Chapter 2 The Trap

Adrian pulled Serena into his arms inspecting her face like a trophy.

"I know you hate me, Arabella. But I care about Axel and I can't let you hurt him like that." Serena's voice was sugary sweet with small choked sobs, almost convincing even for Arabella.

Adrian shot stunned Arabella a disdainful look before quickly sweeping his gaze back to his precious treasure, "What happened, Serena?"

Serena wiped out the lone tear that found its way into her teary eyes, explaining, "Arabella wants to come to the annual party tonight. I was worried she might cause a scene and put Axel in a tough spot..."

Arabella let out a loud, humourless chuckle, intentionally cutting her short.

She'd seen Serena scheme against her for so many years but this one? It was just too childish...yet so believable.

Adrian and Serena exchanged a look, the fake fear her eyes held earlier now completely gone.

Adrian's jaw tightened with anger as he gripped Arabella's hand firmly, his eyes spitting fire, "Arabella, stop your stupid tantrum! I am not letting you step a foot into the hall..."

"Don't worry," Arabella forcefully shoved his hand off her, "Just tell your 'fiancée' to stay away from my child!"

"And who exactly are you to make such an order?" Catherine, Adrian's mom wheeled into the kitchen in her electric wheelchair.

Her grey hair was pulled back severely, making her sharp features look even harder.

Arabella dragged her palm down his face, slow and tired, "Mother, Axel is asking questions about this whole mess! I can't let my baby grow up like this."

"Oh? That bothers you?" Catherine asked, lips curving upward.

She lounged back in her chair as if the whole world amused her, "Then you should sign the damn papers and let Serena raise him without all this drama."

Arabella slumped back with a groan, head tilted toward the ceiling.

Every conversation with Catherine always ended up with the divorce reminder, even more desperate than Serena and Adrian were.

But Arabella never dared to speak back, after all, she still carried the guilt of that terrible accident that killed their father and confined Catherine to the chair.

Sometimes she still wonders how someone who once bought her her first pretty dress...gave her her first warm, motherly hug could hate her like this.

But that woman was dead. And Arabella was done mourning her.

"I never thought I'd say this, but I'm glad Father isn't to witness the trash you have raised, mother."

The room went still.

Catherine's fist tightened around the handle of her chair, her eyes burning into Arabella.

Adrian's face went blank, the kind that meant danger.

Arabella wanted to walk away, but Adrian held her back, pinning her to the counter. His voice was low, dangerous, "How dare you speak to my mother like that?"

Arabella ignored the pain shooting up her waist from the impact on the counter, "Am I wrong?"

Adrian was quiet. Too quiet.

"I know you hate me, but if you have any shame...or at least the slightest bit of respect for father, don't bring your affairs to our matrimonial bed."

"This is what all this is about? Last night?" His tone was flat, like it wasn't a big deal.

And maybe for him it wasn't.

"We were both drunk. We didn't know we ended up in our room, okay?"

But his eyes flickered with something-confusion, maybe. Like he was trying to remember something that wouldn't come into focus.

"I don't even remember going to bed," he muttered, more to himself than to her.

Arabella's rage boiled over. "You don't remember? You DON'T REMEMBER?"

Even now, he wouldn't take responsibility. Wouldn't admit what he'd done.

But Adrian's face had gone pale, his jaw working like he was trying to piece together a puzzle with missing pieces.

Arabella stared at him for a while, dumbfounded, and when she finally spoke, her voice broke, "D–did you ever love me? Even for a moment?"

Adrian's eyes seemed to soften for a heartbeat...just like his feelings always did, then it disappeared.

"As my sister? Yes." He replied, avoiding her gaze, "Serena and I have always been together, so stop acting like I cheated on you."

Arabella's breath caught.

Sister.

His father had adopted her when she was twelve. And Adrian had accepted her as his sister.

But somewhere along the line, the brotherly love blurred into something she couldn't ignore.

She became the adopted sister whose heart raced every time he held her hand or ached when she saw him with Serena.

