Sunlight filtered through the silk curtains, catching my tired brown eyes as I flickered them open. I squinted and groaned, rolling to my side. My lips were dry, my skin sticky, my thighs aching, and my mind a violent mess.
He'd claimed me.
No, I'd given myself to him - for a purpose.
His scent still lingered in the air and it awakened a longing inside me.
I hated this. I hated how much I loved it.
Everything about last night should've repulsed me but instead I found myself reminiscing, replaying every scene over and over in my head. The way his hands gripped my waist as he slammed into me, the way his breath lingered on my skin, and the way he kept looking at me like he owned me.
My body was traitorous, already craving him even though my mind knew he was dangerous.
What the hell was wrong with me?
I needed to talk to him. I needed answers about what this marriage meant. About why the hell he touched me like I belonged to him when I was just a replacement for my sister.
I stormed towards the room. My emotions were boiling, confusion, panic, rage. I walked past the maid at the doorstep but as I was about to open the door. She stopped me.
"Mrs Hera… wait!" She called out. "Mr Hera is busy right now. He said not to be disturbed right now."
"I don't care." I barked. "Let him tell me that to me himself."
I yanked the door open with annoyance then froze.
The smell of sex, sweat, and perfumed breeze passed my nose.
Then came the sound - Moans, plural.
My startled eyes then caught sight of Angelo, in the center of his massive king-sized bed. He was not alone, no. Three other women surrounded him like Lionesses.
One with honey brown curls was on top of him, her tits bouncing as she rode him hard. Her moans were high and breathy.
Another dark-skinned girl was curled by his side, her fingers grazing his chest lazily, like she owned him.
While the third, icy blonde lay on a pillow with one hand stroking her cunt and the other, holding up a cigar with perfectly painted nails.
My breath hitched and I covered my eyes hoping that somehow it'd erase the horror I had just witnessed.
I had just walked into a fucking orgy and my husband was ther center of it.
"What the hell?" I shrieked!
Angelo didn't even flinch, he didn't stop thrusting either. He just tilted his head with an infuriating smirk and said. "Perfect timing . Welcome to the party, honey."
I stood frozen. My heart, pounding.
The woman on top of him didn't stop moving, in fact she rode him harder as she glared at me with a sharp gaze. She increased the pitch on her moan, deliberately putting on a show to spite me.
"You've gotta be kidding me." I muttered, still staring at the scene in shock.
The one on top of him finally dismounted and grabbed a silk robe off the floor.
"Meet your seniors." He said, gesturing lazily to the other women. "I had planned a proper introduction with all three of them at breakfast later this morning, but obviously someone just had to interrupt our session."
"She's the new one?" The icy blonde asked as she puffed away.
"Apparently so," Angelo replied lackadaisically.
"What the fuck is this?" I asked, my voice rising in tension. "One night in, and you're already cheating on me."
"Cheating?" His lips curled into a smirk and then he let out a diabolical laughter.
The three women followed and soon enough the room was filled with the sound of heavy evil laughter.
They were laughing at me.
My lips parted, but I had no words. All I saw was the smirk, the arrogance, the glimmer in their eyes as I stood there looking distraught. My head spun and I struggled to find balance.
I couldn't take it anymore so I walked up to him fueled by nothing but pure loathing and rage, next thing I knew my hands landed on his cheek. Hard and sharp.
The sound cracked through the room and then the laughter was replaced with sharp gasps from all three women.
All eyes were stuck on me, like I was some acclaimed artwork at a museum.
It was only after the sound echoed that I realized what I'd done and who I'd done it to.
I took a step back instinctively, preparing for the worst to come.
But surprisingly he didn't hit back. His jaw flexed and his eyes glistened with something dark and amusing, then he leaned in and whispered in a dangerously low tone. "No one gets to hit me and walk away without consequences."
My breath hitched and I trembled from fear. I thought I was done for this time.
But next thing I knew, he clapped twice and said. "Ladies, session dismissed. Prepare for breakfast in ten minutes, we'll hold the proper introduction there."
The ladies skittered around and left the room naked with immediate actions.
"You too. Lorraine. Get the fuck out. You'll pay for that, but not here, or now."
I didn't bother to ask or say anything else. I fled without looking back.
————————————————————-
Ten minutes later, I prepared myself for the absolute worst and made my way to the large dining hall.
And sure enough, he was already there seated and with him were the same three women.
I recognized them instantly.
Cheating on me on our wedding night is one thing but inviting them to dine with us afterwards was outrageous to me.
