CHASING MY SISTER'S HUSBAND

Chapter 3

CYNTHIA'S POV

Demetri bent down slowly, picking it up, his expression darkening as he scanned the names. When his eyes met mine again, they were filled with a cold fury that made my blood run cold.

I froze, every muscle in my body tense as I watched him. The charade was over before it even began. But why did it have to be him?

"What’s this?” The disdain in Demetri’s voice was evident, and I found myself swallowing hard.

Why did he have to be the one to catch me?

“I... I... I…” I stammered, trying to find the perfect lie to save myself.

Demetri’s gaze softened unexpectedly, and then he burst out laughing. I frowned, confused by his reaction, as he slowly turned the book and showed me its contents.

I exhaled in relief when I saw the page he was on—it was the wrong one. He hadn’t seen my list.

“I never knew a nerd could fall in love" he teased, and I felt my face flush with embarrassment.

“But how come you never told this guy you loved him? He must be really lucky to have you in his life," he continued, his tone growing serious.

I searched his eyes, wondering if he remembered anything. Regret flooded my chest. If only I’d been brave enough to tell him back then that I was in love with him… If only. A tear slipped down my cheek.

I adjusted my glasses and attempted to wipe them away, but Demetri gently stopped me.

He slowly removed my glasses and wiped the tears off himself. At that moment, it felt as though he cared, as if he felt something for me. But I knew I was being delusional—it was just my wishful thinking, a wish that could never be fulfilled.

I shut my eyes, feeling the warmth of his hand on my cheek, and it soothed my heart. “Who’s this guy?” he whispered. I slowly opened my eyes, startled by how close his face was to mine.

My gaze shifted to his lips, and I found myself longing for them. If only I could tell him that he was the one, but it was too late.

I looked back into his eyes, and to my surprise, he was also staring at my lips. My heart raced as his face inched closer. I shut my eyes, expecting his lips on mine any second. He was going to kiss me.

“Thia… Demetri… what’s going on here?” And there she was—the one person who always managed to ruin my life at the last moment.

Demetri jolted away from me immediately and rushed over to Tasha. “I can explain," he said, trying to take her hand, but she pulled away.

“Explain what, Demetri? Explain how you were about to kiss my sister on our wedding night?” Her voice cracked with emotion. I rolled my eyes at her dramatics. She was the one who had taken him from me, so why was she acting like Demetri was the villain here?

“I’m… sorry" Demetri stammered. “That I…”

"What?!...that right on our wedding night you neglected me and tried to kiss my sister?” Tasha shouted, cutting him off abruptly, tears welling up in her eyes.

I wanted to yell at her, tell her to stop the pretense and quit acting like a victim. She had stolen him from me, so why was she turning the tables? But I held back.

“Tasha" I called softly as I walked toward her. “Do you trust your sister?” I asked. Her gaze shifted to mine, filled with hurt.

“I don’t know what to think, Thia… I don’t know what to believe" she said, a tear rolling down her cheek. I had to suppress a smile.

“Then, believe me, Tasha. You’re doubting Demetri for no reason. He loves you and will never cheat on you. You saw it wrong, Tasha. He wasn’t trying to kiss me; he was just trying to help me put my glasses back on. You know I can’t see without them. I lost them when one of the maids bumped into me, and I’d been searching for them. Demetri happened to walk in and helped me, nothing more," I explained in my usual innocent, convincing voice.

Tasha’s face softened, and guilt replaced her anger. “I’m sorry, Thia" she cooed. I moved closer and gently wiped her tears away.

“It’s fine, Tasha. You were just following the flow" I said with a smile.

“What flow?” she asked, wrinkling her brows.

“Want to hear a secret?” I asked, leaning in. She nodded, and I motioned for her to turn her ear so I could whisper. She complied.

“I heard married women are hyper about their husbands and get jealous easily" She gave me a weird look.

“I wasn’t jealous", she defended herself.

“Your earlier behaviour didn’t exactly say that. ‘Thia… Demetri…’” I mimicked her voice, and she chuckled.

“Okay, maybe I was a little jealous" she admitted.

“A little bit?” I teased.

“Fine, I was jealous" she finally conceded.

“Good girl" I patted her shoulder jokingly. “Now, go appease your husband" I whispered, and her gaze shifted to Demetri.

“I’m so... rry" she stammered.

“Sssshhhh…” Demetri placed a finger on her lips to silence her. “You don’t apologize in this relationship, remember?” He flashed her a smile, and she returned it before hugging him tightly.

I’d had enough drama for one day. I was sick and tired of their lovey-dovey nonsense.

“Are you done with work?” Tasha asked.

“No, I came home because I had a feeling the Minister’s killer might visit" Demetri replied.

“Why would the killer come here, Demetri?” Tasha asked, confused.

A smile curved on my lips. He wasn’t just smart; he was clever—a wise Assistant Commissioner of Police.

“I don’t know, Tasha. I’ve just got a bad feeling that the killer will" he said, stepping away from her gaze.

Wow. He just lied. So, he doesn’t trust his wife after all.

“Anyway, I’m here now. Don’t you think we should finish our wedding ritual?” he asked, and Tasha blushed hard.

“I… I…” He lifted her into his arms and slowly carried her upstairs.

They’re going to make babies… They can dream! I’m not called Dawn for nothing.

I followed them quietly, watching as they shut the door behind them. I waited outside, counting to sixty, before slightly opening the door to peek inside.

Demetri and Tasha were on the bed, still seated, but Demetri was trailing kisses down her neck, unzipping her gown. I watched, waiting for the perfect moment to strike.

