All Chapters of WARMING THE BED OF MY BROTHER-IN-LAW: Chapter 51 - Chapter 60

The day Seth finally came home was one of happiness, relief, and some residual apprehension. I had planned everything to the last detail and wanted everything to be perfect for his return. Fresh flowers were in the living room, perfuming the atmosphere well with their fragrance, which combined well with the aroma of the meal I had cooked all morning. The apartment was warm and inviting, a far cry from the antiseptic and impersonal feel of the hospital where he had spent many weeks.When Seth walked through the door, his strides were slower, more deliberate; but that same smile greeted me—among those that I had fallen in love with. I rushed to him, wrapping my arms gingerly around him since his injuries still needed time to heal. "Welcome home," I whispered, my voice choked with emotion."Good to be home," he said, and he squeezed me close. "I have missed you so much, Christie."Afternoon time merged into a haze of catch-up—so much had been missed. We laughed, reminisced, and enjoyed th

The days all began to run into each other as Anne's due date loomed closer and closer, with Noah still nowhere in sight. The silence from him was both a relief and constant tension. Anne was devastated, which often broke her into tears whenever she thought nobody saw. I was trying my best then to be there for her, to carry the weight which she shouldn't have had to bear alone.Well, every morning I got up first to make sure breakfast was ready, that she had a good meal to start the day. I started picking up overtime at work, keeping her expenses covered, and quietly paying her bills so she wouldn't worry about it. It was exhausting, but seeing the faint glimmer of gratitude in those tired eyes of hers made it worthwhile.That evening, after another day was done, sat there on the sofa Anne and I, watching some brainless television show. She leaned back on me; her swollen belly was pressed against my side. I could feel the baby occasionally kicking and wriggling. The feeling was bittersw

Life with Seth had fallen into a comfortable rhythm following our wedding. Content, in love, and ready to start our life free from darkness—this was what we were. But Noah's presence still loomed over my head like some dark cloud that refused to dissipate. Even after marrying Seth, there came frequent bouquets of flowers, each bearing a card attached in Noah's handwriting. Those cards had different words, but their meaning remained the same: his longing to see me, that I was supposed to be with him.We had asked security in detail to prevent anyone from entering the premises without our express permission, and it did the trick for some time at least. The flowers and cards arrived at the gate, where the staff would dump them, preventing them from reaching me. Still, Noah's relentless pursuit was more than a little unnerving, this sense of always being watched, always being waited for.No sooner had we begun to breathe a little easier, thinking maybe Noah had finally given up on his purs

In the dim light of our bedroom, Seth and I lay beside each other, our hands clasped together. We were feeling all different kinds of things. The atmosphere thickened into one of quiet, tender closeness, a product of years spent in shared experience and deep love. Much had been wrestled with, but troubles and uncertainties seemed to melt away at that moment, leaving only two people and a vision for the future.Seth turned to me then, his eyes soft, filled with a warmth that made my heart swell."I love you, Christie," he whispered, a tender caress to my ears. "I can't wait to start our family."I smiled at him, rushed with feeling and excitement. "I love you too, Seth. Even more than words can say."We had talked so much about babies, how great a thing it could be. This feeling of just starting a family with Seth gave me a feeling of purpose and elation. We had decided to stop using contraception, hoping that soon enough, we would be able to hear that we were going to have a baby.Seth

I sat at the very end of the bed, my heart thumping as I just stared at the door. The room was smothering. The walls seemed to close in on me with each second. Noah had locked me in an apartment that he had bought expressly to keep me hidden from the world. The windows were barred, and I could see outside the door guards who had taken their place to prevent me from leaving. It was now that the feeling of being caged finally washed over me like a wave, and it was an effort to maintain steady breathing.How had this happened? I thought about all the warnings, all the red flags that I had ignored. I should have known Noah wouldn't give up so easily. Even after all that, a piece of me had still hoped he would turn his back on all this eventually, that he would see reason. Now that hope seemed foolish, almost childish.I heard footsteps, so my body stiffened. Slowly, the door opened, and there he was—Noah. He dominated the room; a sense of familiarity and fear overtook me. At one time in my