His Brother's Bride, His Forbidden Obsession

Dana's POV.

The music was vociferous, the kind that reverberated in your chest and made it impossible for you to think properly. Elena had gone all out for my bachelorette party.

She served a private lounge, ordered endless rounds of drinks, and ensured every corner was dropping in glitter and neon lights. It was supposed to be my night, a celebration of the life I was about to step into. Instead, I felt like I was suffocating, trapped in the sparkling cage my parent had designed for me.

Being the face of the family wasn't an easy task and all you have to do is to make sure you followed the instructions given to you by your parents.

Elena dropped another glass into my hand, a mischievous grin plastered across her face. I took it, ignoring the uneasy feeling twisting in my stomach. One drink turned into three, then five, and soon I stopped counting. By the time we stumbled back to the hotel, I was a dizzy, gleeful mess. My vision blurred as I fumbled with my room key, and after what felt like hours of trying, the door finally swung open, I didn't seem to fight before kicking off my heels and collapsing onto the bed. The soft sheets at last welcomed me, worthy of the exhaustion.

I had been settling enough on the bed before I noticed the figure beside me, he was completely naked but the heaviness blurred my thinking and the only appropriate thing I could do now was to stare at him.

The furrow between his brows deepened. His teeth seemed smooth, and faded, replaced by something darker, more magnetic.

“You should leave,” I whispered. Instead of replying, he reached out, brushing the strand of hair from my face. His touch sent a jolt through me, and before I could stop myself, I leaned in. Our lips met, exciting us both before it deepened. Unclear, his hand slid to my waist, pulling me closer, and my resistance dissolved under the haze of alcohol and something more modern. I forgot everything but him.

The next morning, I barely registered the moment of yesterday until a deep, gruff voice broke through the haze. “Still sleeping?”

I shot upright, my heart pounding as I turned to face him. A man with broad shoulders tussled dark hair, and piercing eyes that seemed to see straight through me was sitting up in the bedroom.

“What do you think you're doing? How did you get into my room without letting me know?” I demanded. “What are you doing here?” I screamed.

“You should check the room before screaming! I think you walked into my room, luckily I didn't push you out because of your drunken state, and things took an intense turn, you wanted me as I wanted you too, and we had sex, no big deal!” He snapped at me.

I looked around the room, realizing the situation I was in. I must have walked into the wrong bedroom in my disoriented state, and now I had to face the consequences.

Grabbing my dress and other belongings, I looked him dead in the eyes. “You will have to leave first and through the window? I'm not about to ruin my reputation for you,” I muttered through gritted teeth.

“I'm not going anywhere,” he said, leaning back against the headboard with an unsettling calmness. “You're the one who walked into my room, sweet Melanie. If anyone is sneaking out of here, it's you.”

My heart raced as I stared at him, my mind scrambling for a way to salvage this disaster.

“You don't understand,” I stammered, clutching the sheets against my chest. “If someone sees me leaving here…”

“Relax, It's not like anyone knows what happened but us, unless you plan to announce it.”

I shoot him a glare, biting back the hurt of my tears that threatened to fall, I reach for my phone on the nightstand, my hand trembling. The screen lit up with a string of missed calls and several texts from Helena, and Sonia.

“Where are you?”

“Dana, answer your phone now.”

Panic surged through me as I read the text one after the other. They were looking for me. If they had not found me yet, it was only a matter of time before they did.

“I'm leaving,” I step up firmly, grabbing my dress from the floor and flipping into it as quickly as I could manage. He watched me with raised brows, his expression unbridled.

“That is more like it,” he muttered, Ignoring his smug tone, I gathered the rest of my belongings and headed for the door.

I turned back to him with a squeezed face. “This never happened.”

He smirked, his gaze tailing me “Whatever,” he said simply.

I cracked the door open and checked the hallway, it was eery and quiet.

My shoes were clutched in my hand as I tiptoed back to my suit, my heart pounding with every step I took.

I felt exposed as if every security camera was aimed directly at me, recording my every move.

When I finally reached my door, I fumbled with the keycard, cursing under my breath as it flashed red. The second attempt, then a third, it finally opened, I stepped inside, locking the door behind me. I exhaled in relief, leaning back against the door for a moment to catch my breath, but before I could fully compose myself, there was a loud knock on the door.

“Dana,” Elena's voice was muffled for a while. “Open up, you can't still be sleeping by now.” Panic swirled through me as I quickly straightened my body and ran a hand through my hair.

The mirror across the room reflected my disturbed state, flushed cheeks, smeared lipstick, hair still tangled. I walked into the bathroom to splash cold water on my face and practice a calm expression before going back to the door and opening it. Elena was standing at the door, looking frantic, with Sonia right behind her.

“Where the hell have you been? Do you want to tell me that you're still sleeping?” Elena demanded, stepping inside. “We thought you were kidnapped,” she added.

I forced a sheepish smile. “Sorry, I must have been more exhausted than I realized, I came back early and passed out. I just woke up now.”

Elena narrowed her eyes. “You did not answer your phone. We have been calling all morning.”

“I'm sorry, didn't hear that.”

Sonia crossed her arms, clearly skeptical, but Elena sighed in relief. “Well, thank God. We were about to call security.”