Demetri turned Tasha to face him, lifting her chin as he gazed at her passionately. Tasha’s nervousness was evident.

He pulled her close, aiming for her lips. This was it…I’d seen enough.

I spun around and made my way to the power panel. I stared at the wires for a moment, then slipped on a pair of gloves and grabbed a pair of pliers from the toolbox beside it. With a quick yank, I pulled out two wires, plunging the entire mansion into darkness.

I smirked, placing the pliers back into the box. Removing the gloves, I hid them behind the power panel where no one would find them, then dashed back down the hallway.

I glanced around, ensuring no one was nearby. “No… no… leave me alone… don’t kill me!” I screamed at the top of my lungs, feigning panic.

“Help me!” I cried out, waiting for the couple to rush downstairs. I hurried to the kitchen, grabbed a knife, and slit my wrist, watching as the blood dripped to the floor. I felt no pain—only satisfaction.

“Ahhhhhhh!!!” I screamed, then dropped to my knees, pretending to pass out.

“Thia!!” Tasha’s voice was frantic as she rushed over, her hands frantically searching for signs of life.

“She still has a pulse, Demetri, please take her to the hospital! Please!” Her voice shook with fear, and I could tell she was crying.

“Calm down, babe. She’ll be fine" Demetri assured her. I felt his scent surround me as he lifted me into his arms—his strong, warm arms.

I slowly cracked my eyes open, stealing a glance at his handsome face up close, then quickly shut them again.

They can kiss their wedding night goodbye. I’d ruined it. They wouldn’t be having s*x for a long time because I’d make sure of it. I’m Dawn, and I will steal the dawn from this marriage.

I was carefully placed in the back seat, my body sinking into the plush leather. Demetri slipped in beside me, his presence steady and reassuring. Without a word, he gently drew my head onto his shoulder, the warmth of his touch contrasting with the chill running through me.

“Tasha" Demetri’s voice broke the silence, calm. “I think it’s best if you change into something less noticeable. Take off your wedding dress and meet us at the hospital. One of our drivers will take you there"

“Ok…I will…but which hospital?” Her voice shook.

“Our family’s private hospital" Demetri replied softly, his voice a little bit too affectionate for me.

“I’ll be there as soon as I can. Please, take care of her until I arrive", Natasha pleaded.

The sound of a brief, soft kiss followed, making my heart clench involuntarily.

“Let’s go", Demetri ordered the driver, and soon we were on the move. The car made a sharp U-turn, jolting me sideways. I instinctively snuggled closer to Demetri, seeking comfort in his proximity. His breath, warm and steady, brushed against my face, somehow soothing the turmoil inside me.

The car came to an abrupt stop. I felt Demetri’s hand slip away, and then his hand wrapped around me; he lifted me into his arms. The door slammed shut behind us. I heard his footsteps running, followed by his urgent voice echoing through the still night. “Doctor! Doctor!”

In a blur, I was rushed into the hospital, the sterile smell of antiseptic filling my senses. Demetri gently laid me on the bed, his hands lingering for just a moment before he stepped back. I could still sense his presence, his scent hanging in the air, even though he wasn’t close anymore.

I tried listening to my environment to see if I'd get a hint of where Demetri was, but I got none. I felt someone step closer to me, someone who was not Demetri, probably the doctor.

A sharp burn seared through my wound, and without being told, I knew it was the doctor who had begun treating me, but instead of pain, I felt a strange, almost pleasurable sensation washing over me. Another burn followed, and I tightened my closed eyes, letting the feeling envelop me.

My arm was lifted, something cool and soft wrapped around it—a bandage, no doubt. The room was silent except for the occasional rustle of fabric and the muffled sounds of the hospital outside.

A needle pierced my arm, the slight sting barely registering. The doctor’s voice broke the silence. “I’ve administered the necessary treatment. She’ll be fine; she just needs some rest."

“Thank you, Doctor" Demetri’s voice was quieter now, filled with a weariness I hadn’t heard before.

Footsteps retreated, and the door clicked shut, leaving the room in silence once more. I didn’t know if Demetri had left or stayed behind. Slowly, cautiously, I opened my eyes, searching the room. There he was, sitting on the sofa, his head bowed low, and it was clear he was lost in thought.

This was my chance. I needed to see if he cared or if it was all just an act.

Time for plan phase two. I jolted upright, my breathing rapid, eyes wide with fake terror. “No… no… leave me alone… don’t kill me, please… spare me… someone help!” I cried out, my voice trembling.

“Thia… Thia… This!” Demetri’s voice was urgent, panicked. He was by my side in an instant, his face etched with concern for me. I stopped pretending, letting my sobs come out freely as I threw my arms around him, clinging to him as if he were my lifeline.

“It’s okay, Thia… everything’s going to be okay" he whispered, his hand rubbing soothing circles on my back. The tenderness in his voice caught me off guard, and for a moment, I almost believed him.

Demetri gently pulled away, his eyes searching for mine. Without a word, he removed my glasses, carefully wiping away my tears.

His hands cupped my cheeks, his touch soft and warm. “You’re beautiful, Cynthia" he murmured, and for the first time, he called me by my full name. My heart skipped a beat as his face inched closer to mine, our lips just a breath apart. He was going to kiss me again and there was no one to stop that. I felt immense joy engulf me as I leaned forward, anticipating his lips on mine.

But just then, the door creaked open. His wife, Natasha, stood in the doorway, her eyes looking onto us. I couldn’t let her ruin this moment—not again. Without a second thought, I grabbed Demetri by the collar and pulled him to me, pressing my lips to his in a desperate kiss.