My Stepmother's Secret Affair

enched places where real estate tycoons and silent p

de eye contact. Enough luxury to hid

lready arrived

sing a scotch he hadn't touched. His eyes were shadowed, jaw c

e said cool

immediately brought a second

sil

rink but did

u wanted din

wanted t

ightened aro

going on," he said.

d not

ous. And you-you look like

I didn'

eane

s pre

est s

ning. Said it's mine.

ou that?" I

to renew

ked. "

nd wedding. Bigge

rse sh

ke it official. Cement

elieve her

s my

not an

, as if trying to contain s

one thing." He looked me dead in the eyes.

e it

th

declarat

're here? So you can pretend you

" he said, voice ba

hed, asked if we w

of us

the waiter

you. The company. The houses. The legacy. I took bullets for this

t touch her, and this ends now. I'll be

very muscle in my

e night she kissed me and whispered m

ought of

growing in her stom

llowe

touch he

tudi

nodde

n didn't leave

r followed," h

arrowed.

nes tapped. Cameras ch

bother a

ok in your face

d turne

uietly. "What happens

ted hi

with her.

go home t

highway turned dark and empty. Until the noise in

d, I was in front of

ne she'd kept "for independen

text. Did

ent

he door in a

w you'

her, straight

e door behind

h," I said without turni

es

. "You'r

don't know th

mach t

ing you f

dn't f

kno

u k

not s

red a

e not

ply. "Because I wa

o her. Fa

know you've been

to know I

houlders. "You'

spered. "I'll

kiss

I le

ill wanted to believe

n who'd fal

own, I kne

e didn

le

ter, the ph

ss. Left on my office desk i

six glos

e

e

on my chest. My lips on he

ryt

nail in

te. No message.

wanted m

wanted m

security footage

had c

nt they h

lready insi

dy wa

my office sink and wa

led thr

n't a

il the

she whispered w

's watch

kno

u k

tha

. Someone lef

t the

ha

the mirror this mo

did it

ast few days a

acr

amily

em

n't just

was

, I went t

alread

is t

lea

he

can't find me.

ed at

the counter.

lanned

repa

t. "You don't get

t me. "Then

sita

pear before he makes a move. Before he

the b

hed her

af

t a shak

ppens when h

me dead i

us won't make

le

eded

decide if I was really re

ome, the hou

qu

d insid

ghts w

I saw

fat

g in t

e on th

s in

un by h

o me," he s

fr

said, voice crac

sto

ow

up th

ad

call me

ted th

you ever

eas

k the one th

n't me

did it

ety cli

ill you," h

you w

es gli

hy

. you'll never know

alte

ook the

ung

d-once-missi

the flo

Wood cracking u

un, wrestled it

nted it

ay s

hing

nt this," I

p at me. Br

nk she l

n't a

ruin y

closed h

his fac

first time

sn't

might be

might be

Cele

ver going

omple

sa

ev