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The Unwanted son-in-law Chapter 41: Visiting my father.
Zara’s POV I should’ve known visiting my father would be a mistake.And yet, here I was, standing outside Leonard Windsor’s office like a condemned prisoner walking to the gallows. I had barely stepped inside when his sharp voice sliced through the air.“YOU HAVE GOT TO BE KIDDING ME.”Ah, yes. The warm Windsor family is welcome.I didn’t flinch as my father shot up from behind his massive desk, his face rapidly turning an interesting shade of red. His office, usually a cold, intimidating space designed to make people feel small, suddenly felt too cramped under the weight of his rage.I let out a dramatic sigh and flopped into the chair across from him. “Miss me, Father?”He slammed a newspaper onto the desk, his glare practically burning a hole through me."ETHAN CARTER & VICTORIA LEXINGTON – NEW YORK'S POWER COUPLE?"The headline was in bold, capital letters, as if it was personally taunting me. Beneath it was a photo of Ethan and Victoria walking out of some exclusive event, her
The Unwanted son-in-law Chapter 42: Tables Turned
Zara’s POV I was going to make a statement.Not a quiet one, not a subtle one, a very loud, public, scandalous statement that would remind everyone, especially Ethan, exactly who I was.So, I threw a party.And not just any party, a Zara Windsor-level party. Expensive venue, exclusive guest list, champagne flowing like water, and music loud enough to make even the most uptight socialites loosen up, I knew that money was my saving but I don't give a fv*k.Because Ethan and Victoria are the real reason for this grand event. I sent them personal invitations. Because what’s the point of a spectacle if the main characters don’t show up?And to my absolute delight, they did. Oh, this Was Going to Be FunI had something to prove. Ethan wasn’t over me, no matter how many smug newspaper headlines tried to tell me otherwise. And Victoria? Please. She was just a placeholder, a speed bump on the road back to my rightful place by Ethan’s side.Ethan looked… Well, Ethan. Sharp, brooding, annoyin
The Unwanted son-in-law Chapter 43: What An Intimate Moment
Victoria’s POVEthan was pissed. Not his usual brooding billionaire kind of pissed. No, tonight he was drunk-until-you-forget-your-own-name levels of pissed.And honestly? I couldn’t even blame him.Zara had just pulled the most spectacularly embarrassing stunt of the century at her own party, dragging me through the mud, calling me a husband snatcher, only for Ethan to drop the BOOM. We had dated for only three years.I mean, I knew she had issues, but that was next-level delusion.Now here we were, back at Ethan’s penthouse, and instead of just cooling off like a normal person, the man had grabbed a bottle of whiskey and was drinking like it owed him money.“Ethan,” I sighed, watching him from the doorway of the kitchen. “Maybe slow down?”He ignored me and poured another glass.I crossed my arms. “Drinking isn’t going to fix anything.”“It’s not supposed to fix anything,” he muttered, taking a long sip. “It’s supposed to help me forget how much of a circus my life has become.”I r
The Unwanted son-in-law Chapter 44: Losing my mind
Zara’s POVI was losing my mind.Three days. Three whole days without my son.At first, I had told myself to be patient. That I needed to let the scandal die down before making any reckless moves. But patience was for saints, and I was not a saint.I needed to see him. Now.“I’m going,” I announced, standing up so fast that Veronica almost dropped her phone.She groaned from the couch. “Oh, for the love of…. !!! Zara, no. That is literally the dumbest idea you’ve had all week.”I crossed my arms. “And why is it dumb?”Veronica didn’t answer. Instead, she turned her phone around, shoving it in my face.The screen was filled with headlines.“Zara Windsor’s Party Meltdown—The Bitter Ex Who Can’t Move On?”“Zara vs. Ethan’s Fiancée: A Love Triangle Gone Wrong”“Ex-Heiress or Ex-Girlfriend? Zara Windsor’s Most Embarrassing Night Yet”“Zara Windsor’s Party Meltdown: Is She Still Obsessed With Ethan Carter?”“Zara Windsor: The Bitter Ex Who Can’t Let Go!”“Husband Snatcher vs. Psycho Fiancé
The Unwanted son-in-law Chapter 45: A Royal-Level Panic Attack
