All Chapters of MY STEPBROTHER'S RETURN: Chapter 41 - Chapter 50

I walk out of the office with a smile on my face. Resolving the misunderstanding with my father feels like the heaviest load has been lifted off my shoulders. I am finally feeling like Montana—powerful and untouchable. Now I have my father’s understanding and support. My enemies better get ready.I mumble a prayer to the heavens when I don’t run into Rina or that gross ex-friend of mine, Janie. I don’t want anything to ruin this smile. I want to go home and plan an insane, shameless plan to get this Rina out of this place. I need her to have the grand exit of her life. One that she will never forget. One that will make her curse the day she decides to mess with Belladine Montana. A dose bitterer than the one she and Leon served me.From a distance, I spot some people behind the gate pointing fingers toward me. Well, I am not sure. I mean, this is a resort—the biggest one there is in the city. They must be showing their interests and admiring them. Everything is to be admired here—from

The drive has been quiet all the way through, with me battling with the weight of the abhorrent events that just took place. The ringing sounds of the insults from those stupid people are still haunting me. Joe has been holding my hand for as long as I can remember, demonstrating his comfort. The whole car is filled with this gut-choking smell. At some point, I shed tears because I don’t deserve this at all.Finally, Joe and I pull up in front of the condo. We park, and he is quick enough to get my door. I am still barely covered in his coat, but it is not helping much. Everyone stops on what they were doing in awe of us. That is what I have become now—a center of attraction. Murmers erupt, people wrinkle noses from the smell I am reeking, eyes grow intense on me, while some turn their faces away from me.I try to hug the little courage that I have and keep my head a little bit high, although I am dying inside. Joe’s tries to keep a straight face, lightening the moment a little. His h

*FLASHBACK*“Please, I beg you, don’t do this.” My mother’s voice cracks with desperation, her hands trembling as she clutches the front of his shirt. “We are your family. A distinguished family with a name to protect. I am your only wife, and our daughter, Bella, is your only child. How can you tell me that you have some woman and another child somewhere?”“Dad has another family?" I think out loud, covering my mouth and hoping that I wasn’t too loud, which, gladly, I wasn’t because they didn’t hear me. That is quite some news. They don’t know that I am here, and that allows me the privilege to get more news.My father stands tall, his face tinged with some regret. “Mariam, I am sorry, but it is what it is, and I could no longer bear keeping you in the dark.”He reaches for my mother’s face, which is drenched in tears. It is the very first time I have seen my mother cry. The first time I saw my father hurt my mother like this. This is tearing me into pieces too. I am hurt too. I am h

Joe's hands remain on my face, his touch soft but steady, as if he is afraid I might disappear. His eyes, usually so strong and unshakable, are now filled with something delicate—guilt, regret, and a tenderness I have never seen before which I understand because the truth is just drowning on him just now. All along he perhaps thought I was a sick jealous bitch to drag the hatred to such extremities.“I am the one who should ask for forgiveness, Bella,” Joe says, his voice thick with emotion. “For all the pain I have caused you. For being the reason your family broke apart. For the loss of your mother.”I shake my head, but he doesn’t stop.“From the moment I came into your life, everything changed for you," he continues. "Your mother... she suffered because of me, and I hate that I was part of that. I hate that I was the one who made your life so hard. I regret that I am the reason you lost her.”His words make my heart ache. I can see the torment in his eyes, the weight he has been c

Would I ever forsake this man?There is nothing even to think about that. Nothing to mull over at all. I will never, ever forsake come whatever may. He is my life. My great love. My sweet forbidden love. And to him, I will stick until the end of the world. And even in the afterlife, I want a life with no one else but him.I open my mouth to give him my sincere response, but before I can say anything, a sudden loud bang at the door echoes through the house, jerking us apart from each other as we spring to our feet.Joe frowns, and so do I. We trade a questioning glance, wondering who could have visited us here.The banging continues, making it unbearable. Joe moves quickly toward the door, while I freeze, my heart thundering in my chest. Something feels off, like a cold, creeping dread. Well, this has been my life for the past weeks and I hate that I can't live in peace.I trail behind Joe to see who it is at the door. "Who could that be?" Joe mutters, already reaching for the doorknob