Chapter 1 WHEN THE WORLD TURNED ITS BACK

Sound of laughter travelles to me from downstairs and my hands shook, almost throwing down the vase I had been attending to. I should have gotten used to it but it was impossible.

How could one get used to something like that? Wolf whined inside of me, unhappy and upset for me. Rebelling silently for me.

I stared at my busy hands. The hands that were supposed to be holding gifts, were rearranging the flowers that refused to look right. This would be the fifth time I was arranging them but the result remained the same. I was doing everything I could to keep my mind off the party happening downstairs.

The more I tried to distract myself, the more the event keeps making itself known to me, like it was mocking me. The music was loud, the laughter doesn't cease and voices blended together in celebration. It was my birthday.

Well, technically it was my stepsister Celeste's birthday too. We were born on the same day, although she is a year older than I. But no one was celebrating for me. I go to stand in front of the mirror, I stare at my reflection with sadness in my eyes. They did it on purpose, on my birthday they gave me a dress that made me look pitiful. It was an old dress that barely fit anymore, it has lost its color from years of use.

My silver-blonde hair was pulled back in a messy bun. I looked exactly like what I'd become. A servant in my own house. While downstairs, Celeste was wearing a beautiful emerald gown. I'd seen it earlier when her mom, Vivian, had shown it off, gushing about how much it cost and how perfect it looked on her daughter.

They knew I was standing at the corner when they talked about it. But they didn't care. All that matters was the party. A party that should be for two people if only someone would remember that. I swallowed the lump in my throat and turned back to the flowers

'Don't cry. Don't think about it. Just finish the work and go back to your room' I say to myself. This door is pushed opened behind me and I turn around; it's Damien, Celeste's finance.

Damien stood in the doorway, he wore a smile that complemented his appearance. He was tall, handsome, wealthy, everything Celeste had ever wanted. His dark hair was perfectly styled, and his expensive suit looked tailor made. He was smiling but something about the way his eyes slowly moved down my body made my skin crawl.

There was something dark in those eyes, something wrong and hungry. "D-Damien...what are you doing here?" I asked, my voice shaky as I took a small step back with the step he took forward, "Celeste is-" "I know where Celeste is," he smoothly cut into my sentence.

He stepped into the room and closed the door behind him. The closed door made my stomach twisted, there's something wrong. "I think you should go back down," I said quickly.

"She'll be looking for you." He didn't answer. He just kept walking toward me, like a predator stalking its prey. I backed up until my back hit the wall and there was nowhere else to go.

"Damien, what are you doing?" I asked, my voice came out as a whisper from fear closing up my throat. The man placed both hands on the wall on either side of my head and kept me trapped. He leaned in till his face was so close that I could smell the alcohol on his breath.

"Please stop this," I said and turned my head to the side when he tried kissing me. "You're Celeste's fiance. This is wrong" I say. "Wrong?" He laughed, but it wasn't a nice sound. "Come on, Elara. Don't pretend you don't want this."

"I don't!" I tried to push him away, but he was too strong. "Get away from me!" "You should be grateful," he whispered, his lips close to my ear. "A perfect man like me wanting anything to do with someone like you.

Do you know how lucky you are?"

"Let me go!"

I struggled against him, panic rising in my chest. Instead, He grabbed my waist, to pull me closer, and his other hand reached up to touch my face. "Just relax," he said and traced the hand slowly down to my neck.

"Celeste will never know. It'll be our little secret." "No!" I scream out and shoved against him as hard as I could, but he barely moved, staying rooted. Suddenly his mouth was on mine, forcing a rough and demanding kiss on me. I screamed out but the screams are muffled by his mouth. He moved his hand to grab and squeeze my boobs hard enough to hurt.

I couldn't breathe anymore and I bit down on his lip. He jerked back with a curse, and for a second, his grip loosened. "Fuck!" He yelled and cupped his bloodied lips. I shoved him again with everything I had.

This time, he stumbled back a step. With his hand off me, I bolted for the door, my hands shaking as I grabbed the handle. I pulled it open and rushed through.

But he was faster than I thought. His hand caught the back of my dress and I heard the weakened fabric tear, felt the cool air on my skin as part of my dress ripped away, exposing my bra underneath.

I didn't stop.

I kept running. "You whore!" His voice echoed behind me. "Come back here!" His footsteps pounded after me and my heart hammered in my chest. Without looking back, I ran down the hallway, down the stairs, my torn dress flapping behind me.

The party was in full swing in the main hall. With music, laughter and people everywhere. I burst through the crowd, gasping for air, and my chest heaving. People turned to stare at me. Conversations stopped.

The music seemed to get quieter. I pushed through the guests until I found Celeste. She stood near the center of the room in her perfect emerald dress, a glass of champagne in her hand. She was laughing with some of her friends. "Celeste!" I grabbed her arm, panting so hard I could barely speak.

She turned to look at me, her eyes going wide. Then her gaze traveled down to my torn dress, to the exposed bra, to my messy hair. Behind me, I heard footsteps. Damien appeared, he looked composed, like nothing happened. The only thing that betrayed him was the blood on his lips. Celeste looked at him.

Then at me.

Her face went cold. "What's going on?" she asked slowly."Your fiancé-" I started, my words tumbling over each other as i was trying to catch my breath. "He tried to- He came into the room and he-" "She forced herself on me," Damien interrupted, his voice loud enough for everyone nearby to hear. I froze. "What?" I whispered.

"She grabbed me when I was looking for you," he continued, his voice smooth and convincing. "She told me she wanted me. That you would never find out, when I refused, she-" He gestured to his lips and to his rumpled clothes. "She attacked me. She's trying to frame me."

"No!"

I turned to Celeste, my eyes filling with tears. "No, that's not what happened! He's lying! He came into the room and he tried to force himself on me! He grabbed me and-" The slap came before I could finish.

I pressed my hand to my burning cheek. Celeste slapped me. She's looking at me with cold eyes. "Please, Celeste you have to believe me, I didn't -" I tried to convince her. "Shut up you filthy whore!"she screamed at me.