Lahat ng Kabanata ng HE LEFT ME FOR MY STEPSISTER, I MOVED ON TO THE NEXT: Kabanata 41 - Kabanata 50

Chapter 42The shower was heavenly. Hot water pounding against my tired muscles, steam curling around me. My thoughts wandered to Nathan. Was he safe? Was he worried? And Mia… I clenched my jaw at the thought of her. She wasn’t going to stop. I could feel it in my bones. She wouldn’t stop until she had silenced me for good.When I stepped out of the shower, wrapped in a robe, there was a knock on the door.“Come in,” I called.He stepped inside, holding a neatly folded set of nightwear. “Here,” he said, offering it to me but as he stepped forward, his slippers caught on the water dripping from my hair onto the floor.I gasped as he almost slipped, but instinct kicked in and I grabbed his arm, steadying him.“Well,” he chuckled, looking amused, “I guess you’ve repaid the favour already.”“Yeah,” I said with a small laugh, “guess we’re even now.”He smiled again, this time softer. “When you’re done, come downstairs. I made dinner.”“Dinner?” I raised a brow.“Don’t look so surprised,” h

Chapter 44He stammered slightly. “No... nothing. It’s.... anyways, you said you were ready, so… yeah, I wanted to show you something.”I crossed my arms. “That was a smooth deflection, wouldn't you agree???"His mouth twitched in a half-smile, and he gestured for me to follow him down the hall.We stopped in front of a door at the far end. When he opened it, I was met with a rush of soft pastel colours. Creams, blush pinks and muted golds.My hand flew to my mouth. “Oh… Lucian…”The room was beautiful. Not just pretty but it was carefully and lovingly arranged. Delicate lace curtains filtered sunlight into golden beams. A small vanity stood against the wall, its surface lined with perfumes and hairbrushes as if waiting for someone to return. There were framed photos on the shelves, a plush throw over the bed, and the faint scent of lavender lingering in the air.“Why is…” I turned to him slowly. “Why is your room decorated so… girly?”His eyes dropped to the floor. “It’s not my room

Chapter 46 A moment later, the soft rumble of his engine faded down the street.What I didn’t know then was that in the shadows, a camera lens had clicked. More than once. Someone had been watching and capturing my every move. I had no idea that that happened.I stepped inside the house, my mind still somewhere else entirely, only to be brought crashing back by the atmosphere that greeted me.Mrs. Rivers and Cassandra were sitting in the living room, but when they turned their heads toward me, the looks they gave… made me sick It wasn’t new. I’d seen those looks before. The ones that made me feel like something under their shoe. Like I was some filthy person but tonight, it carried an extra layer of venom.I kept my mouth shut and moved toward the stairs but before my foot even touched the first step, Mrs. Rivers’ voice cracked through the air.“And where do you think you’re going, madam?”I froze mid-step and turned slowly, meeting her eyes. “What kind of question is that… Mother?

Chapter 48The city outside my room’s window was already bathed in a warm, golden hue when I zipped up the last shopping bag. For weeks, I had been promising myself that I’d visit the orphanage again. Life had been a whirlwind. Patients, meetings and a constant tug-of-war between personal battles and my career, but the thought of the kids there always grounded me. They didn’t care about my fame, my troubles, or the drama that followed me like a shadow. All they cared about was that I showed up, and today, I was going to do just that.I had shopped like someone with a purpose. Not the rushed kind of shopping where you grab whatever catches your eye, but the intentional kind. I knew what each child liked. For Michael, the little artist who could turn a scrap of paper into a masterpiece, I’d picked up a set of sketchbooks and water colours. For Anna, who had dreams of becoming a chef, a junior baking kit with tiny aprons and measuring cups. Even the elders at the orphanage weren’t forg

Chapter 50When I turned to gather my things, I noticed Alisha standing a little apart from the group, her arms crossed, her lower lip pushed out in the most dramatic pout.“What’s wrong, darling?” I asked, squatting down to her level.She huffed. “Don’t talk to me, Aunt. You got gifts for everyone and forgot mine.”I bit my lip to stop myself from laughing. “Oh, my cutie, how could I not get my own sister a gift, huh?” I teased, tapping her nose.Her eyes widened, hope breaking through her mock anger. “Aunty… did you get me something?”“Yes,” I said, drawing it out just to watch her squirm a little. “And it’s something very special.”“Yayyyy.... Show me, Auntie!” she squealed, bouncing on her toes.I reached into my bag and pulled out the small box. “This,” I said, opening it to reveal the smartwatch and the gold chain, “is for my one and only Alisha.”Her mouth formed a perfect ‘O’. “It’s so pretty!!!! Aunty, I love it.”I fastened the smartwatch onto her tiny wrist. “This will let