Betrayed By Husband, Stolen By Brother In Law
Chapter 153: What Do You Want?

Chapter 153: What Do You Want?

"I knew you would come." Saira smiled, her voice carrying a little slur as she looked at the man who had just opened the door to her room. She was draped across the plush velvet armchair like it was a throne, her legs crossed just so, the slit of her silk robe falling open just enough to make it unclear whether she was wearing anything underneath. A half-empty wine glass dangled between her fingers, as she picked up the phone with her other hand," I was about to order lunch. What would you like to eat?"

She watched as Adam’s eyes flickered over her before they impersonally returned to her face and he threw the envelope at her feet," What is this?"

She clicked her tongue and let out a dramatic sigh. "Tsk, tsk. How rude, Adam" Her eyes sparkled with something between amusement and disdain. "Here I am, dressed up and playing hostess, asking what you’d like to eat, trying to be gracious... and all you can think about is flinging things and asking questions. The picture is quite clear, I would say."

She took a slow sip from her glass and gestured lazily to the chair opposite her. "Sit down, Adam. Let’s be civil. It’s lunchtime, and I really don’t like to talk on an empty stomach."

Then she paused, leaned forward with a slight sway, her robe slipping again to reveal the edge of lace underneath. Her voice dropped to a conspiratorial whisper. "Don’t worry. I’ve had them take out the voice-activated surveillance system. Your wife won’t be listening in. Not this time."

She winked, then slumped back against the cushions with a soft bitter augh. "I have to admit, that little stunt of hers? Genius. I didn’t see it coming. Ruined everything I had so perfectly lined up. Sent it all spiraling. Now look what she has done. Forcing me to use my ace. Sit Adam. If you want answers that is."

Without a word, Adam clenched his jaw and took a seat opposite her, the muscles in his face tight.

Saira tilted her head and smiled, the corner of her mouth twitching with satisfaction. "Now, let me ask you again," she said sweetly, lifting the phone again. "What do you want to eat?"

"I’m not hungry."

She rolled her eyes like he was a child refusing medicine, then turned her attention to the room service line. "Two plates of the grilled lamb with saffron rice. And the mint yogurt dip. Extra, please. You always said you were not hungry but I know this is your favourite. Mum always made that for you. And even then you would steal my food as well."

Adam said nothing. His expression didn’t change. He simply sat there letting her talk. As far as he was concerned, she could continue to yap as much as she wanted.

She sent him a look at his silence and sighed all over again. "I know what you think. That I never cared about you. That I was only ever after your grandfather and did what I did for him. But that’s not the truth, Adam. I know you won’t believe me, not now, not after everything—but in the beginning, I really did consider you a friend. A true one. You were kind to me when no one else was. You never discriminated against me even though I was a servant’s daughter. I was always grateful for that."

She smiled when Adam once again did not say anything, and continued, "And later... when we started dating, when it got more complicated—I did like you. More than you probably realize. Even if you think every word I said, every kiss, every touch... was part of some grand plan. It wasn’t, not all of it. It was only later that I was pressured to accuse you and then things happened..."

Still, Adam remained quiet, his gaze unmoved by her words.

She studied him for a moment, then let out a breath that carried a bitter laugh. "It’s ironic, isn’t it?" Her eyes turned glassy with something unspoken, though the smile on her lips remained intact. "All I wanted was Robert Collins. I wanted him to be my first. That’s what I planned. What I expected. But he..." she trailed off and her smile darkened. "He had other ideas."

She leaned forward slightly, robe shifting again as she looked him in the eye. "He insisted you be my first instead. You don’t know how angry I was when I came to you that night... but you were such a patient and gentle lover... For a while I hated you. Why did you have to care for me and show me love that I could not even be with the man I liked? Why did you have to be so nice? I didn’t even realize that Robert was using me to target you."

"Once you’d left the Collins’ mansion," Saira began, her voice quieter now, more reflective, "I was supposed to be of no use to Sir Collins anymore. In fact I was almost a threat in case I revealed everything. But he didn’t send me away. No, he kept me by his side. I thought he had feelings for me as well! That he had come to care for me. But I was a fool. Do you know why he kept me by his side?"

Her gaze returned to Adam, sharp now, cutting through the silence. "Because I was pregnant. That’s the real reason. Not because he loved me. Not because I meant anything to him. But because I was carrying something—someone—he could use."

She let the words hang between them for a beat before continuing, her tone tinged with bitterness. "Later, when he sent me to that godforsaken island, told everyone it was for my health, I realized the truth. The only reason he didn’t throw me out with the trash was because of that baby growing inside me. He wanted to raise the child as his next tool. And so, I tried to stop that from happening by pretending to have a miscarriage and giving up the child. I thought that once I was useless with no child, Sir Collins would let me go and I would be able to live a quiet life with my child... but then he kept me caged... So, I have no choice to ask you again..."