Claimed By My Stepbrother novel Chapter 16

Chapter 16

Camila POV

By the time the final bell rang and I trudged out of school, I was done. Not just regular, I–had–a–long–day done, but completely fried and ready to crawl into a hole for eternity done.

Tess, of course, was still buzzing beside me, chatting about some new pop–up cafe she wanted to check out. “They do, like, custom latte art,” she said, waving her hands excitedly. “You can bring in a picture, and they’ll recreate it in the foam. Isn’t that so cool?”

“Mmm,” I mumbled, not really listening. My brain was too busy running laps over everything that had happened today. Ethan in every class. Ethan in art. Ethan disappearing like some kind of magician.

And the look Tess gave me when I pointed out that empty seat? I didn’t even want to think about it.

“You okay?” Tess asked, nudging me.

“Yeah, just tired,” I lied, forcing a half–smile. “Long day.”

She nodded, thankfully dropping the subject, and we parted ways at the parking lot. Tess hopped into her sleek little car- seriously, why did everyone I know drive nice cars except me?– and waved before speeding off.

I, on the other hand, had to catch the bus. Or walk. Either way, I wasn’t looking forward to it.

The air was crisp as I made my way down the street, the faint scent of autumn leaves and someone grilling wafting through the breeze. It was the kind of weather that made you want to curl up with a blanket and a hot drink. But I wasn’t in the mood for cozy. I was too wound up.

The bus ride home was uneventful, thank God. No Ethan sightings, no weird vibes. Just me, my earbuds, and some angsty music that matched my mood perfectly.

The sun was already setting by the time I arrived, painting the mansion in hues of

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Chapter 16

orange and gold. The place looked serene from the outside, but inside, it felt suffocating. Every step I took through the front door felt heavy, like the weight of everything waiting for me inside was dragging me down.

And, to top everything up, the first person I saw was Greg.

He was sitting in the living room, scrolling through his phone. His shirt was perfectly pressed, his smile ready to disarm anyone who walked in.

“Hey, Camila,” he said, looking up with that casual friendliness he always wore like a second skin.

“Hi,” I muttered, forcing a tight smile.

“Your mom’s upstairs,” he said, motioning lazily toward the staircase. “She’s been on her feet all day- something about cake tastings and flower arrangements. You know how she gets.”

“Yeah,” I said, trying to edge toward the stairs without making it obvious.”

“You just get back from school?” he asked, leaning forward like he genuinely cared

about my answer.

“Uh–huh,” I replied, keeping my tone neutral.

“Long day?”

“Something like that.”

Greg gave a small chuckle, like we were sharing some kind of inside joke. “Well, enjoy school while you can. Real life’s a lot harder.”

I clenched my jaw. He always said stuff like that, these little nuggets of wisdom no one asked for.

“Thanks for the advice,” I said, my voice dripping with just enough sarcasm to get my

point across.

He either didn’t notice or pretended not to, which was even more annoying. “Oh, by the way, no karaoke today? Your mom mentioned it. Said you had fun.”

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Chapter 16

I froze, caught off guard. “She told you that?”

“Of course. She was excited to see you doing something different,” he said with a smile, like he thought he was some kind of supportive stepdad already.

I swallowed the irritation bubbling in my throat. “It was just a one–time thing.”

“Well, it’s good to see you stepping out of your shell a little,” he said with a nod, like he was proud of me or something.

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