The Stranger At The Door

I stayed quiet for a long moment, letting my father’s question settle in the air between us.

A few days ago, the idea of my father remarrying would have filled me with panic. He had spent years keeping me wrapped in cotton wool, using his bad memory of my mother to justify keeping me away from the rest of the world. 

But looking at him right now sitting on the edge of his desk with that tired, vulnerable look in his green eyes I just saw a man who had been lonely for a very long time.

Besides, my parents had been divorced for years.

He had given up so much of his own personal life to keep me safe, even if his way of doing it felt like a golden prison. 

He deserved to move on. He deserved to have someone by his side.

"Honestly, Dad?" I said softly, giving him a small, genuine smile. "I wouldn't mind at all. You deserve to be happy."

A wave of relief washed over my father’s sharp features. The tension in his shoulders instantly melted away, and a soft, genuine smile broke across his face. 

He stood up, walked over to my chair, and placed a warm hand on top of my head, gently smoothing down my wavy hair just like he used to do when I was a little girl.

"Thank you, Veronica," he said, his voice unusually soft. "That means more to me than you know."

It was one of the sweetest father-daughter moments we had shared in years. 

For a second, I felt a deep warmth in my chest, feeling closer to him than I had in a long time.

"Well," Dad added, clearing his throat and checking his wristwatch as his usual businesslike tone returned. "I'm glad you feel that way, because she is actually dropping by the house this evening to meet you."

My eyes widened in surprise. "Wait what, tonight?!”

"Yes," he replied smoothly, picking up his glass of scotch again. "She should be here in a few hours. Go upstairs, change into something nice, and be ready to welcome her."

"Okay," I murmured, still trying to process how quickly everything was moving.

I hurried up the grand staircase and rushed straight into my bedroom, closing the door behind me. 

My head was spinning. My father was getting remarried, and I was about to meet my future stepmother in a few hours?

I immediately grabbed my phone off the bed and dialed Maureen’s number. She answered on the second ring.

"Girl, what’s up?" Maureen’s loud, energetic voice filled my ear. "Did you finally decide to tell your dad about our night at the club, or are you still obsessing over that hot guy who rocked your world?"

"Maureen, shut up for a second," I hissed, pacing back and forth across my soft carpet. "My dad just dropped a massive bomb on me."

"What bomb? Did he find out you snuck out three nights ago?"

"No!" I took a deep breath. "He just asked me how I’d feel if he got remarried. And then he told me the woman is coming to our house tonight to meet me!"

There was a loud gasp on the other end of the line. "Are you serious?! Jackson Hunt is getting married again? Who is the lucky lady?"

"I don't know!" I said, opening my closet doors and flipping through my dresses. "He didn't even tell me her name yet. Everything is happening so fast."

"Wow, Veronica. First, you have a wild night at a club with a gorgeous mystery guy, and now your dad is bringing home a new stepmom. Your life is turning into a drama movie."

"Don't remind me about the club," I sighed, picking out a simple, elegant emerald-green dress. "I've been trying to get Neville out of my head all day, but every time I close my eyes, I just see his face."

"Hey, you slept with a guy who treated you like a queen and then walked away like a gentleman," Maureen said gently. "Forget Alex and enjoy the memory. But right now, go put on your dress and smell like money. Call me the second your new stepmom leaves!"

"I will. Byee*

I hung up, showered quickly, and slipped into the emerald dress. I brushed out my long dark hair and applied a touch of lip gloss. 

By the time the clock downstairs struck eight, I took a deep breath to calm my nervous stomach and walked down to the main foyer.

My father was already waiting near the front doors, looking sleek and sharp in a dark blazer.  

He looked up at me and gave a subtle nod of approval.

Right on cue, headlights flashed through the tall glass panels of the front entrance, lighting up the driveway. A black car had pulled up outside.

Through the tall window, I could see two figures getting out of the car. 

"They're here," Dad said, stepping toward the double doors.

They?

The double doors were slowly pulled open by the guards and a blonde woman stepped inside the warm light of our grand hallway.

"Jackson," she said, her voice smooth and warm as she smiled at my father.

"Amelia," Dad greeted her, stepping forward to give her a soft kiss on the cheek. He then turned to me, putting a hand on my back to bring me forward. "Veronica, sweetheart, this is Amelia Douglas."

Amelia’s warm blue eyes landed on me, and her smile grew even wider. "It is so wonderful to finally meet you, Veronica. Jackson talks about you non-stop."

"It's very nice to meet you too, Mrs. Douglas," I said politely.

"Please, call me Amelia," she said with a smile.

Dad wrapped an arm around Amelia’s waist, looking at me with a proud look in his eyes. 

"Veronica, Amelia is the woman I told you about. She is going to be my new wife."

Even though I had prepared myself for it, hearing him officially say the words new wife sent a strange shockwave through my chest. 

I forced a polite smile onto my face, trying my best to digest the fact that my father was officially moving another woman into our home.

"Congratulations," I managed to say. "I'm really happy for both of you."

Before anyone else could speak, heavy footsteps echoed from the marble front porch outside.

“Ah if it isn't the one and only Neville” my dad called out smiling widely.

My entire body tensed up at the mention of that name and soon enough my eyes fell on a tall figure with dark brown hair, sharp features, and intoxicating light brown eyes.

It was Neville.

I watched my dad clap his hand warmly onto the younger man's broad shoulder.

"And Veronica," Dad said proudly, looking back at me with a wide smile, "this is her son, Neville. He’s going to be your new stepbrother."

Neville paused for a fraction of a second, his light brown eyes locking onto mine. 

But almost instantly, his expression smoothed over, becoming completely calm and unreadable as he held my gaze.

I, on the other hand, stood glued to the marble floor, my breath catching in my throat as my mind spun in complete, overwhelming shock.

The man I slept with days ago... was now my stepbrother. Oh Maureen would have a field day with this.