Chapter 1

• Gina’s POV
• It was barely three months after my father’s death, here we were, mom and I, already driving to my new Dad’s place. Unbelievable, I know they always had their fights but I would have never thought that she hated him this much.
• At least mourn the man for a year before you hop on another guy’s dick. It leaves me wondering if she had been seeing my new father behind my Dad’s back while he was alive.
• Can you really find love in three months? Especially after losing your partner in the most horrible way possible? A car explosion that burnt his body beyond recognition; your guess is as good as mine.
• I sighed as I looked out of the car window. Mom was in a jolly good mood, singing along with the music booming in the car. Oh how much she must love her new man, he was all that mattered to her.
• “Gina… can we talk?” Mom suddenly lowered the music to speak to me.
• Oh, of course, she finally realized she wasn’t alone in this car, I got noticed. Hooray!
• “Talking while driving isn’t safe mother,” I replied coldly without looking in her direction.
• The next moment she pulled over by the road, forcing me to look at her. “Really mom?” I muttered.
• “I just wanted to thank you for agreeing to this.” She said.
• I scoffed. “You didn’t give me much of a choice mom, it was either this or I ended up disowned.”
• “Okay, I know I was harsh, but I didn’t use that word. Baby, this is for our own good, John is a nice man, and he would be a good father to you.”
• “I already had a father.” I retorted.
• “And he died! You need to come to terms with that!” Mom yelled at me.
• I shook my head in disbelief and looked away from her. Mom took a deep breath, probably regretting her choice of words, if she was capable of that.
• “Baby, I know you must still be hurt from losing your father, but he is gone and you need to continue with your life. John can give you everything your father couldn’t give you, a good life, a peaceful home, your father might have loved you but he was never the perfect dad and maybe that is why fate decided to play out this way.”
• I laughed softly and turned to face her. “We make our own fate, Mom. At least that is what father would say, hate him all you want, but don’t try to convince me to do the same, he was and would be my only father.” I stated in finality.
• Mom finally gave up and with nothing more but a sigh, she turned on the car and hit the road again. “Just be nice when you get there, I also deserve to be happy.” She said with her eyes on the road.
• I couldn’t help but chuckle. When has it never been about her? She was all that mattered, my opinion or happiness isn’t valued. Sometimes I wonder if she was really my birth mother, if only father was alive to answer that question.
• **
• We soon arrived at Greenwood, a small quiet town where my stepfather lives. With how familiar mom was with the roads, it was clear to me that she had come here quite a handful of times.
• We arrived at a tall gate and the security man opened up on seeing mom. My jaws dropped when we drove in towards the gigantic mansion, I had never seen such a magnificent building up close.
• I had a feeling my new father would be wealthy from the gifts he had sent my mother before their wedding, but I never expected the massive mansion and the fleet of cars, he was rich-rich!
• Now it was clear to me why mother was so excited and in a hurry to marry him, she had hit the jackpot with this one!
• “We are here,” Mom said excitedly. “What do you think?” she asked with a grin.
• Clearly she wanted me to leap up and declare my happiness with her decision; I am not going to betray my father for money. He might not have been rich but he loved me.
• “Cool,” I said nonchalantly as I got down from the car, carrying my backpack.
• I immediately recognized my new stepfather as he approached to welcome us. I had only seen him twice and one of those times was at their wedding; that is how little I knew him.
• “Welcome home,” John said with a big smile as he opened his arms to embrace mom.
• They hugged and kissed, making my stomach churn. I felt like puking right away.
• Eww!
• “Gina, come greet your father.” Mother said to me, giving me a threatening glare to cooperate.
• I felt the urge to scream that he wasn’t my father, but I just said hi with a wave and a forced smile.
• “Welcome my child, I cannot wait to get to know you better, please come inside.”
• Ughhhh! I am officially disgusted. No, he wasn’t ugly or something, it just felt weird when he called me his child.
• A male servant approached to carry our bags, and then we headed inside. I was left speechless in the massive sitting room, the furniture was top notch and the TV was bigger than any I had seen before.
• Just then I heard footsteps climbing down the grand staircase. I looked up and froze on the spot. Like someone slammed a hand on the remote of my brain and hit “mute.”
• He was tall—of course he was. And built like he spent the most of his time in the Gym; His shirt clung firmly to his body, emphasizing his broad shoulders and sick chest.
• And his arms... God, his muscular arms, lined with crazy veins. But it was his neck that really got me. Just beneath his sharp jawline, on the left side of his throat was a black ink eagle tattoo; wings outstretched like it was about to fly right off his skin.
• His hair was a messy blonde, his lips small and inviting, his eyes were soft yet it carried flames that burned hotter than a furnace, his nose looked like it was carefully stuck to his face as a compliment.
• He looked like a literal Greek god, or at least how the books describe them.
• Reaching the foot of the stairs, he looked straight at me, and something electric and wildly inconvenient snapped between us. My lungs forgot their job.
• “Oh Gina, meet your stepbrother, Adonis.” John introduced me.
• Of course, how poetic! He is named after a Greek character known for his astonishing beauty that even Aphrodite, the goddess of beauty and love fell for him.
• I opened my mouth to say hi and nothing came out. Just air. Humiliating, oxygen-free air.
• “Hey,” he said nonchalantly, his voice low, rough, like gravel that had learned how to flirt.
• “Hi,” I quickly responded, trying to comport myself like I wasn’t checking him out a moment ago.
• “Adonis, please show your stepsister to her new room.” His father said with a smile, just before he went back to kissing my mother.
• With a simple head nod, he urged me to follow him as he headed back up the stairs. I couldn’t help but stare at his ass in the tight jeans he wore.
• Good lord, he was fucking hot!
• Arriving at a big room upstairs, he opened the door for me and stepped away.
• “Thank you,” I muttered softly as I walked inside.
• “Yeah. Welcome to hell, Princess.” He said to me with a cold face, and then he walked away.
• I stood there surprised by his choice of words. Shit! It appears that I am in so much trouble, and that was only just the beginning.
• TBC!!