Semua Bab Claimed By My Ex’s Stepbrother: Bab 91 - Bab 100

The conference room on the forty-second floor of the new Blackwood Hotel overlooked the frozen Chicago skyline. The space was all glass and dark wood, sleek and imposing—just like the man at the head of the table.Roman Blackwood leaned back in his chair, his hands loosely clasped, a faint, genuine smile on his face for the first time in days. “I can’t tell you how grateful I am that Cross Corp chose to partner with us on this,” he said, voice smooth and confident. “Giving Blackwood Hotels this opportunity—it means more than I can say.”Damien Cross, the younger brother, nodded with an approving smile. “You earned it, Roman. The numbers spoke for themselves. And frankly, we like working with people who don’t waste our time.”Sebastian, older and sharper-edged, leaned forward. “We’ve watched your moves. They’re impressive. Aggressive when it needs to be, smart when it counts.We’re looking forward to seeing what you do with this property.”Roman inclined his head. “I know we’ll be

Salima stepped further in, hanging her coat on the stand with deliberate care.“I asked what’s going on,” she said, voice calm but edged with steel. “I don’t like repeating myself.”Davin moved closer, mouth opening. “There’s something you should know, Salima—”Tessa turned to him sharply. “What are you doing?” she murmured under her breath, eyes wide with warning.Salima’s brows lifted. “Are you going to talk or not?”Tessa forced a smile that didn’t reach her eyes. She spoke quickly. “Davin just came to tell us our flight to Chicago has been moved up by a day. We would be seeing Roman earlier than we expected.”Salima studied them both for a long moment. “Hmm. Well, if that’s the case, why do you both look like someone died?”No one answered.The silence stretched, thick and uncomfortable.“Okay then,” Salima said finally, turning toward the stairs. “I’ll call Klara and let her know.”“What!?” Tessa’s voice cracked, sharp and involuntary. “Klara? Why are you calling Klara?”Salima p

The cold night air rushed in, carrying the faint scent of jasmine and something sharper—jet fuel, perhaps, or just the weight of distance travelled.Salima stood frozen at the door, mouth slightly agape.“Hello, Salima,” the woman at the door said, voice soft but steady, the Mumbai lilt unchanged after all these years.“Maa?” Salima whispered, confusion flooding her face. “What are you—”“At least invite me in first,” her mother said, a small, knowing smile touching her lips.Salima hesitated, hand still on the door. “Come… come in.”Gayatri Blackwood stepped over the threshold, pulling a small suitcase behind her. She paused in the foyer, gaze sweeping the grand staircase, the high ceilings, the crystal chandelier catching the light.“What a nice home you have here,” she said, almost to herself.Salima closed the door slowly, the click loud in the silence. She couldn’t wrap her head around it—her mother, here, in this house, after so many years.“What are you doing here, Maa?” she as

The house was chaos wrapped in luggage.Suitcases lined the foyer like soldiers. Garment bags hung from doorframes. Shoes scattered.Tessa stood in the hallway, phone to her ear, directing staff as she folded a last sweater into her carry-on.“Yes, the navy suit—the one with the subtle pinstripe. And the cufflinks with the black onyx. No, the other ones.”Roman’s voice came through on speaker: “Tessa, if you forget anything, I’ll buy it there. Just get on the plane.”Tessa smiled despite the rush. “You say that now. Wait till you’re missing your lucky tie.”Salima hurried down the stairs, her phone in one hand, coffee in the other. “The car service is ten minutes out. Mother’s bag is by the door—someone grab it.”“Are you ready to meet your grandmother?” Tessa whispered to Roman on the phone.“Honestly, no. What if she doesn’t like me?” Roman joked.Tessa shook her head. “That’s impossible. And besides I can’t believe your mom never mentioned her.”“We’ll talk everything out, but just

Roman turned toward Tessa slowly, the faint smile still on his face—but confusion had already crept in, subtle and instinctive.“What is it about my mother that you need to tell me?” He asks carefully.Tessa sat up straighter in the bed, pulling the sheet higher around herself as if bracing for impact.Her hands twisted together in her lap. She hadn’t planned to say it like this. She hadn’t planned any of it.“I didn’t want to tell you,” she said quietly. “Not now. You’ve built something incredible here, Roman. This hotel, this moment—it means everything to you. I wanted you to be happy before I dropped anything that could… change that.”Roman frowned, the air in the room subtly shifting.“Tessa,” he said, impatience threading through his voice now. “Come on. What is it?”She swallowed hard.“When you said we still had two days before the luncheon…” Her voice wavered. “My chest felt so heavy. Because I realised I couldn’t stand here, pretend everything was fine, sleep next to you, lau