Claimed By My Stepbrother novel Chapter 85

Chapter 85

Camila POV

There she was. Standing right at the bottom of the grand staircase like she’d been waiting there all day and pacing herself into a hole in the floor. My mother. Looking like she’d seen a ghost.

“You came earlier than expected,” she said, her voice all tight and nervous, her hands fidgeting with the hem of her cardigan like she didn’t know what to do with them. “How are you-”

I didn’t let her finish.

I didn’t care what she was trying to say.

I just… launched myself forward and hugged her.

Hard.

I wrapped my arms around her like I hadn’t done since I was a kid and held on for dear life. And for a moment, she stood there frozen, like she didn’t know what to do. And then she collapsed into me. Just melted.

was

She hugged me back, arms shaky but tight. Squeezed me like she was trying to keep herself from falling apart completely.

And then I heard it her sniffling.

I wasn’t even surprised to find that I was crying too. We were both crying, and probably for completely different reasons. She was probably crying out of guilt. Or maybe relief. And me? I didn’t even know. I just… needed my mom. Even if I was mad and frustrated. Even though I wasn’t going to trust everything she was going

to said.

For those few seconds, none of it mattered.

“You smell like him,” she whispered into my hair, and I didn’t ask her to clarify who “him” was as I pulled away gently, wiping my face with my sleeve, trying to pretend I hadn’t just had a full–blown emotional breakdown in the middle of the foyer. “How’s the wedding planning going?” I asked, trying to switch gears before I dissolved

again.

She blinked at me like she hadn’t expected me to bring it up. “Oh. Uh…” she sniffled and gave me a weak smile. “It’s coming up very well. The florists called three times this morning. I told them you’d be here any day now, but they still panicked.”

I turned slightly and glanced behind me–Ethan was still standing there, awkwardly parked near the door like he wasn’t sure if he was allowed to move or breathe or blink.

He looked so out of place, standing in the same spot where I just had a dramatic reunion with my mother. Tall and broody and a little out of his element, like someone had dragged him into a Hallmark movie and he had no idea what to do with all the feelings.

Chapter 85

I couldn’t help it–I laughed. Like, a real laugh. Sudden and loud and completely out of nowhere.

Ethan looked confused. My mom looked more confused. And that only made me laugh harder.

“What’s funny?” my mother asked, half–laughing herself now, because apparently that’s how laughter worked- it was contagious, especially when you didn’t know what the hell was going on.

“Nothing.” I said between breaths.

Ethan gave me a curious stare which made me snort again.

My mom shook her head, smiling softly now. “Just go rest inside your room, sweetheart. School must’ve been. stressful. I kept it clean for you. Even dusted the shelves.”

“Thanks, Mom,” I said, my voice quieter now.

“Of course, she beamed, brushing my hair back behind my ear. “You’re still my daughter.”

I swallowed hard at that. I didn’t know why that sentence hit like it did, but it did. Maybe because for a while,

I hadn’t felt like her daughter. I’d felt like a stranger in my own family.

I nodded, then turned and went for the stairs.

Ethan followed.

We headed up the grand staircase, and I could feel my mom watching us. I didn’t look back, though. I wasn’t ready to see her face and all the things she was probably thinking.

My room was exactly how I left it which was very comforting. It was nice to know there were certain aspects of my life that still remained the same.

I dropped my bag and sat on the edge of the bed, sighing.

I turned my head slowly and spotted Ethan by the bookshelf–my bookshelf–his tall frame blocking the sunlight that had just started spilling through the window.

He was running a finger along the spines of my books, reading the titles like he was trying to understand me through them. Which was weird. And annoying. And weird.

“Hello?” I called out, drawing his attention.

Ethan bl

Ethan blinked and turned like he’d just realized he was being watched.

I didn’t say anything else.

There was no need to

I just looked at the door.

Then at him.

2/4

Chapter 85

Then back at the door.

Not a single word. Not a single please leave or get out of my room or stop touching my books like you’re about to give them a Yelp review.

Just… a look.

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