Zara's pov Veronica, bless her traitorous heart, immediately shot up and tried to play it cool. “Mr. Windsor! What a… pleasant surprise!”I shot her a look. Pleasant surprise?My father ignored her and fixed me with a stare that could probably shatter glass. “Zara,” he said smoothly. “What exactly are you hiding?”I laughed. Too loudly, too awkwardly and too very suspiciously.“Hiding?” I repeated, clearing my throat. “Nothing! What would I even hide? That’s crazy.”Veronica nodded way too fast. “So crazy.”My father’s eyes narrowed. Oh, we were so dead.“Dad, it's just about Ethan, we were just wondering how his son would eventually be if Victoria gets pregnant for him, I said, faking my best smile”.He stepped closer. “Then why did you go silent the second I walked in?”I faked a yawn. “I was just… tired and forget what to say.”Veronica chimed in, “Yeah, she’s been stressed…” I
The Unwanted son-in-law Chapter 46: Shares To Carter
Leonard's POV I knew things were bad.But is this bad?I sat at my desk, gripping the latest financial report so tightly that the paper crumpled. One by one, my so-called loyal shareholders were pulling out, dumping their shares like my company was a sinking ship. And to make matters worse? They weren’t just selling to anyone.No.They were selling to the Carters.To Ethan Carter, of all people.That arrogant little upstart was circling my empire like a vulture, waiting for me to drop dead.I exhaled slowly, pressing my fingers against my temples. “Unbelievable.”The betrayal. The audacity. The insult.I spent years building this business, turning the Windsor name into one of power and prestige, and now these cowards were running at the first sign of trouble?I was still fuming when my assistant walked in.“Sir,” he said, looking nervous. “You have a visitor.”I narrowed
The Unwanted son-in-law Chapter 47: Time out
Ethan’s POVI was going to kill her.Not literally, of course. But after three days of no calls, no messages, and absolutely zero explanations, Lisa was finally standing in front of me like she hadn’t just disappeared off the face of the earth.Victoria and I had been watching some terrible rom-com… her choice, obviously—when the front door swung open, and there she was, wearing sunglasses indoors, at NIGHT.The audacity, I shot up from the couch. “Where the hell have you been?”Lisa barely looked at me. She took off her sunglasses, tossed her bag onto the floor, and kicked off her shoes. “Not now, Ethan.”I scoffed. “Not now? Not now?! You’ve been missing for three days! I had people out looking for you! You weren’t answering your phone! What were you doing, huh? Running a secret operation in another country? Learning how to survive in the wilderness?”She yawned. Like Yawned. She wasn’t the reason I’d barely
The Unwanted son-in-law Chapter 48: Bad idea
Zara’s POVConvincing Elizabeth to come out tonight was harder than convincing a cat to take a bath."I'm just saying," she had sighed, arms crossed, "is it really necessary? A small bar? Outside the city? This sounds like one of your terrible ideas, Zara.""Terrible? Excuse me, I have fantastic ideas. Plus, we need this! You’ve been so stressed lately, and we never get to have fun anymore. Come on, Liz. One night. No drama, no responsibilities, just us and some cocktails.""And Elias," she pointed out.I waved that off. "Of course, Elias. He’s like my little sidekick. It’s fine. He’ll be with us the whole time!"The bar was exactly what I wanted, small, cozy, loud enough to drown out any overthinking but not so loud that we couldn’t talk. It was filled with people who didn’t care who we were, which was perfect.Elias sat in the booth between Elizabeth and me, happily munching on fries and sipping his juice. Veronica was already two drinks in, telling a very dramatic story about her n
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Chapter 57: Leonard’s Possession
