The rapist

"A question from the rapist," opening his eyes, he said and sat up. He saw that reaction coming and he couldn't care less about what she thought. 

"Rapist? I am not a rapist! Dude, you could have just admitted you needed to be intimate instead of cuddling me in my sleep." She said, eyeing him.

Remembering something, she widened her eyes in shock and moved closer to him. With great shock, she knelt on the bed beside him and touched his face, dragging her hand across his face as if to check if he was real. 

"What are you doing?" Grabbing her head, he sternly asked, his gaze penetrating as he stared at her. For someone who just accused him of touching her, she was contradicting herself.

"No! You are not supposed to be alive, how? What's wrong? Am I still dreaming?" Shaking her head profusely, she said, repeating her words in disbelief. She has unsuccessfully been able to marry three husbands who cost her family their wealth, as they had to pay off the deceased family.

The problem became so much that her mother suggested they sell her and use the money to revive their wealth. Her father's love for her saved her from an untimely destiny, but it came at a price.

Her mother grew sick and they had no money to secure her bills. Inadvertently, she died and her father could not bear the loss and also fell into a coma. Though many think he is dead after years of isolating him, he is still half alive.

"Why? Did you poison me?" Yanking away her hand, he asked and got out of bed. 

Still dazed, Tessa fell to the bed and frowned, wondering why he was still alive. Could it be that the marriage wasn't performed well? Or could it be that it was because they were mates? Come to think of it, the only reason her mother convinced her father to marry her off was because she was human, and had no mate.

Could it be that the moon goddess killed every one of her husbands because of her mate? It was quite logical seeing how her mate's first love also died.

Unable to accept that he survived, she asked "Why…why are you still alive?" With widened eyes and shattered hope, and her breaths, uneven.

"I am the devil." He curtly replied and closed the bathroom door after him. 

The whole time Elias got freshened up in the bathroom, Tessa kept on pacing about a distance in the room, her mind filled with so many thoughts. There was something she was missing but she couldn't pinpoint what. Compared to her former weddings, this one was different in the sense that it was a royal wedding, and in a palace. Apart from that, the wedding was nothing special and was below average.

"Is he truly a devil?" Remembering the sarcastic reply he gave her earlier, she questioned, slapping herself for being so absurd. If he was the devil, then she was God.

Frustrated, she grabbed her hair and yanked it forcefully. All her plans have been ruined thanks to him, he should have just died and made things easier for her. 

"What are you hiding weirdo?" She asked even though the question was directed at Elias. Glancing at the bathroom door, an idea came across her mind and she moved closer to the bathroom door.

Leaning against the door, she freed her mind to listen to what was going on in the bathroom. All she could hear was running water and nothing else that made her groan exasperatedly. 

Suddenly, the door to the bathroom went open and she found herself falling on a wet body. Parting her mouth, she dropped her hand on the body to regain her balance and screamed when she came in contact with Elias's naked chest.

Thinking he was stark naked, she immediately turned and covered her eyes, praying silently that he wasn't going to make things awkward by talking to her.

As if reading her mind, Elias walked past her, his shoulder briefly touching her body which made her shriek.

"We don't have all day, get dressed so we can go feed our audience with our presence." Without looking at her, he ordered and went into his closet.

Opening one eye, Tessa exhaled when he was out of her sight and went into the bathroom.

Her curiosity was going to be the end of her. How long was she going to survive this fake marriage? 

Mate? Bullshit! She was destined to be a renowned thief and wasn't planning to retire soon.

Taking off her clothes, she sank herself inside the bathtub and moaned when the water did justice to her tired body. How come his bathtub's water was better than hers? Was there a special treatment when it came to water too? 

Clicking her tongue, she shook her head and couldn't help being annoyed at their stupid customs. Water is water, hierarchy has nothing to do with it. 

About sinking her whole body into it, she remembered the time Elias was worried she had drowned and came to save her, stopping her from doing it. It was a self-comfort for her, and that was the only way for her to remove every guilt in her. She has grown accustomed to it and it grew worse after her father succumbed to a coma.

Sighing, she rested her head against the bathtub and closed her eyes to properly enjoy the bath.

A few minutes later, she was done bathing and wrapped her body with a towel. It was then she figured she had no clothes to wear and Elias was still in the room.

"I hate this marriage!" Forcing herself not to scream, she said through gritted teeth and fisted her hands into tight balls. 

"It is fine," taking a deep breath, she comforted and smiled, walking up to the door. She slightly opened it and brought out her head in search of Elias, and she smiled when she spotted him.

"Can you help with your clothes? I don't have my clothes here and…" Before she could complete her request, he picked up a stack of clothes in front of him and walked up to her, then stretched it for her to retrieve.

"Thank…" She halted when she met his scrutinizing gaze. Why was he looking at her like that?