My Stepbrother's Dirty Little Secret novel Chapter 381

Chapter 381

“Gianna, let me explain what I meant,” Raphael said as he reached out an arm to block my path.

I dodged his hand with a twist of my shoulders, completely ignoring his touch like he was nothing. I slammed my palm against the wooden door, threw it open, and stepped out into the hallway without giving him a single backward glance.

I sat down in my seat, pulling my laptop open and staring hard at the bright screen, my heart pounding a wild, furious rhythm against my ribs as I forced myself to pretend he didn’t exist.

Fuck him, and fuck his therapist.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw him walking away. I didn’t turn my head. I kept my eyes glued to the computer screen, but I could feel his gaze locked onto me as he walked toward the elevator to head back up to the executive floor.

He was moving slow, probably waiting for me to look up, waiting for me to give him an opening. I didn’t give him a damn thing. A moment later, the soft ding of the elevator echoed through the space, and the metal doors slid shut, finally taking him away.

The second he was gone, the tight breath I had been holding rushed out of my lungs. I grabbed my phone off the desk, my hands shaking.

Before I could even unlock the screen, the display lit up. His text immediately popped up, a bright white box against the glass.

Raphael: It’s completely logical that you’re angry right now, Gianna. It is a defense mechanism to push back when someone points out a vulnerable spot. But we are under a massive amount of stress keeping this secret inside this house, and having an objective, professional outlet to process everything isn’t a sign of weakness, it’s just a rational step to make sure you’re protected. I’m not judging you. I’m trying to help you manage the load.

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