raging junior between his legs, and he stroked it up and down. His pheromones were leaking out. “ Nng” he groaned through gritted teeth. Splurt. A white creamy liquid was slick on his palm. “It's not enough,” he said, his voice dark and raspy. His pupil flickered to gold for a second.Music blasted through the club, bass thick enough to vibrate through his teeth. Light swept across the room in shifting colors, blue, then purple, then red, catching on glasses and skin and the haze of pheromones that hung thick enough to taste. Bodies moved against each other on the floor, drinks passed hand to hand at the bar. Alex's gaze swept the room, slow and deliberate, until it found Courtney, sitting near the edge of the floor, a drink loose in her hand. And across from her, Liam. He had been to clubs like this more times than he could count. But every other time, he had come here for something …a distraction, a body, a few hours lost in bliss. Tonight was different. Tonight he wasn't here to have fun. He was here for Liam. Alex's mouth curved into a slow smile. He started toward them, weaving through the crowd, the bass swallowing the sound of his footsteps but not the intent on his face. "Courtney." He came to a stop in front of them. Courtney tilted her head up, sur
The Stones Mansion.The moment Mr. Adams' car drove off, Vivian was already moving. Her heels struck the marble floor in short, urgent clicks that echoed down the hall. She didn't bother knocking. The study door swung open under her hand."Honey," she said quietly. "what happened?"Wilson stood with his back to her, shoulders rigid, one hand braced against the edge of his desk like it owed him money."He knows." Wilson's voice was flat.Vivian crossed the room and stopped in front of him, searching his face. "Honey, what are you saying?"He still wouldn't look at her. His jaw worked once, twice, before he finally turned, and the look in his eyes made her breath catch. It was anger unlike the kind she had ever seen on him before."William." He said the name like it cost him an arm. "He knows everything about the money."Vivian went still. What? How did that bastard know? "But how!""That night. After the wedding." Wilson's hands curled into fists at his sides. "He was outside our room.
William walked through the corridor to the dining area, but no one was there. Where did Sir Jacob go? Then he heard a maid’s voice behind him. "Mr Adams is waiting in the car." Thank goodness. He wanted to get out of here. William stepped outside. Alex and Vivian were waiting at the corner, but he didn't look at them. Jacob was already seated in the car, engine running, eyes on his phone. William got in. The door had barely shut before the car pulled away. In the side mirror, Vivian turned and hurried back inside. Alex stayed a second longer, watching the car go, then followed her. "What took you so long?" "Nothing." William said quietly. Jacob turned to look at him. His eyes lingered on him for a second too long, he didn't believe it. But before he could press, he saw it, the redness along his chin. He reached over and gripped William's face, tilting it toward the light. The temperature in the car seemed to drop a degree. A strong pheromone crashed into William befor
Wilson stepped away, took a deep breath, and regained his composure. “I don't have time for this.” He sneered. “Alex told me he saw you with a black card.” He turned toward William. “Is that true?” “Yes.” “Did Mr. Adams give it to you?” Of course he did. Did he think it had fallen from heaven? William kept his face blank, though his fingers curled against his palm, nails digging into his skin. “Yes.” Wilson held his chin, studying William the way he might study a product he had misjudged. “ I never thought Sir Jacob could give that to you.”A glint flickered in his eyes. “You aren't that useless after all.” The words landed exactly where they were meant to. William had heard a variations of them in his whole life, and his stomach still folded in on itself like it always did. But this time it didn't suffocate him. He breathed through it slowly. “I want you to give me fifty million. It wouldn't be so hard to do. If Mr Adams could give you a black card, getting Fifty million
This dinner couldn't be more enjoyable for William. Every bite tasted better than the last, not because of the food, but because of the stiff, thorny expressions worn by the three people sitting across from him. William glanced at his dad, then Alex, then Vivian, taking his time over each face like he was reading a picture book. He picked up his glass, swirled it once, and took a loud, deliberate sip just to watch Wilson's jaw tighten at the sound of it. He had never been happier to be eating beside Sir Jacob. These three would finally know what it felt like to choke down a meal in Sir Jacob's presence. May you all have terrible indigestion, he thought, and reached for another bite. Jacob watched him from the corner of his eye, the faint, goofy satisfaction William wasn't bothering to hide, the way he chewed a little too slowly, savoring it. Jacob's mouth didn't move, but something gleamed behind his eyes, there and gone, like a match struck and blown out before it caught. H
The curtains stayed drawn. Alex hadn't opened them in days. He told himself it was the headache, but the truth was simpler, he couldn't stand watching the world move on without him, especially not with William moving on in it. He lay half-sprawled across the bed, black eyes fixed on nothing. Days of this. Cooped up like a fugitive in his own home. The thought made something tight and ugly curl in his chest. He’d nothing but time to imagine what he would do to William. Simple pain wouldn't be enough. He wanted something that would hollow him out, body and soul, until that infuriating, quiet mask of his shattered completely. Something that would erase the little confidence he had gotten. His jaw tightened. None of this was how it was supposed to go. The marriage was meant to be Williams punishment, a life sentence wrapped in a wedding ring. Instead, William was happy. Thriving. That was wrong. He bit down on his thumbnail until it stung. An unwelcome thought surfaced. Did Mr A
The ride home was very quiet. William couldn't speak, what Jacob suggested earlier kept playing in his head. The words were like a cold splash of water reminding him again of the type of man Jacob really is. Had he gotten a bit too comfortable and forgotten who the man he married is? He clenched h
Is that man crazy? How did he end up owing such an enormous amount of money? William suddenly slapped himself across the cheek. Yep, this was very much real. Something that wasn't cold flickered for a second in Jacob's gaze as he watched William's reaction. it was gone before it could be named.
The dining was awfully quiet.Then the sound of a spoon against a glass plate broke the silence. William couldn't wait for this dinner to end. He couldn't even enjoy the tasty food. “I heard from your father that you recently wrote the entrance college exam,” Jacob's grandmother said. “Yes” “
Six hands pinned William to the ground. He struggled, thrashing, twisting with everything he had. But there were too many of them and he was too weak, too small against their collective grip. The sound of tearing fabric cut through the silence of the mansion like something irreversible. Their nail







