Lahat ng Kabanata ng All That Glitters Is My StepDad.: Kabanata 21 - Kabanata 30

George's POV I pulled the car into the parking lot and let the engine settle into silence. For a moment, neither of us moved. Dad and I simply sat there, side by side, staring at the name engraved across the hospital’s white façade.Dad exhaled slowly. “Are you sure this is the right hospital? The one her daughter is supposedly admitted to?”“Yes, Dad.” I nodded, trying not to look as uneasy as I felt. “This is the place.” I straightened a little, trying to mask any hint of tension. I didn’t want him catching on to anything. Not today.“Why can’t I just call Samantha to confirm?” he asked, wiping an invisible speck off his shirt. “You know how much I hate unnecessary embarrassment...especially from a low-class establishment.”I forced a light chuckle. “Come on, Dad. Just surprise her. Women love the whole unannounced, emotional gesture. Arriving with flowers will score you points.”He froze. “Flowers?” His brows arched sharply. “Please tell me you didn’t actually bring flowers.”I s

Cierra's POVThe moment the door swung open, my whole soul dropped into my stomach.I hissed under my breath, realizing the door wasn’t even locked in the first place.I turned toward Dominic, heart beating too loudly in my chest.My voice came out in a whisper, thin and shaky.“I thought you locked the door.”Dominic let out a low sigh... that deep, unimpressed kind he does when he’s already three steps ahead of everyone else.“It’s a card-lock door,” he murmured, barely moving his lips, eyes fixed on whatever silhouette stood behind me. “Whoever opened that… is the same person who brought you here. The human was handed a card...It’s the rule.”I blinked.My pulse was punching against my ribs.“Fuck,” I whispered. "Don’t worry...I got this...you don't need to swim in regret.”He let out a soft scoff, smoothing down his shirt like he wasn’t even fazed.“Regret?” he muttered. “Do I look like someone worried about regret?”No.No, he didn’t.He never did.His aura alone could swallow a

Cierra's POV I kept my eyes glued to the window, watching cars slice through the night like they had no problems in the world. People walked past the club...laughing, shouting, drunk, excited, living their lives with a freedom I couldn’t even pretend to have. My mind was a tight knot of panic, shame, and exhaustion.George’s hand slid into mine.“Baby… you okay?”I nodded, but it was a lie.I was cooked. Beyond cooked. Burnt, done, finished.Going back into that club felt like walking into a fire with gasoline dripping down my back. Yes, maybe Dominic hadn’t recognized me at the hospital...maybe the mask and the lights and the chaos of that night we made out hid me, but what if someone called my work name? Silver. Mallory. My boss. Anyone. Chelsea, especially Chelsea, that demon reincarnated in human form.One shout of “Midnight Ballerina!”And boom...my entire life would collapse like a badly built house.I swallowed the fear rising in my throat.“George…” My voice cracked a lit

Blinky's POV I kept my expression unreadable as Mr. Dominic towered over me, his eyes sharp enough to cut straight through every lie I had ever told.“No, sir. I have no idea who you’re speaking about,” I said calmly.A clean lie.A necessary lie.Because even though Cierra and I had drifted apart, maybe even fallen apart...there was no universe in which I would expose her. Not after everything she’d gotten tangled in… especially with him.He was her stepdad now, at least publicly, and for reasons I did not understand, he wanted her desperately. Too desperately. And it terrified me.His gaze lingered, searching my face like he expected the truth to crawl out of my pores.“So you’re saying there’s no dancer by the name MB here?”I exhaled quietly behind my mask. If he saw my real face right now, if he connected that the person who once ran into him with Cierra was me?The chaos…The drama…Not worth imagining.“Sir,” I said lightly, “that name doesn’t ring a bell in this club.”He did

Cierra's POV I inhaled deeply, held it in, then let it out, slowly.Again. In. Out. In again.Get a grip.There was no way, absolutely no way I would let my mother crawl into my head tonight. This was classic her. Manipulating fear, bending reality, making you believe the world would fall apart the moment you dared choose yourself. She had perfected the art over the years.I hissed quietly, shut off my phone, and fixed my gaze on the door.I was done overthinking.Even if my mum was right, even if things did go sideways...I couldn’t imagine leaving Jamal stranded because of my fear. Because of my selfishness. I wouldn’t do that to him.Before her words could drown me again, the door slid open just enough for a tray of clothes and a cup to be pushed inside.My lips curved into a smile.Here comes my man.I hurried over, grabbed the tray, and inspected the outfit. A short skirt, fitted top, sleek and playful.“Female bartender vibes,” I muttered with a soft laugh. “Such a smart guy.”I