Leonard’s POVI stood in the dimly lit room, watching the small figure of Elias. The boy, my grandson, looked up at me with wide eyes. There was something strangely innocent about the way he stared at me, and yet, I could see the fear lurking behind his gaze. It was the fear of the unknown, the fear of being in a place he didn’t understand, with people he didn’t know.But that fear would fade. It would all fade in time. I had him now, that’s all that mattered.I couldn’t suppress the small smirk that tugged at the corner of my lips. Elias was mine, he had no idea yet, but his mother’s precious secrets were all about to unravel. Zara, her precious little family, would never know what hit them. The way they all clung to their little world, thinking they were safe, thinking they had power over me, how wrong they were.“Stay quiet, Elias,” I said softly, stepping closer to him. His wide eyes flicked up at me, and he nodded quickly. The room was silent except for the soft sound of his brea
Chapter 56: Too Late
Zara’s POVThe drive to Lisa’s apartment felt unusually calm.Veronica and I exchanged a few quiet words, but for the most part, I couldn’t shake the feeling that I was forgetting something important. I tried to push the nagging thought out of my mind, telling myself it was just my nerves acting up. After all, Lisa had seemed fine the last time I saw her. She’d been in good spirits, planning a quiet evening with Elias at her new place. She even mentioned she was finally getting settled after the move, though there's no enough security there.But nothing about that neighbourhood screamed “danger.” And yet… the air felt thick with unease.“I just hope she didn’t go out,” I muttered, staring out the window as the city passed by. “You know how she gets when she’s stressed. She’ll go off the grid for hours.”Veronica glanced over at me, her eyes narrowing in concern. “You think something’s off?”“No, I’m just overthinking. We’re probably fine,” I replied, trying to reassure myself.When t
Chapter 55: Snatched
Clarke’s POV Leonard Windsor didn’t trust many men.But he trusted me and Miller.That trust wasn’t born of loyalty. It was built on usefulness. We were the type of men who got things done. Cleanly, quietly and permanently.So when he finally said, “It’s time,” I didn’t ask questions. I already knew the target.Lisa Carter and the boy Elias, his own grandson.His leverage, Ethan's weakness and Zara’s ultimate submission.We’d been trailing Lisa for days now. She was clever, I’d give her that. Always looking over her shoulder, never sticking around one place for too long. She changed cars, wore hats, and always tried to dodge any cameras. But clever only gets you so far. Because she was also sentimental and sentiment makes people predictable.She never strayed far from the boy.The CARTER heir, legitimate, hidden and valuable.“She’s holed up in a townhouse on Clifton,” Miller muttered beside me, eyes glued to the grainy surveillance feed on his tablet. “Lights out at 11:30, no re
Chapter 54: Uneasiness everywhere
Lisa's POVThe warm wind of the evening felt like a blessing as Elias tugged on my hand, his excitement almost contagious. I had been waiting for this moment all week, just a simple warm evening with my nephew, spoiling him with ice cream and letting everything else fade away, even if just for a few hours.“Are we almost there?” Elias’s voice broke through my thoughts, his small steps quickening as we approached the ice cream parlor.I glanced down at him and smiled, squeezing his hand. “Just a few more steps, buddy. Almost there.”We reached the little shop, one of my favorites from when I was a kid. It had been a while since I’d been here, but everything still looked the same, striped awnings, a jingle bell on the door, and the sweet scent of waffle cones filling the air. I could already feel my own excitement building. A moment of normalcy, something I hadn’t had in weeks.I opened the door for Elias, letting him rush ahead, and followed him inside. The woman behind the counter gr
Chapter 53: Shadows of Power
Leonard’s POVThe sound of the door closing behind Clarke and Miller echoed through the vast, empty study. The silence that followed was a heavy one, pressing in from all sides as I allowed myself a moment of rare satisfaction.The pieces had fallen into place. Zara, stubborn as she was, had given me exactly what I needed. I wasn’t surprised, though. People always underestimate the importance of their own secrets. Zara had thought she could keep her son hidden, but in the end, she had made the fatal error of believing I could be deceived.Now, Ethan Carter, the so-called righteous heir but Unwanted son-in-law, was unknowingly tied to me in ways he never could have anticipated. His son, his heir was mine to control.It was almost poetic, really.I chuckled softly, swirling the whiskey in my glass as I contemplated the chain of events. Ethan, so proud of his empire, his legacy, he had no idea that the one thing he cherished most was already slipping through his fingers. A child, hidden
