Lahat ng Kabanata ng No Longer A Substitute : Kabanata 91 - Kabanata 100

STELLA POVThe house was anything but quiet.“What are you two arguing about again?” I asked, stepping into the living room with my bag still on my shoulder. “Can there be peace in this house for even five minutes?”Andrea crossed her arms immediately, pointing across the room. “He started it.”“No, Mom,” Andrew shot back, just as fast. “She did.”I closed my eyes for a brief second. “Alright. Start from the beginning. Slowly.”Andrea huffed. “Andrew is acting weird.”“I am not!”“I told him something,” she continued, ignoring him. “It was supposed to be a secret.”Andrew’s eyes narrowed. “What secret? There is no secret.”“There is!” Andrea insisted. “But I told you, and you didn’t remember. Then you blamed me for not telling you.”“That makes no sense,” Andrew said loudly. “If you told me, I would remember.”“And that’s the problem!” Andrea snapped. “You didn’t remember, so now you’re saying I never told you!”I pinched the bridge of my nose. “Andrew. Andrea. Enough. One at a time.”

STELLA POV“Devon,” I said sharply, stepping forward, “this is too big for Stella to be lying about. You don’t believe me?”Estelle stood on the other side, arms folded, expression composed like she was watching a discussion she had no emotional stake in.Devon exhaled slowly. “It’s not that I’m taking sides. I just want us to think about this clinically.”“That’s exactly what I’m doing,” he added. “Logically.”Estelle tilted her head. “Then logically, you’re ignoring a very clear possibility.”Devon’s jaw tightened. “Why are you arguing with me over something so obvious?”“Obvious to who?” she asked calmly. “You?”He stepped closer. “Or do you think everything I’ve said is too far-fetched?”Estelle didn’t flinch. “First, look at the facts, Devon. It means it may or may not be true. That’s how possibilities work.”Devon let out a short breath, irritated now. “So you’re health-bent on accusing me of something I didn’t do?”“I’m not accusing you,” she replied evenly. “I’m asking you to

JONATHAN POV“Yay! I still got it!”The last pin dropped and I couldn’t help the grin that pulled at my face. That one felt good. Clean. Satisfying. Like everything lined up exactly how it should.I turned back toward Rina, expecting at least a little appreciation.Instead, she folded her arms.“Can’t you let your wife win once?” she asked.I blinked. “…No.”That came out immediately.She stared at me like I’d committed a crime.I sighed and leaned on the bowling ball rack. “Nice try. I’m not falling for that again.”Her eyes narrowed. “Again?”“Yes, again,” I said, pointing slightly as I explained like it was obvious. “If I let you win, you’ll get mad that I didn’t try. You’ll say I embarrassed you. Then you’ll demand I take it seriously. So I either lose on purpose and get scolded, or I win properly and get accused of showing off.”I nodded once, satisfied with my logic. “So no. We’re playing bowling. Properly.”Rina stared at me in disbelief.Then she muttered, “Find jerk.”I didn’

DEVON POVThe car door opened, and I slipped inside just as Jonathan pulled away from the curb. The moment it shut, the outside noise dulled into a low hum, leaving only the tension sitting thick between us.Jonathan glanced at me once, then smirked faintly. “You looking all pissed tells me things have gone south with your wife again.”I leaned back against the seat, eyes fixed ahead. “She asked me to leave.”His brows lifted slightly. “Should I ask the lawyer to come back?”“No.” My tone was firm. “Let him get her out.”The car merged into traffic, headlights streaking past us in long, blurred lines.“Why did she ask you to leave?” he pressed.I didn’t answer immediately. Instead, I turned my head slightly, watching as the police station grew smaller and smaller in the distance, swallowed by the night.“She said I might not be able to handle who framed her,” I finally said. “And that I wouldn’t allow the person to face the consequences.” My jaw tightened. “I believe she thinks it’s E

ESTELLE POV“Don’t worry, Grandma,” Devon said, voice steady. “I’ll do whatever it takes to get her out of there. And it’s good to see you back to normal.”I watched him closely.The certainty in his tone.The ease in his promise.Disgusting.“Enough talking,” Grandma cut in sharply. “Have you already contacted my lawyers? They are far better than yours.”Devon nodded without hesitation. “Alright. I’ll give them a call.”Of course he would.He leaned down, placing a gentle kiss on her forehead before walking out, already dialing.I didn’t miss that.Didn’t miss anything.“You and Stella have gotten closer,” I said, my tone light but edged. “I didn’t know this.”Grandma didn’t even look at me. “Must you know everything?”My lips twitched.“No,” I replied, voice cooling. “But I thought we were aligned. You were the only one who could actually see things clearly back then.”Still nothing.“I thought you were smarter than this,” I added. “Smart enough to see past her act.”That got her at