I didn't bother to complain or flare up knowing very well that I was still on his bad side foe what I did earlier.
The women were seated, each of them drop dead gorgeous watching me walk in like I was an uninvited guest in my own husband's house.
I took note of their appearances this time.
The first on Angelo's left had hair styled in big wavy curls and her skin shimmered like honeyed bronze. She scanned me with a lethal gaze and her lips curled with irritation as she did. She was the one riding him.
The one beside was the icy blonde girl. She had a unique kind of beauty, almost resembling a porcelain doll. She didn't bother acknowledging my presence by looking at me, instead she casually just buttered her toast with an unreadable expression.
The third seated closest to the empty chair which I assumed was mine was wide eyed and had the most delicate brown skin I'd ever seen. Her Afro hair was pulled up in a bun and she freckles that dusted her nose and cheeks. She offered me a polite smile, the only one seated there that had the courtesy to do that.
"Lorraine." Angelo said, motioning to the moth seat between him and the brown girl. "Meet the rest of the family."
My stomach sank.
Family?
What did he mean by that?
I took my seat and sat calmly assessing each of them.
"This is Camilla." he gestured to the mean looking one. "My first wife."
My breath hitched?
Wife?
This had to be a joke.
Camilla gave a mock toast in my direction and a smile that was obviously forced. "Lovely to meet you….. uh, what's her name again?"
"Lorraine." Angelo answered before continuing. "Moving on, that's Arya. My second wife." He said pointing to the blonde unbothered one.
"Welcome." She said in a monotonous tone without even sparing me a glance. No malice. No warmth. Just a bland courtesy that felt more like a threat.
"Finally." Angelo said. "We have Zara"
The freckled girl smiled, genuinely. "Hi Lorraine, you look really beautiful."
"Thanks, you too." I was surprised by her niceness. She seemed the youngest, probably a little older than me but younger than the rest. There was warmth in her eyes, a kind of softness I didn't find in the others.
The tension in the atmosphere was sharp enough to slice through steel. I reached for a croissant I didn't even have the appetite to eat just so I didn't seem awkward and to also stop my mouth from blurting out. "You didn't tell me you had other wives, you idiot."
It all clicked.
That's why they'd all be laughing earlier.
I had walked into my husband's room, accusing him of cheating when they were his actual wives the whole time.
"So where are you from?" Camilla asked, taking a sip of a coffee.
"The riverside, Motown to be precise."
Camilla arched a bow. "Motown huh? Sounds quaint."
The insult was sharp and Arya's faint chuckle didn't help. I suppressed my rage, determined not to lose me cool in front of Angelo and his wife, sorry - wives.
Wives.
I still hadn't processed it. The way he touched me last night made me feel like I was special, like I meant something. But apparently, I was just the fourth slut in rotation.
Sweet little Zara tried to soften the tension. "I've heard about the riverlands, they say it has the nicest springs."
I offered a genuine smile and nodded. "They do. It's really peaceful and…"
Camilla scoffed and rudely interrupted me. "Peaceful? More like boring. Your life here must seem like a dream compared to that."
I clenched my jaw. "I didn't come here to dream."
Arya finally took her attention away from the toast and looked at me directly for the first time, her blue eyes piercing my skin. "Then why exactly are you here?"
"I'm only here because your husband chose me."
I could tell my words stung harder than I intended it to from the way Camilla and Arya shot dirty glances at me.
"Oh he chose you?" Camilla repeated venomously. "Yikes, he must be running out of taste."
Angelo finally intervened, "That's enough!" His voice was low, calm, cold.
Everyone immediately went still.
"Lorraine. Ignore her and go on with your breakfast." He added.
I pushed my plate away.
"Never mind, I think I've lost my appetite."
The room went quiet and I stared intently at him, betrayal gleaming in my eyes. One day in and he'd already successfully made me feel like a discardable pawn on a chessboard.
I smiled and added. "Thank you for breakfast."
But not before shooting Angelo one last glance. I needed him to see the betrayal in my eyes.
I needed him to feel it.
Because now I wasn't just gonna be a fourth wife.
I was gonna be a threat.
I turned and walked away, holding back tears. I couldn't give them the satisfaction of seeing me broken.
I was midway up the stairs when I heard it.
His voice - low and dangerous.
"Lorraine."
I froze and clutched my fingers tighter around the railing.
He was right behind me before I could decide on whether to run or face him.
His breath grazed against my neck and then he grabbed my wrist and whispered.
"You don't get to walk away from me."