I Destroyed An Innocent Girl’s Life To Trap My Boyfriend — And He Still Wants To Marry Me

Part 1

I never thought I could be this kind of monster.

I had always compartmentalized the darker parts of my soul.

My alternate ego, the shadow that ran the underground syndicate, was a completely different person.

Or so I told myself.

I firmly believed I could never truly become her.

No matter how desperate the circumstances grew, I thought I retained some shred of humanity.

Sitting across from Dan in my dimly lit office shatters that illusion completely.

He smirks, a dangerous, cocky tilt of his lips that makes my stomach turn.

The realization hits me like a physical blow.

She and I are exactly the same person.

A terrible, unforgiving person who will destroy anyone to keep the life she wants.

All set.

Dan leans back in the leather guest chair, crossing his boots at the ankles.

Heather is letting her little Alpha boyfriend know we’ll be leaving as we speak.

A stiff nod is my only response.

Part of me wishes this conversation were already over.

I want this entire ordeal buried and forgotten, a relic of a past I am actively erasing.

It cannot be finished yet.

Remember, no harm should come to her.

My warning slices through the heavy air of the room.

I’ve already hired mercenaries to intercept your vehicle tomorrow morning.

They will rescue her from you.

They will take her out of the country, far away from all of this.

Dan flashes a predatory grin, his teeth gleaming in the low light.

I’ll make sure she never wants to set foot here ever again.

Dan.

The sharp snap of my voice makes him flinch.

He sobers up instantly, meeting my icy stare with a more solemn expression.

I really appreciate you coming up with this entire plan to save my ass, boss.

He rubs the back of his neck, completely oblivious to his role as a mere pawn.

A curt nod is all I offer.

He fails to recognize it as a clear dismissal.

I mean, I had no idea Tyler and his Alpha cousin were planning to arrest me.

Any day now, they could have kicked my door in.

Yes, they think you’re the big leader behind the entire syndicate.

I repeat the lie smoothly, rolling the deception over my tongue like fine wine.

He clearly enjoys hearing it.

The false narrative inflates his ego, making him feel vital and important.

I need him feeling powerful.

An obedient, arrogant pawn is much easier to maneuver on the board.

Using Heather as a shield so I don’t just escape, but actually get away scot-free.

Brilliant.

You’re an evil genius, boss.

Has anyone ever told you that?

Silence stretches between us, thick and uncomfortable.

You’re entirely certain she’s going to be able to pull it off?

My question is quiet, laced with a calculated edge.

Heather is meant to convince Tyler that she and Dan are hopelessly in love.

She has to sell the story that despite Dan’s heavy involvement in the serum operation, he is willing to leave it all behind for a fresh start with her.

Right at this very moment, she is begging Tyler to let them drive off into the sunset.

It was the only strategy I could devise to permanently remove Heather from the board.

If Tyler believes she has chosen another man, his pride won’t let him chase her.

It will sting his ego, undoubtedly.

Tyler hasn’t known Heather for very long.

He will get over the heartbreak quickly enough.

Meanwhile, Heather won’t ever return to Tyler.

She has no choice but to play along.

You should have seen her face when I threatened to kill Tyler right under her nose.

Dan snickers, the sound grating against my nerves.

If she didn’t convince him to let us leave, I promised to snap his neck.

His expression turns cruel, a sneer twisting his features.

Serves her right for thinking herself important enough to hang around Alphas.

That girl needs to be kept in her place.

My fingernails dig violently into my palms under the heavy mahogany desk.

The sharp sting of pain keeps my face completely impassive.

It won’t be for long.

I repeat the mantra silently, a desperate attempt to soothe my fracturing conscience.

Heather will not stay with him for long.

By tomorrow afternoon, she will never have to look at Dan’s face again.

She won’t ever see Tyler either.

That is the heavy toll required for my happiness.

Do not traumatize her.

My gaze drills into him, cold and unyielding.

Just ensure she stays far away from Tyler.

She will.

Dan shifts his weight, suddenly looking a fraction more contrite.

She was terrified Tyler would never wake up the other night.

