His diamond cufflinks accompanied by a Rolex didn’t attest to his wealth as much as the arrogance of his head carriage and his detachment from everything.
He had a mocking smile on his lips and eyes colder than polar ice.
He knew exactly how the girl would react when she heard his words, and he reveled in them as if such a scene relieved him of something.
«How can you say that to a woman? And especially a woman who has hurt for you?
He shrugged carelessly.
«I didn’t ask you to. I never force women to go against what they want. On the contrary, I track them down and wait patiently for them to fall into my arms.
He looked at her for a moment.
«And I see you’re one of them.
Amber wanted to slap him hard. But Stephan’s dexterity intercepted her hand, twisted it and trapped it behind the girl’s back. The other savagely caressed her breasts. He weighed down Amber again, making her feel the awesome power of his desire as never before.
He crushed his mouth to hers, a cruel way of hurting her and making her understand that even far from him, the desire she possessed for him would never be quenched.
It was no surprise when Amber felt the taste of blood in his mouth.
He drew back slightly from her, yet continued to gaze at her intensely with his icy, strangely vulnerable eyes. A vulnerability that touched Amber more than anything else.
«Why Stephan?
He squinted.
«Why what?
«Why this sick need to hurt others? Especially women? Why always want to ruin everything? More than anyone, you know that this will never ease your pain or erase the past and what it contains.
He remained distant for a moment, then smiled sincerely.
«I know it won’t.
Amber could have cried. She looked at him, ignoring the clarity of his eyes and the feelings they reflected in the night.
Stephan leaned down and gave her a light kiss before licking the blood clotting around her bruised lips and following it with his tongue.
«So this is what you spent your time doing while I was looking for you everywhere.
Surprised and shocked, Amber and Stephan turned their heads together towards the scorned fiancé.
He was handsome, and his white tuxedo brought out his lunar beauty, which harmonized marvelously with the night’s stars. He could have inspired the artists and writers of the world, as much as the Amber of old. But because of the man who still held her as tightly to him as ever, despite the horrible present situation, the young girl no longer felt anything for her fiancé. Everything was gone, unravelled and never to return. Only the sadness of having betrayed him and the loss of his conscience had tinged her heart. The gleam of agony in his eyes tore Amber apart. But she was also aware that nothing more could be said or done to comfort him.
Shock and sadness over, fury soon overtook Nicholas. But a gleam of atrocious hatred soon awoke in his eyes. A hatred directed at his older brother, the one who had been banished from the family and yet still managed to steal precious things from him.
«You? And under your own family’s roof, you have the audacity to behave like this. And Eleonora who idolizes you so much, Efaestion who considers you more like his brother than he ever did with father or me. All these people constantly on your side, refusing to acknowledge the obvious.
Stephan half-smiled.
«Because they’re probably right to love me the way they do, even more than you do. I have their affection and respect because they know that in doing my duty, I’d never try to pass myself off as someone I’m not either.
«No, they’re blind, whether by choice or ignorance, it doesn’t matter. And you’re probably blind too, for touching other people’s wives.
Stephan’s face was indecipherable, which further increased his younger brother’s rage.
«Why should I bother if the person is willing and passionate? I’m not forcing anyone here, as far as I know.
«That’s not the point. But of course, for you, who possess neither scruples nor shame, you take whatever you find desirable, use it as you please without regard for their feelings, and then break them. You’ve always laughed at the harm you could do because of your flaws. And you’ve been playing this appalling game since you were a child, your first victim being the woman who loved you the most in the world. You’re pathetic.
And turning to Amber, glaring at her with his flaming eyes, Nicholas sneered wickedly.
«And you’re no better. Behaving so disgustingly and under the roof of my family, who had welcomed you in the best possible way.
Amber trembled under the insults, especially as she had nothing to defend herself with, since she was at fault, just like Stephan.
«I’m so sorry, Nicholas. That’s all I can say.
He shook his head incredulously and belligerently.
«You’re right to think that these words will never redeem anything. But let me tell you at least one good thing about this man you’ve chosen to replace me as your lover.
A silence followed her words to give even more force to her revelations.
«He’s a monster.
Amber shook her head.
«No, she wasn’t.
She refused to acknowledge what she’d already witnessed with horror as she delved into Stephan’s soul. What’s more, she couldn’t find the strength to condemn her love. But Nicholas, merciless and vengeful, continued his confession.
«You asked this brother of mine the reason for his unhealthy desire to hurt people, especially women, didn’t you? And alas, all you got from him were vague, insulting answers. Well, I’m going to tell you, and in front of him too.
Again an alarmed silence to add more effect to the next words.
«His mother, Russian and beautiful, of princely blood as you already know, by her machinations and excessive jealousy lost my father’s affection. So she and her son were banished from the Theodakis family. Blaming his mother for this irrevocable banishment and their misfortune, Stephan flew into a frightful rage, and did what he had no doubt long wished to do to anyone who ever dared to cross him. He shot his beloved mother. Luckily, he only hit her leg, she collapsed, and having no choice but to defend herself to survive, Ania, for that’s what her mother is called, took a gun and instinctively shot her son. That’s the reason for the scar on his chest.
The more Amber listened to the story, the more her heart sank. She doubted she even had one anymore. For how could she ever imagine being a good person and loving so inordinately someone as foul as Stephan. Slowly, shocked, she turned her head towards Stephan and looked at him for a long time.
ns216.73.216.17da2
and then Add to home screen.