Lahat ng Kabanata ng A Blissful Night with My Step-Father: Kabanata 51 - Kabanata 60

The board meeting over, Ginny stumbled out with Raymond. The day was a small victory, but all that tension and conflict had her feeling like she teetered on the edge of a precipice.Raymond was calm throughout; that calm had been an anchor for which she was grateful. The two needed some momentary peace away from Lucy's games and Annabella's betrayal.Mute, they walked down the halls of the estate and finally stopped at one of the more quiet corners near the terrace. Raymond looked around cautiously before he took Ginny's hand in his."Come with me," he said softly, leading her down the path toward the gardens. In silence, they moved through the evening air, coolness from the night wrapping around them like a veil of calmness.When they reached a secluded bench surrounded by the rose bushes, Raymond sat down, pulling her beside him.Ginny leaned against him, feeling the warmth of his arm around her shoulders. "I don't know how you can keep so calm," she whispered, looking up at him. "I

This was enough evidence to give reasonable doubt to the control of Lucy, but a wrong move would send her on a rampage, leaving the family and estate in ruins.The next morning found Ginny descending into the small study Raymond and she had taken to using as their own private planning room; outside, the morning light filtered in, casting an out-of, place warmth on the tension hanging in the air.He scanned the papers they had encrypted, his fingers following the old, crumbling edges."Ginny, with these papers, we could turn the board against her. But if Lucy finds out before we're ready…" He didn't need to spell it out; his anxiety was not needed in the equation.Ginny nodded, her eyes steely. "We have to be strategic. The last thing we need is for her to find out we've been in the vault.As they spoke, Joshua entered, his expression serious but calm. He was one of their few allies within the family, someone who grasped the depth of the manipulation Lucy had woven and genuinely wished

She entered the main hall of the estate where the family and board members had been called to convene; the air was thick with tension.Ginny could feel the charged energy of those around her; every person aware that the stakes had shifted after the last meeting, with Lucy removed from her position of power, at least temporarily.But Ginny knew that was only the beginning. Lucy's presence still cast a dark shadow over the estate, and tonight was the deal-sealer.Raymond stepped into the hall behind her, his bulk a comforting presence. She felt his hand press gently against her back, a silent reminder that they were both in this together."You ready for this?" he whispered.Ginny took a deep breath, her head nodding. "More than ever.The board members filed in, one by one, all finding their places and assuming an expectant attitude. And then, in true whirlwind fashion, Lucy strode in.Her gaze cut around the room, lingering briefly on Ginny and Raymond; a faint, glacial smile, barely re

“Joshua, it’s time to think about where your loyalties truly lie.”Lucy's voice was smooth as silk, while at the same time razor-sharp, making Joshua's spine tingle.Facing her, standing with his arms crossed in defense in the sitting room across from her, the dim light coming from the chandelier above managed to cast long shadows on the walls, adding even more to Lucy's commanding presence.She sipped from her glass of wine, her eyes never leaving him.“Loyalty?" Joshua echoed, his voice thick with incredulity. "I have been loyal to this family all my life.""To the family," Lucy corrected, her glass clinking loudly as she set it down. "But not to me, your mother. Do you think I haven't noticed how close you've grown to Ginny and Raymond? You've been following their lead, helping them undermine me.”Joshua's jaw clenched. He didn't know what to say. On one hand, Lucy was his mother; a woman he had trusted and held in high regard.On the other, Ginny and Raymond had made him believe i

Ginny paced her room, clutching the document Annabella had given her. Joshua’s wavering support weighed heavily on her mind.Because, if he were to take their mother's side wholly, then she and Raymond would be left with no allies strong enough to counter the plans laid down by Lucy.She paused at the window, her eyes straying to the garden where Annabella would often take walks when she wanted time alone.Tonight was no exception; Ginny saw her sitting on a bench, lost in thought. Between them, there was a growing tension; an uneasy partnership neither of them could ever quite feel confident in.Ginny made up her mind. She needed something more from Annabella if they were going to stand even the slightest chance against Lucy.________________________________________Annabella didn't bat an eyelid when Ginny walked up, though her keen eyes flickered up, sizing her up. "You couldn't stay away, could you?"Ginny sat down beside her, crossing her arms as she faced the woman who had broug