All Chapters of OWNED BY MY EX-HUSBAND’S STEPBROTHER : Chapter 41 - Chapter 50

Funny thing: people in the news hardly ever saw Gloria or Annabel. They were the wife and daughter of a young, handsome billionaire. But when reporters asked Victor about his missing wife, he always said the same thing. "My wife is shy. She hates cameras. I protect my family."People believed him. They thought he wanted a normal life away from flashing lights."Why don't you go to big events with him?" Isaiah asked."Victor says no. I can't meet strangers. I can't go out much. I'm stuck in the house," Gloria said sadly. "I just care for Annabel, cook food, wash clothes. At first, it was okay. Victor is jealous. But then I learned he sleeps with other women all the time. Non-stop. I felt like old furniture. I got so sad. I even thought about ending my life."Isaiah's eyes went wide. Gloria smiled a sad smile. "Please don't tell Lukas, okay? I don't want him to think I'm a problem. I can't lose my job now. It would be the end for me."Isaiah bit his lip. At first, he thought Gloria was

Lukas flipped the receipt. He found a note on the back.*Lukas, this is the receipt of my spending. Please subtract from my salary in exchange. Thank you for letting me use your card. And also, I bought you food from the restaurant for your dinner we came back from the mall late."Nonsense," Lukas said. He crumpled the paper. Threw it in the trash can. He was in a bad mood already. Reading this made him more annoyed.She still talks about salary this and that. Subtract salary? Does she think I can't give her what my brother gives? Lukas thought mad.Gloria got up Sunday morning. She washed her face. Brushed her teeth. Tied her hair in a bun. She opened the next bedroom door. Checked on Annabel. Annabel slept soundly. Like a little angel.Gloria closed the door quiet. Did not want to wake her.Gloria went up to Lukas's penthouse. Cooked breakfast. Cleaned a little before the housekeeper came late in the noon.She did everything on autopilot. This was her daily job at home. Wash, cook,

Gloria paused for a second, looking just as confused as he did, her hands fidgeting with her apron."But that one is for—""That's for Annabel!" Annabel claimed excitedly, jumping a little. "I like banana and milk! Um... cheese and yogurt too! Mommy always makes a yummy banana-apple smoothie every weekend for our special breakfast time!""Wait, is that true?" Lukas turned to Gloria, his voice full of doubt."Ahaha... yeah, Annabel loves banana and dairy products so much," Gloria replied with a shy smile, glancing at her daughter. "She loves banana milk the most—it's her favorite treat that makes her dance around the kitchen."Lukas's jaw dropped wide open once he realized that he had the exact same weird preference as this bratty little girl. He even kept a secret stock of banana milk in his office fridge at work, and only Isaiah knew about that quirky habit—no one else."So the banana-apple smoothie with extra milk is not for me at all?" Lukas asked, crossing his arms.Gloria shook h

Gloria woke up very early again, before the sun fully rose. She had to cook a lot that morning because she needed to prepare a yummy breakfast for Annabel and her strict boss, Lukas Anderson. She also had to make a special lunch for Annabel, since her daughter was a super picky eater who only trusted Mommy's home cooking and hated the school cafeteria food.Gloria wondered for a moment if she also had to pack lunch for her boss, but then she remembered what Isaiah had mentioned—Lukas probably ate at fancy restaurants nearby during the day. So, there was no need for Gloria to make his lunch; he would just grab something quick outside and pay big money for it.Gloria carefully prepared Lukas's suit for the day, ironing it smooth and hanging it neatly in a drawer right in front of his bedroom door, so he could grab it easily. She knocked softly on the door a few times, her voice quiet. "Lukas, your suit and fresh shirt are ready in the drawer right outside the door.""Hrm? Yes, got it...

I hate that bastard!” Gloria cursed deep in her heart, her mind racing with fury. How could he? That man still had the balls to slander her right to her face, even though both of them knew the plain truth, she spent next to nothing on herself. Every single dollar went straight to maintaining their massive mansion: fixing the leaky roofs, paying the salaries of all the household staff including the ones he had slept with behind her back, and covering every necessity for their young daughter, Annabel. Gloria herself barely indulged; she couldn't remember the last time she bought anything that cost more than 50 bucks, a cheap pair of socks or a basic coffee from the corner store, that was it. Her wardrobe was thrift-store specials, her meals simple home cooking. Nothing extravagant, nothing selfish.But there she was, forcing a tight smile toward Mrs. Andrew, the principal whose office felt like a stuffy cage with its heavy curtains, stacked files, and the faint smell of old books and st