A Scorned Heart's Reckoning

My brother, sick of watching me suffer through a ten-year single-side crush, drugged his best friend and delivered him to my bed.

I was forced to be the antidote.

When we woke up, Ethan Miller coldly agreed to marry me.

But soon after the wedding, he left the country. Our daughter and I waited for three years, and when he finally came back, I took her to the airport to meet him.

The moment our daughter called out "Daddy," the woman on his arm, Chloe Brown, couldn't handle the betrayal.

She ran off, right into the path of a drunk driver, and was killed instantly.

After that, Ethan never smiled again.

He stayed, watching over me and our daughter days and nights.

I thought my suffering was finally over.

But on our daughter's third birthday, our house caught on fire.

My first instinct was to save them both, but as I ran to their room, Ethan calmly locked the door, his eyes filled with a chilling, bottomless hatred.

"If it weren't for you two, Chloe would never have died," he whispered through the door.

"Every day since she's been gone has been a living hell. I've wanted to drag you both down to join her for a long time."

As the flames consumed us, I finally understood the depths of his hatred.

Then, I opened my eyes again.

...

I was back on that fateful night, the night Ethan was drugged.

As he stumbled towards me, his face flushed and his eyes hazed with desire, I shoved him away with all my might and grabbed my phone to call his one true love

...

A ragged gasp tore through the air, sending a shiver down my spine.

My eyes snapped to the source.

Ethan was on the bed, his face flushed with a feverish heat.

The top buttons of his black shirt were undone, and it was clear he was losing control.

"Sophia, come here" he rasped, his eyes dazed as they found me.

In my past life, I would have rushed to his side, my heart aching for him.

But now, I scrambled back in terror.

It was this one night, that sealed our fate.

We were both drugged, and we fell into bed together.

But that mistake hadn't been made yet!

If I wasn't the one to be his antidote tonight, then my daughter and I could escape that horrific fate.

Without a second's hesitation, I dialed Chloe's number.

"Is this Chloe? You need to get to the Grand Althea Hotel, Room 32. Now!"

I braced myself against the door, keeping Ethan's burning-hot body on the other side.

At the same time, a familiar heat began to spread through my own veins.

I remembered what my brother had said in my past life as he'd pushed me into the room, his heart aching for my unrequited love.

"Sophia, you and Ethan have been dancing around each other for years. It's driving me crazy. I'm just giving you two a little push. It's time for him to became my brother-in-law!"

"Jake, are you trying to kill me?"

I had begged.

"Let me out!"

He'd just chuckled, shoving me into Ethan's arms.

"I put something in your drink, too. Just enjoy it. You'll thank me in the morning."

A bitter smile touched my lips. Oh, Jake.

Ethan doesn't love me.

He never did.

Fifteen minutes later, a frantic, pale-faced Chloe arrived.

She eyed me suspiciously.

"Sophia, everyone in our circle knows you're obsessed with Ethan. Why would you be so helpful? Wasn't he having dinner with your brother tonight? How did he get drugged? Is this some kind of trick?"

She was wary, but when she peeked inside and saw that it was indeed Ethan, her expression shifted.

I pushed her towards the room.

"There's no time to explain. Miss Brown, I know you and Ethan have feelings for each other. You don't want some other woman to have him tonight, do you? He needs you. He's about to lose it."

I had no idea where my brother had gotten that drug, but it was brutally effective.

In my past life, while Ethan still had a shred of control, he had bitten his own tongue and snapped the bones in his fingers trying to resist.

In the end, it wasn't enough.

But now, with Chloe here, he wouldn't have to fight it anymore.

A low groan came from inside the room.

The veins on Ethan's forehead and neck bulged.

Chloe's cheeks flushing.

She straightened her dress, tossing me a smug look.

"Well, at least you know your place. You didn't try to take advantage of him. Now that I'm here, you can give up wait, why is your face so red?"

I just shook my head, urging her to go inside.

The moment Ethan's hands tore at the strap of Chloe's dress, I squeezed my eyes shut and pulled the door closed.

The sounds that followed were muffled but unmistakable.

Every moan, every gasp, was a knife twisting in my heart.

I couldn't bear it.

I turned and fled the hotel.

The drug was starting to kick in.

In my past life, half the reason I couldn't push Ethan away was because the drug had shattered my conscious.

