For Better, For Worse: The Serpent's Contract Wife

This... animal.

"As for Stinger... I knew you could handle her long enough for me to emerge as a knight in shining armor to make you trust me more. But you killed her, I did not see that coming. Bravo, Anastasia... I couldn’t be more proud of you."

God, he was so fucking insane. To think everything he had done was to gain my trust, showing me the good parts of him.

But that was the thing: his attempts never truly worked because I have known only to see the worst, and his good attitude was a red flag for me.

Zade never acted like my saint or a knight; he was the monster in my life that tormented me for years, and even when he had every opportunity to tell me the truth, he didn’t.

He chose to be the villain because he never wanted me to know that my sister, whom I thought was my everything, tried to kill me.

Zade was nothing like this monster in front of me.

"You won’t get away with this..." I murmured.

He chuckled and then kissed me before I had the chance to register what he had done.

I slammed my fists against his chest repeatedly as this disgusting man devoured my lips. I successfully yanked myself off him and slapped him across the face.

He laughed, and I wanted nothing more than to wipe that fucking amusement off his face. But I can’t exactly overpower him. Jokes aside, this man had almost the same build as Zade, which made him more equivalent to a damn wall.

The only means I had to defend myself was that gun across the hallway, but that doesn’t mean it should be.

"We have taken enough time. We still have a meeting that awaits us."

"I’m not going anywhere with you!" I hissed.

"You can try to run, Anastasia, but I’m afraid you won’t get far."

On cue, I threw a look over my shoulder and saw his men closing in.

"So we’re still playing this game?" I gritted. "Too late for that now that I know there’s no Syndicate to begin with; it was a lie to keep my focus away from your true agenda."

"Was it?"

I narrowed my eyes at him in question.

"I just don’t want you by my side, Anastasia. I want you as a partner in all this too, which means inviting you to my inner circle."

This man’s confidence was off the charts; he really thinks he can get away with this.

"So we still have a meeting to attend, but this time... how about as Mr. and Mrs. King?"

I froze. "Wh-What?"

"Yes, Anastasia, that’s my last name."

I scoffed in disbelief. Was he by chance related to the Kings in Midnight City? How come I have never heard of him?

I swallowed hard as he offered me his arm, but instead of taking it, I walked ahead. He chuckled and followed beside me.

We made our way to a door left ajar. The moment we stepped inside, I felt as though I’d walked into a dinner straight out of a horror story. People sat around the table with their masks still on as they ate in eerie silence, all except one.

"Gabriel..." I murmured under my breath when I saw the familiar ginger-haired man.

"I believe you two have met. Anastasia. Gabriel Russo, CEO of Russo Palace. The best auction house you can find in the city."

He rose to his feet and buttoned his suit jacket as he walked to us. "Anastasia? I did not expect to see you so soon. Have you been well?"

"So this was it..." I said.

"What?" he blinked, looking to Julius as though for an explanation.

"This was where you got the support you needed to murder your parents in cold blood." I paused. "Lemme guess, Cynthia aka Stinger did the honors. Of course she was the only one who could enter the estate without any suspicion."

Gabriel huffed. "Wow! You have been doing a lot of thinking there. Or did you tell her?"

The question was for Julius.

It wasn’t that hard to figure out after Cynthia turned out to be the hitman and seeing him here. It made enough sense about Cynthia’s involvement, especially how Luca explained to me that day how they knew Luca couldn’t have done it himself.

"She has been doing a lot of that lately. Can’t blame her." Julius said. "She’s been so tense this evening and..."

I flinched when he tried to touch me.

"Don’t you dare touch me!"

"And angry."

"Understandable, if you ask me, your plan to isolate her was ridiculous. You should have been more up front about it. I mean, surely she thinks more highly of you than Zade."

Julius pinned him down with a look. "Shall we start?"

"Yes!" Gabriel nudged his head and went back to his seat,

"What’s all this about?" I demanded. "I’m all for dealing with a creepy man like you, but the seat of hell? Not so much."

"This, little one, is a meeting to determine your husband’s downfall. Everyone seated here is an enemy of the Serpent."

My breathing hitched.

"It’s much more thrilling to have you here as we plan to end your husband. You’ll be a widow, and I can control the docks. Either way I win."

"Ladies and gentlemen, thank you all for attending on such short notice, which is! Knowing who has a grip on the undercity, we have been very cautious. We’re the Syndicate, and I would like you to meet the future... Mrs. King." Gabriel announced.

Their heads turned to me, and my skin felt like it was breaking in hives.

"Please, sit so that we may begin..."

I flinched again when Julius placed his hand on the small of my back.

"No need to be so jumpy; sooner or later you won’t have to be. You’ll be my wife."

"Over my dead body."

"I’m afraid I can’t let that happen... I need you very much alive. Sit."

Heaving, I did when he pulled out the chair for me. I crossed my legs then discreetly slipped my hand to press the small stone on the clasp of my anklet.

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