Page 103 of Sins of the Hidden

Dad released his grip, making me bring my wrist to my chest to soothe the ache he left behind. Scarlet already blooming across my skin. He dragged a heavy hand down his face, turning away slowly, shoulders rising and falling with each tense breath. V didn't move. Just watched.

For a split second, Dad's eyes softened—not with forgiveness, but with something that almost looked like fear. Not of V. Of me. Like he didn't recognize the girl standing in front of him. The daughter he raised. His shoulders slumped just a fraction, a momentary surrender that made me think he might just pull me into his arms like when I was little.

But that didn't happen. His arm jerked behind his back, under his jacket. I froze, muscles caught in a vice I couldn't fight, shaking as Dad pushed the barrel into V's forehead. "Give me one good reason why I shouldn't pull the trigger, you sick fuck. My brother or not, I'll blow your goddamn brains across my daughter's walls."

"My wife doesn't like blood."

"Don't call her that!" Dad's words were thrown furiously at V, who didn't even flinch, "No one would marry someone like you."

"Your daughter did."

"What the fuck did you do to her?" My father's voice was barely recognizable, strangled with rage and disgust.

"I didn't do anything," V replied, his voice chillingly calm. "She chose me."

V turned his head, looking at me. Eyes telling me unspoken words.Tell him or I'll kill him.

Mercy had no home in his heart. He built it for me—and me alone.

My next words were life or death—literally. I hesitated still, not wanting to say anything to cement our forced marriage as real. I looked at my father—begging.I'm doing this for you.

"I-It's true," I whispered, voice breaking, tears burning like acid behind my eyes.

"I don't believe you. I know when you're lying." He shook his head, looking from V back to me, his hand still gripping the gun, knuckles white with strain. "He forced you, didn't he? You've been dreaming of your wedding since you were a little girl."

I've always dreamed of a big, luscious wedding. I had it all planned out—a forest in the fall with falling leaves with a variety of colors contrasting with the monotone colors of the wedding party as my dad walked me down the aisle to the man who made me feel anything but the ugly duckling I felt I was.

But my dreams were now nightmares. I wanted to sleep and never wake up again.

I'm not strong enough for this.

V's hand tightened on my shoulder, slightly painful due to him not knowing his own strength. His fingers dug into the muscle hard enough to bruise. "N-No. I did it willingly."

To prove it, I stretched up on my tiptoes, grabbing V's face covering and pulling him down to my level. The scent of his blood made my stomach heave, but I forced myself forward. My eyes squeezed shut, tears trapped behind clenched lids, trying to keep this charade up.

They gave me the world, the least I could do was save theirs.

"I-I married him because..." My words were unbelievable, I felt like I wasn't in my own body as I spoke, like some puppet being controlled by invisible strings. My throat was dry, my words coming out gravely as I lied, each syllable feeling like sandpaper against my tongue. "I love him."

Dad's eyes grew wide as the hard lines around V's eyes eased, his dark gaze losing its sharp edges. Did he believe that an empty coerced confession meant love? That forced words whispered under duress could somehow mean genuine affection?

Of course, he did. He didn't understand social cues and took words for their literal meaning. That was what made him even more dangerous—his inability to see the terror behind my declaration of love.

I just made this situation worse for myself—big time.

Dad stood there, shell-shocked, arm dropping limp to his side. I'll never forget the look on his face, those jade eyes—the same shade as mine—filled with horror.

His expression shattered into disbelief, betrayal carved deeply into every line.

He wanted to keep me his dirty little secret from the club, but now I was married to the most dangerous member. The ring burned, but it was phantom heat—just stress wearing flesh thin. It felt wrong, alien, like a parasite attached to my skin.

I dragged in a breath, willing the tears back.

My eyes looked at him, silently pleading.I'm doing this for you.

His eyes shot from V to me. He walked over, grabbed my wrist, yanked at me, but V didn't let go. "You're getting annulled. Right now."

V didn't budge.

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