The sheer volume of vampire venom you had the bartender slip into his drink was massive.

A dark, dangerous look darkens my features.

Sorry you had to drug your own mate too, boss.

He tacks on the apology quickly, reading the lethal shift in my demeanor.

He would have been in the way otherwise.

The murmur escapes my lips, directed more to the empty room than to my right-hand man.

I had given my people explicit instructions.

Nobody was to give Craig even a third of the dose Tyler received.

Yet a violent grimace still twists my stomach every time the memory surfaces.

Craig had watched me with those wide, unconditionally trusting eyes.

He had been completely high out of his mind, practically paralyzed, entirely at my mercy.

I refuse to let my mind linger on the terrifying state Tyler must have been reduced to.

Every single dark deed was done entirely for Craig.

I was doing this for us.

He had begged me to stay with him.

He simply lacked the capacity to understand what my staying actually implied.

If my plans hold steady, he will never discover the truth.

A soft, hesitant knock on the office door shatters my dark musings.

Come in.

Heather’s face peeks through the narrow opening, pale and drawn.

She barely flinches when she notices Dan leaning against the wall.

I only catch the micro-expression because I know exactly what signs of terror to look for.

Brenda.

She greets me with a tight, embarrassed smile.

Come in.

I inject a generous dose of warmth into my tone, gesturing to the open space.

She steps fully into the room.

Her eyes dart briefly toward Dan, a silent check to ensure he won’t lash out.

The sheer vulnerability in her posture makes acid churn in my stomach.

Just one more day.

I watch Heather close the distance between us, her shoulders rigid with suppressed fear.

Dan must have informed you we’ll be leaving.

Her voice is steady, betraying nothing but a faint, believable embarrassment.

Yep.

Dan cuts in abruptly, his tone dripping with false bravado.

I just came to say a proper goodbye.

Heather squares her shoulders, looking directly into my eyes.

And to thank you for everything.

My heart performs a painful, jagged stutter against my ribs.

Part of me is genuinely touched she wanted to say goodbye.

The rest of me is hyper-aware of the dangerous precipice we are standing on.

Right now, she is entirely consumed by the desperate need to protect Tyler.

She is too busy pretending to be hopelessly in love with Dan to suspect my involvement.

In the future, she might reflect on this exact interaction.

She might wonder how I could silently accept her sudden, dramatic change of heart without question.

Could you give us a second?

I shift my attention to Dan, keeping my tone mild but authoritative.

He frowns, clearly displeased, but makes his exit without arguing.

The heavy wooden door clicks shut, leaving us entirely alone.

This is incredibly risky.

If Heather crumbles under the pressure and confesses the charade, I cannot deny knowing the truth later.

I might be forced to burn the entire operation to the ground.

If I maintain my silence, she might realize my complicity down the line.

I cannot give her a single thread to pull.

Heather, are you entirely sure about this?

I layer my words with careful, sisterly concern.

I thought you didn’t really like Dan.

Now you are planning on running away with him?

A flush creeps up her neck, painting her cheeks pink.

To my absolute shock, she meets my gaze with unwavering resolve.

He thought it was safer for me to hide our relationship, given the dangerous nature of his job.

The lie is delivered flawlessly, smooth as glass.

I incline my head slowly, feigning a slow realization.

It must have been incredibly difficult for the two of you these last few days.

Having to pretend to date Tyler and all.

A microscopic twitch pulls at the corner of her lips when Tyler’s name hangs in the air.

That tiny fracture is the only grief she allows to show.

No, don’t worry about it.

She waves off the concern, acting as though she is the one comforting me.

I told Dan the truth.

He completely understood.

She is a deceptively brilliant liar.

I never realized the depths of her resilience until this very moment.

You can still stop this.

A tiny voice whispers in the back of my mind, sounding agonizingly like Craig.

It is not too late.

Except it is.

Thinking about Craig only solidifies the concrete around my heart.

I will never give him up.

Never again.

Are you certain this is what you want?

There is a brief flicker of hesitation in her eyes, a crack in the armor of her lie, and I brace myself for the words that will destroy my carefully built empire.