Chapter 1 Different from other girls

I had always known that I was different from other girls. While they dreamed of fairy tale weddings with their prince charming, I couldn't help but feel a magnetic pull towards my soon-to-be stepfather, Alexander. From the moment I met him, I was struck by his gentle demeanor and piercing blue eyes. I would often lose track of time talking to him about books and music and everything in between. It wasn't long before I realized that my feelings for him went beyond the bounds of filial love.

Despite my internal turmoil, I tried my best to ignore these feelings. I knew that it was wrong and that nothing could ever happen between us. But as much as I tried to push my feelings aside, they only grew stronger.

The day Alexander proposed to my mother changed everything. I had always known that our families were close-knit, but when I learned that Alexander was going to be my stepfather, I felt a wave of emotions that I couldn't quite explain. Excitement, guilt, fear, and longing all battled for supremacy in my mind. I felt guilty for betraying my mother's trust, for having these feelings towards my future stepfather. But at the same time, I couldn't stop the way I felt.

My body aching for his touch and I dream of his naked body against mine.

As I started to get ready for the wedding, I heard a soft knock at my door. "Ava, sweetheart, are you getting ready?" It was my mother, Elizabeth.

"Yes, Mom, I'll be out in a minute," I replied, trying to keep my voice from shaking.

"Okay, we'll be downstairs." Elizabeth's voice trailed off as she walked away from the door.

I took a deep breath and opened my closet. I selected a lavender dress that I had worn only once before. It hugged my curves in all the right ways, and I felt confident in it. As I started to brush my dark hair, I heard a soft knock at the door again.

This time, it was James – my future stepbrother. "Ava, can I come in?"

"Sure," I said, trying to steady my breathing.

James was tall, muscular, and had a charming smile. He had always been friendly to me, and I appreciated that. But there was no spark between us like there was between me and Alexander.

"Are you okay?" he asked, concern etched on his face.

"I'm fine. Just a little nervous," I replied, forcing a small smile.

"I know this is weird, but I feel like we should talk about what's going on between our parents."

My heart rate spiked. I knew this conversation was coming, but I didn't know how to prepare for it. "What do you mean?"

"I mean, it's obvious that our parents have feelings for each other, but I don't think it's right that they're forcing us to get married to cover it up," James said, his voice growing angry.

My mind was in turmoil. James was right. Our parents were in love with each other, and this arranged marriage was just a way to hide it from society's judgmental eyes. But what could we do about it?

"I know it's a lot to take in, but we have to stick together, Ava. We have to figure out a way to make it right," James said, putting a supportive hand on my shoulder.

Tears prickled in my eyes. I knew that James was sincere, but I also knew that making things right would be impossible. The damage was already done, and our parents were set on this path.

As we headed downstairs, I felt like every step was a step closer to my doom. I knew that once we exchanged vows, there would be no turning back. A part of me wanted to run away and never look back, but another part of me also wanted to cling to Alexander and never let him go.

As I entered the living room, I saw Alexander and my mother waiting for us. They both looked happy and excited, completely oblivious to the chaos that was happening inside my mind. I swallowed hard and tried to force a smile.

"Wow, you look beautiful, Ava," Alexander said, his eyes looking me up and down. For the first time, I can see that he feels the same about me. I felt his eyes undressing me, staring at my naked body.

My heart fluttered at the compliment. "Thank you, Alexander," I replied, my voice barely above a whisper.

"I'm so glad that you and James will be joining our family today," my mother said, giving both of us a tight hug.

A lump formed in my throat as I hugged my mother back. The guilt of what I was about to do threatened to swallow me whole.

As we entered the car that would take us to the wedding venue, I took one last deep breath, trying to calm my racing heart. I knew that this was it. There was no turning back now. My life was about to change, and I wasn't sure I was ready for it.