Chapter 003: NEW STEPMOTHER

By the time I returned home that evening, my mood had changed completely. I had left the Morales estate feeling like my entire life had collapsed.

Now?

I felt alive.

Dangerously alive.

I stepped into the Banks manor with a smile on my face.

Arthur Bennett was waiting in the foyer. Our majordomo had been with our family for as long as I could remember. Impossibly composed, impeccably dressed, and somehow capable of knowing what everyone needed before they asked. He practically raised my older brother and me as my power-hungry father was busy building empires and sleeping around and my mother was six feet below the ground. My mother died when I was barely five, so there’s not much I knew about her. Or at least that was how my father explained it. 

He looked at me.

Then at my smile.

Then back at me.

“Miss Hilary.”

“Arthur.”

“You’re back early.” 

“Well… you know me, Arthur. I always love to make an entrance.

“That is reassuring.”

I handed him my coat.

“Where is everyone?”

His expression softened.

“Your brother is in the sitting room.”

I froze.

“Christian?”

“Yes, Miss.”

My smile disappeared for an entirely different reason.

“When did he come home?”

“This afternoon.”

I didn't wait for anything else.

I practically ran toward the living room.

“Christian?”

A familiar voice answered.

“About time.”

I stopped in the doorway, and there he was. My older brother. Christian Banks. He looked thinner than I remembered. His hair was slightly longer, his face sharper, and there were faint shadows beneath his eyes that hadn't been there before. 

But it was him.

My brother.

The person who had spent years annoying me, protecting me, insulting my taste in men, and somehow knowing when I was lying even when nobody else could.

For a second, neither of us moved. Then he smiled. I ran straight into his arms. He caught me and I hugged him tightly.

“You're home.”

“I am.”

“You didn't tell me.”

“I wanted to surprise you.”

“Well, congratulations. You succeeded.”

He laughed softly.

I pulled away and looked at him.

“You look terrible.”

He stared at me.

“I missed you too.”

I smiled.

“You know I love you.”

“Unfortunately.”

I hit his arm.

He laughed.

Arthur stood nearby watching us with the smallest smile.

“I believe this calls for champagne.”

Christian looked at him.

“For her maybe.”

I frowned.

“Why not you?”

“Because I just got back from rehab and I'm trying to keep a clean slate.”

“Oh c’mon, it’s just champagne.”

He gave me a look.

“Fine.”

“Thank you.”

Christian laughed.

For a few minutes, everything felt normal. Almost. Then his eyes narrowed.

“Why are you smiling like that?”

My smile grew.

“I got married.”

An awkward silence reigned for a few seconds. 

Arthur nearly dropped the tray he was carrying. Christian stared at me.

“You did what?”

I laughed.

“I'm kidding.”

Christian's face relaxed.

“Don't joke about things like that.”

I smiled.

“Why?”

“Because with you, I genuinely don't know what's a joke anymore.”

I glanced away. For some reason, I didn't feel ready to tell him. At least not yet. William and I had barely agreed to the arrangement. There were still contracts to sign, rules to establish, a wedding to arrange. And somehow, I had a feeling this was going to become much more complicated than I had planned.

“So,” Christian said, leaning back, “where's Dad?”

“Probably in his study.”

“Then let's go see him.”

I nodded.

Arthur followed behind us. We walked through the long corridor toward my father's study. I knocked once. Nothing. Christian frowned. I knocked again. Still nothing.

“Dad?”

No response.

Then Christian opened the door and stopped.

I walked straight into his back.

“What—”

Then I saw it.

My father. Philip Banks. The most disciplined man I knew. The man who had spent my entire childhood lecturing me about dignity, reputation, and proper behavior was standing behind his desk with a woman sitting on it, her blouse was half-buttoned, his tie was loose, and his hands were very clearly not behaving like the hands of a respectable father.

I stared, Christian stared, Arthur stared. Nobody moved. My father slowly looked toward us. His face changed.

“Hilary, Christian.”

I blinked.

“Dad.”

The woman immediately climbed off the desk. She looked mortified. I looked her up and down, then at my father, then back at her.

“Oh.”

Christian rubbed his forehead.

“I think we should leave.”

“No.”

I held up a hand.

“I want to hear this.”

“Hilary—”

“No, Dad. Please.”

I smiled sweetly.

“I've had a very strange day, and apparently we're not finished.”

The woman looked uncomfortable. My father straightened his jacket.

“This is not what it looks like.”

I laughed.

“That's what Miles said.”

Christian looked at me.

“Who's Miles?”

“Not important!”

I looked back at the woman.

“So who is she?”

My father's expression hardened.

“Bianca.”

I raised an eyebrow.

“Bianca what?”

“Bianca Downs.”

“Your secretary?”

“Yes.”

I stared at him.

“You're sleeping with your secretary? Oh now I can see why her name is Downs cause it’s pretty clear she gets down on her knees a lot and it’s certainly not for God”

“Hilary!”

“What? Was I lying?”

I spread my hands. “You brought her into your office and somehow she's the one who looks embarrassed?”

Christian coughed, obviously trying not to laugh.

I turned toward him.

“You think this is funny?”

“A little.”

“Traitor.”

I looked back at my father.

“You know what the worst part is?”

He said nothing.

“She is exactly the type of woman I've spent my entire life watching men like you fall for.”

Bianca's eyes widened.

“Excuse me?”

I smiled.

“No offense.”

“It sounded like offense.”

“It was.”

“Hilary!” My father yelled. 

I ignored my father's warning.

“I've seen this story before. Beautiful woman. Older man. Powerful family. Suddenly she becomes indispensable.”

Bianca folded her arms.

“You don't know anything about me.”

“No.”

I nodded.

“And that's precisely the problem.”

My father sighed.

“I didn't raise you to speak to people this way.”

“You raised me to recognize gold-diggers.”

Christian looked at our father.

“She does have a point.”

My father glared at him.

“Christian!”

“What? I'm just saying.”

I stepped closer.

“Dad, if you're bored, buy a yacht. Get a sports car. Take up golf. But please don't bring some woman into this family because she knows how to smile at you across a desk.”

Bianca's mouth dropped open.

“Some woman?”

I smiled.

“I'm sure you're lovely.”

I looked at my father. “But if you think I'm going to sit quietly while a lady in her forties dressed as your secretary tries to sleep her way into the Banks fortune

“I’m thirty not forty.” 

“What’s the difference?” I retorted. “You’re just six years older than me.” 

—”

“That's enough.”

My father's voice cut through the room. The faint smile disappeared from his face. He looked at Christian. Then at me. Then at Bianca. And suddenly, there was something in his expression that made my stomach tighten.

He walked toward her.

He took her hand.

I stared.

“Dad?”

He looked directly at me.

“That's no way to speak to your new stepmother, Hilary.”

Silence. Complete. Utter silence. Christian's jaw dropped. My mouth fell open. Arthur actually blinked. I looked at Bianca. Then at my father. Then back at Bianca.

“Your what?”

My father smiled.

“Hilary, Christian…”

He gestured toward the woman beside him.

“Say hello to your new stepmother.”

My heart stopped.

Bianca smiled.

And somehow, I already hated her.