Dear Ex-husband, My Stepbrother is Your Replacement. のすべてのチャプター: チャプター 31 - チャプター 40

ASTRID“Mummy!! Mummy, mummeeee!!!!”Those are the first words that greet me the moment I walk through the front door, followed by two pairs of tiny legs running at full speed across the shiny marble floors.A pang of love so potent, so fucking powerful slams into my chest. Without thinking, I fall on my knees and open my arms wide, watching with unbridled joy as my daughters fall into them.Zoey and Zara wrap their little arms around my neck and bury their faces in my chest. I fall on my arse and hold them close, breathing in the comforting scent of their strawberry shampoo.At that moment, all is right with my world. The chaos of making millions while plotting revenge disappears, and all that’s left is an overwhelming sense of gratitude for my babies. These little menaces keep me sane. “Hi, my little sweetie pies.” I whisper into their hair. “Hi, my babies.”“I missed you mommy.” Zoey murmurs, her lips vibrating against my neck. “Zara was being mean again.”“Nuh-uh!!” Zara, ever on

ASTRID I breeze into the headquarters of The Michiavelli winery, trying to quel my ever mounting excitement. It’s not everyday that lady Eleanor — the baddest bitch on the planet if I do say so myself — calls me into her office. It’s not everyday that she has something “urgent” to discuss with me. Lady Eleanor is my role model. I love that woman so much, I would give her my kidney in a heartbeat if she asked nicely. Hell, I would force the kidney on her even if she didn’t ask nicely. “Tío Manuel!!” I screech at the top of my lungs when I spot my favourite uncle in the distance. Uncle Manuel turns, his face etched in a frown. That frown however gives way to a wide, handsome smile when he sees me. “Oye, princesa! Come to uncle!” He opens his arms and I fly across the hall and straight into them, burying my face against his broad chest. Instantly, the riotous voices in my head quiets and I feel at home. Tío Manuel smells like expensive grapefruit and sunshine. He’s on

THEA“Thea, pull yourself together and stop acting like a jealous cunt!” I whisper to myself as I make my way down the deserted hallway.Besides, Gemini and Miss Astrid are just friends. Best friends. Nothing more.I take a deep breath, just about to veer into the kitchen when mind numbing electricity attacks my clitoris, causing me to stiffen. I remain frozen on the spot, my knees pressed together and my heart pounding like a runaway train.“No, no, no. Please, no…”But I guess it’s my unlucky day because the vibrator in my panties goes off again and this time, I nearly melt into the marble floors. Pleasure tears through my entire body with a burning vengeance. I sink my teeth into my lower lip to keep a strangled moan from slipping out.It pauses for a while and just when I start to believe that I’ve escaped, the vibration comes again, torturing my already sore, sensitive clit. I lean against the wall, my knees quivering as I look around in search of the suspect.Sure enough, bare

ASTRIDI raise a hand and instantly, silence descends on the hall. The hum of voices die. The clink of glasses fade into the background. Everyone's attention is instantly focused on me.I scan the sea of people, noting the awe and reverence in their eyes.I feel like a queen, fully draped in her armour and ready to go to war. Finally, my gaze lands on the Montessori’s and a fiery ball of satisfaction rises in my chest. It’s time to brandish my sword. Mrs. Montessori’s face is so white, one would think she just suffered a heart attack. Her thickly painted lips tremble, her wandering eyes roving over me in pure shock. She looks like she’s just seen a ghost. Mr. Montessori, on the other hand, has gone deathly pale. He blinks rapidly as if to convince himself that he isn’t dreaming. He clutches his wife’s arm, his knuckles white as he holds on for dear life. How bloody pathetic.I hold their gaze and refuse to look away even for a second, even when Mr. Montessori’s breathing grows irre

ASTRIDIt’s three minutes past midnight and I just put my baby girls to sleep after reading two chapters of their favorite children’s book — Jack And The Giant Bean.They stayed awake, refusing to sleep until I returned. I had to give them a bath and tuck them in myself. Between Zoya almost chewing the tiny wing off her duckie and Zara splashing water all over the place, coupled with my exhaustion, I almost suffered a goddamn stroke right there in the bathroom.Don’t get me wrong, I love my babies and I would die for them, but sometimes, I just want to scream. And maybe pull out all my hair. Three minutes ago, Zara asked me a question — one that made me freeze for a couple of seconds, hoping I’d heard wrong.“Mummy, we have a daddy somewhere, don’t we? Why isn’t he with us?”For a moment, I couldn’t breathe. For the past three years, I have considered myself lucky because Zoya and Zara have never asked about their father. I mean, never. For children who are unbelievably inquisitive