All Chapters of SEVEN NIGHTS WITH MY STEPFATHER: Chapter 161 - Chapter 170

IVYThe first bite of the sandwich tasted like hope.We sat at a tiny metal table outside the sandwich shop, sun finally breaking through the morning clouds, warming the back of my neck. Noah was across from me, elbows on the table, watching me like I might vanish if he looked away. I tore off a piece of the bread—crisp crust, soft inside—and chewed slowly. The bread was still warm, the cheese melted just right, the tomato bright and sharp. Simple. Good. Normal.I looked up.Caught Noah smiling at me.Small.Soft.The kind of smile that made my chest ache in the best way.“You’re eating,” he said quietly.I nodded.“Feels weird,” I admitted. “Feels… good.”He reached across the table.Covered my hand with his.His palm was warm.“I’m glad,” he said.We ate in comfortable silence for a while.The street was waking up—cars passing, a delivery truck idling, someone walking a dog that kept stopping to sniff every pole. Normal sounds. Normal life.I felt Noah’s thumb brush over my knuckle

IVYI shouldn’t have come.The thought hit me the second I stepped off the motel stairs and felt the evening air bite my cheeks. The park was only a ten-minute walk, but every step felt heavier, like my shoes were filling with wet cement. Noah was back in the room, probably already wondering why I’d rushed out with that weak excuse about Mr. Chen. I’d kissed his cheek, smiled like everything was fine, and left before he could ask more questions. I hated lying to him. I hated that I was walking toward Everett instead of staying in his arms where—for once—nothing hurt.But Everett’s message had been clear: meet him, or he’d come to the motel. He’d said “that nice guy next to you.” He knew Noah was here. He knew where I lived. He knew too much. And if he showed up at the door, if he started talking in front of Noah… I couldn’t let that happen. I couldn’t let Everett drag Noah into this filth. So here I was, walking toward a man I despised, telling myself it would be quick, telling my

IVY The cafe door felt heavier than it should have when I pushed it open. My hands were already cold, even though the evening air outside wasn’t that chilly. I stepped inside and the smell of fresh coffee and warm pastries hit me, but none of it felt comforting. It felt like walking into a trap I had chosen to step into. My heart was hammering so hard I could feel it in my throat. I shouldn’t have come there. I knew that. I scanned the room. Everett was sitting at a corner table near the window, one leg crossed over the other, a cup of something steaming in front of him. He looked relaxed, like he had all the time in the world. When he saw me, his mouth curved into that familiar smile — the one that always made my skin crawl, like he was already imagining me in ways I didn’t want to be seen. I walked over. My legs felt unsteady. I sat down across from him. Didn’t smile back. “Hi, my sexy Ivy,” he said, voice smooth and low, like we were old friends catching up

IVYThe room Everett showed me was bigger than I expected. High ceilings, wide windows overlooking the mountains, soft lighting that made the wood floors glow warm. A king-sized bed sat against one wall, a plush armchair in the corner, and a private balcony with a view that could take anyone’s breath away. For a second it almost felt normal—like I was checking into a fancy resort instead of stepping back into the nightmare I had tried so hard to escape. But then the truth settled in my chest like cold stone. This wasn’t a vacation. This was a deal. Seven days. One week of being Everett’s model. One week of facing the past I thought I had left behind.And Cassian was here.Everett hadn’t said a word about it. He had smiled, handed me the key, and walked away like it was nothing. But the second I stepped inside and saw the camera bag on the table by the window, I knew. That bag was Cassian’s. The same one he used at the lake house. The same one that had captured every moment he stole f

IVYI pulled the satin robe tight around my body the second the last shutter click faded.My hands were shaking as I tied the belt. The fabric felt too thin, too revealing, even though it covered everything. My skin still burned from the lights, from Cassian’s stare, from the weight of the dildo I had been forced to hold like it was something normal. I wanted to disappear. I wanted to scrub every second of the shoot off my body. But I couldn’t. Not yet. I had made a deal. Seven days. I had to see it through.I walked straight to Everett.He was standing behind the monitors, scrolling through the images with a satisfied smile.I held out the toy.My voice came out colder than I expected.“Don’t forget our agreement,” I said. “I hope my face isn’t in any of the photos.”Everett looked up.His smile stayed in place.“Don’t worry, sweetheart,” he said smoothly. “It’s easy. I can ask the editorial team to change the face. You did your best and you’re still as tempting as ever. The shoot