Alle Kapitel von SEVEN NIGHTS WITH MY STEPFATHER: Kapitel 201 – Kapitel 210

CASSIANI stepped out of Ivy’s room with my hair still damp from the pool and the camera heavy in my hand. The weight of what I had just done sat like a stone in my chest. Ivy was resting now, her breathing soft and even after the intense moments we had shared in the water. She had looked at me with such trust, her body responding so beautifully to my touch, and for a few minutes I had almost forgotten the deal hanging over my head. Almost.Before I could take another step down the hallway, Everett appeared from around the corner, his usual calm smile on his face.“Looks like you guys were having a good time without me,” he said, his voice light but his eyes sharp.I grabbed his arm and pushed him away from Ivy’s door, my voice low and sharp. “Don’t talk about anything around Ivy.”Everett raised an eyebrow but didn’t resist. “I want to see the results.”We walked in silence to his office. My heart was pounding the whole way. I hated this. I hated that I had filmed her again. I hated

IVYThe man from my dream wouldn’t leave me alone. Even in the bright afternoon light streaming through the big windows, his voice kept echoing in my head. I didn’t know his face clearly, but the way he spoke felt warm and real, like someone who had once cared about me deeply. It disturbed me more than I wanted to admit. The more I tried to push the memory away, the stronger it became. I kept wondering why it felt so important. Why did it hurt when it surfaced? And why did I feel like both Cassian and Everett knew more than they were telling me?I sat by the window in the living room, watching Cassian outside on the phone. He paced slowly, his back to the house, talking in a low voice I couldn’t hear. He looked tense, his free hand running through his hair again and again. Every few seconds he glanced toward the house, like he was checking if I was watching. I wondered who he was talking to. He had mentioned the renovation of “our house,” but something in his voice when he spoke abo

CASSIANI stepped out of Ivy’s room feeling like the floor had been pulled out from under me. My chest was tight, my hands still shaking from the conversation we had just had. I had promised her I would tell her about Noah. The words had slipped out before I could stop them, and now they hung in the air like a threat I couldn’t take back. I walked down the hallway to my own room, the luxurious surroundings of Everett’s house suddenly feeling like a cage.Once inside, I closed the door and started pacing. My mind raced in circles. How was I going to stop Ivy from asking more questions? How could I keep her from finding out the full truth about Noah and everything that had happened before the accident? She was already doubting me. I could see it in her eyes — that mix of confusion, hurt, and quiet determination. If she remembered Noah completely, if she remembered how he had made her feel safe and loved in a way I never could, she would leave me. She would hate me for the lies I had tol

IVYThe pool water reflected the soft lights like scattered stars, and the night air felt cool against my skin as I stood beside Everett. We had been talking quietly about nothing important, just the garden and how peaceful the house felt at night. I was trying to keep my mind from wandering back to the flashes of memories that kept coming — the man’s voice, the feeling of his hand in mine, the words about Hawaii. But the moment I saw Cassian staggering toward us from the house, everything else disappeared.He looked terrible. His steps were unsteady, his shirt untucked, his hair messy. He had been gone for hours, and now he was drunk. I could smell the alcohol on him even before he got close. My heart squeezed with worry and a little fear. I had never seen him like this.“Ivy,” he called out, his voice thick and slurred. “Come inside. Stop talking to him.”He reached for my arm, but his balance was off. I tried to steady him, but my legs were still weak from everything I had been thr

IVYThe car ride felt endless. I watched the scenery blur past the window for hours, trees turning into open fields, then into winding roads that climbed higher into quieter areas. My body was tired from sitting so long, but my mind was even more exhausted. I kept thinking about the flashes that wouldn’t leave me alone — the man’s voice, the warmth of his hand. They made my chest feel tight with a sadness I couldn’t explain. Cassian sat beside me, his hand occasionally reaching over to hold mine, but he stayed quiet most of the way. Every time I asked how much longer, he would say “Not far now” in that gentle voice he always used when he didn’t want to worry me.When the car finally slowed and turned onto a private road, I sat up straighter. A large wooden gate opened automatically, and we drove through. My eyes widened as the house came into view. It was a beautiful lake house, sitting right by the water with big windows that reflected the late afternoon sun. The outside looked fres