CHAPTER 31
-Zara’s POV~
I clenched my teeth, refusing to let him get under my skin again. I was successful after the meeting, and I knew Marcus had gotten under Snow’s, prompting the
visit.
“What do you want, Snow?”
His smirk grew as he stepped closer, his hands casually in his pockets. “Just making sure you’re doing your job. After all, we wouldn’t want things to get… out of hand,
would we?”
I shot him a glare. “Don’t worry about me. I’m perfectly capable of handling things.”
“Capable, huh? Like how you handled Marcus or the hotel scandal?” I frowned, and his eyes sparkled with mischief as he leaned over my desk, his face now just inches from mine. His voice dropped to a husky tone. “Last time I checked, you were running out of my
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office like you’d seen a ghost.”
I swallowed hard, forcing myself not to flinch under his intense gaze. “You wish,” I muttered, lacking the strength I’d intended.
Snow chuckled softly, and his breath brushed against my skin. “Oh, Zara,” his seductive voice sent shivers down my spine. “You’re far too easy to rile up.”
I felt Astrid stirring again, feeding off the tension, but I pushed her back. I couldn’t let him see how much he
affected me. Not now.
Before I could respond, Snow’s hand reached out, ‘brushing a strand of hair behind my ear gently, but
there was something dangerous in his eyes.
“You’re mine, Zara. And I always win.”
Without another word, he turned and left, leaving me breathless and trembling in my chair.
*********
**
~Zoe’s POV~
I stormed into Snow’s mansion, my heels clicking against the tiled floors. I was not going to let things spiral out of my control.
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For years, I had been the one looking after Storm, the one taking care of him like a mother. All that time, I hoped Snow would see me for who I truly was–a woman worthy of being his partner.
But no, she had to come along, and suddenly everything had shifted.
I couldn’t let this continue. Storm still needed me, and if I could prove that Zara wasn’t fit to take care of him,
Snow would have no choice but to reconsider.
I spotted a maid walking by and snapped my fingers to catch her attention. “Where’s Storm?” I demanded.
The maid flinched slightly before answering, “In the dining room, ma’am.”
Without another word, I made my way there, my
irritation already rising. As soon as I stepped into the room, I saw him sitting at the table, happily eating…
noodles.
Noodles? Really?
“Storm, darling!” I greeted him with a forced smile as I placed a bag on the table. “What are you eating?” My nose wrinkled, pretending to be disgusted by the sight
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Storm looked up from his bowl with a huge smile on his face. “Zara made it! It’s her special shrimp and mushroom noodles. It’s so good, Zoe!”
I barely hid my disdain. Zara’s noodles? How low had things gotten that he was eating something so simple?
“Oh, sweetie,” I cooed, walking over to the table and glancing at the noodles like they were poison. “That… doesn’t look very healthy for you.”
Storm’s smile faltered and I knew I had struck the right nerve. “It’s delicious!” he protested, but I could tell he was second–guessing it now.
*I sighed dramatically and waved my hand toward the maid. “Please, clear this up. Storm needs something proper to eat.”
The maid hesitated, clearly uncomfortable with the
situation. “But ma’am, he-”
“Now,” I ordered sharply, cutting her off. I wondered why he requested Zara to cook for him. Or did she force it on him?
Regardless of the situation, remedying it was easy.
Garbage!
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“I’ve brought him something much better.” I pulled out the food flasks from my bag and started setting them
on the table.
I opened the first container, revealing perfectly roasted chicken breast with garlic mashed potatoes. and steamed vegetables.
The second container had a fragrant bowl of quinoa salad with pomegranate seeds and feta cheese.
And the last one? A decadent slice of chocolate cake
topped with fresh berries.
“There you go, sweetheart,” I said, smiling sweetly at ‘Storm. “Something that will help you grow big and
strong.”
Storm looked conflicted, glancing between the
noodles and the fancy spread I had laid out. “But… I liked Zara’s noodles,” he mumbled, still holding onto the chopsticks.
Just then, the sound of footsteps made me turn
around, and my stomach sank when I saw her standing
at the entrance of the dining room with her arms
crossed and a raised brow.
