All Chapters of My Swimmer Stepbrother's Forbidden Claim: Chapter 61 - Chapter 70

Samuel held Isis like she might disappear if he let go.She was shaking. Not crying, just shaking, these little tremors that ran through her whole body like aftershocks from an earthquake. He could feel how thin she'd gotten, all sharp angles and bones where there used to be soft curves."I'm sorry," she whispered into his chest. "I'm so sorry, Sam.""Don't." His voice came out rough. "Don't apologize to me.""But I left you. I chose him over you and I...""You didn't choose anything." Samuel pulled back, looking at her properly for the first time. The bruise on her cheek was darker now, angrier. It looked like it had been there for a while, just covered up with makeup. "He threatened to kill me. Fatima told me everything."Isis closed her eyes, fresh tears sliding down. "You weren't supposed to know that.""Well, I do now." He cupped her face, his thumb brushing away the tears carefully, like she was made of glass. "And if I'd known seven years ago what he was going to do to you, I w

Samuel couldn't sleep.He'd given Isis the bed, insisting he was fine in the chair, but every time he closed his eyes, he saw Tiara. Not the Tiara from the hospital bed with tubes and machines keeping her alive, but the Tiara from before. The one who used to laugh at his terrible jokes and challenge him to races in the pool even though she knew she'd lose.The one who'd loved him when he had nothing.His phone buzzed again. Another message from Mrs. Moore."The doctors want to talk to you. They said her brain activity has increased significantly. Samuel, she's really waking up. Please come when you can."He looked over at Isis, curled up under the blankets, finally sleeping peacefully. Her face was relaxed for the first time since he'd found her, no tension in her jaw, no fear in the set of her shoulders.He couldn't tell her. Not yet. Not when she was just starting to heal.But the guilt ate at him anyway."You're awake."Samuel jumped, turning to find Isis sitting up in bed, watchi

The whistle blew across the pool, loud and sharp.Samuel hit the wall first, his chest burning like fire. Water dripped down his face as he came up for air. The scoreboard blinked: 48.23 seconds. A new personal best, but Coach Miller still wasn't satisfied."Again!" Miller yelled from the deck. "You're still messing up that third turn. Sloppy!"Samuel didn't bother arguing. He just swam back to start, his arms feeling like they might fall off. This was his fifth sprint since sunrise, and the day was barely starting.The Springfield Aquatic Center was basically his whole life now. Morning training, afternoon weights, evening drills. Eat, sleep, swim, repeat. No drama. No mess. Just him and the water.At least, that's what he kept telling himself."Samuel Armani!" Some reporter shouted as he got ready for another lap. "Hey! Can we get a quick word about the National Championships?"Samuel pretended not to hear, fixing his goggles."Is it true you're gonna win gold in three events?"Noth

Samuel showed up at the hospital at exactly 10 AM, his hands shaking as he signed in at the front desk.The nurse who led him to Tiara's room kept giving him sympathetic looks, like she knew his whole story. Maybe she did. The media had made sure everyone knew about the "tragic swimmer's girlfriend" who'd been in a coma for seven years."She's been asking for you since she woke up," the nurse said softly as they stopped outside room 304. "But Mr. Armani, you should know... she doesn't remember the accident. The last thing she remembers is getting ready to come see you. In her mind, it's still seven years ago."Samuel's stomach dropped. "She doesn't know about the ban? About... anything?""The doctors told her some of it. But hearing it from medical staff isn't the same as..." The nurse trailed off. "Just be gentle with her, okay?"She opened the door, and Samuel stepped inside.Tiara looked so small in that hospital bed. Her red hair had grown long, tangled on the pillow. Her face was

Riley—or Isis, or whoever she was supposed to be today—sat at her desk at Springfield Sports Network, staring at her computer screen without actually seeing anything.Her hands were still shaking from the pool encounter three hours ago.She'd almost blown it. Almost broke down right there when he touched her wrist. When he said he'd love whoever she'd become."Stupid," she muttered to herself, pulling her cardigan tighter even though the office was warm. "So stupid."Her phone buzzed. A text from her editor."New assistant starting today. Show her the ropes. Her name's Sarah Park. Fresh out of journalism school, eager to learn. Be nice."Riley groaned. The last thing she needed right now was some perky intern following her around asking questions.She'd spent two years building this new life. New face, new name, new everything. The surgery in Seoul had cost almost everything she'd saved, but it had been worth it. Nobody recognized her. Not the journalists who used to know Isis Cepheus