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A SECRET
Last Updated:
2025-03-08 15:37:04
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MY STEPBROTHER'S RETURN LOOKING FOR THE MONEY
Morning came as soon as Joe shut his eyes in an attempt to sleep through the pain. He woke up, took the painkillers that his doctor had prescribed him, and sat on the bed. Aside from getting Bella out, he also needed to look for the remaining 1.5 million to buy Janie’s silence.He cursed through the pain as he grabbed his phone from the bed. He dialed David’s number and waited. The wait didn’t take long. Davis had been his buddy since his high school days, and he always came through for him whenever he needed his help. If it had not been for David, Joe would not have known about Leon’s betrayal of Bella.“I appreciate you checking up on me this early morning, buddy, but you are ruining something else. We are just about to start the morning glory,” David's joked.“Stop whatever that you are doing and get your ass up because I need a favor,” Joe spoke, rolling his eyes at his friend.David sensed the struggle through Joe’s voice. He abandoned the lady that was in his arms, and jerked hi
Last Updated : 2025-03-08MY STEPBROTHER'S RETURN A STRANGE MAN
THIRD PERSON’S POVJoe’s phone flushed after he had dropped the call with David. He fished it out. It was a message from the family attorney.“Let’s meet at the station in thirty.” the message read.Joe wasted no second anymore. The thoughts of Janie and the blackmail were tossed at the back of his mind as he grabbed his jacket and limped out of the house.The ride to the police station was tense, the silence allowing him to pick up the raging storms curbing him. Checking his phone, David had sent only 500,000. He still had to look for one million. And time was ticking by so fast.He arrived at the police station and parked the car, jumping out right after. His heart thudded as he anticipated having Bella in his arms once again, but also the fear of Bella learning of the blackmail accelerated his heartbeats.Before he could walk inside, his phone buzzed again in his pocket. He took it out, and opened yet another message.‘7 hours! Tick! Tock! Tick! Tock!’ Janie.He greeted his teeth,
Last Updated : 2025-03-08MY STEPBROTHER'S RETURN THE AMBUSH
The tension in the car is thick. I can feel it. Joe’s hands grip the steering wheel so tightly that his knuckles are white. He hasn’t said much since we left the police station, and I can’t shake the feeling that something is terribly wrong. Every time I ask him what’s going on, he brushes me off with a smile that doesn’t reach his eyes.I know him better than anyone. He is worried—really worried. The cuts on his face, the way he moves carefully, like he’s in pain, the mysterious phone calls—all of it adds up to something he’s not telling me. But I don’t push him. Not now. There’s too much going on, and I’m just grateful to be out of that cold, horrible cell.Still, I can’t help but feel uneasy. I keep stealing glances at Joe, hoping he will open up, but he stays silent, his eyes fixed on the road ahead. The city lights blur outside the window, and the hum of the car engine does little to calm the storm inside me. I can’t stop thinking about Leon, about how he came to see me at the st
Last Updated : 2025-03-08MY STEPBROTHER'S RETURN UNPROMISING CONDITION
THREE DAYS LATER.THE STORY GOES BACK TO BELLA'S POV FROM THIS POINT. I WILL INCLUDE OTHER CHARACTER'S POVS WHERE NECESSARY.A striking pain rushes through my body as I peel my eyes. Every part of my body aches, my skin stinging with the raw pains of burns and bruises. My mind feels so foggy, and I feel so disoriented. I can't even twist my head. I lay flat on a mattress, but not on my own bed.A tall, semispherical house? This quietness? Where am I?I raise one hand, the only part of me that seems to be able to move without much struggle, and I realize that I have wounds and burns, all covered in crushed and smeared leaves. I drop the hand, almost screaming with pain as it rests on my side.I shut my eyes a little, and tears start flowing down as the last memories of my existence before now come crumbling down on me in waves.The arrest... Leon's threat... the ambush, the fall, the fire...My chest tightens, making breathing so difficult for me. The terrifying sounds of gunfire are
Last Updated : 2025-03-08MY STEPBROTHER'S RETURN BRIGHTER DAYS