“Interesting timing 700” she said smoothlu “I didn’t
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know you’d be joining us for dinner.”
I forced a tight smile, refusing to let her see that she’d caught me off guard. “I didn’t plan to stay,” I said, waving it off. “I just thought Storm might want something… a bit more refined to eat.”
Zara’s gaze shifted to the cleared–up bowl of noodles, then back to the extravagant meal I had brought. “Refined?” She let out a soft laugh. “He was enjoying his noodles just fine. Isn’t that right, Storm?”
Storm squirmed in his seat, clearly caught in the middle of our unspoken battle. “Uh… yeah, I liked the noodles,” he muttered, though he now eyed the chocolate cake with interest.
I seized on the opportunity. “But you deserve the best, don’t you, darling?” I said sweetly, brushing his hair back. “After all, a growing boy needs proper nutrition.”
Zara’s eyes flickered with annoyance. “Zoe, I’m sure you mean well,” she said, her tone sharpening, “but Storm doesn’t need to be force–fed what you think is
best for him.”
“Force–fed?” I scoffed, glaring at her. “I’m simply trying to take care of him. Unlike some people, I’ve been
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doing that for years.”
Zara stepped forward, keeping her posture calm but her eyes cold. “And I appreciate everything you’ve done,” she said smoothly, “but I’m his stepmother now. I’ll decide what’s best for him henceforth.”
I could feel my anger boiling deep down, my wolf clawing to come out and challenge her, put her in her place.
I knew I could win if I did. I was a Beta’s daughter and
Jewel was pretty strong.
How dare she walk in here, acting like she had any
claim over Storm?
“Being married to Snow doesn’t make you his mother, Zara,” I spat. “It doesn’t give you the right to act like you’re in charge.”
Zara’s lips curled into a smirk. “Maybe not,” she
admitted, “but it’s enough to make sure you don’t call the shots anymore.”
I opened my mouth to retort, but before I could, Storm looked between the two of us, his small voice breaking through the tension. “Can I… just eat the cake now?”
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Both of us froze, glancing at him as he nervously fidgeted in his seat.
Zara sighed, finally dropping her stance. “Sure, kiddo. You can have the cake.”
Storm’s eyes lit up as he reached for the cake. “Zara, please, can you feed me some cake?”
My heart clenched at the sound. He pleaded with her?
“Sure kiddo. Nytime you want something and I’m around, never hesitate to let me know, noodles and
all.”
Snow nodded eagerly as he pulled at her fingers.
I gritted my teeth, watching as Zara leaned down, ruffling his hair like she’d won some kind of victory before pecking his cheek lightly.
“This isn’t over,” I whispered, glaring at her. But Zara just smiled, her eyes glinting triumphantly.
“Not even close, Zoe,” she whispered back.
I watched her sit beside Storm, effortlessly sliding into the role I had always wanted.
“Storm, don’t you need Auntie Zoe to feed you, or
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won’t you taste the dishes I prepared?”
Zara scoffed, murmuring, “Bringing a bought meal from Chefz Zone Deli can hardly count as a
home–cooked meal.”
I rolled my eyes at her. I had tried to cover that up, but
how did she know?
She must have sensed my weariness as she tipped her chin at the side, towards the salda bowl.
I shut my eyes briefly at my sloppiness, but my pride wouldn’t let me show defeat. “Hmph!”
“I’m sorry, Zoe, but, it’s okay if Zara feeds me today.”
That was the last straw.
That ungrateful child chose her over me, after everything I had done.
I tried to force a smile, but it failed woefully. “See you around, sweetie.” Even as I left, he did not respond as
he focused on his meal.
The anger threatened to overtake me, but I found solace in the fact that he ate my meal.
Just as I stepped into my silver car, I locked the door
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and placed a call to someone.
The sharp sound of the call ringing broke me from my daze. Soon a sharp voice reached my ears.
“Hello, sis!”
A genuine smile formed on my lips. “Kylie.”
“What’s up, sis? You don’t sound excited.”
“I… uh… just tired,” I lied.
“Sorry about that.”
“Um, thanks. I called for a favour.”
“Shoot,” my kid sister eagerly responded.
“I need all your scope in seducing a man and winning
his son..”
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