My Stepsister Stole My Groom

LUNETH

I stood outside the presidential suite, my stomach coiled into knots. Some part of me already knew-my fiancé and my stepsister were tangled together behind that door. But knowing and seeing were two very different things.

With each step closer, I prayed I was wrong. That this life would be different. The cruel previous life was nothing more than a nightmare. But then-moans. Breathless, shameless cries. The kind that left no room for doubt.

Nothing changed even if I was reborn.

I swallowed hard, forcing down the fury swelling in my throat. Anger burned hottest, so fierce it threatened to spill over as tears. My gaze swept the gilded hallway, the opulence now a cruel joke.

Kellan Moreaux had insisted we marry here, at the historic Carlisle Hotel. "A love as timeless as these walls," he'd said.

Had he been laughing at me the whole time?

Our love was timeless-yet he dared betray me on our wedding day? I swiped at my cheeks, smearing away the tears. No. I wouldn't cry over a man like him.

The key trembled in my hand as I unlocked the door. Inside, a massive portrait of us-Kellan and me, all staged smiles-hung mockingly above the bed. And there, writhing in the sheets, were Kellan and Melissa. So lost in each other, they didn't even notice me-until I slammed my palm against the center table.

Kellan jerked upright, scrambling for his pants, his face flushing crimson. But Melissa? She just arched her back, propping herself up on one elbow, lips curling like this was exactly where she wanted to be.

"Luneth?" She feigned surprise, pressing a manicured hand to her mouth in a poor imitation of shock. "Oops." Her eyes gleamed, locked onto mine, daring me to react. "We must've gotten. carried away."

I bared my teeth. "Like a bitch in heat."

Her smile didn't waver.

Because this was what she planned. To ruin my wedding and take my place.

"How dare you?" Kellan's voice was a venomous snarl as he fumbled with his pants, still half-undressed. "Who the hell do you think you are, speaking to her like that?"

I rolled my eyes, biting back the fury simmering beneath my skin.

Of course she wanted Kellan. That much was obvious. In my past life, I'd seen exactly what she was willing to do to have him-the lies, the schemes, the betrayal. It had never been about love.

No, Melissa craved the title of Mrs. Moreaux, the power that came with my position. And now, even in this new life, she was the same. Still reaching for what was mine.

They'd murdered me once. Poison. Her idea, her plan-Kellan had just been the spineless fool following orders.

With a self-satisfied smirk playing on her lips, Melissa shifted into a more comfortable position, her gaze locking onto mine as if she had already claimed victory in this battle of wits.

Little did she know, her triumph was destined to be short-lived.

With the memories of my past life still vivid, I knew all too well the true nature of Kellan – a mere pawn in the grand scheme of the Moreaux empire, unworthy of the pedestal she had placed him upon.

Yet, why should I tell her the truth? It was not my burden to bear, to impede her from treading the path of her own undoing. Not after all she had done to me.

I turned to take my leave, dismissing the need for further discourse. However, the door swung open, and the Moreaux family stormed in like a pack of wolves scenting blood. I suppressed a sigh. This day just kept getting worse.

"You insolent little brat," Tema, Kellan's mother, spat, her gaze slicing over me with familiar contempt. "Where do you think you're going?"

She'd always hated me. And for the first time, I felt nothing but icy relief-because soon, I'd be free of her forever.

"Oh, I'm the brat?" I arched a brow. "But your son-the one who was just tangled up with my sister in bed-he's some kind of saint?"

Her expression darkened. She hated being challenged. To her, my family had always been leeches, clinging to the Moreaux name for survival.

"Funny how the men in your family seem to have a thing for their sisters-in-law," I continued, my voice dripping with false sweetness. "Is that a family tradition, or just your son's personal preference?"

Her face twisted in fury-I hadn't even known a person could make that expression.

"How dare you?" she hissed, lunging at me. If I didn't act fast, she'd have her hands around my throat in seconds.

But before that, the murmurs from the crowd outside cut through the tension.

"I knew this would happen."

"Disgraceful behavior."

"Why punish the poor girl when their son is the one at fault?"

A small smile curved my lips. At least some people here had sense.

"All of you-out!" Tema barked at the gawking crowd outside. Not a single person moved.

