Y/N'S POV

I hate you, Five Hargreeves!" I slammed the steering wheel in frustration, shouting repeatedly. "I hate you! I hate you!"

But the truth was different. No matter how hard I tried to throw him out of my heart, I couldn't. I was mad at myself that his mere presence made my body shiver for him like it used to. I thought that four years would be long enough for me to forget him and turn my love into hate. But it wasn't. Seeing him awakened every feeling I'd tried to bury deep inside me. Gazing into his eyes brought back all the memories. Smelling the addictive scent of his body reminded me of the way he used to make me feel. The moment I caught sight of his alluring smile, all the reasons I once fell in love with him came flooding back.

Damn you, Five Hargreeves. Damn you.

I entered a house that Diego owned in the suburbs of NY, which he let me stay in for the time being. I threw the keys in a marble drawer of a cabinet standing under the big mirror in the spacious, luminous hallway. A heavy yet quiet breath escaped my lips as I ran my fingers through my hair. Conflicted. I was battling with my own thoughts. Why would Five act as if he still loved me? Was he so wicked that he wanted to make me fall for him all over again so that he could take his revenge? But there was one more question that kept bugging me. Why hadn't he asked about my pregnancy yet? The whole evening, he hadn't mentioned it. Not even once. As if he had no idea about it.

"You're finally back." Diego's low voice made me jump out of my skin.

I wasn't expecting to see him here. Although we pretended to be a couple, we agreed that we would live separately, with Diego staying at one of his other properties.

"What are you doing here?" I scolded. This was not what I agreed to. I wanted my privacy.

"I was waiting for you," he replied dryly, and although his face showed no trace of emotion, I saw stirring anger in his sand-brown eyes.

That was when I remembered that just a couple of hours ago, his brother, aka my ex-fiancée, aka his enemy, and finally, aka the father of my child, kidnapped me from the charity ball, humiliating my new fiancée in front of everyone.

"You have the keys to this apartment?" I narrowed my eyes, ignoring the rage in his eyes. I might have agreed to be a pawn in his game now, but I had to set some clear boundaries.

"Spare keys, yes."

"I don't want you to come here whenever you please, unannounced. I thought we had a deal."

Diego took a few steady and slow steps closer toward me. His emotionless facial expression combined with the anger beaming in his eyes gave me chills.

Suddenly, I felt uncomfortable. Threatened.

"Exactly, Y/n. We had a deal," he hissed, grabbing me sharply by my elbow, which I quickly yanked off his grip.

"Don't touch me like that," I said, my tone warning. I stepped back, creating a safe distance between us but maintaining eye contact. I did not want to show him his attitude affected me in any way. I agreed to dance with the devil, and now I had to watch my every move.

A wicked smile curled up his lips, and a dark gleam sparked in his eyes as he cast a piercing glance at me. "I think I know why my brother couldn't keep his cock in his pants." His smirk was now wide and broad. "Your fierceness is kind of sexy."

I scoffed. My eyes rolled involuntarily. Agreeing to be a part of Diego's plan to take revenge on his brother, I was not fully aware of what a twisted bastard he was.

"Did he kiss you?" Diego hissed through clenching teeth, his eyes turning dark.

"That is your main concern?"

His vicious gaze was intimidating. "Just answer, Y/n," he said, his tone low with a dark hint in his voice.

"You don't own me, Diego. Don't forget that," I replied dryly. "It's just a deal, and I may do whatever I want."

Diego released a heavy breath as he slowly, steadily stepped closer to me. He tilted his head to the side and leaned forward. I felt a firm grip on my elbow that I couldn't avoid this time as his words rumbled in my ear. "You may do whatever you want as long as it doesn't involve Five, sweetheart."

"Let go of me." I tried to yank out of his grip as I glanced warningly at Diego's, my heart pounding like a trapped bird.

His dark and possessive eyes bore into mine. "Don't let him touch you, got it?" He articulated, his head tilted and facial expression as dark as before. He didn't flinch or move an inch. "You're my fiancée now." He cast me a wicked grin that sent shivers down my spine. His eyes were still locked with mine. "You belong to me."

I saw manipulation, control, and something more sinister dancing in his eyes. Something that scared me.

"What are you talking about? You can't just claim me like some possession." I tried to distance myself from him, but his fingers dug into my arm.

"You're mine now, Y/n. You made a deal, remember? You wanted me to help you, and in return, you belong to me."

Panic surged through me. I tried to yank my arm free, but his grip was too strong. "That's not what we agreed on, Diego!" I hissed.

Diego's expression darkened even more. He tightened his grip on my arm and pulled me closer.  "You humiliated me tonight. It can't happen again, you hear me? You're mine now, and until the deal is over, there's no escape."

"You're sick." I used all my force to snatch my arm away from his bruising grip.

"Not more than my dear brother." An amused, wicked grin curled his lips. "I am the sole means to ensure safety for you and your son. Don't forget that, Y/n."

I stepped back, slowly realizing what I had gotten myself into. I was caught in a dangerous game, and now, I had to play by his rules.

I heard a few knocks on the door followed by the husky, way too familiar voice. "Y/n?"

I nearly jumped out of my skin. Five. I looked at Diego. My eyes grew wide, adrenaline flooding my veins.

"I know you're in there. I saw my car parked in front of the house." Five's voice echoed from behind the door, and my heart skipped a few beats.

Fuck! I forgot I took his car.

Diego gave me a questioning, scolding, disapproving kind of glance. His lips pulled together, his neck stretched.

"Don't make me blink inside the door," Five persisted.