He leaned even closer, his lips grazing her ear, "You were always the affair, Arabella. Not her."

The affair.

Something cracked inside her chest. Not her heart-that had broken long ago.

This was something deeper. The last fragile hope that maybe, somewhere buried deep, he'd cared about her even a little.

He hadn't.

His grip around her arm tightened as he warned, "So don't ever speak to my mom like that."

He turned sharply, kneeling by his mom who had angry tears in her eyes, "Mom, please go and rest in your room. Ms. Shaw will bring you breakfast."

Ms. Shaw was the elderly Housekeeper of the family. The only domestic staff that was allowed to reserve her job ever since Arabella fell from grace.

Catherine nodded gently, dabbing off her tears as she looked up at Arabella, "Arabella, I'm going to make sure you regret coming to this family."

Arabella smirked, "I already am. I think the orphanage would have been better."

Adrian shot her a cold glance, but she ignored him, walking her tired body out on them.

***

By evening, Arabella was done with her chores. The house was quiet, as everyone had gone to the company's annual charity gala which was being held in the Sterlings Hall at the west wing of the mansion.

She stared at the picture of Axel on her phone, her mind unsettled.

It wasn't the first time Axel was going out with Adrian and Serena, but she'd never been worried because as much as Adrian and his mother hated her, they adored Axel even more.

She thought Serena genuinely adored him too, but after today, she realized all that affection was just part of her scheme.

Just as she was still contemplating, her phone buzzed. A text from Adrian Sterling.

"Axel is bleeding. Come get him."

Arabella's heart skipped and without stopping to think she ran out of the house, heading straight for the hotel.

As she sat inside the cab, she wondered why Adrian didn't just call a hospital first. Or didn't even take care of things himself.

She dialed his number. It rang. Once. Twice. No response.

She shook the doubt away, "Maybe he is busy."

Soon enough, she arrived at the hotel.

Arabella dashed into the hall, breath uneven, still in the plain dress she'd been working in, her apron tied crooked at her waist.

The chandeliers glowed over polished floors and elegant guests, their champagne raised in a poised hush as Adrian spoke at the podium, his voice steady and calm.

Arabella bit back her anger, assuming he was too busy with his stupid speech to care for their son.

Everything stopped when they noticed her. A few guests pulled back, their eyes slipping over her apron and flushed face with quiet disapproval. She didn't care.

She moved through the crowd, scanning every table, every corner-heart in her throat-trying to find her little boy.

Then just by the front row, she spotted Serena squatting beside Catherine, holding what looked like a kid's suit. In front of them was Axel, his white shirt wet, stained Red.

From this distance, it looked like-

'Oh God. Blood.'

Arabella dashed forward, forcefully shoving Serena aside, dropping to her knees before her son.

"Baby, where does it hurt? Show mommy-"

But up close, the smell hit her. Sweet. Acidic.

Wine.

Her hands froze on Axel's shirt.

"Mommy?"

The words echoed through the hall like a gunshot.

Whispers erupted instantly, spreading through the crowd like wildfire.

Arabella's heart slammed against her ribs as reporters surged forward, cameras flashing like lightning, microphones thrust into her face.

"Is this child really Adrian Sterling's?"

"Did you have an affair with your brother?"

The questions came from all angles, suffocating her. She pulled Axel tighter against her chest, his small body trembling.

Her eyes found Adrian across the chaos.

He stood frozen at the podium, his face carved from stone, jaw so tight she could see the muscle jumping beneath his skin. But it wasn't concern in his eyes.

It was pure, cold fury.

At her.

Catherine sat with one hand pressed dramatically to her chest, but there was no shock on her face.

Arabella raised her head slowly to meet Serena's gaze. A sinister smile spread over her lips.

A smile only Arabella could see.

Only then did she realize she'd walked into a trap.

And Catherine was in full support of it.

Her stomach dropped. The cameras. The questions. The looks.

They'd planned this. All of it.