My One-Night Stand Is My Billionaire Stepbrother.

Chapter 13

My blood turned to pure ice.

The heavy, rhythmic thump of Richard’s footsteps stopped dead on the other side of my bedroom door. Beside me, Ethan’s body locked. His muscles went so rigid beneath my hands they felt like carved stone. His dark head was still bent over mine, his lips mere millimeters from my mouth, his breath warm and shallow.

"Yes, get the legal team to draft the non-disclosure agreements tonight," Richard’s deep, authoritative voice boomed through the thick wood of the door. He was on a call, his tone crisp and distracted. "We need everything finalized before the press conference on Tuesday."

My heart battered against my ribs like a trapped bird. I stared up at Ethan in the dim light of my bedroom, my eyes wide with a silent, screaming panic.

He’s going to knock, my mind whispered. He’s going to open the door.

Ethan didn't panic. With the cold, calculating precision that made him a ruthless force in the business world, he slid off me in one fluid, silent motion. He didn't make a sound as his bare feet touched the carpet.

He pointed directly to the adjacent door of my private bathroom, his grey eyes flashing a warning.

Go, his silent gaze commanded.

I scrambled off the bed, my limbs shaking so violently I could barely stand. I smoothed down my crumpled sweatshirt with trembling hands, trying to erase the physical evidence of the heat that had just consumed the room.

Just as Ethan slipped silently into the dark bathroom, closing the door until only a hair-thin c***k remained, a firm knock rattled my bedroom door.

"Aurora? Sweetheart, are you awake?" Richard called out.

I took a deep, shuddering breath, trying to force my voice into a calm, sleepy octave. "Yes! Just... just getting ready for bed, Richard. Come in."

The brass doorknob turned, and the heavy oak door swung open.

Richard stood in the threshold, still wearing his suit trousers and a half-buttoned white shirt. He looked tired, but his eyes were bright with the restless energy of a man whose life was changing. He offered me a warm, fatherly smile, completely oblivious to the thick, suffocating wave of guilt and adrenaline that hung in the air.

"Sorry to disturb you so late," Richard said kindly, stepping a foot into the room. "I just wanted to make sure you were settling in okay. Your mother is already fast asleep, but she was worried she didn't get to talk to you properly after dinner."

"I'm fine, really," I said, forcing a smile. I stood directly in front of the bed, trying to block his view of the tangled, messy sheets behind me. "Just a little tired from the week."

"Of course. It's been a whirlwind," Richard nodded. He glanced around the room, his eyes lingering on the closed bathroom door for a fraction of a second. My breath caught in my throat. I could hear the faint, silent sound of my own blood rushing in my ears.

"We’re hosting a small, private gala on Tuesday evening," Richard continued, his attention returning to me. "It's to officially announce the pregnancy to our closest business associates and the press. We need to present a united front, Aurora. A perfect family. I’ve already instructed the stylist to send some dress options to your room tomorrow."

"A gala?" I repeated, my throat dry. "Yes, of course. I'll be ready."

"Good girl," Richard smiled, stepping back toward the hallway. "Get some sleep, Aurora. Tuesday is going to be a very big night for all of us."

"Goodnight, Richard," I whispered.

He closed the door, the latch clicking shut with agonizing finality. I stood frozen in the center of the room for a full minute, listening as his heavy footsteps slowly faded down the corridor toward the east wing.

The moment the silence returned, the bathroom door swung open.

Ethan stepped out into the dim light. His face was a mask of absolute, chilling resolve. He didn't look at me, and he didn't try to pull me back into his arms. The near-miss had shattered whatever lingering illusion of freedom we had left.

"He wants a perfect family," Ethan said, his voice flat, cold, and entirely dead. "So we'll give him one."

Without another word, he walked to my bedroom door, unlocked it silently, and vanished into the dark hallway, leaving me colder than I had ever been in my life.