CEO Stepbrother's Surprise Baby

Chapter 18

Noah

My mother is packing down stuff for her honeymoon with Elias, whom she married less than twenty-four hours ago. He doesn't seem like a terrible person, and he raised Natalie, so there must be some good in him.

"Don't stay up too late while I'm gone, and no snacks for dinner. I'm serious, Noah. Eat proper food. Have Frank cook you five meals a day—he is an excellent chef. You're a professional football player and need protein."

I roll my eyes. "Mother… I'm not a kid anymore. Do I have to remind you that you're the one living in my house?"

My mother looks up at me while packing her suitcase. Her bottom lip is quivering, a sign of her about to waver. "I know—you're all grown up, and it makes me sad! You've always been my little boy, and now you're even taller than your dad!"

Great, now my mother will start crying. These days all she ever does is get emotional. I love my mother, of course, but she can sometimes be a bit overwhelming.

A few nights ago, she cried while watching a children's movie without it having many sad scenes. She shoved ice cream into her mouth and bawled her eyes out. I could hear her voice through the walls.

I won't ever admit this, but I want my mother to find her own place. I tried mentioning it once, but she became mental, so I haven't brought up the subject again. I'm such a coward for not throwing her out.

It's sometimes a curse being kind…

If I were more like Natalie, brave and determined, I wouldn't hesitate to get rid of my mother…

"You're supposed to be happy," I sigh and give my mother a defeated smile, hoping it will cheer her up. "This honeymoon is going to be great. I should know—I'm the one who picked out the resort."

I also paid for everything because, let's face it: I won't have my mother blowing up my phone day in and day out. I will get a well-needed break.

"You're such a generous man," my mother sobs. "The day you find a woman, I will be so picky, Noah—I won't let anyone close to my baby without proving themselves worthy."

"You should be packing..." And hopefully, never come back.

"You won't even be here when I come back," my mother says. "You have that football game in another state. So it will be years before I see your pretty face again."

"Weeks..."

"Right," she sobs. "Anyway, stay out of trouble, and... Try not to hang around Natalie too much, okay?"

I lift an eyebrow. "Why?"

Well, this was unexpected…

"Because she gives me bad vibes," my mother shrugs. "It's no big deal, but I expect her to move out as soon as she has found a part-time job. She is too spoiled by her father. We aren't even related to her, and she gets to live here for free?"

My eyes narrow. "You don't like Natalie?"

My mother meets my eyes. "I realize it's terrible to say about your step-daughter, but no. I don't like her. Natalie is... Weird. Okay? She is reserved and arrogant, cocky, and not a proper lady."

I clench my jaw. It's not like me to get irritated at my mother. We usually get along, but my patience is about to explode. I don't like it when people talk ill about Natalie, and it seems that goes for my mother too.

Besides, Natalie is here because I invited her. I wanted her to come and live with me—the same thing can't be said about my mother.

"Natalie is fine," I tell my mother. "You should give her a chance."

"Oh, I've tried," my mother shakes her head. "That spoiled daughtered was eating inside our kitchen when it was her first morning inside the mansion. She behaved like she owned the place and dared to complain that she didn't have a car. Can you believe it?"

I furrow my eyebrows. "That doesn't sound like Natalie at all..."

"Because you can't see through her bullshit like I can. Trust me, Natalie is terrible news. She also spoke to her father in this disrespectful tone, expecting him to buy her a new car."

I laugh and cross my arms over my chest. My mother never struck me as a liar before, but she is being a snake right now. And I hate dishonesty if there isn't a good meaning behind it.

White lies are acceptable.

Lying to protect someone is okay.

But lying to hurt another person?

Not okay.

"Are you making things up, mother? Because Natalie would never ask for a brand new car."

My mother snorts while packing socks into her suitcase. "Every girl would want a new car. They would probably fight each other for the keys and rip each other to shreds."

"Not Natalie. If she was given a car for free, she would call the person responsible for delivering it to her garden and demand they take it back, yelling there must have been a mistake."

My mother lifts her attention to my face. "You know an awful lot about Natalie. It's a bit concerning."

"We are good friends, and that's not concerning. Natalie is good company. She makes me laugh and accepts me for who I am—I'm not about to give that up. No matter what you think about her."

"Funny," my mother says in a voice laced with poison. "It almost sounds like you're in love with her."

Oh?

Is my mother challenging me right now?

A smile plays over my lips, and since I want to piss my mother off, I simply shrug my shoulder. "I wouldn't know anything about that. I've never been in love, but you might be, right? Perhaps I'm falling for my step-sister."

My mother almost chokes. "Stop joking about that!"

I smile at my mother. It's gentle, but she would flip out if she knew what emotions I hide behind my lips. I'm burning for Natalie, but I won't tell anyone. I realize that we are an impossible dream.

Natalie cares what other people things, and I respect that.

"I will stop," I say and walk for the door. "Have a nice honeymoon with Elias. You deserve some vacation."

"Thank you!"

An evil plan forms inside my head as I head into the kitchen.

Things will happen when Natalie and I are alone. I intend to live out every fantasy with Natalie. The time our parents spend away on that paradise island will be our honeymoon too, like a goodbye, but with me spoiling Natalie rotten included.

I will buy Natalie a new car, take her out on the yacht, and make love to her until the sun is rising. We will live like lovers while our parents are gone but return to normal when they come back—that is my plan.

And if our feelings are but a mere crush, then maybe they will disappear if we spend enough time together?

Not that I think this is a crush. I believe Natalie could be my soulmate—she makes me feel like I can do anything.