Eden's Pov.
"You're really going to do this?" I raise a brow, using my hand as a solid barrier between me and Xavier, stopping him from kissing me. My palm presses flat against his chest, feeling the frantic, heavy thump of his heart under my fingers. "Cheat on my sister, with me? You just married her yesterday."
He glances at me, his eyes glazed over, panting heavily like he's just run a mile. I shift slightly, adjusting my head on the pillow to get a better look at his pathetic face.
"Isn't that what you want?" He groans out, the words slurred with desperation. "We'll be quick, I swear it. She'll never know."
He looks like a complete horny mess, his eyes red-rimmed with a longing that's almost painful to see. He's pleading with his whole expression, like he would actually die if this one moment was taken away from him. It's kind of disgusting, really.
My gaze flicks down to the thick gold band on his finger. They had just signed their marriage certificate yesterday. He came over today to start helping Elizabeth move her things into his place, right before the big white wedding scheduled in just two days from now. The whole thing annoys me, mostly. I keep thinking about how he looks at her, how he loves her so openly. He always grins from ear to ear around her and makes her blush like a stupid schoolgirl.
Maybe I just don't like seeing that. My own life is a dead-end compared to hers. I'm set to be married off to some guy I haven't even met, a business deal dressed up as a relationship, while she gets to have the love of her life, her childhood crush. It doesn't seem fair. We literally have the same face and the same body, but life handed her all the privileges. She built a successful career everyone admires. She's the kind of girl men run after, while they run off from me like I'm a plague they need to avoid.
It's honestly sickening. She has always gotten the things that are permanently out of my reach. But not today. Right now, her brand-new husband is between my legs, frantically pulling at his clothes with a shaking, desperate energy, ready to fill me up and unravel me. And the best part is, my text message to her was already delivered and marked as seen.
I stare back at Xavier, a cold smirk settling on my face as he leans in to sloppily kiss my neck, trailing it down to the swell of my breasts. I don't even feel it. I'm just counting down in my head. One… two… three.
The door swings open hard, slamming against the wall. It's followed by the heavy thud of a luxury purse hitting the tiled floor and then a raw, loud scream that cuts through the room.
Finally, she is here.
I watch as my sister Eliza's face morphs into utter shock. Her hands fly up, covering her mouth as if to trap the scream building inside her. "No… no…" she whispers, her voice cracking.
I really hope she doesn't cry. If she cries, it'll make me feel guilty, like I'd beaten her up in a fight that was never fair to begin with. On the bright side, Xavier was going to make a move anyway. All I had to do was step out of the pool. That was enough. He approached me with a visible erection, not even trying to hide it.
I quickly shove him away and yank the sheets up to cover myself. He scrambles to his feet, already offering up the first classic line from the crucial topic taught at the School of Professional Cheats.
"Babe, it's not what you think," he says, voice dripping with fake concern.
I try hard not to roll my eyes. Seriously? That's the best he's got?
"How could you do this to me, Eden?" Eliza hisses, her eyes burning into me.
Right. Of course. Blame the woman first. Typical.
"I didn't do anything," I snap back, my voice sharp and defensive. Because it's true. I didn't. Not really.
She whips her head toward Xavier, who's now frantically pulling on his clothes just as fast as he'd ripped them off minutes ago. "Xavier, what is the meaning of this?" she demands, her tone icy.
"I can explain," he stammers.
Line number two from the cheater's handbook. How philosophical. How original. I almost want to applaud his lack of creativity.
"Explain what?" she snarls, snapping her fingers right in his face. "You're banging my sister behind my back! How long has this been going on? We just got married yesterday! And Eden—" She turns her glare back on me, her voice rising to a scream. "Why aren't you saying anything?!"
"I'm just letting you have your moment," I shrug, playing it cool.
The response is immediate. A small marble statue from the nightstand comes hurling at my head. I squeal and leap off the bed just in time. She advances on me, her face blaring with pure rage. Xavier tries to grab her arm to hold her back, but she slaps him hard across the face without even looking at him.
"Whore! Of all the men, it just had to be my husband, huh?" she seethes, cornering me against the wall.
I duck and slide past her, jumping to the other side of the bed just as redemption walks through the door. My mother. I slip behind her immediately, grabbing onto her robe, holding her tightly like a human shield. Eliza sneers, her lips pulling back from her teeth. "F*cking cheap thing!"
"Well, your husband is a knockoff!" I yell back, my grip on my mother tightening. A new sense of confidence washes over me. I'm safe here.
Eliza's nostrils flare. She makes another move to lunge at me, but a loud crack fills the room as my mother's chubby hand connects with her cheek. The force sends Eliza stumbling to the ground, her hand flying up to cover the red mark already blooming on her skin. Perfect.
Mother yells then, her voice booming through the room. "Enough with this madness already!"