Mated To My Obsessive Stepbrother

Chapter 226

KESTER.

I headed downstairs to join the others who were already chatting away at the dining.

The table reeked of discomfort.

My maternal uncle, Greg, was there-of course. Along with my fathers cousins, Ralph and Vincent. The kind of men who wore expensive suits to hide the mediocrity clinging to their bones.

Everyone I despised seated neatly around the table like some perfectly plated disease.

Especially Uncle Greg.

The man reminded me so much of my mother. Same passive-aggressive smirks. Same polished speech. Same Hazel eyes. The woman I hated. The woman I still, fucking tragically, loved. A contradiction hadn't learned how to overcome yet.

And what the fuck was Karina doing here?

Family dinner? She wasn't family. She was an asterisk in this gathering.

She wasn't family for fuck's sake!

Jorja, bless her diplomatic little heart, had that signature 'ignore-it-all-and-smile' expression smeared across her face like it was waterproof. She was clearly committed to enjoying her evening, even if the house was on fire and Karina was holding the match.

This was my father's doing. Of course, it was. He had a knack for opening our doors wide enough for snakes to slither in.

A few hours ago, I had replaced Karina's new favorite wine. The one kept for her two days ago was empty. She surely loved it.

I know she must have attempted to look for the exact wine to buy for herself, but fuck me if I wasn't smart enough to make sure the

wine had no label.

The kind of happy that switches on and off like a faulty light bulb. Dim one moment, practically glowing the next She

the puzzle I was carefully building beneath her

picked it up. It was a worthy distraction from this

It was from Alfred

Kex fell for the bait. They

I picked up my glass of whiskey, raising it

to a bloodless war. Another

much are we looking

strike a mouthwatering deal

of

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Chapter 226

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fifty million. For phantom technology-a fake Elvris prototype drawn up in just enough detail

his last dollar into a grave I dug with a handshake. He was about to bleed out, and he wouldn't even realize he'd been cut. Not until he was already too

Keep everything smooth until the deal is closed. I don't

Alpha. No trace.

wasn't just about

about power and

piece by piece would be

in a

good on a night this

a night wasn't bad. Not