My Husband's Son- My Darkest Obsession

SHACKLES OF BETRAYAL

Scarlett had never thought of herself as gullible, yet nothing could have readied her for the sight she encountered that morning. As she entered the bedroom, her reality shifted, her breath was stolen, and her heart broke into countless irreparable fragments.

There, stretched out on the silk linens of their marital bed, was her spouse, Edward. And below him, entwined in his hold, was Seraphina—her closest companion, the only individual she had relied on apart from her family. Their giggles, soft sighs, and hushed expressions of delight filled the atmosphere, transforming the space into a warped image of deception.

For an instant, Scarlett was unable to move. Her mind fought to understand what her eyes were witnessing. The man she took as her husband, the one who promised to support her, lay between another woman’s legs, utterly unaffected by the promises he made. And Serahphina, a woman to whom she had previously shared her secrets, held onto him as if she was meant to be there.

Something within her broke.

“Edward.”

The name escaped her mouth softly, yet it cut through the air in the room like a knife.

Edward hardly reacted. Rather, he raised his head, his face showing no signs of guilt or shame. He gazed at her as if she were a trivial hindrance, just a bother. Serahina inhaled sharply and grasped the linens tightly to her chest, yet the pretend modesty was ridiculous. The harm had already occurred.

Scarlett tightened her hands into fists. “Are you really not going to act like you feel bad?”

Edward sat up slowly, extending his arms before reclining against the headboard. "Why should I regret?" His tone was relaxed and easygoing, as if they were chatting about the weather instead of the reality that he had just been caught deceiving her in their shared bed.

Scarlett felt a knot in her stomach. "Since you are my husband."

Edward laughed softly. "Well?" What does that truly signify? Do you truly think this marriage was founded on love? He tilted his head, eyes shining with delight. "Come on, Scarlett, don’t be so gullible."

She gulped down the lump in her throat, determined to hide from him how much his words affected her. “I had trust in you.”

Edward's grin grew larger. “That was your initial error.”

Tears stung at her eyes, yet she would not allow them to spill. She shifted her focus to Seraphina, who still hadn't said a word. "How about you?" Scarlett's voice trembled, not due to vulnerability, but from the immense struggle to control her anger. “How long has this lasted?”

Seraphina moved beneath the covers, then sighed. “Long enough.”

Scarlett felt her stomach twist. She had spent numerous nights confiding in Seraphina, thinking she had a genuine friend in her. How could she have been so oblivious?

Edward let out a sigh, seemingly losing interest. "That's enough of this act, Scarlett." “You're staying, and we both understand it.”

Her breathing caught. “Pardon?”

Edward stood, utterly unapologetic about his nudity, and approached the dresser, retrieving a robe. "Do you think you have an option?" You simply do not. He fastened the robe at his waist, then turned to look at her, his expression becoming stern. "Your parents endorsed the agreement." "You are mine."

Scarlett sensed the earth collapse beneath her.

She had always realized that her union with Edward wasn’t fully by her own decision. It had been organized—something her parents had demanded for the sake of their family's stability. However, she had naively thought she had consented to it. Now, Edward's voice echoed in her thoughts, each syllable piercing her like a knife.

They signed the marriage contract .

She stumbled backwards. "This can't be."

Edward's grin was vicious. “Oh, indeed it is.” You never got to express your opinion, Scarlett. This union was confirmed before you were even aware of what was occurring. He rested against the dresser, observing her with icy amusement. "You belong to me." "Regardless of how much you loathe me, you will still be my wife."

Her heartbeat roared in her ears.

She felt the urge to scream, to scratch at his face, to pull Seraphina from her bed and drag her along the floor. But what would that change? Nothing. Edward was correct. She was confined.

Her hands shook as she grasped the material of her dress. “You're a beast.”

Edward chuckled. “Maybe.” "Yet I'm your beast, am I not?"

Scarlett pivoted on her heel and rushed out of the room, her eyesight clouded with unshed tears. As she entered the corridor, her breaths were uneven and frantic, her body trembling intensely.

The understanding overwhelmed her. There was no way out for her. No escape.

She found herself confined in a marriage with a man who did not love her. Even worse, he had no respect for her.

She covered her mouth with her hand to suppress a cry, yet the anguish was unyielding, an intolerable burden pressing down on her chest. She sacrificed everything for this marriage—her independence, her options, her prospects. And now, all she had was a distant, emotionless man who thought he possessed her.

Her eyes darted to the hallway's end, where a large mirror showed her shattered figure.The woman gazing back at her appeared unidentifiable. An empty casing. An inmate.

Scarlett took a quick breath. No.

She might feel weak at the moment, but that doesn't imply she will remain that way forever.

As she aligned her back, a calm resolve formed inside her. If Edward believed she would just agree to this, he was wrong.

This was not the end.

This was merely the beginning.

As Scarlett dried her tears and composed herself, she noticed the noise of footsteps coming closer. A servant appeared at the hallway's end, his expression anxious and pale.

“Ma'am,” he murmured, anxiously checking behind him. “Someone is here to meet you.”

Scarlett scowled. “Who is it?”

The attendant hesitated. "A man and he states that it is s urgent”

Scarlett's heart raced. A man? Who would have the audacity to visit her so openly in Edward’s home?

She took a deep breath, setting her feelings aside. “Where is he?”

The attendant gulped. "In the sitting room."

Scarlett looked over at the bedroom where Edward and Seraphina stayed, then pivoted sharply. Whoever this man might be, if he came for her, he had better justify the risk.