While I still had my wits about me, I stumbled to a stop in front of an exclusive-looking private club and staggered inside.

A young host smiled at me.

"Good evening, miss. How may I help you?"

I clutched my head, trying to clear the fog.

"I need to hire an escort."

He blinked, then professionally guided me to a private suite.

I don't know how long I waited, but eventually the door opened and a man walked in.

He was tall and impeccably dressed in a tailored suit.

His gaze fell on my disheveled clothes, and he froze.

Before he could speak, I threw my arms around his neck and pressed my lips to his.

"I've been drugged," I whispered.

"Please help me."

The man stiffened.

I felt him frown, his hands coming up to push me away.

"Is it not enough money?" I gasped, fumbling in my pocket.

"I'll pay you anything! Anything you want!"

I shoved my credit card into his hand and reached for his belt.

Through the haze, I thought I heard the man say my name.

"Sophia, don't do this"

So noisy.

I shut him up with another kiss.

It worked.

No wonder this club was so popular.

The escorts weren't just handsome, they knew how to play hard to get.

Finally, I heard a sigh from above me.

"You started this. Don't you dare regret it."

Then he flipped me onto my back, his mouth crashing down on mine in a storm of raw, pent-up passion.

After a night of tangled limbs and fevered whispers, I woke with a jolt before dawn.

It took me a moment to remember where I was and what I'd done.

I'd slept with a stranger.

An escort from a club.

He was still asleep.

I quietly dressed and slipped out.

As I passed the large plate-glass window of a department store, I saw my reflection. My clothes were torn, and my neck was a canvas of kiss marks.

I hurried home, hoping to sneak in before my brother woke up.

I slipped through the door and was about to tiptoe up the stairs.

When a cold voice stopped me.

"Where were you last night?"

Ethan was leaning against the doorway, his arms crossed.

I froze.

Wasn't he supposed to be with Chloe?

I could see the faint marks of her kisses on his neck.

His eyes were lazy, but sharp.

I looked down, my heart sinking.

I had thought that after last night, Ethan and I would be finished.

I could finally start seeing him as just my brother's friend.

"I just went for a walk," I mumbled. "Why are you back so soon?"

Ethan's new villa was being renovated, so he'd been staying with us for a few months.

I glanced around.

"Where's Chloe? Didn't she come back with you?"

In an instant, his expression darkened.

"Sophia, where were you last night? And who did this to you?"

I realized he was talking about the kiss marks on my neck.

I instinctively pulled my collar up. "It's nothing. These are mosquito bites."

A cold, humorless laugh escaped him.

"Don't play dumb. I know your brother drugged your drink, too."

"What, did your evil plan backfire? Couldn't sleep with me, so you ran out and found some other man?" he sneered.

"Sophia, did you really think calling Chloe over and then disappearing for a night, would make me worry about you? That's a pathetic way to play hard to get."

I was stunned.

Why was he so angry?

I had given him exactly what he wanted.

A bitter taste filled my mouth.

He thought my sacrifice was just some childish game.

His voice was like ice.

"As you can see, Chloe and I were together last night. I'm going to marry her. So whatever the games you're playing, I suggest you to stop."

I looked down, a small, sad smile on my lips.

"Fine."

"I'm sorry about what my brother did, but"

I looked up, meeting his gaze. "I'm really not in love with you anymore."

He stared at me, his brow furrowed in disbelief.

Everyone in our circle knew I was in love with him.

I'd refused countless dates and set-ups, all for him.

But now I knew better.

I wouldn't bring a daughter into this world just to watch her die in despair.

Ethan opened his mouth to say something, but my brother's terrified shriek cut him off.

"A GHOST! There's a ghost in the house!" Jake came sprinting down the stairs, pointing a trembling finger back towards a guest room.

"Chloe! When did she get here?"

Ethan calmly closed the bedroom door. "I brought her back last night. She was exhausted and doesn't like hotels."

"What?!"

My brother shot a complicated look from Ethan to me.

"So you two didn't last night?"

His eyes darted between the kiss marks on my neck and the ones on Ethan's.

"Jake, I'm going back to bed," I said, making a quick escape.

From my room, I could faintly hear them arguing, my brother demanding to know what had happened.

At lunchtime, Jake knocked on my door.

I didn't get up. "I'm not hungry, Jake. You guys go ahead."

A moment later, I heard Chloe's light, tinkling laugh.

