Married To My Fiancè's Stepbrother

3.

RAPHAEL'S POV

“Are they already on the way?" I ask immediately, wasting no time as I press the phone against my ear, barely letting it ring.

“Yes, they've left the venue.”

Good.

"Are they being followed?”

My attention starts to drift from whatever the hell he's saying to the screeching of the black SUV as it comes to a halt in front of the warehouse I'm in.

A satisfied smirk curls on my lips as I quickly move away from the window and head for the chair in the middle of the room.

“—but I did make sure to tell them—”

"Never mind,” I say, cutting him off. "They're here. I'll call you when I need anything.”

"Y-yes, sir,” he stammers in response, causing me to frown. His timidity always has a way of getting on my nerves.

When will he ever learn that he can't get anywhere in life by being weak?

I still can't believe she actually fell for him.

“And for a job well done," I add as I spin the chair slowly, turning it until its back faces the table. “You can take some time off until you're ready to get back to work.”

"Oh, thank you so much—”

The sound of Kylie's heels clicking against the floor reaches my ears. I quickly hang up the phone, taking my seat just as the door to the warehouse swings open.

A small smirk tugs at my lips as I expect her to start yelling out her boyfriend's name—calling for him as she thinks they'll finally be able to run away and live happily ever after together.

But she doesn't.

Instead, she stays silent—as if she already knows something's wrong.

I guess she's not entirely dumb, after all.

“Y'know, aside from being annoying, you're also a sneaky little kitty,” I sigh, throwing my head back against the chair.

The click of her heels echoes in the room and I can tell she's coming towards me.

“Tyler?" she finally whispers.

Ah, there it is—that broken plea in her voice as she desperately hopes everything is still going to plan, and her knight in shining armor is just messing around with her.

It's about time someone dragged her out of that little fantasy world she's been prancing about for years, now.

Such a shame the burden has to fall on me.

“Hello, kitten," I say, a mocking smirk plastered on my face as I rotate in my chair to face her. "It's been quite a while.”

The bewildered look on her face as our eyes finally meet is priceless. I almost break into a fit of laughter, but I do my best to contain it.

“Ralph? What… what are you doing here?” she spits, her eyes narrowing at me as I rise from my seat.

“I could ask you the same question,” I say, giving a small shrug. “Shouldn't you be getting married right now?"

My steps are slow and measured as I walk toward her, catching the way she fidgets with her wedding dress — the same overpriced gown she picked out to say ‘I do’ to my stepbrother.

I have to give it to him, he really did a good job hiding the wedding and the real reason behind it.

Unfortunately for him, it just wasn't good enough.

“That's none of your damn business," she hisses.

"Oh, but it is,” I retort. “Considering how my future sister-in-law just walked into my warehouse when she should be locking lips with my brother at the altar right about now."

"Your warehouse?" Kylie asks, confusion lacing her voice as she c***s her head.

“Mm-hm.” I nod.

A light scoff escapes her. “This has to be a mistake,” she mutters as she turns on her heel to leave.

A small smirk tugs at my lips as I bury my hands in my pockets and watch her retreating figure.

She's still the same naive little kitten.

When she's just a short distance from the door—not that my bodyguards are going to let her through—I decide to get down to business.

“Tyler sends his apologies."

She freezes. That gets her attention.

“He had some urgent work to do, so he couldn't—"

“How do you know who Tyler is?" she asks, slowly turning back to face me.

The subtle heave of her chest is impossible to ignore, along with the faint gloss in her eyes.

This is just too easy.

“Tyler's my P.A.," I say, tired of keeping the cat in the bag. "He works for me.”

I watch her reactions closely, just for the show.

First comes the classic confusion—her brows knit together, lips parting slightly like she's about to say something to debunk what I said, but just can't find the words.

Then the shock hits, draining all the pink from her face.

And finally, the disbelief — that desperate, unblinking stare as she keeps her eyes locked on mine, hoping I'll burst into a fit of laughter and say, “Just kidding!"

Spoiler alert: I don't.

And I'm enjoying every damn second of it.

