My Mother's Husband Is My Sugar daddy

Chapter 18

The Breaking Point

Luci stirred awake before the first light peeked through the curtains. It had become a quiet ritual to rise early, prepare breakfast, and set the tone for the day. She moved around the kitchen, flipping the eggs and humming softly to herself. The house was unusually quiet, and she noticed that Adriana hadn’t come out of her room yet.

That was odd, her daughter was usually the first to emerge, roaming about the house in her signature shorts and robe, always in search of something sweet to snack on or casually throwing snide remarks over the morning news.

Concern furrowed her brows as she glanced at the clock again. 6:45 a.m.

"Adriana?" she called as she walked toward the hallway, the tray of toast and tea already set on the table.

There was no response.

She gently pushed open her daughter’s door and found her curled under the blanket. For a brief moment, Luci's stern maternal instincts softened.

She padded into the room and bent down, brushing Adriana's hair back as she placed a soft kiss on her forehead.

"Sweetheart, it’s time for school. Are you okay?" she asked, her voice gentle.

Adriana shifted under the sheets and let out a weak groan. "I’m not feeling so good, Mum. My head hurts, I think I have a fever."

Luci became worried instantly. "Do you want me to take you to the hospital? Should we go see Dr. Martins?"

Adriana quickly shook her head. "No, it’s not that serious. I just need to rest a little, I think I’ll be fine by noon."

Luci hesitated. Her eyes scanned her daughter’s face for any signs of genuine discomfort.

"Alright, stay in bed, okay? I’ll check on you later. Call me if it gets worse." Adriana gave a faint nod and tugged the blanket higher. "Thanks, Mum."

Luci sighed softly and exited the room, her heels clicking gently against the hardwood floors. She entered the living room where Francis was already seated with his coffee, tapping away on his laptop.

"Good morning," she greeted, placing a peck on his cheek.

"Morning my love," he replied, briefly glancing up and offering a small smile.

They settled into their usual routine. She poured herself a cup of tea, buttered a slice of toast, and then began listing the things she had planned for the day.

"I’ll be heading out in an hour. I’ve got two client meetings, and I need to stop by the boutique for that delivery. Oh, and the tailor said the outfits would be ready by next week."

Francis nodded. "Sounds like a full day, are you sure you don’t need me to drive you around?"

She chuckled, shaking her head. "No, love. I’ll be fine. Besides, someone needs to hold down the fort here and you have work."

Francis smiled, but something about the curve of his lips didn’t reach his eyes. He looked tired, maybe even burdened. Luci didn’t press. Instead, she leaned forward and kissed his cheek again.

"Take care of Adriana, alright? She says she has a fever." "Right, I’ll check in on her."

With that, Luci finished her tea, grabbed her bag, and clicked out the front door, unaware that behind her, a storm was brewing.

The moment she heard the car pull away, Adriana's eyes fluttered open. The tiredness was gone, and so was the fever.

She slipped out of bed, letting the silk strap of her nightwear fall slightly off her shoulder. The soft fabric clung to her body as she moved through the hallway like a cat, calculated and purposeful.

Francis was now by the bookshelf, adjusting a few files and preparing his work setup. He had already changed into a neat pair of trousers and a crisp white shirt. His tie was loosely hanging around his neck.

"Good morning, Francis," she said, her voice sultry.

you were sick."

She shrugged, walking slowly toward him, every movement intentional. "I was... but I feel a lot better now. Just needed some rest."

Francis quickly averted his gaze. "Well, that’s good, you should still take it easy today." "Mmm," she murmured, stepping closer. "You always care, that’s so sweet."

Francis tried to step away, but she closed the gap between them. Her hand brushed his arm casually, lingering.

"Francis," she whispered, looking up at him with wide, doe-like eyes. "Can I ask you something personal?"

"Adriana, I think you should go back to your room," he said firmly.

"Why? Are you scared of being alone with me?"

He took a step back. "Don’t start this again, please, it’s not appropriate."

She let out a low laugh, circling him like a predator. "But I’m not a child anymore. Don’t you see me? Or do you only see me through her eyes?"

Francis clenched his fists. "This is wrong, you need to stop."

Before he could move, she wrapped her arms around him, pulling herself close. Francis froze.

"Don’t pretend you don’t feel something too," she murmured. Just then, a loud crash shattered the silence.

The front door had flung open with force. Standing at the doorway was Luci, her hands trembling, her face pale.

In her right hand was the designer glass clock she had bought just a month ago. It slipped from her fingers and hit the floor with a deafening shatter.

Francis leaped back, Adriana pulled her robe tightly around her chest, but the damage had already been done.

Luci's eyes darted between them, confusion twisting into betrayal, pain twisting into rage. "What... what is this?!"

Francis opened his mouth but no words came out. Adriana remained frozen, staring at her mother like a deer in headlights.

"Luci... it’s not what it looks like..."

"Tell me what it is"

"It wasn’t intentional," Francis stammered. "I told her to stop. I told her..."

Adriana suddenly found her voice. "Mum, I was sick. I came to ask for help and—"

"Sick? In that?" Luci screamed, pointing at Adriana's outfit. "Don’t you dare insult my intelligence!"

The room grew colder. Luci’s breathing was ragged, and Francis stepped toward her, reaching out, but she flinched away like he was fire.

"You... you're disgusting," she whispered. "Both of you."

Adriana felt something twist in her gut. For a fleeting second, she wasn’t the girl in control anymore. She was a child again, scolded, exposed, and ashamed.

Luci turned and stormed out of the room, leaving behind a silence so loud it rang in their ears.

Francis collapsed onto the couch, head in his hands. Adriana just stood there, frozen, and for the first time in a long time, she felt regret.