The-Wrong-Bride-Ares--Raven’s-story-(Maura,-Catharina)_bibis

Chapter Twenty-Three
RAVEN
The sound of knocking wakes me, and I blink, disoriented, my gaze dropping to Ares next to me. I
didn’t think we’d ever find ourselves in this position… waking up together, married.
Another knock sounds on the door, and I sit up, letting the sheets bunch around my waist. “Ares,” I
murmur.
“Hmm?” He blinks lazily and turns toward me, sighing as his eyes flutter open. “Raven,” he
whispers dreamily. His eyes leisurely roam over the black lace nightie I’m wearing, lingering on my
breasts for a moment. He didn’t come to bed until I fell asleep, and I wasn’t sure he’d be next to me
this morning at all. It wouldn’t have surprised me if he spent the night on the sofa. It can’t have been
easy for him to have me in his bed when it’s my sister he wants.
“Ares, sweetheart,” Donna calls. “There’s… there’s someone at the entrance.”
I tense and let my eyes fall closed. “Hannah,” I whisper. Guilt hits me hard, followed by intense
shame. “What are we going to tell her?” I ask, my voice trembling.
Ares sits up and turns toward me, exposing the blue checkered pajamas he’s wearing. Hannah has
matching ones. The mere sight of him makes me feel sick to my stomach. Did he wear them because
he misses her, or is she so deeply entrenched in his life that he can’t detangle everything they were?
Ares stares at me for a moment, no doubt noting my anxiety. “What do you want me to say to her?”
I look down at my hands and inhale deeply before speaking. “I want you to tell her what you told
me at the altar. You told me you’d give me your all, Ares. I’m asking you to keep that promise. I know
how much you love her, but I won’t let you cheat on me — nor will I let you embarrass me. I demand
the respect I’m due as your wife, the respect you would’ve shown Hannah if she hadn’t left you at the
altar yesterday.”
He looks away and nods sharply. “Understood,” he simply says. I look up in surprise to find him
smiling at me reassuringly, as though he can read the fears I try so hard to hide.
“Let’s get ready,” he tells me. “She’ll want to speak to both of us, I’m sure. I’ll leave you to use
our ensuite bathroom, and I’ll head over to the bathroom in our gym.”
I nod and slip out of bed, a thousand different worries running through my mind. I don’t want to
see them together. Somehow, I’ve been existing in this fictional world that Hannah isn’t part of. I’ve
been convincing myself that I could outrun her, and that I’d get away with taking her place.