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.

like a faulty light bulb. Dim one moment, practically glowing the next She looked

the puzzle I was carefully building beneath

I picked it up. It was a worthy distraction from this uninteresting dinner I was being forced

It was from Alfred

They

I picked up

toast to

are we looking

a mouthwatering deal of a hundred

another sip of

1/3

14:22 Tue, May 6

Chapter 226

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technology-a fake Elvris prototype drawn up in just enough detail to

and pour 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

everything smooth until the deal is closed. I don't want a ripple

Alpha. No

just

was about

unravel piece by piece would be the real

drew in a deep breath of

on a

wasn't