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All Chapters of A One Night Stand With My Stepbrother : Chapter 31 - Chapter 40

42 Chapters

CHAPTERR THIRTY-ONE: THE SECRETS IN HIS ROOM

STACYI stare at Josh, waiting for him to explain why the mention of Damien Blackwell changes his expression so suddenly, but he only looks away from me and runs a hand through his hair.“Why didn’t you tell me about him before?” I ask, unable to hide the frustration in my voice. “You knew our fathers had business dealings with him, and you knew he disappeared shortly after my father’s death, so why do I have to find his name in my father’s documents before you tell me anything?”Josh lets out a quiet breath and glances toward the school building, where students are beginning to gather for their afternoon classes.“Because I don’t know much about him, Stacy. My father never discusses his business dealings with me, and whatever happened between him and Damien Blackwell isn’t something he talks about.”“Then how do you know he’s dangerous?”He looks back at me, and I notice the hesitation in his eyes before he answers.“Because I’ve heard things about him, and none of them are good.”I

CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO: BEFORE WE MET

STACYI stare at the photograph in Josh’s hand, struggling to understand how the man standing beside my father and Damien Blackwell could possibly be connected to everything that is happening.Mr. Henderson.The name keeps repeating itself in my head because I have known him for years, and not once have I suspected that he could have anything to do with my father’s death. He is someone my family trusts, someone who has visited our home countless times, and someone my mother speaks about with nothing but respect.“Where did you get this photograph?” I ask, looking at Josh.He studies my face before answering, “Someone gives it to me last night.”“Who?”“I don’t know his name, Stacy. He tells me I need to see it, and before I can ask him any questions, he leaves.”I look at the photograph again, examining the faces carefully. My father appears younger, and Damien stands beside him with one hand resting on Mr. Henderson’s shoulder. They look comfortable together, almost as though they ha

CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE: MADISON’S REVENGE

CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE: MADISON’S REVENGESTACYI stare at Josh, waiting for him to explain what Damien means, but he ends the call before I can hear anything else. My heart pounds as I remember the words that come through the phone, especially the part where Damien claims he needs my father dead.“Josh, what does he mean by that?” I ask, stepping closer to him. “Why would Damien say something like that if he has nothing to do with my father’s death?”Josh puts his phone away and looks at me, his expression filled with uncertainty.“I don’t know what he’s talking about, Stacy, but I’m going to find out.”“How? By keeping more secrets from me?”“That’s not what I’m doing.”“Then tell me why your father warns you to stay away from me before our parents even announce their marriage. Tell me why Damien knows about me, and tell me why he thinks my father is dead because of something he did.”Josh opens his mouth to answer, but nothing comes out.His silence hurts more than I expect because I

CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR: THE PEOPLE UNDER OUR ROOF

Madison’s words follow me long after she walks away, settling in my mind like a warning I cannot ignore.If you really want to know who killed your father, Stacy, stop asking Josh questions and start looking at the people living under your roof.I stand frozen in the middle of the room, trying to convince myself that she is only attempting to frighten me. Madison has always known how to hurt people with her words, and she would gladly use my father’s death against me if it meant watching me fall apart.But what if she knows something?What if her cruelty is only a cover for a truth she has been keeping from me?I glance toward Josh, who is still standing near the doorway, his jaw clenched as he watches the direction Madison disappears. He looks angry, but there is something else in his expression that makes my stomach tighten.Fear.“Did you hear what she said?” I ask, my voice quieter than I intend.Josh turns to me. “I heard her, Stacy, and you shouldn’t take anything Madison says s

CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE: THE TRUTH BEHIND THE DOOR

The door handle turns, and I instinctively shove the letter into the pocket of my dress, praying that my stepfather has not noticed the movement.Josh moves away from me, his expression changing so quickly that anyone watching would think we are having an ordinary conversation. However, I can see the tension in his shoulders, and the warning in his eyes tells me that whatever happens next, I must be careful.The door swings open.My stepfather stands in the doorway, looking from Josh to me before his gaze settles on the open envelope lying on the desk.“What are you two doing in my study at this hour?” he asks.His voice is calm, but there is something unsettling about the way he studies us, as though he is trying to determine how much we have discovered.“I came looking for Stacy,” Josh replies without hesitation. “I found her here.”My stepfather raises an eyebrow. “And what exactly was she looking for?”I force myself to meet his gaze. “I heard you talking about a document earlier,

CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX: THE NIGTH EVERYHING CHANGED

STACY“I was there that night.”Josh’s words keep ringing in my ears, and for a moment, I forget how to breathe.I stand behind the locked door, staring at the handle as if it might suddenly disappear. The man I have been turning to for answers, the man who keeps telling me he wants to protect me, has just admitted that he was present on the night my father died.I want to open the door and demand an explanation, but another part of me is terrified of what I might hear.“Stacy, please open the door,” Josh says again. “I know this sounds bad, but you have to let me explain.”I close my eyes, trying to steady my breathing before I unlock the door.The moment I pull it open, I step aside to let him in, then lock it again. I do not want anyone interrupting this conversation, and I certainly do not want my stepfather appearing out of nowhere to stop Josh from speaking.He looks at me with an expression I cannot quite understand. There is guilt in his eyes, but beneath it, I see something t

CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN: THE MAN IN THE STUDY

Stacy I stop outside the study, listening as my stepfather speaks to the stranger inside.“Then we need to make sure she never finds out.”The words leave me with little doubt that they are talking about me, but before I can move closer, Josh catches my wrist and gently pulls me away from the door.“Not here,” he whispers. “We need to leave before they discover we’re listening.”I pull my hand free. “I’m tired of running away every time someone mentions my father. If they have something to hide, I want to know what it is.”“And what happens when they realize you’ve heard too much?” he asks. “You don’t know what these people are capable of.”“Neither do you, apparently, because you’ve spent years keeping their secrets.”His expression tightens, but he doesn’t argue. Instead, he glances toward the study when we hear footsteps moving across the floor.We retreat down the hallway and slip into the small sitting room beside the staircase. From there, I can see part of the entrance to the

CHAPTER THIRTY-EIGHT: THE FOOTAGE THEY TRIED TO HIDE

I barely sleep that night. Every time I close my eyes, I see the stranger carrying the black briefcase, followed by the message telling me to check the security footage from the night John died.Someone knows what happened, and whoever keeps sending me these messages seems determined to lead me toward the truth without revealing their identity.By morning, I have made up my mind.I need to find the security footage before my stepfather discovers that I am looking for it.I wait until he leaves for work before heading downstairs. The housekeeper is cleaning the dining room, and the security guard is standing near the main entrance, checking something on his phone.I approach him with a smile, hoping I look more confident than I feel.“Good morning. Please, I need to check something on the security cameras from a few weeks ago. Can you help me?”He looks up. “What exactly do you want to check, miss?”“Someone came to the house on the night John died. I need to know who it was.”His expr

CHAPTER THIRTY-NINE: THE KEY TO THE TRUTH

“Open the door, Stacy.”My stepfather’s voice carries a warning that makes me hesitate, but I refuse to let him see how frightened I am. I slip my phone beneath my pillow and unlock the door, finding him standing outside with his arms folded across his chest.“Why were you in the security room this morning?” he asks.“I wanted to check something.”“Something concerning John?”I look at him carefully. “How did you know?”His expression tightens. “The security guard informed me that you were asking questions about the recordings. I want to understand why you’re suddenly interested in things that have nothing to do with you.”“John was my father’s lawyer. How does his death have nothing to do with me?”My stepfather sighs impatiently. “You’re allowing grief to cloud your judgment. Whatever happened to John has already been investigated.”“Then you won’t mind explaining why you visited this house on the night he died.”His face changes, and I know he wasn’t expecting that question.“Where

CHAPTER FORTY: THE MAN THAT WASN’T ALONE

I stare at Josh’s message, reading it repeatedly as if the words might change into something less disturbing.It was my father. And he wasn’t alone.My fingers tighten around the phone. For days, I have been piecing together fragments of a night that destroyed my family, but every answer seems to open another door leading to something worse.I call Josh again.This time, he answers.“Where are you?” I ask immediately.“At home.”“Then come here. We need to talk.”“Stacy, I don’t think—”“Your father was involved in my father’s death, Josh. You can’t send me a message like that and expect me to wait until you’re ready to explain.”He goes quiet.“Give me thirty minutes,” he finally says. “And please, don’t tell anyone I’m coming.”The call ends before I can ask another question.I look down at the brass key resting in my palm. The note from my father is folded beside me, its familiar handwriting reminding me that he anticipated this day, even if he couldn’t be here to guide me through

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