I came home from college expecting to deal with my emotionally unavailable father, an empty fridge, and a summer full of boredom.

What I didn’t expect was to walk into the kitchen and find a barefoot, stunning woman in my dad’s shirt stirring eggs like she owned the place.

Spoiler: She does.

Her name is Elena, and apparently, she’s my brand-new stepmother—seven years older than me, way too cheerful, and totally off-limits.

But try telling that to my brain when she’s bending over to grab orange juice or accidentally falling on top of me in the laundry room. Try telling that to my heart when she’s laughing at my jokes, defending me at dinner, or wearing my hoodie because “it smells like comfort.”

My dad doesn’t see her. Not really.
But I do.
And that’s the problem.

Now I’m stuck in a house full of tension, sarcasm, and slow-burn chaos.
She’s married to my father.
I’m supposed to be focusing on my future.
But somehow, I’m falling for the one woman I absolutely, definitely, 100% should not be falling for.

Oops.

After weeks of avoidance and tension, Aaron and Elena finally spoke alone for the first time since their relationship imploded. The conversation wasn't an apology — it was a confession. They didn't try to make excuses. They simply admitted the truth: they crossed a line, and now they live with it.


Meanwhile, Milo made a bold move by returning home and dropping off an envelope labeled Insurance. What's inside? No one knows for sure — but Elena and Aaron are both terrified to open it. Upstairs, Milo waits quietly with the evidence in his hands. And down the hall, Aaron exits, leaving Elena to stew in silence.


What none of them realize is that James, who was supposed to be away at the vineyard, is already on his way back home… and he might be the first one to open the envelope.


Chapter 39 - Chapter 39 – What Happens When You Open It