A beautiful smile dances on my lips as I tour my eyes around this small, traditional house in the woods that has served as my home, solace, and peace for the last couple of days. Never in my entire life could I have imagined that I, Bella Montana, could ever find myself in a place such as this and in a condition like this. But here I am, humbled like this. Life indeed is a mystery.The small house feels more alive than before, and every single day now looks brighter than the previous. The darkness is fading, and so are the fears, as Joe has been awake for four days now. That lifted off my grief and filled my heart with hope and joy.I look at him, a very short distance from me, as he struggles to walk around. Although his body is far from fully recovered, he insists on moving around, and he has been quite a stubborn, obstinate ass on that matter. He listens to no one when we tell him that he is still too weak to struggle like this. His stubbornness matches his strength, though neither
Last Updated : 2025-03-08MY STEPBROTHER'S RETURN THE MYSTERY
With insatiable hunger and desire, we kiss and kiss and kiss, every stroke of the tongue conveying how we both longed for this. Soft moans of pleasure and satisfaction fill the room; the dance of our tongues reaches climax. My frail body is trembling beneath him with more desire. The fire is building so high. I yearn for more. I can feel that he wants more too.But the reality of where we are somehow slaps our sixth sense. We both pull away, his forehead resting on mine as we struggle to steady our breathing.We are Montanas, a name that is known all over the world. These people might be living in the woods, but it does not mean that they don’t listen to news. They might have a clue of who we really are, which is why they have not inquired about us. And if they know that we are siblings and then walk in on us chewing each other’s lips, we will be in a hot soup. Our dirty little secret will yet again be exposed to another party.“I need to get better so that we can get out of here,” Jo
Last Updated : 2025-03-08MY STEPBROTHER'S RETURN DANGER IN THE WOODS
The night air feels heavy, suffocating in its stillness, as I sit by the window staring into the forest's endless darkness. The wooden walls of the small house creak faintly, and the faint chirping of crickets serves as a reminder that the world outside is alive, even though it feels like we are frozen in time.My thoughts are racing, tangled in a mess of emotions. The brainstorming idea that the world believes Joe and I are dead has shaken me to my core. I keep thinking of my father—of Katherine—and how they must be drowning in sorrow. Every part of me wants to run back to them, to tell them we are alive. To hug my father tight and tell him that he has not lost me and never will. But I can’t. Not yet. However, I feel so awful knowing that we are causing them so much pain.I glance over at Joe, who is lying on the makeshift bed across the room. His eyes are closed, but I can tell he isn’t asleep. His good hand clenches and unclenches the blanket, his jaw tight. The tension in his body
Last Updated : 2025-03-08MY STEPBROTHER'S RETURN THE BATTLE
“Son, you can’t!” His father responds with an icy tone and glare. He must have sensed the naivety in his son’s statement.Jayden doesn’t answer. Instead, he walks over to the corner of the room, where his bag sits. He opens it, pulling out something I didn’t expect—a gun.A gun!The sight of it stirs back the memories of our last episode before the accident. The ringing starts in my head, fear creeping in me, almost bringing me down to my knees.“How the hell do you have that?” Joe asks, his voice sharp as he holds me steady. I am really shaken. I think I developed a phobia for these weapons that day.Jayden looks up, his gaze steady. Not baffled and not apologetic at all for being in possession of a gun. “It is only natural for people living in these kinds of environments to have some weapons for security reasons. And there is no better one than this; he eyes his gun, positioning it in his hand as if he went for training and attention even to the least important detail about gun trai
Last Updated : 2025-03-08
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MY STEPBROTHER'S RETURN MISTRUST
The drive has been deadly silent. The night feels as if it is closing in on me. Joe does not look happy with me at all, or at least, he is not okay. He had been avoiding looking my way ever since we got into this car half an hour ago. I want to talk to him so badly because I understand that I fucked up by leaving him in the dark and following my crazy ideas. And I know that hurt him so badly. That was his ego that I touched by trusting Jayden over him.I was about to speak when my phone buzzed on my lap, and I grabbed it fast, checking the message.It is from Jayden. 'I now accept that I will never have a place in your heart. It hurts, but I have to accept it. Thank you for the time that I spent with you. I will never forget that because they are worth keeping. You were right. It is best if we go our separate ways. I may have lost you, but I still have that one drive-justice for my mother. That will keep me going. Good luck to whoever gets to our target first!!!' Yours, Jayden.Shit!