Kellan's grandmother stepped forward, her voice dripping with false sympathy. "Luneth, this is all a terrible misunderstanding. If we just communicate-"

"Communicate?" I let out a bitter laugh, sweeping my gaze over the room. Did they truly think I was some spineless fool who would still marry him after this? "If Kellan was in love with Melissa, why propose to me at all? Why not just marry her from the beginning?"

Silence. Not one of them could answer.

Tema's face twisted with rage. "You lowborn bitch! You were never worthy of my son, and now the whole world sees it!" Her voice shook with venom. She knew this was indefensible-but criticizing her precious golden boy? Unforgivable.

"Thank the gods he didn't shackle himself to you. I can only imagine the misery you'd have brought him." Her tone was theatrically mournful, as if Kellan were some blameless victim.

The room held its breath. But Tema wasn't finished.

"Melissa will take your place at the ceremony. We don't need you anymore-get out."

I turned to Melissa. Her eyes glittered with triumph, that smug smile stretching across her face. Oh no. I might not want Kellan, but I'd be damned before I let her win.

"Leave?" I sank gracefully into the nearest chair, crossing my legs. "Oh, I will. But not before I've had my say."

Tema's veins bulged at her temples. "Then what the hell do you want?" she shrieked.

I smiled. Let her choke on her fury. After what her son had done to me in my past life? This was just the first taste of her own medicine.

I opened my mouth to deliver my final blow-but before a single syllable could escape, a bright voice rang out from the hallway: "Sir Drexon!"

Every head turned as the man strode into the room. The air itself seemed to part for him, that thick, commanding presence clearing a path until he stood at the center of the chaos. Dressed in a custom Tom Ford suit that hugged his powerful frame, he radiated authority in every measured step.

I didn't know him-had no reason to notice him-yet something primal in my chest surged forward, pushing me toward the unthinkable.

Before logic could stop me, I rose from the sofa and stepped into his orbit.

He was Kellan's uncle. This was madness.

But as the words left my lips, I knew I'd rather burn this entire family to the ground than let them win.

"Him." My finger stabbed the air, pointing directly at his face. The room gasped as I lifted my chin. "Yes, him. I'll marry him instead."

LUNETH

A deafening gasp sucked all the oxygen from the room. The day had already been a scandal, but this? This was nuclear.

Every eye locked onto Drexon with bated breath. Even Tema's venomous tongue stilled-because everyone knew the truth. Drexon Moreaux didn't just hold power; he was the silent storm that could dismantle empires with a glance.

When those piercing eyes finally landed on me, time stuttered. His expression gave nothing away-just an impenetrable mask that made my pulse riot.

I stepped forward before courage failed me, forcing our gazes to collide like a challenge.

"Luneth Vaelcrest." My name came out steadier than my thrashing heartbeat.

"Your nephew's would-be bride." A deliberate pause. "Until I found him fucking my sister-" I flicked a glance at Melissa, savoring how she flinched when I sneered, "Stepsister."

Was that-? Yes. The faintest quirk at the corner of his mouth. Approval.

I advanced another step, my bridal silk whispering over the marble.

"The papers already call me a Moreaux. Imagine the headlines if you throw me out like spoiled goods."

His eyebrow twitched. Good. He was listening.

"You're unmarried. So here's my proposal-" I tipped my chin up, all fire and defiance. "You marry me instead."

I know that I was supposed to be begging him. But that wasn't my style. A man like Drexon Moreaux would only respect strength-and I had plenty to spare.

Tema's shrill scream shattered the moment before her claws dug into my shoulders, shaking me violently.

"You brazen little witch!" she shrieked, spittle flying. "Have you lost your damn mind?"

I caught her wrist mid-shake and flung it away, brushing imaginary filth from my gown with exaggerated disgust.

"Your son fucked my sister in our marital bed," I enunciated, watching satisfaction curl through me as the room collectively flinched. "And I'm the shameless one?"

A razor-sharp smile. "I'm saving your family's reputation. You should be on your knees thanking me."

Tema stumbled back as if struck. The truth was a knife between her ribs-she knew it, I knew it, and the silent audience drinking in every second knew it.

