In bed with my stepson

Four

Kiara's Pov.

Maya is his daughter

And he asked for her brother…She only has one brother …Kade

Kade is his son

And my child is Carlo’s ... grandchild.

My mind struggled to catch up, but the words kept echoing in my skull like church bells as bile gathered at the back of my throat.

I’d slept with her brother, then I ran away from them.

Not to mention that I was pregnant with his baby

And now, God help me, I was married to her father.

Ha! Just great. My life was like a soap opera.

I really deserve the best friend of the year award for all... this

My eyes darted to Maya, hoping for an explanation. Because last I checked, she told me that she had no other family except Kade.

So now, how was this possible?

“Are you kidding me?” Maya’s voice shook, brittle, laced with fury. “She’s your wife? How low can you go? You’re forty-two years older than her!”

The room froze.

Heat shot up my neck. My lips parted, words clawing at my throat, but then, Carlo... the way he looked at me, I knew it was better if I kept my mouth shut. If I even breathed wrong, I’d pay dearly tonight.

So I just sat there hoping she would stop talking.

But she didn’t.

Her voice cracked, anger spilling into grief. “Mom hasn’t even been dead a year. And you, you’re parading around with this girl—who might I remind HER is, no WAS, my best friend—like it’s nothing. Are you for real right now?" She spat out, her voice bitter. "I hope you rot in hell, Carlo.”

She turned to me, and I shrank under her gaze.

"Is this why you never told me the name of the man you were getting married to? Because it was my father? Really?"

“It’s not like that, Maya. I didn't kn….”

“Shut up!” She yelled, shutting me up. “I don’t even want to start with you right now.”

The tension coiled so tight the air itself throbbed.

I felt eyes watching me. Well, to be fair, at this point, everyone was watching us. But there was one pair whose intentions were different from just gossip.

I turned frantically in search of the person, and my eyes landed on a figure at the end of the doorway.

Kade.

Leaning against the doorway, his eyes locked on me. Those cold, merciless eyes.

My stomach twisted.

“What are you doing here, Kade?” Carlo’s voice snapped the silence, sharp and commanding.

But Kade’s focus never wavered from me. When he finally moved forward, each step was geared at making me feel like prey.

“What else? You’re getting old, which means you’re one step closer to dying. So Maya and I thought... why not come over and celebrate?”

The audacity in his tone made Carlo’s jaw tighten, but beneath it? I swore I saw a flicker of twisted pride.

“And besides…” Kade’s eyes cut into me, cold and unrelenting. “…we had to see your new wife, our new stepmother? Won't you introduce us, old man?"

The word landed like a slap.

Maya's glare scorched me from one side, Kade’s stare flayed me from the other.

I couldn’t breathe.

My chest locked, the walls pressed closer, the whispers, the eyes, the weight of every secret chained around my throat. I had to get out.

The scrape of my chair was loud as I stood too fast, muttered something under my breath about the bathroom, then bolted.

I didn’t look at Carlo. I already f****d up when I tried to talk to Maya …I'm not allowed to speak if he doesnt give me permission and I'm already going to be punished he might as well punish me for walking out.

I hurried through the hall, each step heavier than the last. The moment I reached the balcony, I shoved the doors open, gasping as cold air hit my skin.

But I wasn't alone.

“I always knew you were trouble,” a low, smooth voice murmured behind me.“I just didn’t think it would be this much.”

My breath froze as I turned around and saw Kade behind me.

He stepped out of the shadows, moonlight cutting across his sharp jaw and those piercing grey eyes. They were the same—cold, unreadable, yet burning like embers beneath ice.

For a fleeting second, I found myself wanting to drown in the sight of him.

“Stepmom, huh? What a wonderful surprise.” The words rolled off his tongue mockingly. But the way his jaw tightened betrayed him—he wasn’t just mocking me.

He was angry.

He was talking to me, but his eyes were locked on my hand.

On my fingers.

On the wedding ring that sat there.