“That's… that's a lie,” she stammers, finally finding her voice. “I don't know how you know Tyler, but he doesn't work for you. Tyler works at—"

My eyes don't leave her face — not even for a millisecond — because I want to see the exact moment the cold and bitter truth slaps her hard.

So go on, kitten.

Say it.

Tell me where your precious boyfriend works.

“Tyler works at…," she trails off, wracking her brain for an answer she can never provide.

Luckily for her, time isn't really on my side today, so I can't exactly sit back and enjoy her little act of tomfoolery the way I'd like to.

“What kind of lady doesn't know where her boyfriend works? Or what he does for a living?” I ask mockingly, a few chuckles escaping.

I can barely contain it anymore.

"You must be the dumbest girlfriend alive."

Kylie's still frozen in place, staring into space as the dots slowly start to connect.

“Let me clear up your confusion,” I start, fishing my phone out of my pocket for a quick glance.

11:43 AM. Time to wrap this up.

“Tyler's my personal assistant. And since I haven't been in the country, I needed someone reliable to keep me updated on things back here… and to help take down our biggest competition.”

I pause, letting it sink in. “Which, unfortunately for you, happens to be your family.”

Her gaze finally shifts to mine and the fire in her eyes is hard to miss. “You’re lying,” she spits. “Tyler would never—”

I throw my head back and let out a laugh, a loud and mocking one. The kind that brings actual tears to my eyes!

“Never? Kylie, kitten, come on. He already did,” I manage to breathe out as I regain my composure. “I thought you were better than this. You still don’t get it? Tyler doesn’t love you. He never did. He only loves the fat paycheck I give him.”

“Alright, let me spell it out for you: I sent Tyler to get close to you because you’re the weak link in your family. Everything you ever told him—about your father’s company, his business deals and your suddenly arranged marriage to Gianni—was passed on to me. So, it’s really thanks to you that Prescott Corp is bleeding out while Grifone Energy is soaring.”

Her lips part, but no sound comes out, making the grin on my face widen. “How do you think we landed that billion-dollar contract last quarter? Hm? The one that was practically gift-wrapped for the Prescotts, and yet it was awarded to us even though we never vied for it.”

I catch the way her eyes widen, a glassy sheen of tears coating her gaze as the weight of the truth crashes down on her all at once.

But I’m far from being done with her.

“Tell me, what did your father say was the reason you’re marrying Gianni?”

Kylie’s throat bobs and she sniffles—a small, barely audible sound that she tries, but fails, to hide. And suddenly, I find myself feeling something strange for her.

Pity, perhaps?

No, that can’t be right.

When she doesn't give me a response, I let out a tired sigh. “Did he say it's for a business merger?"

Kylie still doesn't respond, and her silence tells me all I need to know.

“Of course, he did,” I scoff, shaking my head in irritation. “I guess he never had the courage to tell you how much debt he was drowning in.”

“What?” she finally breathes, her voice tinged with disbelief and pure shock.

I stare at her for a moment, strangely contemplating how I should tell her, before proceeding. “Your father has been begging at our door for a couple of months now, Kylie. He owes us more than he can ever crawl out of, and when he couldn’t pay… he agreed to the condition my brother offered him — your hand in marriage.”

A tense beat of silence stretches between us before she breaks it.

“So what you're trying to say is that…” she pauses, dropping her gaze to the floor as tears visibly start to pool in her eyes. “My father traded me like cattle.”

I don’t reply.

When the silence between us lingers for another awkward moment, she finally decides to break the ice. “And why does Gianni want my hand in marriage?”

A sigh escapes my lips at that question and I start to pace a slow circle around her, watching the way her shoulders tense. “Our father’s on his last legs. He’s retired, weak, and confined to a wheelchair. But, the old man wants one of us to settle down first before passing the reigns. So, he set a condition—whichever one of us gets married first will inherit 70% of his empire. Gianni saw his chance. Your father owed us, my brother needed a bride, and that’s where you came in.”

“But I wasn’t in the country when he made that announcement, so my dear brother made it his mission to keep it hidden from me. But thanks to you-know-who,” I pause, studying her reaction. “I was able to find out about it.”

