MARRIED TO MY EX FIANCE'S STEP BROTHER

MICHELLE’S POV. I sat beside my mother’s hospital bed, my hands covering my face as I cried quietly. The smell of disinfectant filled the air, mixing with the sound of beeping machines. My mother was still asleep, her breathing weak but steady. Tubes ran across her body, and I couldn’t help but feel helpless.Everything hurt. My heart, my chest, my head. I still couldn’t believe what had happened at the church. It felt like a nightmare I couldn’t wake up from.I reached out and held my mother’s cold hand. “Mama,” I whispered, “I’m so sorry.” My voice cracked. “I tried so hard to make things better. I thought Damien would help. I thought he’d keep his promise.”Tears rolled down my cheeks as I remembered everything I had done for him.When I first met Damien, he was just a struggling actor with nothing but dreams. I worked two jobs to support him—one at a café and another as a cleaner. Every night, I’d sit up helping him memorize his lines, writing scripts, and making phone calls to p

KIERAN’S POV. The sound of voices filled the meeting room as the managers talked about the new project. Charts, numbers, and slides filled the screen in front of us. I tried to listen, but my mind kept drifting away.“…and if we release the app by next week, we can expect a twenty percent increase in market attention,” one of the department heads said.I nodded slightly, tapping my pen against the table. “Good. But make sure the quality team checks every single line before launch. I don’t want mistakes.”“Yes, sir,” they replied quickly.I leaned back in my chair, staring at the large glass window that showed the city below. I could see everything from here — the tall buildings, the cars, the busy people. Yet somehow, I always felt alone up here.When the meeting ended, the staff started packing their laptops and papers. I was about to stand when the door opened. My stepfather walked in.“Good afternoon, Kieran,” he said with a fake smile. His voice always carried that false sweetne