Semua Bab Tamed By My Stepbrother: Bab 41 - Bab 50

KEIRA’S POV I RAN out of patience and collapsed into the nearest chair, my hands gripping its arms tightly as I glared at Drake. The room felt stifling, thick with the tension between us. Trisha and Earl stood awkwardly nearby, shaking their heads, frustration etched on their faces. It was as if we had reverted to a perpetual battlefield, neither willing to give an inch. "You know what, Drake," I said, my voice soft but laced with steel, "you have nothing to do here. You might as well leave!" Drake’s lips twitched, as if he wanted to retort, but before he could, a knock on the door interrupted us. I barely had time to glance at each other before Mom stepped in, her presence immediately shifting the air. "Keira, send Trisha and Earl home. It’s getting late for them," she instructed, her tone calm but firm. "Okay, Mom," I agreed,

SABINA’S POVI stood in front of Uncle Edward’s office, my hand poised over the polished wood door, taking a deep breath to steady myself. My heart raced—not out of fear, but anticipation. This was my moment to play my part perfectly, to appear fragile yet reasonable, pitiful yet strong enough to earn his sympathy. The stakes were high, and I couldn’t afford mistakes.I knocked lightly. “Uncle Edward?”“Come in,” his calm voice called.I pushed the door open and stepped inside. His eyes widened slightly, but I didn’t allow my smirk to show. Keira’s mother was there, hovering silently beside him. That woman’s presence annoyed me; she had this permanent, parasitic attachment to Edward that I couldn’t stand. I ignored her.“Why, Sabina? Is there any problem?” he asked, his tone cautious yet warm.If I spoke the truth, it would backfire. I wanted to tell him about Drake and Keira, about the way they looked at each other, about the undeniable tension growing between them—but without proof,

KEIRA’S POVThe house felt different after last night—heavier, sharper, as if every corner remembered what happened by the pool. Mom’s warning kept echoing in my ears:“Stay away from Drake, Keira. This is for you… for our family.”Even as I lay on my bed, the scent of chlorine still faint on my skin after two showers, her voice haunted me. It didn’t help that Drake’s late-night call replayed like a broken record.Would you come with me if I wanted to escape this world?I squeezed my eyes shut, forcing myself to breathe. Whether he meant it or not, my heart had already leapt first.But I couldn’t think about him. Not now. Not after what Mom said. Not after Edward’s warning.And not when my future—my real future—was already being handed to me through Nova Press.I needed clarity. I needed space.But space from Drake was like asking the sun to stop rising.The next morning, the school hallways buzzed with the stress of finals. People rushed left and right, arms full of folders, portfoli

KEIRA’S POVEver since I confronted Mom about Edward’s actions behind her back, something had shifted between us. It was subtle at first—an evasive glance, a half-smile that never reached her eyes—but over time, it grew. She was avoiding me. Every attempt I made to speak with her was met with excuses, vague distractions, or outright dismissal. It hurt more than I expected.Today was the final fitting of our gowns, and I had no choice but to be in the same room as her. I arrived early, determined to speak with her before anyone else, before the bustle of preparations could drown out my voice. The moment Coco Licious finished setting down his tools, I quickly positioned myself in front of the door, my chest tight with anticipation and frustration.“Mom, can we talk?” I demanded, my voice trembling slightly despite my attempt to sound firm. “You always avoid me. I can’t keep pretending that this doesn’t bother me.”Mom turned slowly, her eyes narrowing at me. “Keira, we have nothing to d

KEIRA’S POVTHE MOMENT Alejandro rose, the entire pavilion fell into a reverent hush.“I am delighted to see all of you here,” he declared, his voice deep, commanding, the kind that made you straighten your posture without realizing it.The elders of the Ashford clan—those with the most authority, the most wealth, the most power—commanded a presence that seeped into every inch of the room. Even the chandeliers seemed to brighten at his words.“We are gathered to give time to our family,” Alejandro continued, scanning the rows of tables where the Ashford siblings sat with their spouses. “It is not good to focus solely on business. Money and livelihood will always be there. But family—” his gaze sharpened “—can disappear overnight if you neglect it.”The siblings nodded obediently. Even from afar, I could sense a rehearsed tension; the kind born from years under the same patriarch.“And to my grandchildren,” he shifted to a softer tone, “enjoy the night. Treasure it. Not all families ar