Claimed And Marked By Her Stepbrother Mates novel Chapter 564

Chapter 564: 564-A Blast From The Past

Helanie:

"Do you want me to wake him up?" she asked again, and I shook my head before answering her.

"No, it’s fine. I’ll ask someone else. I hope you feel better soon. I didn’t get a chance to talk to you earlier, but thank you, Jessica, for taking a stand for me," I said softly, feeling defeated but also... wrong.

The way I acted around her mate made me feel shameless. A homewrecker who gets upset when a taken man rejects her advances.

"Sleep well," I added, then ended the call, tears forming in my eyes as I stared at the screen.

"Eh?" Penn waking up made me quickly rub my face with my hands, pretending I hadn’t been crying.

"Helanie? What time is it?" he asked, sitting up in bed and rubbing his eyes.

"It’s still dark outside," I responded, feeling so low.

"Oh, why are you up? Are you feeling okay?" he asked as he got out of bed. He looked so sleepy with his one eye still closed.

I wasn’t okay, honestly, but I had to pretend like I was.

"What happened last night?" I asked, trying to retrace my steps.

"You were drunk and made me carry you to your room," he said, laughing at the memory.

"I made you carry me?" I asked, surprised, and he nodded with a fake pout.

"On my back," he added, and we both laughed—before my smile faded once again. I was so low, I didn’t even know how to keep the conversation going.

"Helanie, what made you so upset that you drank so much? All I know is that you left the hostel briefly and came back to drink yourself into not being able to stand," he said, sitting next to me on the bed, making me think back on the night.

"It was nothing. I just wanted to clear my head. Being free of the burden of revenge made me look around and focus on my life. And, well... I realized I married a man who isn’t my mate. The man who could’ve been happily married by now. I was so lost in revenge, I didn’t focus on anything else until now," I rambled, rubbing my hands nervously.

"Hm. It’s okay. You have until the next moon to reject him. Although it would’ve been easier for Jessica to deal with the grief if she were married right now. But you didn’t do it on purpose. And you’re so respectful to them—you don’t even stay around Norman much," Penn said gently, having no idea what he was really talking about.

If he knew the truth, he would hate me. That thought made me lower my head in guilt even more. All of them thought so highly of me...And I was busy dreaming about the forbidden man.

"So don’t worry. I’m sure Jessica understands, and she respects you for keeping your distance from her man," he continued, and I couldn’t help but recall last night’s events.

Penn was so right. He reminded me that I should be grateful Norman shut me down last night.

That’s when my phone rang again—and without checking the screen, I answered it instantly.

"What is it, Norman?" I asked, shocking not only myself but Penn too. I answered like I had been waiting for the call. Jessica must have told him. He barely sleeps anyway.

"What do you want to say?" I asked, jaw clenched. "What’s even left to say?" _{freēwēbnovel.com}