Claimed By My Stepbrother novel Chapter 32

3

Chapter 32

Camila POV

By the time lunch rolled around, my stomach was growling like a caged animal. Tess and I made out way to the cafeteria, the noise level at a solid roar as students shouted over each other about everything from weekend plans to wh was dating who. I barely paid attention, too focused on grabbing a quick bite before the chaos of the afternoon class

We found our usual spot by the window, and Tess plopped down in her chair, dropping her tray with a dramatic flair “God, I’m starving. I could eat a horse. No, scratch that- two horses.”

I rolled my eyes, pulling out my bag to grab my wallet. “You say that every day, Tess. One of these days, you’re going to start neighing.”

She smirked, taking a bite of her sandwich. “Better neighing than starving.

I rummaged through my bag, frowning when my wallet didn’t immediately appear. I checked the smaller pocket. Nothing. Then the larger one. Still nothing. My heart sank.

“Tess,” I said slowly, my voice tinged with worry.

“What?” she mumbled through a mouthful of food.

“My wallet. It’s not here.”

She paused, mid–chew, and swallowed quickly. “What do you mean it’s not there? Check again.”

“I am checking,” I snapped, my frustration mounting as I tore through my bag. “It’s not here. It’s gone.*

Her eyes widened as she leaned over to peer into my bag like maybe her looking would magically make it reappear. “Are you sure? Check your pockets. Or maybe you left it in class?”

I shook my head, my hands trembling slightly as I rifled through my things again. “It was in here this morning, Tess. It had everything in it- cash, my student ID…”

“Oh, shit,” she said, sitting up straighter. “This is bad. Like, really bad. You need to report it.”

I froze, looking at her like she had suggested jumping off a cliff. “Report it? Are you crazy? What if someone finds it and gives it back? I don’t want to make a big deal out of this.”

“It is a big deal, Cam!” she argued, her voice rising slightly. “What if someone stole it? They could use your ID, your cards- who knows what they could do? You can’t just ignore this.”

I hesitated, biting my lip. The thought of reporting it made my skin crawl. I didn’t want to draw attention to myself, especially not over something that might just be a misunderstanding.

But Tess was relentless. “Come on,” she said, grabbing my arm and pulling me up from my chair.

office. Now.”

“Tess, no,” I protested, but she was already dragging me across the cafeteria.

ere going to the

The office was bustling with activity when we arrived. A secretary looked up from her computer, her expression

1/3

Chapter 32

neutral but curious as we approached.

“Hi, Tess began, her volee firm and authoritative. My friend here lost her wallet. It had her IU and everything

The secretary glanced at me, her eyebrows raising slightly. “Do you know when or where you lost it?

I shook my head. “No. I had it this morning, but now it’s gone.”

She nodded, typing something into her computer. “I’ll make a note of it and inform the administration. We’ll also notify security to keep an eye out.”

“Thanks, Tess said brightly, while 1 just nodded, feeling like the ground was about to swallow me whole.

How much of a disaster is my day going to be!

After lunch, we returned to class, only for the teacher to make an announcement that sent my anxiety skyrocketing

“Attention, everyone,” she said, her voice cutting through the chatter. “Due to a reported missing wallet from Camila, we’re going to conduct a bag search. Please cooperate.”

The groans were immediate and loud.

“Seriously?” one student muttered.

“This is so stupid,” another said.

By the time the security guard started going through the first few bags. Most of the students slouched in their seats or whispered to one another, throwing me occasional glares like this was all my fault. Tess, ever my self–appointed

get to you.”

cheerleader, leaned closer and whispered, “Don’t let them t

I just sighed and crossed my arms, feeling like I’d stepped into a minefield.

The security guard, a stern–faced man with the demeanor of someone who’s seen it all, wasn’t about to let anything slide. He opened the first student’s bag, rifling through with meticulous care, and frowned. “Pack of cigarettes,” he muttered, pulling them out and holding them up for everyone to see.

The student, a wiry guy named Greg, tried to play it off. “Uh…those aren’t mine. I’m holding them for my brother.”

“Sure you are,” the guard said dryly, dropping the pack onto the teacher’s desk like it was evidence in a crime scene. “Next bag.”

The class erupted into hushed laughter/and murmurs. Greg slouched lower in his seat, muttering something under his breath, but the guard had already moved on.

Verify captcha to read the contentVerify