Semua Bab Claimed By My Ex’s Stepbrother: Bab 41 - Bab 50

The moonlight shone through the windows of Blackwood Mansion, leaving streaks of silver across the marble floors.“Roman! Tessa! Where are you two? The car’s out front!” Salima’s voice echoed through the hall as she padded down the corridor in her nightgown, her slippers flapping against the ground.Outside, Roman leaned against the car, the low hum of the engine filling the quiet night. His sunglasses were on despite the darkness, his jaw set in that controlled, unreadable way he always wore when something was bothering him.“You good?” he asked, glancing at Tessa as she adjusted the strap of her bag, avoiding his gaze.“Yes, I am.” She exhaled softly, tucking a loose strand of hair behind her ear. “I should be asking you though—you’ve been seething all day.” A small smirk tugged at her lips.Roman’s mind flickered back to his argument with Klara. Every word she’d thrown at him replayed like a bad song he couldn’t turn off. “You used to look at me that way…” The memory alone made his

Klara put the last piece of clothing into a blue suitcase, zipping it up in quiet finality.She headed downstairs, careful not to make a sound.When she got to the foyer, a voice stopped her midstep. “Are you leaving?” Klara spun around, only to see Salima standing in the middle of the room, her head held high, her robe tied tightly around her waist. Her phone in her hands.“I just got off the phone with Roman,” Salima said, her tone calm but slightly annoyed. “He and Tessa are settling in nicely. But what are you doing?” “I didn’t want to wake you,” Klara replied quickly.“So sneaking out is the better option?” Salima raised a brow.“I wasn’t sneaking out. I left you a note on the counter.” Klara gestured toward the table. “You’ve been so busy with Tessa and Roman, I thought you deserved some rest.”Salima walked slowly to the table, picked up the piece of paper and read it silently. Then she looked up, her expression softening.“Klara dear,” she said gently, walking toward her. “

Five Years Ago“Why are you doing this?” Roman’s voice wasn’t loud. It wasn’t demanding.It was just… defeated.Klara stood in front of him, chandelier lights hitting her hair in a way he used to think was beautiful. Now, it just looked cheap. False. Like everything about her.“I just don’t think you’re man enough for me, Roman.”Her tone was dismissive and final.His mouth parted. “Klara—”“Alec treats me better,” she cut in. “In three months he’s done more than you’ve done in three years.”Roman stared. Disbelief. Betrayal. Something deep and ugly was rising in his chest.“So that’s your justification for fucking him?”She didn’t even flinch.“No,” she said coldly. “That’s my justification for leaving.”She stepped closer, eyes narrowing.“Look at you, Roman. You have nothing. You keep holding onto this fantasy that one day you’ll magically ‘be someone.’ But those Thornes don’t claim you. They threw you and your mother out like trash.”He felt the words slice through him. He didn’t

Roman didn’t blink. Didn’t move. Didn’t breathe.Grayson’s presence was a poison in the room, but Roman’s eyes were locked on her.“Tessa,” he repeated, voice low and protective. “Come here.”Tessa stood still. Not shaking and not crying.Just… still.Grayson leaned against the railing behind her, hands in his pockets, smirking like this was entertainment.Roman took a step forward.“I said, come h—”“Stop talking to me like you own me.”Tessa’s voice cut through him.Roman froze. Brows slowly drawing together, confusion slicing through the calm.“Tessa,” he said softer, “I don’t know what I’ve done now—”“No.” She stepped toward him. “Of course, you don’t know Roman. You don’t know half of the shit you do. You hide it under ‘protection’ and ‘taking care of me’ and I was stupid enough to believe it.”Grayson’s smile widened, but he said nothing.Roman’s jaw tightened. “What did he tell you?”“Oh, don’t make this about him.” Tessa scoffed. “This is about you.”“It’s about me?” He snap

Morning came and Roman lay on the couch, asleep. He had drunk. Cursed. Burned papers and seen things he didn’t know were real or not.The phone rang. Once. Twice. But he didn’t hear it.By the third ring, Roman sat up, dragging a hand down his face. He picked up the landline. “Hello.”“Good morning sir.” Davin’s voice came through the phone, crisp and professional.Roman didn’t waste any time, “Get here, now.” He demanded.In what seemed like seconds, Davin knocked on the door, and Roman opened it sharply. His eyes were red in frustration.Davin stood there in his usual black suit, tablet in hand, face unreadable.“Mr Blackwood. Are you okay?” Davin asked.Roman didn’t blink. He turned back into the room.“Do you have any idea Grayson was here?”Davin’s composure flickered. “Excuse me?”“Do you want me to repeat myself, Davin?”“No… I’m just… I don’t know what to say. What do you mean he was here?”Roman stepped forward until they were nose-to-nose.“You told me I was safe. That Tes