He stared at it like it was a curse, like a mortal enemy he couldn’t kill but wanted to rip off with his bare teeth. My chest tightened. I curled my fingers into a fist, but the shine of the diamond still mocked both of us.

I took a step forward, fully intent on walking away and letting the distance settle between us the way it should. The way it had been for the past month.

“Don’t you dare.”

My spine stiffened.

My feet froze.

I stood there, rooted to the ground, my pulse tripping fast and hard.

I didn’t turn around.

“I’d like to know how the f**k all this happened.”

His full attention was still zeroed in on the ring, like every ounce of fury he carried had condensed into that one glittering band.

His eyes finally lifted, pinning mine with a sharp glare.

But then they dropped to my stomach.

I realized too late that I had my arm folded over myself,

His gaze sharpened as his eyes narrowed.

I dropped my arm immediately, and my heart thudded painfully.

I should really tell him.

Ugh, I know I should. But I won’t, my child wasn't coming into this chaos and darkness.

No. Once the money im saving is complete I'm running from this hell hole and I'm never looking back

So, I did the only thing I could. I lifted my chin, looked him in the eye, and tried to hold my ground, even though it felt pointless. He was so big, so intimidating.

“What do you mean what happened?” My voice was steady, though my hands trembled. “I got married.”

The silence stretched between us. Then he scoffed in response

“So what? Were you engaged while you were begging me to f**k you?”

Heat crawled up my neck, shame mixing with anger.

No. He wouldn't make me feel like I was some dirty w***e.

“Yes, and that doesn’t change anything. Given that I’ve also been with my ..”

I didn’t get the chance to finish.

He closed the space between us in two strides, his body colliding with the fragile air I had left.

His voice dropped, quiet and lethal. “It’d be a shame to kill my father. But not that I’d mind. I never really liked the old bastard."

My breath caught. I looked up and searched his eyes, because the words were so insane, so violent, I almost couldn’t believe he said them so casually.

“What, after one night, you’re forgetting we hate each other?” I pushed back, even if my voice wavered.

“Really?” His voice changed.

His hand ghosted up my thigh before I could stop him. My breath faltered. The slit in the dress was too high. I knew it. Everyone knew it. But Carlo had insisted on showing me off like his shiny new possession. His young wife. His trophy.

And now, I don't think I hate the dress as much anymore.

His touch skimmed higher, not quite touching, but close enough for me to be aware of him.

“You’re insane,” I hissed, forcing myself to step back. But I couldn’t. The wall was behind me, and his body was in front of me. I was caught, trapped in his arms. And if I were being honest, I wanted to remain here.

He leaned closer.

And closer.

And soon, he was so close... my lips parted before I realized it, my chest rising and falling too fast, betraying every ounce of self-control I thought I had.

Then he pulled back.

He withdrew like it was nothing, like he hadn’t just unraveled every bit of composure I had left. And that stupid, perfect smirk curved his lips.

God, I hated that smirk.

I wanted to slap him. Wanted to claw that smugness right off his face. But my hand trembled instead of striking.

“I hate you.” I managed the words through clenched teeth.

He leaned against the wall, casual, as if my fury amused him. As if none of this mattered because he knew the truth…. how much I didn't

“Say it again,” he said, stepping close enough that his breath brushed my cheek.

My hands fisted at my sides. My throat burned.

“I. Hate. You.”

His eyes darkened, but the smirk never faltered even for a second.

“God, I love it when you lie.”

I couldn't stay there any longer. If I did, my walls would crumble, and God knows how long it would take for me to rebuild them.

So I ran away from the balcony and headed to my room.

By the time I did, my legs were trembling. I shut the door behind me, locking it even though I knew locks meant nothing in this house. I slid down the wood until I was on the floor, knees pressed to my chest.

Why was I always the one struggling to be happy?

I drew in a shaky breath, trying to steady myself, when my eyes caught on an envelope sitting on the dresser. I pushed myself up from the floor and picked it up. My instincts screamed at me not to open it… but I tore off the seal anyway.

The moment I read its contents, I knew I shouldn’t have opened it.