My Stepbrother's Dirty Little Secret novel Chapter 581

Chapter 581

Hazel was awake, sitting up against the pillows. The bedside lamp cast a warm glow over her face as she looked between me and my father in confusion.

She blinked, “Raphael?”

I walked straight toward her, “Where’s Gianna?”

Hazel frowned, “…Asleep?”

I shook my head, “No.”

Her expression changed, “What do… you mean, no?”

I looked around the room one more time even though I already knew she wasn’t there.

My breathing became heavier. Without another word, I turned and walked back out.

“Raphael!” Dad called after me. “What’s going on?”

I didn’t answer. As I hurried down the hallway toward Vincenzo’s wing, I stopped outside Jules’ bedroom. I pushed the door open just enough to look inside.

She was curled beneath her blankets, her favorite nightlight casting a soft glow across the room. Sound asleep.

Not with Gianna.

I closed the door as quietly as I’d opened it and kept moving. I didn’t stop. I couldn’t. My feet carried me straight toward Vincenzo’s wing, another door, another hard series of knocks.

The handle turned almost immediately.

Claire opened the door wearing one of Vincenzo’s oversized shirts. Her hair was messy, her eyes still heavy with sleep.

She looked at my face, whatever she saw made her smile disappear, “Raphael?”

“Is Gianna here?”

She frowned, “What?”

“Has she been here tonight?”

Claire stared at me for a second, then slowly shook her head, “No… She went to bed hours ago.”

I nodded once, turned and walked away.

“Raphael?” she called after me, “What’s going on?”

I turned and broke into another run, taking the stairs two at a time before cutting across the hallway toward Adriano’s wing.

Maddie.

Maybe she’d seen her.

I pounded on the door hard enough to shake the frame. A few seconds later, it swung open. Adriano stood in the doorway, shirtless and clearly half asleep.

Madeleine appeared just behind him, pulling her robe tighter around herself. The second her eyes landed on my face, every trace of sleep disappeared.

Adriano’s hair looked like he’d fought a tornado, “What psycho knocks like- Raphael?”

“Is Gianna here?”

Adriano frowned, “What?”

Maddie shook her head, “No, she said goodnight after dinner. I thought she went straight to bed… Why?”

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