Ten Days to Leave My Stepbrother (Beatrice) novel Chapter 22

**TITLE: Across Quiet Meadows Rise Dreams Waiting For Their Moment 22**

**Chapter 22**

**288 Vouchers**

As the sun began to filter through the curtains, Beatrice stirred awake, enveloped in a blanket of silence that hung heavily in the air. The house, usually filled with the sounds of morning routines, was eerily quiet. She blinked a few times, trying to shake off the remnants of sleep, only to notice that Greyson was nowhere to be found. On the kitchen counter, a note lay neatly folded, its edges crisp against the wood. It simply stated that he had something to attend to and would be out for a while.

Beatrice shrugged off the fleeting concern. It was just another day. After preparing a modest breakfast, she retreated to the sanctuary of her bedroom, the familiar hum of her computer welcoming her back. With a determined spirit, she settled down to study, her mind eager to absorb the knowledge that awaited her.

She had just delved deep into a chapter, her thoughts swirling around complex theories, when suddenly, the shrill ring of her phone broke the concentration. It lay on the desk, an uninvited distraction. Frowning slightly, she reached for it, glancing at the screen to find an unfamiliar international number flashing back at her. A moment of hesitation passed; her instincts warned her, yet curiosity got the better of her. She answered.

“Hello?” she ventured, but the line was met with an unsettling silence. Just as she contemplated ending the call, a familiar voice cut through the stillness.

“I’m downstairs at your current place, Bex. Come out and spend my birthday with me.”

Maverick. The name echoed in her mind, bringing with it a rush of mixed emotions. How had he tracked her down to this quiet corner of her life? The thought sent a shiver down her spine. She knew Maverick well enough to anticipate his intentions; if she stepped outside, he would pull her into a whirlwind of celebration, and she wasn’t ready for that.

“No, Maverick,” she replied, her voice steady despite the flutter of anxiety in her chest. “Go celebrate with Ms. Leland. She hasn’t seen you in so long; she must miss you. I won’t come down, but happy birthday.”

The silence that followed her words was thick, almost suffocating. She could hear the sound of his breath on the other end, each inhale growing heavier, more laden with frustration. Beatrice’s heart raced; she could almost feel the storm brewing on the other side of the line. Not wanting to provoke him further, she quickly ended the call and switched off her phone, a sense of relief washing over her as she did so.

The rest of the day slipped away in a blur of books and notes, her focus unwavering as she buried herself in her studies. Hours turned into an endless stream of information, and it wasn’t until the next morning that she dared to turn her phone back on. The screen lit up, revealing a shocking number of missed calls—over a hundred. She stared at the notifications, a knot tightening in her stomach, before she took a deep breath and cleared the call log, determined to push away the chaos of Maverick’s world.

For the next two weeks, Beatrice became a ghost in her own life, rarely leaving the confines of her home. She ventured out only for the Sterling family gatherings, where the laughter and chatter felt like a distant echo of the life she once knew. Most of her days were spent in the company of Greyson, their conversations light and easy, a comforting routine amidst the storm of her thoughts.

As the calendar turned and September arrived, signaling the dawn of a new school year, Beatrice found herself contemplating her next steps. With classes just three days away, she broached the subject of moving into her apartment early with Lilith, her best friend.

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