Four

Kiara's Pov.

Maya is his daughter.

And he asked for her brother, she only has one brother...Kade.

Kade is his son.

And my child is going to be Carlo's grandchild?

My mind struggled to catch up, but the words kept echoing in my skull like church bells, as bile gathered at the back of my throat.

I slept with her brother, then I ran away from them.

Not to mention that I'm pregnant with his baby.

And now, God help me, I'm married to her father.

Just great. My life was like a soap opera.

I really deserve the best friend of the year award for all this.

My eyes darted to Maya, hoping for an explanation, because last I checked, she told me that she had no other family except Kade.

So now, how was this possible?

“Are you kidding me?” Maya’s voice shook, brittle, laced with fury. “She’s your wife? How low can you go? You’re forty-two years older than her!”

The room froze.

Heat shot up my neck. My lips parted, words clawing at my throat, but the way Carlo looked at me clearly suggested it would be in my best interest to keep my mouth shut.

So I just sat there, hoping she would stop talking.

But she didn't stop.

Her voice cracked, anger spilling into grief. “It hasn't been up to a year since Mom died. And you....you’re parading around with this girl, who, might I remind you is .....no, WAS, my best friend, like it’s nothing. Are you for real right now?” She spat out, her voice bitter. “I hope you rot in hell, Carlo.”

She turned to me, and I shrank under her gaze.

“Is this why you never told me the name of the man you were getting married to? Because it was my father? Really?”

“It’s not like that, Maya. I didn't know…”

“Shut up!” she yelled, shutting me up. “I don’t even want to start with you right now.”

I felt eyes watching me. Well, to be fair, at this point, everyone was watching us. But there was one pair whose intentions were different from just gossip

The minute I let myself focus on just that, I felt it in my bones… relief. I felt like I could breathe for the first time in a long time. I didn't need to look for to know who it was.

Kade.

But given the situation, I couldn't bring myself to look at him, especially if he's looking at me the way Maya is… I married his father.

My vision turned blurry, and I started taking slow breaths because I could hear my heartbeat in my ears.

“What are you doing here, Kade?” Carlo asked.

But Kade’s focus never wavered from me… I was so in tune with him, I could tell he was walking towards us, and each step made me feel like prey.

“What else? You’re getting old, which means you’re one step closer to dying. So Maya and I thought… why not come over and celebrate?”

The audacity in his tone made Carlo’s jaw tighten, but beneath it, I swore I saw a flicker of twisted pride.

“And besides,” Kade's attention came back to me, but I kept my eyes on anything but him, “we had to see your new wife, our new stepmother. Won't you introduce us, old man?”

The words landed like a slap.

Maya's glare scorched me from one side, Kade’s stare flayed me from the other.

I couldn't breathe.

It felt like the walls were closing in on me—the whispers, the eyes, the weight of every secret on my shoulders. I couldn't be in here.

I moved my chair back so quickly, it bumped into one of the workers, and she tripped. The plates she was carrying fell from her hands, and they broke the minute they hit the floor.

“I'm so sorry,” I muttered

Without waiting for anything else, I ran out of the room. I didn’t look at Carlo. I already fucked up when I spoke to Maya. Since I'm going to be punished, he might as well punish me for walking out.

I hurried through the hall, each step heavier than the last. The moment I reached the balcony, I shoved the doors open gasping as cold air hit my skin.

But I wasn't alone.

“I always knew you were trouble,” a low, smooth voice murmured behind me. “I just didn’t think it would be this much.”

I turned around, and there he was. He stepped out of the shadows, moonlight cutting across his sharp jaw and his eyes.

I just stood there, drinking him in. There's a scar that cut from his brow to his cheek now. He'd grown a small stubble too, lost weight. He looked effortlessly rugged, but… he's still perfect.

I just wanted to drown in the sight of him… it's been too long.

“Stepmom, huh? What a wonderful surprise.” The words rolled off his tongue mockingly. But the way his jaw tightened betrayed him. He was angry.

He was talking to me, but his eyes were locked on my fingers, on my wedding ring.

He stared at it like it was an enemy he couldn't kill but wanted to rip off with his bare teeth. My chest tightened. I curled my fingers into a fist, but the shine of the diamond still mocked both of us.

“It's nice seeing you again,” I said when I finally found my voice, and I took a step with the intention to walk away, put distance between us the way it should be.

“Don’t. You. Dare.”

His command settled on my skin, and I stood there, rooted to the ground, heart racing, my chest rising and falling too fast.

“I’d like to know how the fuck all this happened.”

His full attention was still zeroed in on the ring. His eyes finally found mine, pinning me with a sharp glare.

But then they dropped to my stomach. That's when I realised I placed a hand on my stomach. I dropped my hand immediately when he raised a brow.

I know I should tell him. But I won't. My child doesn't deserve all this chaos. Besides, once I have enough money, I'll leave this place, and I'm never looking back.

So I did the only thing I could. I lifted my chin, looked him in the eye, and held my ground… not for myself. Hope and my baby didn't ask for this life. Telling Kade will just chain me to this life.

“What do you mean, what happened?” My voice was steady, though my hands trembled. “I got married.”

“So what? Were you engaged while you were begging me to fuck you?”

Heat crawled up my neck, shame mixing with anger, but I wasn't backing down.

“Yes, and that doesn't change anything, given that I’ve also been with my…”

I didn’t get the chance to finish my statement, as he closed the space between us in two strides, wrapped his arm around my waist, and pulled me to himself.

His voice dropped, quiet and lethal. “It’d be a shame to kill my father. But not that I’d mind. I never really liked the old bastard.”

My breath caught. I looked up and searched his eyes, hoping he was joking, but he wasn't.

“What, after one night, you're forgetting we hate each other?” I pushed back, even if my voice wavered.

“Really?” he asked, mocking, as his hand ghosted up my thighs.

“You’re insane,” I hissed, forcing myself to step back. But I couldn't, since I was between him and a wall. His fingers were dangerously close to my pussy, and before I knew it, he leaned in.

My lips parted, my chest still rising and falling too fast, betraying every ounce of self-control I thought I had.

Then he pulled away from me like it was nothing, like he hadn't just unravelled every bit of composure I had left. And that stupid, perfect smirk curved his lips.

God, I hated that smirk.

“I hate you,” I managed the words through clenched teeth.

He leaned against the wall, as if my anger amused him. As if none of this mattered because he knew the truth.

How much I didn't.

“Say it again.”

“I. Hate. You.”

His eyes darkened, but the smirk never faltered even for a second.

“God, I love it when you lie.”

He said with a slight chuckle.

“Kade! Where the hell are you?” Maya’s voice came from below us. He headed over to the balcony to respond to her.

I didn't think about it as I ran straight for my bedroom. If I had stayed there any longer, I would have started saying and wishing for things married women don’t ask from other people… especially not their stepson.

The minute I got to my room, I slammed the door shut behind me. I slid down against it, bringing my knees to my chest.

I tried taking deep breaths to stop the tears I had been holding back all night, but it was impossible. My vision blurred, and I covered my mouth to muffle the sounds. If anyone heard, they would just tell Carlo, and I didn’t need his attention on me right now.

I took in a shaky breath, my eyes roaming around the room, probably the only safe space I had in this house. My gaze caught on an envelope sitting on the dresser.

I pushed myself up from the floor and picked it up. My instincts screamed at me not to open it, but I did anyway.

The moment I read its contents, I knew I shouldn’t have opened it.