Ashley Pov.
"You are gorgeous Samantha!" my husband said. Not to me, to Samantha Mansfield. Everyone was stealing glances at me as awkwardness blanketed the air while I watched their stunned expression. "You don't look good Ash," Laina said, passing me a glass of wine. "You knew..!" her words stung hard but yes, I should have believed my guts when it warned me. I couldn't make excuses for him, the truth was out in the open far too gone for me to keep it under wraps.
My heart shed silent tears because my husband and first love, Edward Camfrey, was holding my younger sister so tight, his strong arms wrapped around her slender waist, and they were dancing from our bedroom balcony to soft music.
Samantha giggled. Her eyes found me; she smirked as Edward pulled her into a tight embrace kissing her lips. It should have been me dancing with him on the balcony because it was our second anniversary but since Samantha came back a month ago from whatever hell hole she crawled out of my marriage hasn't been anything to write home about. I could feel him drift away from me, every dream and word of promise said was fading like cheap fabric.
"Liana.." I called out trying to will myself not to let tears fall out but the soft eyes of my best friend were all I needed to understand. I need not say words to be understood. "I know Ash…we all can see" Yes they could see and not just me. This was a party, a surprise party I had organized in his favor, and there he was in the arms of one he was to call sister.
Their closeness has always bothered me but countless reassurances had convinced me it was nothing but brotherly love..was I that stupid not to have noticed on time? Was I so naive to have thought their bond couldn't rekindle old feelings? Samantha, my younger sister, is always going for the dresses I like, the things I pick, or the men I fancy. I was not the favorite of my parents and her sick fragile nature only had them wrapped even more around her fingers.
She was the first to have taken the fancy of Edward. I was only a sideline walking in her shadows. His father Logan Camfrey had urged him to get married and obviously, I was not his first choice but Samantha. However, she refused him, saying she was in love with Colons Dante. The second heir of the famous Dante clan and the second most powerful family in South America. She broke up with Edward and fell into the arms of Colons.
At the time I had just had my degree and was ready to face the corporate world. A twenty-four-year-old vibrant with new ideas and determination but a marriage proposal came in from a man I had secretly admired all my life, how could I refuse? Everything had been perfect when I got married and she settled for the heir of the Dante Family.
I was the eldest and hence had more power in the company. My position as CEO of Mansfield Couture, a company handed over to me by my grandparents, brought his almost-dying company back to its feet. I grew his business and handed him my company all in the name of love, and it all yielded fantastic results. As Edward soon became the third most sought-after billionaire in all of South America, so did his love for me grow. But now she was back and in his arms like nothing happened.
"Christ, I've missed you so much," Samantha said with tears in her eyes. "Now I am here it is difficult to stay a moment without you" She rested her head on his chest as he stroked her back and she glanced over to me. "I want to fix this as much as you want Sammy" he sighed.
My heart raised, with humiliation and hurt at his words. What was he going to fix? My first tightened and my feet instantly rushed up the stairs despite the desperate attempt of Laina to stop me. pushing the bedroom door open. It was time for him to step out of the imaginary world and face reality otherwise I was going to be a huge misfit amongst my fellow women and the world. That disgrace I refuse to take. I walked to them with a smile and said.
"Well this is going to be very hard for you Samantha but as you can see Edward is married and that to him is now your brother. I understand how hurt you feel right now but you had handed him over to me and I greatly advise you to work on your issues with Coln. he appears to be a man of good nature and loves you, you can't be seen with your brother-in-law in such ways" his face carried no emotion as he stared back at me.
It was like I was just an ordinary person and not his wife who had just caught him in the arms of his sister inlaw, his calmness in all this was like they had been expecting me. I turned to Edward and added. "Isn't that right love?" I would not get humiliated in front of so many people.
Samantha's mouth dropped to the floor, she let out a loud cry, tears rolled out of her eyes, and then ran out of the room. "Sammy!" Edward called her. The unwanted eyes staring back at us from outside the courtyard were enough to know my business would be the talk of the socialites for weeks. "Edward" I called, reaching out to take his hand but his body moved past me swiftly, wagging me to the side. His head snapped towards me and glared. No words needed to describe his disdain but he stayed and that was enough.
Watching the guests make their way out after an eventful night with my name on their lips, I sighed in relief but it was far from over. "Edward.. Edward!" I rushed after him but he snarled at me dangerously. I winced and stopped. He stormed to her bedroom, from the little gap I watched her ball-like figure wrapped under the duvet sobbing. The night stretched on endlessly as I waited for him, the darkness intensifying my sense of longing. I down, down glass after glass of Vodka shots but nothing seemed to ease the pain, not even the burning sensation down my throat with every sip.
"You shouldn't do this to yourself," Laura said. "Why? He is my husband. He should be with me, why should I watch him with another and that to my sister? Laura all I seek is that which is mine- is that too much to ask?" My question came with no answer. I was wallowing in pain and loneliness. I wanted to storm up to her room and throw her out of my house, but the fear of losing my husband held me tight by my throat. I turned to Laura who stared at me pitifully and said. "You should go home, I can manage." The reluctance in her eyes was enough but she had better things to take care of other than a drunk best friend. "Call me okay" I nod watching her leave. I walked my way to my cold bedroom which I had once shared with my husband.
Angry, bitter, and frustrated, I waited for the morning for Edward to make his way out of her room but he didn't. I couldn't sit by and went ahead pushing the door open but an empty room stared back at me. "When did they leave?" I asked but no one gave answers. He was the man of the house and without his permission, nothing was to be done or said. I brace myself walking back to my room. I did my hair, and put on some makeup to cover the dark circle from under my eyes. I couldn't let Samantha take what was mine.
In a desperate attempt to reclaim my home, I made preparations for dinner. He has always loved the orchid and the serene garden and everything was to his preference and liking. Samantha was perhaps one of the most beautiful women, but I wasn't less. Still, I found myself competing against her. I walked over to the well-decorated orchard beaming with radiant lilies and blooming roses but the servants stared at me with pity. Time painfully ticked away slowly and there was no sign of him or Samantha.
Tired, I walked back but the urge to check Samantha's room grew more, and like a drunk driver I made a 360-degree turn without a second thought. Kelvin his assistant standing by the door. "Sorry my lady," he said, blocking me from opening the door. "Strict orders of Mr. Camfrey"
"I am his wife" my voice pierced through icy and stern. "You can't stop me" he glanced nervously at the door and then back to me. "I am sorry my lady but your husband has asked me not to let you in. He asked you to schedule an appointment to meet him."
"What? Make an appointment to meet my husband?" This was some sick joke. The nervousness in the air could be sensed but all I wanted was to see Edward so I pushed harder. "Mr Camfrey is very busy and you should schedule a lunch meeting or dinner with him, my lady"
"Kelvin!" I snapped. "You can't deny me from meeting my…" All at once I heard groans and moans from inside.
"Yeah…ahh faster. Harder!" Samantha moaned. "You like it right? Im better, so better than my sister" I waited not sure why but the response came all at once. "Yeah.. she knows nothing, you rock my world"
My stomach churned suddenly with sharp pain. I clunked hard, my vision blurring. Gripping my stomach, another pain hit me more intensely than the previous. Warm fluid ran down my legs, and my shaking hands slowly wiped through my tights hoping not to be what I was thinking. I gasp.
"Blood…NO!" fresh tears rolled out as I gasped for air... Kelvin watched "I can't leave the door," he stated dismissively leaving me miserable as hell.