All Chapters of My Stepbrother's Secret Obsession : Chapter 61 - Chapter 70

"Say that again," Miguel said, his voice deceptively quiet. "I want to make sure I heard you correctly."Inés stood near the door, her arms wrapped around herself like she was physically holding herself together, while Miguel paced behind his desk with the kind of controlled fury that made the air feel like a storm about to break. "We need to end this." Inés forced the words out even though they tasted like ash on her tongue. "Whatever this is between us, whatever we've been doing these past one year, it has to stop. Now. Before someone gets hurt worse than they already have been."Miguel stopped pacing, his hands bracing on the desk, his knuckles going white with the pressure. "Before someone gets hurt. That's rich coming from you, considering you're the one standing here trying to rip my fucking heart out." "That's not what I'm trying to do—" "Then what are you trying to do, Inés? Enlighten me." He straightened, moving around the desk with measured steps that somehow felt mo

"Do you, Inés Delgado, take Carlos Mendoza to be your lawfully wedded husband, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, till death do you part?"The priest's voice echoed through the cathedral with solemn authority, his words reverberating off the vaulted ceilings and stained glass windows that cast colored light across the assembled guests. The church was packed with people dressed in their finest, friends and family and business associates all gathered to witness what was being billed as the society wedding of the season.Inés stood at the altar in a dress that cost more than her mother's old apartment back in the slum. Carlos stood beside her, impossibly handsome in his custom tuxedo, his expression radiating pure joy as he looked at her like she was the answer to every prayer he'd ever spoken. His hand held hers with gentle pressure, his thumb rubbing small circles on her palm in wh

Two months.Carlos stared at the sleeping woman beside him, still unable to quite believe that this was real, that Inés was actually his wife now, that she wore his ring and shared his bed and had legally bound herself to him in ways that couldn't be easily undone.Two months of having her completely to himself, away from Miguel's orbit, away from the complications and temptations of their old life in spain. Two months of slowly, breaking down her walls.Inés lay on her side facing him, her blonde hair spread across the pillow in waves, her face relaxed in sleep in ways it never was when she was awake. He'd taken her from Miguel. Had won the prize that his best friend had wanted but been too weak to fight for. And Carlos intended to keep her, to make sure that by the time they returned to their regular lives, there would be no question in anyone's mind—especially Inés's—about where she belonged.Unfortunately, the honeymoon phase was ending. Tomorrow they would fly back to reality, ba

Inés needed answers. Needed to know how Uncle Clifford and Luz had known about her wedding, had known the exact date and location and timing to show up in the most disruptive way possible. That kind of information didn't just float around randomly—someone had told them. Someone had wanted them there. And Inés needed to know who.Uncle Clifford was in his office, as Inés had known he would be at this hour. She didn't bother knocking, just pushed open the door with more force than necessary and walked in like she still had every right to be here."Well, well, well," he said, removing the glasses and setting them aside with deliberate care. "If it isn't the blushing bride herself. Back so soon from your honeymoon? I hope married life is treating you well.""Cut the pleasantries," Inés said, her voice harder than she'd intended. "I need to know how you found out about my wedding. Who told you?"Uncle Clifford leaned back in his chair, his expression giving nothing away. "News travels fas

Inés had made it exactly three steps down the hallway before Maria's voice stopped her."Well, well, well. Did you enjoy the show?"The words were delivered with such casual cruelty that Inés felt them like a physical blow. She stopped walking but didn't turn around, her hands clenched into fists at her sides, her entire body rigid with humiliation and rage."I'm talking to you, Inés." Maria's heels clicked against the marble floor as she approached, the sound sharp and deliberate. "It's rude to walk away when someone's speaking to you. Didn't your mother teach you better manners?"Inés turned slowly, forcing herself to meet Maria's eyes even though everything in her wanted to run. Maria stood there looking perfectly composed, not a hair out of place, her lipstick still immaculate despite what she'd just been doing."What do you want?" Inés managed to get the words out, though her voice was rougher than she intended."I want to know if you enjoyed what you saw." Maria tilted her head,