MY STEPBROTHER'S RETURN A WARNING
“I thought she was totally disconnected from us. I am glad that she is still with us,” Joe says, a small smile playing on his lips.This feels so overwhelming! We have a new hope, and this can never feel any good. As if pulled by a certain force, I move closer, sealing the gap between us, and I reach for his lips, kissing him gently, a kiss of assurance. He does not waste time but captures my lips, returning the kiss with the same gentleness and passion.Jayden clears his throat from behind me, reminding us that we are not in our own world as we thought. Unwillingly, we break the kiss, and we take a moment to just admire each other, again, forgetting that there is someone else in the room.“We should start heading home. We don’t know when Father will be awake,” Joe says, and I nod my head.“Well, excuse me, here!” Jayden speaks, making us turn to him. He looks pissed, and his looks speak of disapproval.“Mr. Man, what is she now, huh? Something you can control the way you want? Are yo
MY STEPBROTHER'S RETURN IRONING THE PLAN
I take a shaky breath, the weight of the room pressing down on me like a storm ready to explode. My eyes dart between Joe and Jayden, their standoff pulling me into a whirlpool of confusion and dread. Every nerve in my body feels raw, screaming with fear. Things never end well whenever these two clash. I hid from Joe and ran off with Jayden, and I could see the anger and suspicion in Joe’s eyes, which made today’s encounter feel even worse.Joe’s eyes burn into mine, searching for answers I can’t give him right now. His presence feels overwhelming, his possessiveness like chains tightening around me. Jayden stands tall, his calm demeanor barely masking the fire beneath. He has always been the rational one, the protector, but now he is as much a threat to my fragile sanity as Joe is.“Joe,” I finally manage to whisper, my voice trembling. “What are you doing here? How did you…”“How did I find you two?” He cuts me off, his voice calm but harsh. “Of all the things you could do, Bella, y
MY STEPBROTHER'S RETURN THE CLASH
I pace back and forth in the room, my fists clenched tight at my sides. My mind feels like it is spinning, and actually, it is indeed spinning badly. On one hand, I want to at least grant Jayden this one wish. After everything he has done for me, he deserves it. But how can it deny me the one thing that I can’t let go? Why did he have to ask only for this of all the things? Well, of course, with the exception of loving him. I would have really loved to grant him even just this one wish.But I can’t!My heart is burning crimson with the wrath I feel for that jerk. My desire to seek revenge for what that moron did to me is unquenchable and unstoppable. That is why I had to even run away from my father just so I could achieve this. How can I just drop it like that?“You and I know that Leon is not alone in this, Bella,” Jayden starts again, standing so close to me, his voice soft. “He has people, and you also mentioned that some of the people have other motives to want to hurt you. You c
MY STEPBROTHER'S RETURN POINT OF CONFLICT
Jayden’s gaze locks onto mine, and I see something in his eyes that chills me to the bone. His grip on my hand tightens, so hard that it is almost painful. “Because, Bella,” he says, his voice grave, “Desmond Erasto is Leon.”Time seems to stop. The name echoes in my mind, but it doesn’t connect. “What?” I say, my voice barely audible.“Leon,” Jayden repeats. “The man who has caused you so much pain, who took everything from you. The man that you are after is the same man that I have been chasing since I became a police officer.”“No,” I whisper, shaking my head. “That’s not possible. That can’t be true.”“I didn’t know at first either,” Jayden admits. “He has changed his name, his appearance, everything. But the pieces began to fit when I started looking into him after everything he has done to you. The way he operates, his greed, his hunger for power—and on the day that I was attacked in the forest, he was among his goons. We had a gun exchange encounter. I bruised him so close with
