Maria.

When did they all decide to carry out such a vicious act?

The thought slammed into my head instantly, sharp and accusing.

It is not like I heard them whisper.

I frowned deeply, my breathing uneven as confusion mixed with irritation inside me. None of them had spoken a single word aloud, yet somehow they had all acted in perfect sync, like they had planned everything beforehand.

I was still trying to figure it out when it suddenly clicked.

The mind link.

My eyes widened slightly in realization.

Of course.

The quadruplets are assholes for plotting to gang up on a young woman like me.

The realization only irritated me further.

Damien’s hands moved slowly from my neck down toward my back, his touch deliberate enough to make my entire body tense immediately. His fingers traced lightly along my skin, causing an involuntary ache to spread through me and forcing me to lean forward slightly before I could stop myself.

"Just say the word, Maria," Damien murmured softly behind me. "We are more than willing to help you relieve stress."

His voice was low and smooth, almost dangerous in the way it wrapped around my senses.

And then I felt it, the slow pull of my zipper being drawn downward carefully, almost teasingly, as his cold fingers brushed lightly against my back.

A sharp shiver ran through me instantly.

"Stop!" I yelled immediately.

Every movement ceased at once.

Adrien’s hand, which had already moved halfway toward my thigh, froze completely. Aidan’s hand paused as well, stopping just before gripping my b***bs.

The sudden stillness in the room felt heavy.

"Get away from me, all of you," I added quickly, taking in a shaky breath as I tried to steady myself.

My heart was pounding far too fast now.

I thought briefly about standing up and putting distance between us, but the moment I tried to move, I realized my legs were already trembling badly.

Standing now would only expose how affected I actually was.

"Maria, we really want to help you," Aidan said, frustration slipping into his voice as he suddenly stood up. "We are your mates, so it’s only right that it has to be us and no one else."

His words only made my irritation deepen.

"We already took an oath, Maria," Damien said quietly from behind me. "We wouldn’t stop your wedding... just allow us to fulfill our duty as your mate."

"No one else can serve you better than us," Adrien added boldly without hesitation.

The confidence in his voice made my jaw tighten instantly.

It was not just what he said—it was the way he said it, like it was the most obvious truth in the world.

Honestly, I couldn’t even decide what was worse at this point.

Whether they had completely lost their minds...Or whether they were simply being unbelievably foolish.

Because what exactly gave them the right to call this "service"?

To act like they had any authority over me in that way?

The thought alone made something in my chest tighten with irritation, sharp and immediate.

Anything I needed...my husband could give it to me— I mean everything, be it care, protection, affection and stability.

Whatever they were trying to present in front of me—it meant nothing. It was not even close to giving me any meaning. It was just absolutely nothing.

And the simple fact that they were not my husband—and would never be my husband—should have been more than enough reason for them to stop this nonsense entirely.

Because, there would be no need for their so called service, not now and definitely not in the future.

"Get out," I said at last, pointing firmly toward the door as I forced my voice to remain steady.

Even though my emotions were anything but.

But they didn’t move.

Not a single one of them.

They just stood there, watching me like my words had no meaning at all.

And then, without warning, all three of them stepped forward at the same time.

My brows furrowed instantly, confusion flashing through me before I could even form a proper reaction.

Because in the next second, each of them began undoing the buttons of their shirts, slowly at first, then with careless ease, before tossing the fabric aside like it meant nothing.

My breath caught in my throat, as my eyes took in their bare skin and bare chests with immediate effect.

I swallowed hard.

But then, I immediately turned my face away, my heart thudding harder than I wanted to admit.

"I...p...put your clothes on!" I snapped again, but this time my voice came out lower, tighter, strained.

And it was not because I was scared but because this situation was becoming increasingly absurd.

And dangerously inappropriate.

The last thing I needed was for someone to walk in and completely misunderstand what they were seeing.

"Allow us to prove our worth!" they said again, perfectly synchronized, as if they had rehearsed it.

That only made my irritation spike further.

"This body is yours, Maria," Adrien said, stepping forward slightly. His tone was infuriatingly calm, somewhere between teasing and completely serious. "Everything I have belongs to you."

I stared at him for a long moment in pure disgust.

His words didn’t move me, and it didn’t soften anything. If anything, they made my frustration deepen.

How could he speak like that so confidently, as though it was something acceptable?

And then, before I could fully regain control of the situation...their hands moved toward their belts.

That was the moment everything inside me snapped.

"STOP!" I shouted, the force of it bursting out before I could restrain it.

Where they about to force themselves on me?

Silence crashed over the room immediately, and everything froze.

Even my breathing felt suspended.

And then, admist the silence, a weak sound echoed in our ears.

It was a cough—weak, rough and unexpected.

Every head turned at once toward the bed. 𝚏𝗿𝗲𝐞𝐰𝚎𝕓𝐧𝚘𝘃𝗲𝐥.𝐜𝚘𝕞

Davian.

He had been unconscious all this while but now...he had just coughed.