Chapter 23

The sound of knocking wakes me, and I blink in confusion, my gaze dropping to Ares beside me.

I never thought we’d find ourselves in this position…

Waking up together.

Married.

Another knock sounds at the door, and I sit up quickly, letting the sheets bunch around my waist.

“Ares,” I murmur.

“Hmm?”

He blinks lazily and turns toward me, sighing softly as his eyes flutter open.

“Raven,” he whispers sleepily.

His eyes slowly roam over the black lace nightgown I’m wearing, lingering on my breasts for a moment.

He didn’t come to bed until after I fell asleep, and honestly, I wasn’t even sure he’d be beside me this morning.

It wouldn’t have surprised me if he’d spent the night on the sofa.

It can’t be easy for him to have me in his bed when it’s my sister he truly wants.

“Ares, sweetheart,” Donna calls from outside.

“There’s… there’s someone at the entrance.”

I tense immediately and let my eyes fall shut.

“Hannah,” I whisper.

Guilt crashes into me, followed by overwhelming shame.

“What are we going to tell her?” I ask, my voice trembling.

Ares sits up and turns toward me, revealing the blue plaid pajamas he’s wearing.

Hannah has a matching set.

The mere sight of them makes my stomach twist painfully.

Did he wear them because he misses her?

Or is she so deeply woven into his life that he can’t separate himself from everything they used to be?

Ares stares at me for a moment, clearly noticing my anxiety.

“What do you want me to say to her?”

I lower my gaze to my hands and inhale deeply before answering.

“I want you to tell her what you told me at the altar.”

I lift my eyes to meet his.

“You told me you’d give me your all, Ares. I’m asking you to keep that promise.”

My voice hardens slightly.

“I know how much you love her, but I won’t let you cheat on me, and I won’t let you humiliate me either.”

I swallow hard.

“I deserve the respect owed to me as your wife. The same respect you would’ve given Hannah if she hadn’t left you at the altar yesterday.”

He looks away and nods sharply.

“Understood,” he says simply.

I glance up in surprise and find him smiling at me reassuringly, as if he can see every fear I’m trying so hard to hide.

“Let’s get ready,” he says.

“She’ll probably want to talk to both of us.”

He stands from the bed.

“I’ll let you use our ensuite bathroom. I’ll use the bathroom in the gym.”

I nod and slip out of bed, a thousand worries racing through my mind.

I don’t want to see them together.

Somehow, I’ve been living in this fantasy where Hannah no longer exists.

Convincing myself that I could outrun her.

That I could steal her place and get away with it.

But deep down, I always knew I couldn’t run forever.

I’m surprised to find Ares sitting on the bed when I step out of the dressing room, a towel pressed against his damp hair.

I thought he would’ve gone to speak to Hannah privately.

Yet here he is.

Waiting for me.

His eyes roam over the dress I’m wearing before quickly looking away.

“Ready?” he asks as he rises to his feet.

I shake my head.

“No,” I admit.

I know exactly what my sister is like.

She’s always been a talented actress, and even I can’t resist her when she truly wants something.

I’m terrified my resolve will crumble the moment I look into her eyes.

Ares smiles at me, though it doesn’t quite reach his eyes.

“It’ll be okay.”

He extends a hand toward me.

“Let’s go.”

I nod and follow him into the living room, where Hannah is waiting.

She immediately jumps to her feet and rushes toward Ares, throwing herself into his arms.

He hugs her tightly, his eyes falling shut as pure agony crosses his face.

It’s obvious how much he missed her.

And I’ve never felt more like an intruder than I do right now.

“Tell me this isn’t real,” she begs, her voice shaking.

“I’m sorry, Hannah.”

He sounds just as devastated as she does, and it kills me knowing I’m the only thing standing between them now.

She pulls away from him as a tear slips down her cheek and turns to look at me.

“Raven, this is some kind of sick joke, right?”

She lets out a hollow laugh filled with desperation.

“Please tell me it is.”

I shake my head slowly, guilt washing over me.

She loves him.

Hannah may be selfish, but her love for Ares has always been one of the most beautiful things about her.

“How could you marry my fiancé?” she asks in disbelief.

“How could you possibly agree to marry someone who will never love you? Why would you do this to me, Raven?”

She laughs bitterly.

“If you had just walked away, they would’ve postponed the wedding, and they couldn’t have blamed Ares for it.”

“Hannah,” I say immediately, my voice defensive.

“I called you over a hundred times. I sent texts, voice notes, even emails.”

My voice rises.

“I tried to contact you every possible way I could think of, but you chose to ignore me.”

I inhale sharply.

“I told you Dad threatened to pull all funding from my company if I didn’t walk down that aisle, and you still didn’t show up.”

I wrap my arms around myself.

“You were willing to risk your future, but that doesn’t mean I was willing to risk mine.”

She looks between us, tears filling her eyes.

“Ares,” she whispers shakily.

“How could you? She’s my sister, for God’s sake.”

Her gaze flickers between us again.

“You two… are you…”

“No,” Ares says instantly.

“Never.”

His voice is firm.

“I’ve never loved anyone but you, Hannah. I never will.”

My heart twists painfully.

“How could I possibly want anyone else?”

Pain tears through me, but I force my expression to remain blank.

Part of me is terrified he means every word.

Terrified that no matter what I do, he’ll never love me.

But a bigger part of me knows I’ll regret it for the rest of my life if I don’t try.

“Where does this leave us, Ares?”

She looks at him desperately.

