Substitute love

"Now that I have you in my arms again, be mine."

​Maya stared at the man in front of her who was always cold and indifferent. Now, he had her pinned against the bed, his weight pressed against the mattress, his warm breath teasing her earlobe as he whispered words she least expected to hear from him.

​The image of her fiancé and her stepsister, Stephanie, together in bed made her heart clench painfully. The man she had loved all her life cheated on her with her stepsister.

​The thought brought tears to her eyes, making her look wronged. He wiped her tears from her face and kissed her cheeks tenderly. "Under me, you'll never be bullied ever again."

​All her life, her parents had given everything of hers to Stephanie. If Stephanie did something wrong, she would be the one to be blamed.

​Her family never noticed her. Everything was only ever about Stephanie. She belonged to no one. Now, someone wanted her; someone was willing to take her in.

​Maya stared at the man who seemed like he could go against the world just for her. She felt she could trust him with her broken heart.

​She pulled him closer and lightly pressed her lips against his. Lucien was shocked by her reaction. He expected her to reject him, to tell him her heart belonged to his nephew, her fiancé.

​But instead, she kissed him. What could this mean? His body tensed beneath her. Maya broke from the kiss, her face flushed. She could feel his bulge pressing against her thighs.

​The look in his eyes deepened as he clenched his jaw. "I want an answer, Maya." His husky voice made her shiver and feel a slight heat between her legs.

​"Yes…" she stuttered. "I'm yours."

​He looked at her with a look of uncertainty. "Are you sure?"

​Maya nodded her head, her eyes filled with determination.

​Lucien tried to search for any form of hesitation on her face. After seeing none, he smiled and leaned in to kiss her.

​She returned the kiss, and as they kissed, she felt his desire. She let her hands roam around his body, feeling every muscle.

​She gave herself to the devil, because the only way to stay safe is to make a deal with the devil. Lucien suddenly pulled back and skillfully took off his shirt. As he did that, she began to unbutton hers.

​She sighed and relaxed as she felt him kiss and adore every inch of her skin. Marcus, her fiancé, had never made her feel special the way Lucien was making her feel by just kissing her.

​He held her with a certain fragility, like she'd break with one touch. He slid into her, causing her to yelp.

​"Does it hurt?" he asked her as his hands flew to her waist, massaging it.

​She tried to shut down the pain, but it was too much. Tears filled her eyes as she nodded, letting him know it hurt.

​He thrust in and out slowly, and soon the pain disappeared. The two shared a blissful, intimate moment. During this time, she also saw a vulnerable part of the man who pushed everyone out with his coldness.

​The next morning, Maya woke up. Her body felt sore, like it had been crushed by something heavy. Her mind flashed to the events that took place last night.

​Remembering everything made her heart skip a beat. She slept with her fiancé's uncle, the family head of the Blackwood family. She immediately turned to her side to see a peaceful Lucien sleeping soundly.

​He looked calm, unlike his usually cold self. Not wanting to be here when he woke up, Maya slowly got up from the bed and rushed to the bathroom to freshen up.

​Her legs were wobbly and sore, but that didn't stop her from running away before he woke up.

​By the time she got home, everyone was already in the sitting room waiting for her. "And where do you think you're coming from?" her father, James, asked.

​Her clothes were disheveled and her hair was messy. "I got stuck somewhere," she replied calmly, her eyes landing on Stephanie and Marcus.

​The image of them together in bed came back to her mind. Even though she tried to make it not affect her, it still did in the most painful way.

​"You got stuck where, huh? Or you were with another man in a hotel, you slut!" her father scolded as he rushed up to her, landing a hot slap on her cheek.

​Maya stood there stunned, both by the slap and how he knew where she was. She felt someone move her hair that she used to cover her hickey.

​"Look, Dad, while Marcus was busy worrying about her, she was busy having fun with another man, can you imagine that?"

​Marcus frowned upon seeing the hickey on Maya's neck. "Maya, who did this? Are you cheating on me?"

​Maya scoffed upon hearing his question. "And what right do you think you have to ask me that question?"

​Upon hearing her words, Marcus paused. Maya's eyes held a certain coldness he wasn't used to.

​"Did something happen?" he questioned himself, but the hickey evident on her neck brought out a surge of protectiveness that someone had touched his property. It made him forget everything else that crossed his mind.

​He walked up to her and grabbed her arm roughly. "I am your fiancé. I have every right to ask you if you are cheating on me. Now tell me, who did this?"

​Maya smiled and looked at him in a way that unsettled him. "That's none of your business." She removed his hand from hers, not wanting him anywhere close to her.

​"Dad, Mom, yesterday I caught your perfect daughter, who can never do anything wrong, in bed with my fiancé."