All Chapters of Forbidden Step Brother : Chapter 61 - Chapter 70

Rebuilding trust was harder than I expected. Every time Marcus texted, I wondered if he was telling me everything. Every late meeting at work made me question if Hana was involved. The doubt was exhausting."This is normal," Dr. Reynolds—my new therapist—assured me. "After betrayal, hypervigilance is a natural response. It takes time for your nervous system to relax again.""How much time?""Different for everyone. But actively working on it, like you're doing, speeds the process."Marcus kept his promises. Told me about every meeting, every decision, sent me his calendar access without being asked. It was almost too much transparency, but I appreciated the effort.Two weeks after our coffee shop conversation, Morrison called with updates."We've identified the network targeting investigation witnesses. Five individuals, all former associates of officials your mother's research implicated. They're coordinated, well-funded, and determined.""Have you arrested them?""We're building cas

We left for Lake Chelan at dawn, telling no one. Not Yuki, not Jules, not Richard. If we were being monitored, we needed plausible deniability for everyone else."This feels like something from a spy movie," I said as Marcus drove."Except in spy movies, they have training and gadgets. We just have determination and stupidity.""Mostly stupidity.""Definitely mostly stupidity."Lake Chelan was three hours east of Seattle, a stunning alpine lake surrounded by mountains. Marcus hadn't been here since his mother's funeral—twelve years ago."Where exactly did you scatter her ashes?" I asked."There's a cove on the north shore. My parents used to take me camping there when I was a kid. It was Mom's favorite spot."We drove along the lake until Marcus recognized landmarks, eventually parking at a trailhead."The cove is a half-mile hike in. Mom chose it specifically because it wasn't easily accessible."The trail was steep, winding through pine forest. As we hiked, Marcus told me about his

The warehouse raid made national news within hours. Seven arrests, including two FBI agents, a federal prosecutor, and three businessmen connected to the trafficking network Anna Steele had exposed eight years ago."BREAKING: Massive Corruption Network Exposed—Steele Files Lead to Arrests Across Multiple Agencies""FBI Agents Among Those Arrested in Historic Trafficking Bust""Anna Steele's Research Finally Vindicated—Corruption Went Deeper Than Anyone Knew"Marcus and I watched the coverage from a hospital room, being treated for minor injuries and shock."Your mother did it," I said quietly. "She exposed them all.""We did it. She started it, we finished it.""At what cost?"The question hung heavy. Jules was physically fine but traumatized. Richard had suffered a minor heart attack from stress. Yuki and Lily had been fine in protective custody, but the experience had shaken Yuki badly."I can't keep doing this," Yuki had said when we finally reunited. "Every few months, some new th

I woke to Jules shaking me. "Wedding day! Up! Now!""What time is it?""Seven. We have five hours before the ceremony. Hair and makeup arrive in thirty minutes."The next few hours were chaos—stylists, photographers, last-minute emergencies (the rings were missing, then found in Richard's car). Mom cried approximately every ten minutes. Jules kept everyone organized with terrifying efficiency."You should've been a wedding planner," I said as she fixed a crisis with the bouquets."I'm just bossy. There's a difference."My dress was perfect—simple, elegant, nothing too dramatic. The stylist had worked magic with my hair, soft curls that actually stayed in place. Looking in the mirror, I barely recognized myself."You look beautiful," Mom said, crying again."Mom, stop crying or you'll ruin your makeup.""I can't help it. My baby's getting married.""I'm twenty-two, not twelve.""You'll always be my baby."At the vineyard, everything had come together miraculously. Flowers, chairs, the

Marcus's "idea" was buying a house."A house?" I repeated, staring at the listing he'd pulled up. "Like, a whole house?""The apartment is great, but we need more space. Especially if we're thinking about kids eventually.""We haven't really decided on kids.""I know. But IF we decide, we'll need space. Plus, Lily's getting older. She needs a yard, room to play when she visits."The house was perfect—four bedrooms, big backyard, in a quiet neighborhood between the city and the suburbs. Close enough to work but far enough from the chaos."It's a lot of money," I said, looking at the price."We can afford it. The foundation pays well, and I have inheritance from my mother. Plus Steele Industries profits.""This feels very adult.""We ARE adults. Married adults. Who survived multiple assassination attempts and exposed international crime networks. We can handle a mortgage.""Fair point."We bought the house in August, moving in over a weekend with help from friends and family. Jules comp