Drexon's gaze flicked to Melissa, then back to me with unsettling intensity. Without a word, he gestured to the study door. I followed, tossing a victorious smirk over my shoulder that made Tema's face purple with rage.

The door clicked shut behind us.

"I understand you're angry." His voice was whiskey-smooth, that deep timbre doing traitorous things to my pulse. I steeled myself-now wasn't the time to notice how his tailored suit clung to those broad shoulders.

"Anger doesn't require a lifetime commitment," he continued, patronizing as a schoolmaster. "Marriage isn't a weapon."

"Are you married?" I fired back.

His eyebrow arched. "No."

"A lover stashed somewhere? Some society darling your family approves of?"

"None."

"Then it's me you find repulsive." I stepped closer, the heat of him intoxicating. "Too plain? Too-"

"Enough." His hand shot out, catching my wrist. The contact sizzled up my arm. "You're perfectly aware that's not the issue."

"Then there's no problem," I said, tilting my chin up. "Two single adults. A simple solution."

His gaze darkened. "I have two adopted children. Becoming their mother isn't a role to take lightly."

A slow smile curved my lips - the kind that made sane men nervous. "Saves me the trouble of fertility tests."

"Eight years your senior," he countered.

I stepped closer, close enough to catch the bergamot and sandalwood scent of his cologne. "Funny, all I hear are excuses instead of reasons." My fingers brushed imaginary lint from his lapel. "Besides, I've heard older men... appreciate their wives more thoroughly."

The muscle in his jaw twitched as his eyes tracked my movement. A charged silence stretched between us before he finally spoke. "No take-backs."

"Draw up the papers. I'll sign in blood if you like." My voice stayed steady even as my heart threatened to pound through my ribs.

This wasn't just about besting Kellan and Melissa anymore - it was survival.

Without Drexon's protection, my stepmother would have me auctioned off before the wedding flowers wilted.

"Then we'll announce it." His acceptance sent a thrill through me, though I schooled my features into cool composure.

As we turned to leave, he stopped abruptly. I caught myself just before colliding with his broad back, then matched his stride with what I hoped looked like effortless poise. The room held its collective breath as hundreds of eyes tracked our movement.

Drexon's voice cut through the silence like a blade. "Luneth will be my wife."

The wave of dismay was almost palpable. From her perch on the sofa, the Moreaux matriarch sagged slightly before offering a tight nod.

"Your choice to make."

"Mother!" Tema's shriek cut through the room like shattered glass. She whirled toward the Moreaux matriarch, her designer gown swirling dramatically.

"How can you just stand by while he makes this kind of mistake?" Her venomous gaze snapped to me. "That scheming little bitch must have bewitched him in there!"

The elderly woman merely sighed, smoothing her skirt. "Enough, Tema." Her quiet authority carried more weight than her daughter-in-law's hysterics.

I hid a smirk. No one in their right mind would challenge Drexon's decision-no one except his desperate sister-in-law, apparently.

Tema stormed toward us, stopping just short of invading Drexon's personal space. "Be reasonable!"

Her voice turned saccharine, though her eyes remained poisonous. "We've arranged that lovely merger with the Vanderbilt heiress. Don't throw away decades of planning for some... some..." Her lip curled as she glanced at me. "Trash."

Drexton didn't raise his voice. He didn't need to.

"Luneth will be my wife." Each word fell like a judge's gavel. "Final."

"But surely you can-"

"One more word," he said softly, "and I'll have my lawyers freeze every account with your name on it."

Tema's mouth snapped shut, her face draining of color.

My victory was sweet-until Melissa slithered forward, that saccharine smile still plastered across her perfect features.

"Sister," she cooed, as if we'd ever been anything but rivals. She trailed a finger along the lace of my wedding gown.

"Since you're upgrading to Uncle Drexon..." Her eyes glittered with malice. "Why don't I marry Kellan in your dress today? Such a shame to waste it."

Every muscle in my body locked. The sheer audacity-

I caught her wrist mid-touch, my grip just shy of painful.

"My dress for my wedding," I purred, leaning close enough to smell her floral perfume-and the desperation beneath it.

"But don't worry, darling. I'm sure Kellan will love whatever discount gown you scramble to find."