Chapter 52: Panic
Zara’s POVI stared at the phone screen for the hundredth time that day, willing it to ring, vibrate or anything. But nothing yet, no missed calls, no messages, not even a damn emoji from Lisa.It had only been five days since she took Elias for the two-week custody agreement we’d settled on, but it felt like five months. I told myself I needed the break, that Elias deserved time with his aunt, and Lisa despite our complicated history had earned that right. But now, every minute he was gone gnawed at my soul like an open wound that refused to heal. I also don't know what happened and why my dad changed his mind about me leaving in one week.But I was happy he let me stay, because my head wasn't rapping around any escape this time but somehow something felt… wrong.I couldn't explain it. It was that prickly, cold dread that crept into your bones when a storm was approaching, even though the sky was still clear. I paced across the living room floor, arms crossed, biting the corner o
Chapter 51: Deal with him
Zara’s POVThe moment Lisa disappeared with Elias, I knew I had nowhere left to run.The weight of Ethan’s stare pinned me in place, and for a second, the air in the bar felt too thick to breathe. The noise around us faded. The clink of glasses, the hum of laughter, the low thump of music were gone. All I could hear was my own heartbeat pounding in my ears.He didn’t speak. Not yet. He just stood there, that infuriating calm look on his face. But I knew Ethan. Knew how still he got when he was barely holding it together.“You really thought I’d believe that soldier story forever?” he asked finally, voice low. Controlled.I opened my mouth but nothing came out.He took a step closer. “Zara.”I flinched like he’d struck me.And then I broke.“Not here,” I whispered, throat tight. “Please.”He didn’t argue. Just nodded once, short and sharp, then I turned on my heels and walked toward the back exit.He followed me behind into the night, but I honestly was feeling real guilty, it was as i
Chapter 50: New and evil plan
Leonard’s POVI was sipping my evening whiskey when the door to my study burst open.I didn’t flinch.A man who flinches is a man who loses.Instead, I took another slow sip, letting the silence stretch, letting my men feel the weight of their intrusion.The two guards standing before me hesitated. That was good. Fear kept people obedient.“Speak,” I commanded, my voice calm, but firm.One of them, a wiry man named Clarke, cleared his throat. “Sir… we have information on Zara.”I raised an eyebrow. “Do you?”My fingers traced the rim of my glass, my patience thinning. I told my men following her for a week and everyday I will be expecting a daily reports of where she went, who she spoke to, whether she was still playing her ridiculous little rebellion against my plans.But something about Clarke’s nervous stance told me this wasn’t just routine.“What did you find?” I asked, my voice smooth, but laced with warning.Clarke exchanged a quick look with the miller before he exhaled and sa
Chapter 49: LISA CARTER
Zara’s POVI was going to throw up.Not a cute, dramatic gasp-throw-up, but a full-body, gut-wrenching, I'm-going-to-die kind of throw-up.Because I still couldn't find my son, because my father’s men were in the same bar as me.Because Ethan was here.And because I had just accidentally tried to rescue a child who wasn't even mine.So yeah. Not my best day.I wiped at my face, swallowing down the rising panic. Tears blurred my vision, but I forced myself to focus. Think, Zara. THINK.Where could Elias be? I had checked everywhere. Under tables, outside, even near the bathrooms where Veronica had nearly gotten us kicked out by arguing with the bartender.And then, finally I saw him.Sitting happily and munching on fries.With Lisa.My entire body froze.Lisa Carter. Ethan’s sister.Oh, for the love of everything holy.Of all the people in the world, Lisa Carter had to be the one to find my son?Lisa. Freaking. Carter.I felt my soul attempt to escape my body.Of all the people in this