"Let me try to wake her up. After all, it's thanks to Sophia that Ethan and I are finally together."

The knock came again, softer this time.

"Sophia, it's Chloe. Please, for my sake, come out and have some lunch with us."

My parents had always taught me to be polite to guests.

I sighed and opened the door.

At the table, Ethan was silent, but he was piling food onto Chloe's plate. Soon, it was like a small mountain.

"Ethan, darling, Sophia is right here," Chloe cooed.

"She's already upset about last night. You're going to make her even more jealous."

Ethan shot me a cold look.

"What's there to be jealous about? You're the one I'm going to marry. I see her only as a sister, just like Jake does."

I said nothing, forcing down mouthfuls of rice that tasted like ash.

My brother opened his mouth to speak, then closed it, sighing.

A bit of food was left on the corner of Chloe's lips.

Ethan reached over to wipe it away, but she stopped him with a playful smile.

"No, silly. I want you to kiss it off."

She leaned in, offering her lips.

Ethan hesitated for a second, then smiled and leaned in to kiss her.

Chloe turned to me, her eyes glinting with triumph.

"Don't mind us, Sophia. Ethan's had a taste of it now, you know. You're still single, but you'll understand when you get a boyfriend."

The meal was torture.

I put down my fork. "I'm full. You two enjoy your meal."

After lunch, my brother finally exploded.

"You idiot! You had the perfect opportunity last night! Why did you just hand him over to that witch?"

"Ethan might be blind to her games, but I'm not! That whole display at the table was just to spite you! I told you two had feelings for each other"

"Jake, stop," I interrupted. "Don't say things like that anymore."

He stared at me, bewildered.

I smiled.

"I don't love Ethan anymore. Brother, can you set me up on a date?"

My brother was my protector. After making sure I wasn't joking, he let out a long sigh of relief.

"Finally, little sis! You finally see the light! I told you not to waste your life on one guy. Ethan's a great catch, but there are plenty of other fish in the sea."

"I'll call Daniel right away. You know, the one you turned down last year? His family's company is way bigger than the Ethan's, he's handsome, and just like you, he's never been in a serious relationship. Just meet him up. You might actually like him."

I dutifully added Daniel's instagram.

I had thought letting go of Ethan would be agony, but now, it was just quiet.

This time, I could change everything.

"Ethan, darling, can you help me take my suitcase up to your room?"

Chloe's voice chirped from the hallway.

She turned to me.

"Sophia, Ethan's villa isn't ready yet, and he wants me around all the time, so I'll be staying here for a few days. You won't mind, do you?"

"Of course not," I said, shaking my head.

I watched Ethan haul her luggage, a bitter smile on my face.

In my past life, after our one-night stand, Ethan had sent Chloe abroad under the guise of "furthering her studies" to keep her from being hurt.

After our rushed wedding, he had joined her, leaving me to give birth to our daughter, Olivia, alone.

I had waited and waited, only for him to return holding Chloe's hand.

His eyes, when they looked at me then, were always cold.

Not like now, when they looked at Chloe with such warmth.

I turned to leave and bumped into something hard.

Chloe, who had been carrying a basin of water, let out a startled cry as it splashed all over her.

"Chloe!" Ethan's head snapped up.

He rushed over, pulling her into his arms and glaring at me.

Chloe sobbed against his chest.

"Sophia, if you didn't want me to stay, you could have just said so. This dress was a gift from Ethan. It was very expensive, and I cherished it. Why did you have to ruin it on purpose?"

"I didn't! It was an accident" I stammered.

"Enough!" Ethan's voice was sharp.

"Sophia, I told you to stop your boring games. If you don't want Chloe here, we'll move out the day after tomorrow."

He didn't give me a chance to explain, just swept Chloe up in his arms to go change.

As he carried her away, she hooked her arm around his neck and shot me a victorious smirk.

When Chloe came back downstairs wearing the dress I treasured most, my blood ran cold.

"You've never worn it since I gave it to you,"

Ethan said, as if that explained everything.

"Chloe can wear it for now."

I gave a weak, bitter smile.

I hadn't worn it because it was too precious.

It was the only birthday gift Ethan had ever given me.

After he found out about my crush on him, the gifts stopped.

That dress was my secret treasure.

But now, I just nodded numbly.

"Fine. It doesn't fit me anymore. I was going to get rid of it anyway."

