My Gentle Billionaire Husband Is A Monster

Gabriella's Pov "Don't they make such a cute couple?" "But aren't they technically siblings?" "Siblings? Nonsense. They're neither related by blood nor by law. Didn't you hear how Alexander Gray became part of the Vaughn family?" "I know, but still..." I wanted to laugh. How could they smile so happily? How could they applaud a wedding that should never have happened? How could they look at the man waiting for me at the altar and see nothing more than a devoted groom? They couldn't see the monster hiding behind that gentle smile. A wolf dressed in sheep's clothing. Then again... I couldn't blame them. Once upon a time, I had been just as blind. 'Someone please... stop this. Save me.' That single, desperate thought repeated like a broken record in my mind as I forced my legs down the aisle. The white gown that every girl dreamed of wearing felt unbearably heavy, as though it had been stitched together with chains instead of lace. At the end of the white carpet stood Alexander Gray. Tall, imposing, and devastatingly handsome, he watched me approach. Through his silver-rimmed eyeglasses, his eyes shone with a warmth that looked sickeningly gentle. Stop it. Don't look at me like that, you traitor! You monster! I walked as painfully slow as I dared, praying for the floor to open up and swallow me whole. But no miracle came. Step by agonizing step, I reached the altar. Alexander stepped forward, taking my cold, trembling hand in his warm palm. "You look perfect, Gabi," he murmured, his deep voice dripping with a tenderness that made the crowd swoon. "Like a beautiful, fragile angel... dropped right into my arms." To the guests, his words sounded like the sincere devotion of a man head-over-heels in love. But to me, it was a sick joke. He was reminding me of how easily he could break me. This man was the same Alexander who had grown up in my home. The man I used to trust, the man I once viewed as an older brother.... until he turned my life into a nightmare. My blood boiled, disgust and raw hatred burning hot against the back of my throat. I leaned in slightly, my jaw clenched so hard it ached, and glared straight into his eyes. "You think you’ve gotten away with this?" I hissed under my breath, my voice shaking with rage. "You think you can just take everything? Someone is going to find out what you did, Alexander. And I will make sure you pay." Alexander’s gentle smile didn't even flicker. He didn't blink. "I look forward to watching you try, sweetheart," he whispered back, his tone smooth and mockingly indulgent. Without breaking eye contact, he dismissively turned his head toward the officiant. "Begin." My face burned crimson. The sheer audacity of him! He dismissed my threats as if I were nothing more than a barking puppy. He knew I was trapped. Son of a b***h. The officiant cleared his throat, raising his hands toward the chapel. "Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today to witness and celebrate the holy matrimony of Alexander Gray and Gabriella Vaughn." As the officiant rattled on, I stared at Alexander. He stared right back, slowly raising a single, playful eyebrow. Every nerve in my body screamed in revolt. I wanted to claw that smug look off his face. I wanted to scream the truth until my lungs bled and show every single person in this church what he really was. "...Alexander Gray, do you take Gabriella Vaughn to be your lawfully wedded wife, to love and cherish her, in sickness and in health, for as long as you both shall live?" "I do." No hesitation. Clear, firm, and absolute. The officiant smiled warmly and turned to me. "Gabriella Vaughn, do you take Alexander Gray to be your lawfully wedded husband, to love and cherish him, in sickness and in health, for as long as you both shall live?" Silence stretched over the chapel. My hands curled into tight fists against my dress. No. I can't do this... I can't throw my life away..I couldn't bind myself to the monster who destroyed my family. I had to run. I had to get out of here while I still had a heartbeat. I took a sharp step backward. Gasps rippled through the pews. Whispers immediately broke out. "What’s happening?" "Why is she pulling away?" "Is she having second thoughts?" Panic clawed at my chest. The voices swirled around me, familiar and unfamiliar alike, confusing and loud. Alexander didn't panic. His soft, gentle smile stayed perfectly locked in place, but a dark, lethal warning flickered deep within his gaze. "Miss Vaughn?" the officiant asked nervously, looking between us. "I... I..." My voice cracked. My whole body was shaking like a leaf. Just say no, Gabi. End this nightmare right now. "I... no... I..." Alexander closed the distance between us, stepping forward and reaching out as if to comfort a distressed bride. "Gabi, darling," he coaxed, his tone dripping with the gentle care I used to adore. "Is everything okay?" The public saw a worried groom. I saw the shadow of a killer. My breath hitched. The terror strangled the word before I could stop it. "...I do," I whispered, the words tasting like ash in my mouth. "The rings," the officiant announced, visibly relieved. Alexander picked up the platinum band. He took my left hand and slowly, deliberately slid the ring onto my ring finger. His touch was light, almost reverent, earning soft awws from the guests who believed they were witnessing true romance. When it was my turn, my hands trembled so violently I almost dropped the band. I forced myself to push the heavy metal onto his finger, silently praying for the sky to fall and end this misery. The officiant beamed with satisfaction. "By the authority vested in me, I now pronounce you husband and wife." The chapel erupted into applause. "You may kiss the bride." Alexander reached up and slowly lifted my veil, tossing it back. His eyes locked onto mine, radiant with a fake, deeply affectionate glow that thoroughly tricked every spectator in the room. He leaned down, burying his face near my ear so only I could hear his harsh whisper. "Smile." Before I could pull away, his lips came down on mine. It started as a soft, polite kiss for the crowd, but the moment his arm wrapped around my waist, it turned into something terrifying. He pulled me flush against his hard chest, taking full possession of my mouth. His tongue parted my lips, invading, demanding, and mercilessly consuming me right there at the altar like a starving man claiming his spoils. It was repulsive. Wrong. Every fiber of my soul rejected his touch. I felt completely violated as he crushed me to him, stealing the very air from my lungs. Oxygen was running out. I slammed my hands against his broad chest, shoving with all the strength I had left, but he was like an iron wall. He refused to budge. Piece of s**t! Overwhelmed by pure panic and disgust, I bit down on his tongue—hard. Alexander stiffened instantly. Slowly, deliberately, he broke the kiss. His lips were wet, his eyes dark with a sudden, dangerous intensity. He didn't yell. He didn't wince. Instead, he leaned down, brushing his lips against the shell of my ear, his breath hot against my skin. "Behave, my little angel," he purred in a low, terrifying thread of a voice. "Or you will never see your brother alive again." My entire body went ice cold. The blood drained from my face, and my lungs forgot how to breathe. My brother... Alexander stepped back, looking down at me with a smooth, satisfied smile. His eyes held a twisted delight as he silently mouthed two words: 'Tick. Tock.'