Bound to My Stepbrother's Bride

The shimmering crystal lights hung beautifully from the ceiling of the Montrose Hotel ballroom, creating a luxurious atmosphere that seemed to force everyone to forget reality. Classical music played softly in the background, the perfect soundtrack for the engagement night of Elias Gryson and Vivianne Clarke, two prominent names in Europe’s business world. But for Elias, this party wasn’t a celebration. It was a prison. He stood in the middle of the crowd, his broad frame wrapped in a neat black suit, but his eyes were empty. From the beginning, this engagement had been nothing more than an arrangement, a deal between the Gryson and Clarke families to strengthen their business ties. It was also a pact between Elias’s father and Vivianne’s father, whose friendship dated back to their youth. They wanted to turn that friendship into a formal family bond. “You just need to hang on for one more hour, Elias,” Vivianne whispered sweetly, gripping his arm tightly. “After that, we can go upstairs.” Elias didn’t reply. His eyes moved, searching for something that could calm him. But instead of finding calm, he found rage. Isla, the girl he utterly despised, was now in plain view. He wanted nothing more than to drag her out of the room. This was not the kind of party Isla should have been attending. To him, Isla and her mother were nothing but parasites to his family. Isla stood frozen near the buffet table, wearing a pale blue satin gown that flowed with her every movement. Simple, yet no one could ignore her presence. A soft smile, sharp eyes, and a manner that always held itself back. Meanwhile, behind the hotel’s private bar, a sharply-dressed man in a navy suit handed two glasses to a waiter. “The one with the red label, give it to Elias. The white one, to the woman in the pale blue dress.” The red-labeled glass contained wine mixed with something strong enough to make Elias lose control. Tonight, she had to secure the marriage signature. She wanted to bind Elias to her, so that he would be completely hers. At eleven o’clock, Elias’s head throbbed. The world became a blur. Music turned into echoes. A waiter approached him. “Mr. Elias, are you all right? Would you like me to escort you to your room?” the waiter asked as he held up Elias’s swaying body. He gave a slight nod, his mind no longer clear. His feet were guided to the elevator, then to the hotel’s top suite. He didn’t even know whose hand was holding his. Elsewhere, Isla, also staggering and dazed, was led to the same room as Elias. No one realized the disaster that was about to unfold. There was no Vivianne. No Claire. Only two souls who were never meant to share the night. Elias and Isla were already sitting at the edge of the bed, their heads heavy, minds drifting due to the drinks they had been served earlier. A man in a suit entered, carrying documents that needed to be signed. Elias, barely able to open his eyes, took the pen and signed without reading a single page. “What’s this woman’s name?” the man asked, glancing toward Isla. “Isla.” she answered softly, almost a whisper. “Full name?” the man asked again. “Isla Caldwell,” Isla replied. Her name was immediately written into the documents, and she was also asked to sign. In her half-conscious state, Isla scribbled her signature without much thought. The man left once he got what he needed. Several staff members entered, carrying a camera. They photographed the two of them, half-conscious and leaning on each other on the bed. Their clothes were loosened, and they were covered with a blanket, though not fully undressed, only their shoulders were exposed, enough to create an intimate impression in the photos. That was all they did, and then the staff left, leaving the two semi-conscious people in the same room and the same bed under one blanket. Elias slowly opened his drowsy, passion-filled eyes. He smiled as he looked at Isla in front of him. He had no idea that the woman sleeping beside him was his stepsister, the one he hated the most. He leaned closer, one hand holding Isla's neck as she kept her eyes closed. He smiled before finally pressing his lips against hers. Slowly, he began to kiss her lips. Isla growled softly, but her eyes remained closed even as her lips parted to receive Elias' kiss. Elias's hands moved to touch every curve of Isla's body. His hands now touched Isla's chest, causing Isla to unconsciously bite Elias's lips. However, this did not stop Elias from continuing his actions. His body craved warmth and release, so he continued to touch and caress Isla's body. Now Elias was lying on top of Isla, and his kisses began to move down to her jaw, neck, shoulders, and chest. He then played with the tip of her breast with his tongue, causing Isla to moan. A hot night that should not have happened between siblings, even though they were only step-siblings. The sound of their passionate moans filled the room. The moonlight filtering through the window curtains added a romantic touch to their encounter. No one knew how much semen Elias had ejaculated into Isla's womb, but they were certainly exhausted by now, so much so that they hadn't woken up by morning. They slept in each other’s arms. Their clothes were scattered everywhere. Until the door opened roughly, startling Isla, who immediately sat up. She quickly pulled the blanket over herself when she realized her body felt cold. Isla's eyes widened in shock, unable to believe what she was seeing. Several people had just barged into her room, without knocking, without warning. But what made her heart race even more wasn’t just who had come in, but also the state she was in… and the man lying next to her. What exactly had happened to her?