For the next few days, Chloe was constantly draped over Ethan, their public displays of affection clearly meant for me.

The day he officially proposed to her, I was so distracted that I got into a car accident.

I was fine, but a passerby insisted on taking me to the hospital.

They came to visit me as a group.

Chloe's face immediately crumpled.

"Ethan, do you think do you think Sophia did this on purpose? Because we got engaged?"

"It's all my fault," she whimpered. "If I hadn't pushed you to propose, this never would have happened"

"It has nothing to do with you," Ethan soothed her.

"Don't overthink it. I ordered you that milkshake you like. It should be here. Why don't you go get it?"

The moment Chloe was gone, Ethan's face hardened.

"Sophia, did you really have to pull a stunt like this on our engagement day? Are you that desperate to break us up? I told you to give it up! There will never be anything between us!"

I just smiled faintly.

"You're mistaken, Ethan. I only see you as a brother. And my accident had nothing to do with you."

He didn't believe me.

"Chloe and I are getting married soon," he said, his voice softer but still firm.

"If you know what's good for you, you'll find a boyfriend and get over me."

"I already have one," I said.

"You don't have to lie!" he snapped, an irrational anger flaring in his eyes.

Just then, Chloe returned with the milkshakes.

She smiled as she handed one to me, deliberately flashing the diamond ring on her finger.

"Sophia, just give it up. The more you act out, the more Ethan will hate you. See this? I'm the only one he loves. He put this ring on my finger himself. It's over."

As they were leaving, Ethan gave me one last, long look.

"And even if you don't have a boyfriend, it doesn't matter. You're Jake's sister, which makes you my sister. As long as you drop these ridiculous fantasies, I can take care of you for the rest of your life."

At his words, Chloe shot me a look of pure venom, though she quickly masked it.

"That's right. You can think of me as your sister, too. Ethan and I will both look after you."

But I wasn't lying.

I really did have a boyfriend.

My gaze softened as I looked at the gardenia on my bedside table.

A gift from Daniel White.

At first, I had only agreed to the date to appease my brother.

But when I got to the coffee shop, I realized Daniel was the man from the club.

I blushed, but he just chuckled, backing me into a corner.

"Shy now? You weren't so shy the other night."

I was ready to die of embarrassment and never speak to him again, but a few days later, I was followed by a creep on my way home from work.

Daniel appeared out of nowhere, landed a few solid punches, and drove me home.

"I thought you were an escort," I said in the car.

He glanced at me, one eyebrow raised.

"Who told you that? You were the one who was so desperate you grabbed the first man you saw. You're lucky I was there inspecting my club that night. Who knows what kind of creep you might have ended up with."

I punched his arm, and he caught my hand, pulling it into his lap.

"Sophia, I've liked you for a long time. Be my girlfriend."

Even the car accident had been because of him.

He'd told me he was planning to propose, and I'd been so lost in thought that I hadn't looked before crossing the street.

Every time I thought of his face, a quiet joy bloomed in my chest.

After I was discharged, I was out of the house from dawn till dusk.

One night, I came home late to find Ethan waiting for me by the door.

His expression was complicated.

"Sophia, have you been avoiding me?"

I blinked, then laughed. "You must be overthinking."

But he blocked my path, his hand shooting out to grip my wrist.

"You'd better be. Chloe and I are getting married soon. I'm warning you, don't try anything stupid."

I pulled my hand away.

"I wish you a long and happy marriage," I said sincerely.

His expression finally softened, but then his eyes fell to my neck, and his face contorted.

"Who did that? Don't tell me it was mosquitos again."

It was a kiss mark Daniel had insisted on leaving that afternoon, a way of "claiming his territory."

Before, I would have hidden it, but now, I had nothing to hide.

"I don't think that's any of your business."

His face grew even darker.

I walked past him, not noticing Chloe hiding in the shadows, her face pale with jealousy.

The next day, I got a text from Daniel.

"My treasure, I'm taking you somewhere special."

I was about to head out when I saw Chloe in the backyard, playing on my old swing set.

"Sophia!" Ethan's voice called out.

I ignored it and left.

But when I got home that night, he kicked my bedroom door open, his face a mask of fury. He slapped me, hard.

"Sophia, how could you be so vicious? Just because Chloe used your swing set, you had to sabotage it to make her fall? She's in the hospital now. Are you happy now?"