Who is at The Door?

The morning air was tense as the maids carried my luggages down the grand staircase toward the waiting car. 

After the emotional roller coaster of meeting Neville and Amelia, getting back to my school dormitory felt like a desperate escape.

“Okay, spill,” Maureen said, folding the last of my sweaters and tossing them into a duffel bag.

“You’ve been completely quiet all morning. What really happened at dinner last night? Was your dad’s new fiancé a total nightmare?”

I sat down on the edge of my unmade bed, dragging a hand down my face. “you’re not going to believe this. It’s insane.”

“What? Did she bring a hideous pet? Is she a gold digger?”

“No,” I whispered, looking toward the open bedroom door to make sure no one was listening. 

“Amelia is nice. But she brought her son with her.”

Maureen frowned, folding her arms. “Okay? And?”

“Her son is Neville.”

“Wait,” she gasped, leaning in close and lowering her voice to a frantic whisper. “Neville? As in the Neville from the club? The guy you left with?” 

“Yesss” I groaned, burying my face in my hands. “My dad introduced us. He sat right across from me at the dinner table the entire night”

“Oh my God,” Maureen squealed, slapping her hand over her mouth in absolute shock. 

“Veronica, your life is literally a soap opera! You slept with your future stepbrother!”

“Lower your voice!” I hissed slapping her arm “It was a one-night stand, I didn't know who he was. And he isn't even moving in here anyway, he has his own place across town. But still, the whole thing is a complete mess.”

Maureen shook her head, a wicked grin spreading across her face. “A mess? Babe, that is top-tier drama. How are you going to sit through Sunday family dinners with that man looking at you?”

“I’m not thinking about it,” I said firmly, grabbing my purse. “I just need to get back to campus and pretend none of this ever happened.”

We grabbed the remaining bags and headed downstairs.

My father was already standing near the open front doors. The moment he saw me coming down the stairs, his usual lecture began.

“Veronica, I still don’t understand why you insist on living in those cramped college dorms,” Dad grumbled, crossing his arms tightly over his chest. 

“We have more than enough space here. I can easily assign a private driver to take you to your classes every single morning. It’s safer, comfortable, and away from unnecessary distractions.”

I sighed, pinching the bridge of my nose. “Dad, we’ve talked about this a hundred times. I’m in college now. I want to live on campus with Maureen like a normal student. I can’t stay locked up in this house forever.”

“It’s not a prison, it’s your home!” he retorted sharply “The world outside isn't as safe as you think, and I won't have you living in some noisy, unprotected building…”

“Oh, Jackson, let the poor girl breathe!” a bright, cheerful voice interrupted.

We all turned to see Amelia strutting towards us. She looked effortlessly stunning in a cream-colored silk blouse and tailored trousers, her golden hair swept back in a loose style. 

She walked over with a radiant smile, placing a gentle hand on my father’s arm and kissing his cheek.

“Look at her,” Amelia continued softly, turning her warm blue eyes toward me and Maureen. “She’s a smart, independent young woman. College is about making memories and finding your own path. You can’t keep her tucked away forever Jackson.”

My dad opened his mouth to argue, but Amelia simply offered him a smooth, persuasive smile. He let out a long breath, his shoulders relaxing as he finally gave in.

“Fine,” Dad sighed, looking at me with a softened gaze. “But you call me every night. No exceptions.”

“Sure as always dad” I smiled, genuinely relieved.

Amelia turned to me, stepping into my personal space without a hint of hesitation. “Have a wonderful semester, Veronica” Before I could even react to the sudden stepmother dynamic, she leaned in and gave me a light peck on the cheek. “We’ll see you soon”

I stood there for a second, completely caught off guard. Despite the awkward secret hanging over my head regarding her son, I couldn't help but feel a wave of genuine gratitude toward her. 

She had just managed to diffuse my father’s overprotectiveness in less than two minutes, something I had been trying to do for years.

“She’s actually kind of amazing,” Maureen whispered in my ear as we walked out to the car.

“I know,” I muttered, settling into the back seat as the driver pulled out of the estate gates. “It makes me feel even guiltier about Neville.”

Half an hour later, we arrived at the university grounds. The campus was bustling with students dragging suitcases, laughing, and catching up after the break. 

The familiar sight brought an immediate sense of relief to my chest.

The driver and the guard my dad sent with us helped us take our luggages up to the third floor of the residence hall.

It was a cozy room with two twin beds, two study desks, and a wide window overlooking the central courtyard.

“Ah, home sweet home,” Maureen said, tossing her bag onto the bed by the window.

We spent the next hour unpacking our clothes, organizing our books and hanging up pictures. The sense of normal life returning was intoxicating.

“So,” Maureen started, leaning against her desk with a mischievous look in her eyes. “Are we really not going to talk about the hot stepbrother again?”

I groaned, tossing a pillow straight at her face. “Maureen, please, Neville lives in his own house, I live in this dorm, and our paths never need to cross again unless it’s a holiday.”

“Right, because a guy who looks like that is definitely just going to vanish from your life,” Maureen teased, catching the pillow easily. “You’re delusional, Vee.”

“I’m focused,” I corrected, sitting on my freshly made bed. “I have classes, I have assignments, and I am not letting any man ruin my peace again. Alex was enough drama for one year.”

“Fine, fine,” Maureen laughed, raising her hands in surrender. “No more Neville talk. For now.”

Before I could respond, a sharp, loud knock echoed against our heavy wooden door.

We both paused.

“Are you expecting someone?” I asked, brow furrowing. “Did the resident assistant say they were doing room checks today?”

“Nope,” Maureen said, walking over to the door. “Maybe someone lost their key.”

Maureen placed her hand on the doorknob, calling out casually, “Who is it?”

A smooth female voice replied instantly from the hallway.

“Your new roommate!”

Maureen and I locked eyes in absolute, stunned silence. We had paid for a private two-person suite specifically so no one else could be assigned to our room, so who was this new roommate? 

I watched from my bed as Maureen slowly pulled the door open.