I knew that keeping my expression neutral would be hard, but my stomach churned with guilt.

“The make-up artist will soon be here,” Elena added cheerfully. “Now go get ready, and I will take care of everything.”

The two walked out and closed the door, I leaned back against it, letting out a breath I hadn't realized I was holding.

Dana's POV.

The reception hall glittered like a scene straight out of a fairy tale, towering crystal chandeliers casting soft lights over the guests and the hum of polite conversation mixed with the tinkling sound of champagne glasses.

I stood near Desmond, my new husband, my face frozen in a polite smile. I was the picture-perfect bride in every sense, except for the storm raging inside of me. I would be going through the motions since the ceremony, shaking hands and thanking well-wishers. But the unease refused to leave. I wanted to believe I could leave last night's mistake behind me, bury it in the past, and see if anyone would ever find it. But the universal heartache, no matter how I tried to forget about it, kept coming back.

My eyes darted to the middle of the hall, and I froze midstep when I saw him. At first, I thought my eyes were playing tricks on me. The man standing near the back of the hall, holding a glass of champagne, could not possibly be him. But as his gaze lifted and locked with mine, my stomach dropped. It was him, the stranger from the hotel room.

The room seemed to be lit as if it had been short-struck like a lightning bolt. Broad shoulders, dark hair, and those piercing eyes that had been there. My heart pounded in my chest, and I gripped the edge of the table to steady myself. What was he doing here? Who was he? My pulse raced and my mind scrambled for answers.

“Dana, are you alright?” Desmond's voice broke through the fog of thought in my head.

I forced a shaky smile. “I'm fine. Just overwhelmed, I guess.” Desmond did not seem particularly interested in my response. He was already turning to greet another guest, leaving me alone with my spiraling thoughts. I glanced back toward the stranger, and my stomach churned when I realized he was walking toward me.

When he finally stepped in front of me, he extended his hand. “Congratulations,” he said. I hesitated before shaking his hand. The feel of his warm skin against mine sent a welcoming shiver down my spine.

“Thank you,” I managed to whisper.

He slipped quickly into a soft smile, his eyes holding mine for a bit longer than I expected. “You looked stunned,” He said his words laced with something that made my cheeks burn.

“Do I know you?” I asked, though I already knew the answer.

He tilted his head slightly as if considering his next words. “Not as well as I would like to,” he said, his tone teasing.

The room felt closed in as I struggled to keep my composure.

“Excuse me,” I stated, trying to step away, but before I could even take a step, Desmond pulled me back in front of the strange man.

“Dana, meet Robert, my brother. Robert, meet Dana, my wife.”

The introduction sent a shiver down my spine as I willed myself to steady my breathing.

“Nice meeting you, Mrs.” Robert said, a smile playing at the corner of his lips.

“Nice meeting you, too,” I replied, barely managing to get the words out.

I couldn't wait for any other words before I stepped back and walked into the nearest restroom. Once inside, I leaned against the sink, staring at my reflection in the mirror.

Why him? Why him of all people? I questioned myself, tears streaming down my face. I couldn't believe the man I had one night stand with. He is my husband's brother. How come?

I wiped my eyes, taking deep breaths to calm myself, but no matter how I tried, it kept failing.

“Get it together, Dana, no one else knows,” I said to myself, trying to calm down.

The rest of the wedding passed in a blur of false light and shallow breezes. My cheek ached from posing for portrait-sized photos. My feet ached from standing so long. And my soul felt drained from pretending everything was perfect.

Desmond remained the composed groom. Thanking guests and shaking hands as if it were a business transaction rather than the celebration of a marriage. He stayed close, but not once did he hold my hand or whisper something sweet in my ear. Not once did he look at me like I was his bride.

By the time the final toast was given, I was counting down the second until it was all over.

Congratulations, “Mr. and Ms. Newman,” Someone called as we made our way out of the hall.

A shower of rose petals fell around us. I kept my head down. My hand slipped through Desmond's as he led me to the exit car.

The drive to the hotel where we would spend the night before leaving for our honeymoon was quiet. Desmond scrolled through his phone, responding to messages or checking the news, while I stared out the window, watching the city lights blur.

“Do you have everything packed for tomorrow?” He asked, his tone distant.

“Yes,” I replied softly, not exerting myself to ask for details.

He nodded.

When we arrived at the hotel, the concierge greeted us handing over the key to our reserved suite for the newly wedded.

I followed Desmond Silently. My heels clicked against the polished marble floor. We made our way to the elevator.

The suite was luxurious, with plush furniture champagne on ice, and rose petals scattered on the bed. It should have felt romantic, but all I could feel was dread.

“I have a few calls to attend to,”. Desmond said as he loosened his tie. “I'll be in the study.”

“Of course,” I said forcing a smile.

He disappeared into the adjoining room, leaving me alone in the vast silence. I snuck up to the edge of the bed. This was not how I would imagine my wedding. Not that I would allow myself to imagine much. The part of me was revealed. He had not tried to touch me. But another part felt the state of rejection. How was I supposed to make this marriage work when we felt like a stranger?

The next morning, Desmond was already dressed when I woke up. He stood by the window, his phone pressed to his ear.

“The car will be here soon, get ready,” he muttered when he noticed I was awake.