I come to a halt right in front of her, towering over her small figure as we share hard looks. “And now? You kidnapped me so I wouldn’t get married to Gianni?”

“Well…” I trail off, throwing a quick glance out the window. “For the most part, yes, but—”

Her cackle of laughter cuts me off and I narrow my eyes at her. “Don’t tell me you think I’ll marry you instead!” she exclaims, still laughing her goofy ass off. “I’d rather die!”

‘Finally,’ I think to myself as a smirk curves onto my lips . ‘It’s time to end this.’

“Six months,” I say, motioning for one of the guards to bring the document. As soon as he hands it over to me, I hold it out for her to see. “Sign this contract and be my wife for six months. After that, you can go wherever the hell you want, and I’ll give you more than enough money to support yourself. I just need you to be by my side long enough for my claim to stick.”

She eyes the paper for a moment before bringing her gaze back to mine.

Those green eyes of hers always have a way of piercing right through me, and even now, I still can't explain why.

“You're out of your damn mind if you think I'd ever—"

I don't let her finish.

In one swift move, I scoop her up, tossing her over my shoulder like she weighs nothing.

The shriek that escapes her slices through the quiet warehouse as her fists start to pound against my back.

“Put me down, you bastard!" she screams, her voice cracking with rage.

She thumps against my shoulder blades like a wild animal, and damn, they feel almost like a massage as each strike sends a weird jolt through me.

I grit my teeth, trying to ignore the heat stirring in my groin. What the hell is wrong with me?

I stride toward the door and her useless squirming only makes me tighten my grip. “Okay then, Kylie," I say, my voice low as I walk out of the warehouse. “Since you don't want to sign the contract, I guess I'll just take you back to your wedding, and let you tie the knot with Gianni for real. You'll be spending the rest of your life with him, and I do hope you're ready for that.” A smirk tugs at my lips as I pause to let it sink in.

“Oh, and I wonder what your family will think when they hear their darling daughter planned her own kidnapping to run off with a nobody who was just playing her. For all they know, I'm not even in the country. I'll just say I was on my way to the wedding when I spotted you trying to bolt at the airport. Then, I had my bodyguards bring you back and I'll be the hero of the day.”

Her pounding slows for a moment before finally coming to a stop. I feel her go still, her body tense against my shoulder.

Gotcha.

I'm so sure she's thinking it over, her pride clashing with the trap I've laid out.

The place is quiet, save for the faint sound of her heavy and uneven breathing. I can almost hear her mind racing as she tries to piece together the mess she's got herself stuck in.

My smirk widens.

Just before I reach the side door of the SUV, she finally cracks. “Put me down."

I keep walking, pretending I don’t hear her. “What's that, little kitty?"

"Put me down!” she yells, louder now, giving one last weak thump against my back.

I stop, but I don't let her go just yet; I let the moment hang for a few seconds.

She’s gotta earn it.

“Say it nicely," I tease, letting my voice drip with that old high school cruelty she hates.

A beat of silence passes. Then, through gritted teeth, she manages to mutter, “Please."

I let out a chuckle, low and smug, before sliding her off my shoulder and setting her on her feet.

She stumbles a step back, huffing and puffing as she glares at me, her eyes blazing with a mix of fury and something else — fear, maybe? Defeat?

Her cheeks are flushed, and for a second, I can't look away. She's still the same Kylie, all fire and fragility, and it's stirring up things in me that I don't want to think about.

I take a step closer, cornering her against the car as my voice drops to a dangerous purr. “Let's face it, kitten. You're still the same old Kylie I've always known. A hopeless romantic who falls for any pretty boy who can sweep you off your feeble little feet. And now? It's about to cost you everything.” I lean in, just enough to see her flinch.

“But I'm offering you an easy way out. Sign the contract, be my wife for six months, and you'll walk away free and richer than ever. Or I'll drag you back to Gianni, and you get married to him for real. You'll spend the rest of your life with him, and we both know the kind of man my brother really is.” I pause, letting the memory of Gianni's coldness and ruthlessness flash in her mind.

“So, what's it gonna be, kitten?" I ask, my voice a low and lazy drawl.

"Are you ready to sign that contract now?”