“What about us?”

Ares glances at me, but honestly?

I’m waiting for his answer just as much as she is.

“You know how I feel about marriage, Hannah.”

He speaks slowly.

“You chose to walk away from this. From us.”

She stares at him in disbelief.

“You only have to stay married for three years, right?”

He hesitates before nodding.

“I’ll wait,” she says quickly.

“I’ll wait for you, Ares.”

I study his expression.

The spark of hope lighting up his entire face.

It hurts.

It kills me knowing how desperately he still wants her.

Even now.

“Three years will fly by,” she continues desperately.

“I’ll focus on my career during those three years, and once you two divorce, I’ll retire and marry you.”

She grips his hands tightly.

“I understand now, Ares. I don’t need my career as much as I need you.”

Her voice trembles.

“I never would’ve walked away if I’d known they’d force you to marry Raven.”

Then she turns toward me, sorrow filling her eyes.

“I’m so sorry, Rave.”

She inhales shakily.

“This is all my fault.”

Her gaze falls to my wedding ring.

“Having to marry your brother-in-law… I can’t even imagine how difficult this must be for you.”

She shakes her head.

“I know apologies can’t fix this now, but I truly am sorry.”

Her voice strengthens slightly.

“I’ll make this right, I swear.”

She offers me a weak smile.

“I know three years sounds like a long time, but at the end of it, you’ll still walk away with Mom and Dad’s company.”

Brother-in-law.

Part of me wants to snap at her and tell her he’s my husband now.

That she’s the one who should be calling him her brother-in-law.

But I can’t bring myself to hurt her that way.

So instead, I simply nod, unsure how to respond.

I may be Ares’s wife now, but I have no real claim on him.

Standing here in front of my sister…

The woman he loves.

The woman he wants to spend the rest of his life with…

I just can’t hurt her any more than she’s already hurting.

Hannah inhales deeply and looks back at Ares before turning to me again.

“I trust both of you,” she says, her gaze moving between us.

She smiles at Ares, longing written all over her face.

“I know you’ve both been thrown into an impossible situation, but I’ll never doubt the love between us, Ares.”

She squeezes his hands.

“We’ve been together for five years. Compared to the rest of our lives, three years is nothing.”

Then she looks directly at me.

“If this were any other woman, I’d be insecure and terrified.”

Her gaze softens.

“But I know you’d never hurt me.”

She smiles sadly.

“You would never betray me like that, and I know you’ll never truly see Ares as your husband, no matter what title the world is forcing onto the two of you.”

I nod quietly, giving in.

This isn’t a battle worth fighting.

Besides, Ares may be my husband for now…

But one day, he’ll become hers again.

I can see it in his eyes.

Even now, she’s the one he imagines a future with.

The promises he made to me crumbled the second he laid eyes on her.

Just like they always do.

Hannah hesitates, her eyes fixed on mine, and for a moment I wonder if she can see straight through me.

If she can sense my hesitation.

My heartbreak.

“Raven,” she says tensely.

My pulse quickens as I force a smile onto my face.

But before she can continue, her phone rings, saving me from questions I may not know how to answer.

Hannah glances at the screen and grimaces.

“I need to go,” she says reluctantly.

“I’m supposed to be on set today.”

Ares immediately stiffens.

Because if she’s expected on set today, then she must’ve known long ago she wouldn’t be spending today on her honeymoon.

What kind of game is she playing?

And how long is Ares going to let her keep playing it?

I watch Hannah walk toward him.

She rises onto her toes to kiss him, and I grit my teeth as venom floods through me.

At the last second, Ares turns his face away.

Her lips brush against his cheek instead.

Hannah narrows her eyes at him, but ultimately says nothing.

“I’ll see you later,” she says softly.

“Let’s have dinner and talk properly, okay?”

He simply nods and watches her walk away, leaving the future of both our lives in complete chaos.

The door closes behind her, and Ares exhales deeply before sinking onto the sofa, his gaze distant.

I should give him space.

I should respect his boundaries.

But I won’t.

This is war.

And I refuse to lose without fighting back.

My steps are steady as I walk toward him and place one knee on the sofa between his spread legs, leaning over him the same way I did yesterday.

The regret in his eyes makes me hesitate for a second.

But in the end, hope wins.

I place my hands on his shoulders as I lean over him.

“My words still stand,” I tell him softly but firmly.

“I won’t let you cheat on me.”

I hold his gaze.

“If you want to be with Hannah once our three years are over, then fine.”

My voice hardens slightly.

“But until then, I need you to remain faithful to me.”

I inhale slowly.

“You may think you can sneak around without getting caught, but that’s not a risk worth taking.”

I cross my arms tightly.

“If you cheat on me, I stand to lose just as much as you do.”

I step closer.

“And I won’t let that happen.”

He wraps his hands around my waist, his eyes filled with emotions I can’t decipher.

He’s never looked at me this way before.

“I hear you,” he says softly.

“I won’t break my vows, Raven.”

He takes a deep breath.

“I’m not going to lie and pretend I’m not tempted, because I am.”

His gaze drifts slowly to my lips before returning to my eyes.

“It would be so easy to pretend you and I aren’t really married.”

His voice turns low and rough.

“To pretend we’re just roommates. That you’re still only my fiancée’s little sister.”

He clenches his jaw.

“But I’m not going to do that.”

I exhale shakily and nod, relief washing through me.

This is enough for me.

As long as he stays faithful…

I still have a chance.

And one chance is all I need.