The billionaire’s bride secret obsession

Chapter 3

I couldn't sleep. Every time I closed my eyes, I felt Jade’s lips on mine. I felt the silk of her wedding dress rubbing against my skin. I kept scrubbing my mouth with the back of my hand, trying to wash away the memory, but it was branded into me.

I was sitting on my sofa in the dark, staring at a glass of water, when there was a soft knock at my door. My heart skipped a beat. It was 2:00 AM.

"Who is it?" I called out, my voice trembling.

"It’s me, Alana. Open the door."

It was her. Jade.

I stood up, my legs feeling like lead. I should leave the door locked. I should tell her to go away. But my hands moved on their own, turning the deadbolt. When I opened the door, Jade was standing there, drenched from the sudden rain. She wasn't wearing a power suit or a wedding dress now. She was in a simple black hoodie and leggings, her blonde hair messy and wet.

She pushed past me into the apartment without waiting for an invitation.

"You left the boutique without saying goodbye," Jade said, turning to look at me. The moonlight from the window caught the sharp angles of her face. "That wasn't very polite for a future sister-in-law."

"Stop calling yourself that," I snapped, slamming the door shut. "What are you doing here, Jade? You shouldn't be here. Leo is probably wondering where you are."

Jade laughed, a dry, bitter sound. "Leo is at his bachelor weekend trip with his college friends. He thinks I’m having a spa night. He’s so easy to please, Alana. It’s almost boring."

"Then why are you with him?" I demanded, walking toward her. "If he’s boring, if you don’t love him, why are you ruining his life?"

Jade stepped closer, the smell of rain and her sandalwood perfume filling my small living room. "I told you why. He’s the only way I can stay near you without the world asking questions. He’s my shield."

"I'm not going to let you do it," I said, trying to sound brave. "I'm going to tell him about the kiss. I’m going to tell him everything."

Jade didn't look scared. She reached out and touched the collar of my pajamas. Her fingers were cold from the rain. "Go ahead. Tell him. Tell him how you kissed me back. Tell him how you held onto my waist in that fitting room. If I go down, Alana, I’m taking you with me. Do you think Leo will ever forgive you for kissing his bride?"

I choked back a sob. She had me trapped. If I told the truth, I would lose my brother forever. He would hate me as much as he hated her.

"Why me?" I whispered, my eyes stinging with tears. "There are millions of girls in this city. Why did you have to come back and pick me?"

Jade’s expression softened for a split second. She reached up, cupping my face with her damp palm. "Because you were the first person who ever made me feel something real. Even when I was hurting you, I was feeling something. Everyone else is just background noise. You’re the only thing that’s in color."

She leaned her forehead against mine. I could feel her breath on my lips. "I tried to forget you, Alana. I tried to be 'normal.' I tried to date men. I even tried to move to another state. But every time I closed my eyes, I saw you. I saw the way you looked at me with those defiant eyes, even when you were scared."

"That was bullying, Jade," I reminded her, my voice breaking. "You weren't in love. You were cruel."

"I know," she whispered. "I was a monster. And maybe I still am. But I’m a monster who wants you. And I think... I think you want the monster, too."

Before I could protest, she kissed me again. This time, it wasn't a collision. It was slow and deep, tasting of rain and desperation. I hated myself for it, but I reached up and tangled my fingers in the damp fabric of her hoodie. I pulled her closer, my heart racing so fast it hurt.

She backed me up until I hit the wall. Her hands were everywhere in my hair, on my waist, pressing me against the cold plaster. It was wrong. It was a betrayal of everything I believed in. It was a betrayal of my own brother.

But in the dark of my apartment, with the rain drumming against the glass, Jade was the only thing that felt real.

Suddenly, my phone buzzed on the coffee table. The screen lit up the room.

New Message: Leo

Jade pulled back, her eyes landing on the phone. She picked it up before I could.

"Don't," I said, reaching for it.

She held it up so I could see the screen. It was a photo of Leo and his friends at a bar, all of them wearing "Groom Squad" t-shirts. Leo was holding a beer, a huge, innocent smile on his face. The caption read: Can't wait to officially be part of the family, sis! See you at the engagement party tomorrow!

The guilt hit me like a physical weight. I looked at the photo, then back at Jade. She was watching me, her eyes dark and unreadable.

"He's so happy," I whispered, covered my face with my hands. "He has no idea."

"He doesn't have to know," Jade said, her voice turning cold and business-like again. She dropped the phone back onto the table. "As long as you play your part, everyone stays happy. Leo gets his 'perfect' wife, and I get... this."

"This isn't happiness, Jade. This is a lie."

"Most people live lies, Alana. At least ours is exciting."

She walked toward the door, pausing with her hand on the handle. "The engagement party is tomorrow night at your parents' house. Wear something pretty. And remember, Alana... I’ll be watching you. Every time you look at him, I want you to remember how you felt tonight."

She opened the door and vanished into the rainy night.

I sank to the floor, my back against the wall. I looked at the photo of Leo on my phone. He looked so safe. He looked so loved. And I was the person who was going to help destroy his world.

I had twenty-four hours until the engagement party. Twenty-four hours to decide if I was going to be the "good sister" or if I was going to let Jade pull me into the darkness with her.

As I sat there in the silence, I realized the scariest thing of all. I wasn't sure if I was trying to save Leo... or if I was just waiting for Jade to come back.