Knowing him, I was sure he wouldn't let go and just leave. And it wouldn't be an issue at all if it wasn't for one tiny detail—Ezra. He was there, upstairs with Betty, his nanny. In the very same house that Five was about to blink in. What a disaster.

Diego shook his head, squeezing the bridge of his nose before he looked at me, and I saw a wicked glint in his eyes. He began to undo his shirt, grinning in the most twisted way I'd ever seen.

"What the fuck are you doing?" I semi-whispered, semi-yelled, panicking.

Five's voice grew more impatient, "Y/n, open the damn door."

"We have to make this more believable. I don't want this bastard to question us again. So play along, or he'll find out about the baby, darling," he whispered against my ear, his breath sweeping my neck sent dreadful chills down my back.

I knew I had to dance to his tune. At least for now. I couldn't let Five find out about Ezra. I had to protect him. At all costs. That was why I agreed to take part in this wicked game in the first place. To play this deadly game of chess with the devils themselves.

"You're sick, Diego. All Hargreeves are the same. Sick to the core." I clenched my teeth, looking at him with so much anger.

Diego smirked, throwing his shirt open, and revealing his bare torso. He leaned to my ear, his hand slid at the back of my neck.

"Don't forget the Hargreeves blood runs through your son's veins." He mubbled in my earlobe as he pulled away. "Now open the damn door."

I knew I got myself into this mess. I knew damn well Diego had always been jealous of his brother. I remember the first time I met him at his family's event. I remember the hatred in his eyes the moment he saw Five. His fury at the family dinner. I knew he'd do anything to destroy Five. To get rid of the "second-best" feeling. To prove himself better. I knew it all. I agreed to be the key in his wicked game on my own. And I hated every moment of it. But it seemed like the only way to protect Ezra.

I unlocked the door, and it swung open. It took merely a second for Five's eyes to fall on Diego's naked torso. Then it took another second for the kind of scary wrath to flood his stormy gaze. But also, disappointment. I'd never seen that in his eyes before.

"How could you?" Five hissed as his eyes met Diego, his fists tightening. "You're my brother."

Diego'sarrogant smirk grew even wider. "All is fair in love and war. And this," he said as he pointed at me, "is war."

Fivw's teeth grinded. Breathing heavily, he walked closer toward Diego. "Then this is war I'm going to win."

His head cocked, his gaze landing on mine. His low hiss made me shudder. I couldn't understand why he kept acting like this. He'd wanted me dead in the first place.

Diego scoffed before he took a few steady steps toward me, enveloping his arms around my waist from behind. He brushed my hair away and placed a slow, provocative kiss on the side of my neck. "It's a losing game for you, Five." His gaze moved up to his brother. "She's mine now. And she'll be mine forever. I'll make sure of that."

The adrenaline rushed through my veins. Hesitantly, I moved my eyes up to look at Five. His jaw was clenching, his gaze was so damn dark. "He doesn't love you, Y/n. He's not capable of loving anyone but himself," Five hissed.

I didn't reply. I just kept gawking at him, trying to understand the pain hidden behind the fury and hatred in his eyes. It seemed... real.

"You don't love him either. I know it. I can see it in your eyes." Five's gaze flickered between mine before it dropped to Diego's hand wrapped around my waist. His chest seemed to sink.

I knew I had to do something to convince him I now belonged to his brother. For real.

"You're so conceited, Five." I tried my best to sound taunting. "You're so possessive that you still believe I am yours." I swirled around and wrapped my hands at Diego's nape. I hardly swallowed when my eyes met his. My heart was racing. But I still did it. I leaned in and kissed him. The moment our eyes met, a deep growl let out Diego's throat. His hand moved down my lower back, Adrenaline rushed through me, but I kept playing my part. I moved one of my hands to his jaw, deepening the kiss. Our tongues tangled and he seemed to enjoy it. Far too much. I slowly pulled away and turned to face Five again, provocatively wiping my lips as I gazed into his eyes. "You want to take it to the bedroom, or have you seen enough?"

I'd never seen more wrath in Five's eyes before. He was barely keeping his composure. I knew he was one strike away from erupting. "Maybe it's better that I saw what kind of a woman you are before I married you," he spat. I couldn't deny his words cut me to the core. "I spent four years searching for you. And it turns out you were having fun with my brother. My goddamn brother, Y/n."

Why did he say it with so much pain in his eyes? In his voice? A heavy weight settled on my chest. I felt like it was suffocating me. I watched Five run his hand through his raven black hair, some unruly strings falling back onto his furrowed forehead. Then he took a deep breath, and his voice turned cold. "Give me the fucking keys back," he growled darkly, but it wasn't his  hateful tone that made my blood run cold.

Ezra.

I panicked as I saw him lurking hesitantly in the hallway. My heart started racing like that of a hummingbird. I pinched Diego's thigh discretely, though my eyes must've filled with terror. My heart did. Five's back was to Ezra, but I knew it could've been just a matter of a single word spoken by him, one bad move, and he would turn around and see him. My precious secret.

Diego must've noticed him, too, because he said something that would trigger anyone. "I'm not sure you want the car back, brother. I just fucked Y/n in the backseat of your Bugatti."

The last strike.

In an instant, a lethal rage blazed in Five's eyes. He shoved me away and blink at Diego and grab him by his collar, pushing him against the wall with violence. "What the fuck did you say?"

I was scared. So fucking scared. But I knew it was my cue to act. I knew it was Diego's twisted way of helping distract Five . I hurriedly ran to my son and scooped him up into my arms. I was hoping it would be enough to shield him from the chaos that seemed engulf our lives. I quickly carried him upstairs, trying to hold back the tears welling up in my eyes.

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Question Of The Day!!

"What did you think of this chapter? I've had mix feelings about this one"

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