FORBIDDEN FRUIT

• six •

Atticus

The best.

That's what I want for my brother. The best. That's what he deserves. The absolute best.

That's why his name is Ace. He's meant to be good at everything. He's meant to be the best at everything. He's meant to get the best of everything. Because he deserves it.

But the wife he settled for is not the best.

Adaline.

She's the worst. She was in a club last night, dressed like a whòre, flirting with random men. She proposed a one night stand with a stranger and went back to a hotel room with a stranger and lay in bed with a stranger. Who knows what would've happened if I didn't stop her?

Oh, I know what would've happened. She would've gone back home to my brother, wearing my green sweater and slipped into bed next to him. Pretending like nothing happened. Pretending like she didn't stab him so deep in the back. She disgusts me.

The most disgusting thing about this disgusting woman is that she's wearing my green sweater and walking around the house in it. The house that my brother bought for her. The house that she probably bullied my brother into buying. The house that's about to make them go bankrupt because of how ridiculously expensive it is. And suddenly, I despise this house. And I despise the disgusting woman standing infront of me.

That's why I came up with a perfect plan.

The perfect plan to make her perish. Not to perish, literally but technically.

A sweet little divorce in exchange for chunks of money. It's a good offer. A generous offer. She can't say no to the offer. She looks desperate. That's why she probably married my brother. She married him for the money. So, she can't say no when she gets the only thing she married him for. There's no way she'll say no.

“No.”

I'm shocked by that answer. I thought she would jump at the offer and run.

“I was right about you.” She adds. “You're an àsshole.”

She doesn't stop there.

“An àsshole who ghosts the people he loves.” She smirks. “An àsshole who ruins the people he loves. No wonder Ace never mentioned you. He probably wishes you were dead.”

Her words cut deep through my heart and leave it open, bleeding. But I'm quick to swallow down my pain and clear my throat.

“If he knew what you were busy doing last night while he was probably busy working, he would probably wish you were dead too.” I smirk. “So, to save yourself, just divorce him.”

“No!” She hisses. “I won't divorce him! Who the fùck do you think you are, coming to my house and demanding that I put an end to my marriage!”

I sink back on the seat and stare at her.

“I guess you don't know who I am.” I pause. “Sorry, I forgot to give you a proper introduction.”

I sit up straight, eyes still fixed on her.

“My name is Atticus Creed.” I start. “Hot and handsome. Kind and caring. The Lord of music. Every song you've ever played in your car or in your bedroom or even on your wedding day has been written or produced by me. Every artist you've ever worshipped worships me. I know powerful people. I hold power over powerful people. And I can make them do anything for me. Anything.”

“Is that a threat?”

“Something like that.” I smirk. “I hope you're scared enough to divorce my brother.”

“You think I'm scared because you know powerful people who are scared of a coward like you?” She scoffs. “You're not even man enough to do it yourself. You have to gather a bunch of cowards to do it for you. Try harder.”

Okay, this woman is making this harder than it should be. I thought she was desperate enough to say yes to the money. Clearly, she's not. Maybe I should name a price. Maybe that will be much more luring.

“Half a million dollars.” I say. “Straight to your bank account if you divorce my brother.”

“Why?” She asks. “Why do you want me to divorce Ace?”

I burst into a laugh. When the bitter laugh dies down, I'm filled with fury. Spite spews in every single word I say next.

“You are the worst wife.” I say. “You went clubbing dressed like a slùt. You kept flirting with random men. You proposed a one night stand to a complete stranger. You went back to a hotel room with a complete stranger. You slept in bed next to a complete stranger. That's proof that you are a bad wife. You don't deserve a good man like Ace.”

“So, it's cute for you to do it but a crime when I do it?”

“I'm not married!” Technically, I'm not. “I'm not the one who went around the small town begging for dìck from a total stranger. A stranger who had no fùcking clue that you were married!”

“Sssshhh!” She hisses. “Ace might hear you!”

“You think I care?”

“You should.” She sneers. “He wouldn't be too happy knowing that you took his wife back to your room and almost fùcked her.”

“Does he know that you are cheating on him?”

The door upstairs swings open, throwing us into silence.

Ace runs down the stairs, changed into a huge hoodie and a pair of sweatpants. He walks toward me, big smile on his face. The anger is gone. My Ace is back.

“Honey.” He says. “Let's go on a date.”

“But -”

“No buts.” He smiles. “Just go upstairs and put on some jeans. The green sweater looks warm. And beautiful. Oh wait, I've never seen it before.”

She glances at me and fakes a smile.

“A friend gave it to me at the conference last night.”

It's extremely chilling how easy it is for her mouth to spew lies. She didn't even stop to think. She already had a lie on the tip of her tongue, set and ready.

“That friend has impeccable taste.”

“No, he doesn't.” She says with a clipped voice and runs upstairs.

And now I'm left alone with Ace. And it's awkward.

“While we're gone, please make sure to clear the table and do the dishes.” Ace says. “Thanks.”

Ace is the only person who can talk to me like that. He's the only person who can demand for things from me. He's the only person that can make me fall on my knees and scrub the floor. As much as I want to object, I will do it. I will clear the table and do the dishes.

Adaline runs down the stairs, dressed in my green sweater and jeans. I hate how good she looks in my sweater. Her eyes meet mine and my heart does a strange leap. I look away.

When I look back at them again, Ace is holding her hand. Big smile on his face. Adaline makes him happy. But that's only because he doesn't know the kind of woman he married.

A wicked wife.

They wave at me flatly and walk away.

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