LUNETH

No one defied Drexon-not when he'd declared in that steel-edged voice that our wedding would proceed immediately in the same venue.

What about Kellan afterward? It was his own concern.

The wedding gown's lace scratched against my skin as I adjusted the ill-fitting bodice. What had possessed me to choose something so ornate? So bridal? The ivory satin suddenly felt like a costume for a role I'd never wanted to play.

We bypassed all tradition-no procession, no music, no trembling father giving away the bride. Just Drexon's large hand at the small of my back, steering us both down the aisle with the efficiency of a business merger.

The priest's nervous glance toward the Moreaux matriarch spoke volumes; he only began when she gave a barely perceptible nod.

"...to have and to hold from this day forward..."

My attention drifted during the vows. Drexon's profile was carved marble-not a single glance my way, not even when the priest stumbled over his words.

This wasn't how marriages were supposed to begin.

Then again, neither was finding your fiancé in bed with your stepsister.

"Do you take Drexon Moreaux to be your lawfully wedded husband?"

The question hit me like a physical blow. My pulse roared in my ears, drowning out the expectant silence.

If this had been Kellan standing beside me, he'd have broken these vows before the ink dried. But Drexon...

I risked a glance at him. That imposing frame radiated control, but the faint tightening around his eyes betrayed something deeper.

Fear? Doubt? Did he think I'd become a chain around his neck rather than an ally?

I won't drag you down, I wanted to say. I'll be the strength you never knew you needed.

The priest cleared his throat pointedly. Reality snapped back into focus.

"I do." The words left my lips steadier than I felt.

The priest turns to Drexon, repeating the same questions.

"I do." His voice was firm, like a robot void of any emotions.

When the priest produced the rings (where he'd gotten them so quickly, I couldn't fathom), I noted how the platinum band glinted under the chandeliers. Of course Drexon would insist on nothing less than perfection, even for this farce of a wedding.

The forced applause that followed our exchange of rings might as well have been crickets chirping for all I cared.

The deed was done. I was now Luneth Moreaux-a name that tasted like victory and vengeance on my tongue.

The Moreaux matriarch approached, her cane tapping against the marble.

"You've walked alone too long, my son," she told Drexon, her wrinkled hand patting his arm. "Perhaps this one will prove herself worthy." Her gaze flicked to me, dripping with condescension.

I barely suppressed an eye roll. Let the old bat think what she wanted-my new status was armor no one could pierce.

Movement caught my eye. Melissa and Kellan slinking toward the altar like jackals to carrion. I stepped into their path with the grace of a queen claiming her throne.

A nearly imperceptible nod from Drexon sent electricity down my spine. He's with me in this.

"Aren't you going to congratulate us, nephew?" I purred, savoring how Kellan's jaw clenched at the title.

The Moreaux family hierarchy was sacred, and I now sat comfortably above him. His nostrils flared, but he dipped his head like a chastened schoolboy.

"Congratulations... Aunt Luneth. Uncle Drexon." Each word seemed to choke him. The sweetness of that moment would linger on my tongue for years.

Melissa's turn came, her confidence crumbling like stale wedding cake. For a heartbeat, I almost pitied her-until I remembered the way she'd moaned Kellan's name this morning.

"C-Congratulations," she stammered, then added with poisonous sweetness, "May your marriage be... long-lasting."

A chill ran down my spine. In my past life, Drexon had died mysteriously within three years of this date.

Not this time, I vowed silently. I'll rewrite our fates.

The guests' whispers swirled around us-

"How gauche!"

"The sister became the aunt!"

"Must be so awkward?"

But I stood taller, my hand finding Drexon's arm.

"Thank you all for sharing this joyous occasion," I announced, voice dripping with honeyed malice. "Who knew happiness could come from such... unconventional beginnings?"

My gaze locked with Tema's, and oh, the murder in her eyes was exquisite.

"But as your new aunt, I insist you take your vows properly. Do not abstain from any further indiscretions that could bring disrepute upon this family.

As I stepped aside, I caught Drexon's expression-and nearly stumbled.

That faint curve of his lips wasn't just approval. It was the first spark of something dangerous. Something that made my breath catch.