All Chapters of Two Can Play: I Became My Ex's Mother-in-law : Chapter 51 - Chapter 60

ClarissaThe kitchen counter felt cool against my palms as I poured myself a glass of room-temperature water.Outside the high arched windows, the morning mist was still clearing off the lawn. The house had been quiet since early dawn—Brenda and Brittany had left the estate right after breakfast for some early morning shopping and errands in town, leaving the halls blessedly empty for a few hours.I took a slow sip, setting the mug down. The ceramic tapped softly against the stone top.Footsteps echoed down the tiled corridor near the side entry.Brittany walked into the kitchen, her trench coat unbuttoned, carrying a large designer shopping bag with pastel silk ribbon handles in one hand and a tray with two coffee cups in the other. Her heels clicked softly against the floorboards as she stopped right near the island.I smoothed the front of my oversized grey lounge sweater down over my bump, adjusting the soft fabric over my waist.A tight, picture-perfect smile stretched across her

ClarissaMy ringtone buzzed against the marble kitchen island, sliding three inches across the cool surface before I snagged it.Brittany’s face flashed on the screen. I tapped the green icon and held the speaker to my ear, settling onto a tall leather barstool near the counter."Clarissa, hey!" Brittany's voice burst through the receiver, high and bouncy, dripping with that fake enthusiasm she always put on when she wanted something. "Look, I was thinking about our chat yesterday. I’m heading into the city to check out this super elite baby boutique downtown—the one with the custom Italian cribs everyone uses. You have to come with me. Let’s make it a girls' bonding trip."My teeth sank into the skin of my lower lip, the taste of blood resting on my tongue. A whole morning in an enclosed space with her sounded like an absolute nightmare, but staying home meant letting her plan her next move without me in the room to see it coming."Sounds fun," I said, keeping my tone light and smoot

ClarissaThe master bedroom door clicked shut behind us, cutting off the quiet hum of the estate.Valentine guided me to the edge of the large bed, his hands steady on my waist as he eased me down onto the mattress. He dropped to his knees right between my legs, his hands resting on my thighs while his dark eyes locked onto mine.He just reached out, his long fingers hooking under the hem of my grey sweater, lifting it slowly over my head. He tossed it onto the floorboards, leaving me in just my bra.His warm palms slid over my shoulders, down my arms, then cupped the sides of my bump. He leaned in, pressing his lips to the side of my neck, then down to my chest, kissing every inch of exposed skin like he was washing away the dust from the street outside.He unclipped my bra, dropping it to the side. He leaned down and buried his face right into the crook of my neck, taking a deep, heavy breath of my skin."You're mine," he whispered against my collarbone, his voice thick and rough. "

ClarissaBeatrice closed the small gap between us, the sharp tip of her stiletto heel clicking against the polished marble floor. The heavy scent of her floral perfume hit my nose, sweet and suffocating enough to turn my stomach."Look at you," Beatrice murmured, her voice dropping into a hushed, venomous tone that barely carried past our small circle. "You really worked your way up, didn't you? Found yourself a rich sugar daddy to pay for your life while you were still legally tied to my son. You have no shame showing your face at our family's event."My back pressed flat against the cool, damp stone edge of the water fountain. The chill seeped straight through the thin emerald silk of my gown, making the skin on my spine break out in tiny goosebumps.I locked my knees, holding my head high and straight. My teeth bit down hard into the inside of my cheek, tasting a faint trace of iron to keep my chin from shaking. I refused to yield an inch of ground to her in the middle of her own f

ClarissaA sharp, strange flutter rippled through the deep, low pit of my stomach.My breath hitched in my throat. My fingers dug straight into the lapels of Valentine’s suit jacket, pulling the dark fabric tight in my grip as my whole body went rigid in his arms.Valentine froze mid-step at the base of the staircase. His foot stayed planted on the bottom marble riser, his arms tightening around my back and under my knees like steel bands. The sudden tension in my frame caught him instantly."Clarissa?" His dark eyes snapped straight down to my face. His brow pulled tight, his voice dropping into a rough, immediate rasp. "What is it? What hurts?"I couldn't speak for a second. I just pressed my palm flat against my lower stomach, right where that tiny, strange press had just pulsed against my muscles. It wasn't pain. It wasn't a cramp or an ache. It felt like a small flutter, like a tiny bubble bursting right beneath my skin."Clarissa, talk to me." He didn't wait for an answer. He tu