MY STEPBROTHER'S RETURN THE TWIST
The silence stretches to eternity, cutting through the space between us. Jayden looks lost, as if his mind has been triggered. He looks like there is a very painful episode playing in his mind, causing me to walk closer.“Jayden?” I call, but instead of looking at me, he shuts his eyes, pain evident. But pain over what? I just asked a question about this seemingly new character of interest in this story.Why is he triggered like this?“Talk to me, Jayden, please. Who is Desmond Erasto, and what do I have to do with him?” I ask, still sinking into confusion.I lift my head, my heart already pounding. The recent situations have taught me to brace myself for the worst lately, but nothing could prepare me for what he says next.“Desmond Erasto... he is my brother. My long-lost wicked brother!”I blink at him, the words not making sense. Actually, I am drawn into more confusion here. He has a brother? “Your brother?”Jayden nods slowly, his eyes clouded with memories. He pulls up two chair
MY STEPBROTHER'S RETURN THE PLAN
The aroma of freshly brewed coffee fills the small condo, its warmth a stark contrast to the cold steel of my resolve. I sit at the tiny kitchen table, cradling the mug in my hands. The condo is sparse, a temporary hideout Jayden arranged, but it is enough for now. It is a place to think, to plan. And to set the plan in motion.Jayden sits across from me, his own coffee untouched. His dark eyes study me intently, the silence between us heavy with unspoken questions. He is quite a stubborn and selfless guy. When he stopped the car last night, I thought for a moment that I was just about to save a soul from getting into more trouble because of me. But he only stopped to warn me to never ask him to abandon me ever again. That is how we ended up here, in this condo, together."So," he says finally, breaking the tension. "Do I have the right to ask what your plan is? You didn't go through all that trouble just to get out. What exactly do you want?"I meet his gaze, my grip tightening on th
MY STEPBROTHER'S RETURN THE ESCAPE
The soft glow of moonlight spills through my bedroom window, casting long shadows across the room. My heart hammers in my chest as I zip my bag, the last one to precise, trying to keep my hands steady. Every sound—the rustle of fabric, the faint creak of the floorboards beneath my feet—feels deafening.If anyone hears me, this is over before it even begins. If my father knows that I am already packing, he will pull all strings to drag the entire police force here to stop me. But before that happens, I have to escape. I know it also sounds impossible given the tight security we have here, but I must make it out of here tonight.Jayden’s plan is simple on paper, but executing it feels like threading a needle in the dark. The security here has been so tight from the start, patrolling every corner of the estate like hawks. They don’t just guard the house; they cage it. I hate it, always did. Never have I ever tried escaping, but today I am daring to, and I can’t say that I am not scared.
MY STEPBROTHER'S RETURN CROSSROADS
I swallow hard, my throat tight. “The scandals, Dad. The rumors. The pains I have gone through. The humiliations and the shame I have endured and caused you and the rest. For every injustice that I have gone through, Dad. I want revenge on that man who made me go through all that for nothing! But I cannot do that here. I need to be far away from you all so that he does not come after you. I will deal with him without involving anyone.”He exhales sharply, standing up and pacing a few steps away before turning back to face me. His eyes are dark, intense, filled with a mix of frustration and pain.“Do you hear yourself?” he says, his voice shaking. “You think leaving will fix everything? You think running away will protect us? First, I will not let you do something as crazy as that.”“I am trying to protect you!” I snap, standing up so we are eye to eye. “Don’t you see that? If I stay, the scandals will keep growing, and the people targeting me won’t stop. If they know I have ressurrect
