Temporary ✔️

Chapter 32: Leaving

AN: here's chapter 32. Enjoy, people.

This chapter is dedicated to S.
If you hadn't stabbed me in the back, I'd never have learned from my mistake of trusting the wrong people. I wouldn't have known how to tell the difference between fake and real people.
Thank you.

Third Person's POV:

Lexi froze.

Her mind whirred as she tried to process the smiling woman's words in front of her. She'd completely forgotten that living with her brothers was a temporary arrangement- what with being kidnapped and all. She didn't hear her brothers stand behind her.

"Lex? What's going on?" Ryan asked, resting a hand on her shoulder. His eyes narrowed slightly at the unfazed woman in front of him. "And who are you?"

"My name is Stephanie." She grinned. "I'm Lexi's social worker. A couple months ago, Mr. DeLesco and Mr. DeLaCruz signed a contract stating that Lexi would only stay with the families until a suitable foster home is found for her- or until a year has passed. The time has come for Lexi to go to her real home."

Sam snorted. "Like we'd let her-" he stopped abruptly at Lexi's expression.

She was smiling.

"When can I leave?"

In just four cheerful words, Lexi broke her brothers' hearts. They were stunned into silence, a heavy feeling settled on their chest at the cheerfulness in her tone.

"Right now- sorry for the late notice, but the foster parents want you to be a part of their family as soon as possible!" Stephanie was glad Lexi was cooperating so well.

"Okay!" Lexi grinned. She turned away and bounded up the stairs, careful to angle her teary face away from her brothers. She scolded herself for letting her guard down and allowing those twelve idiots past her defences. She should've remembered that her bro- half-brothers only took her in as a formality, to protect their precious reputation.

It was only temporary.

While Lexi packed her bags, Antonio glared at Stephanie. To her credit, the younger woman didn't shy away from his domineering gaze and levelled with one of her own.

"We are happy here." Antonio gritted out. "Why have you come now?"

"It's in the contract- I'm sorry you've grown attached to Alexandra, but there's nothing we can do now." Stephanie was genuinely sorry for the family, but couldn't help feeling a sick sort of glee at the irony in the situation. The two families had been unable to see past their inflated egos and rashly signed a contract and are now paying a dear and unexpected price for it.

"We rip up the bloody contract." Hayden said immediately. "You were never here, Lexi is in a happy home and you can tell the foster people there was a mistake or-"

"No." Flynn cut in quietly, with a quick glance at everyone. He leaned against the wall, resting one ankle over the other and crossed his arms. "You all saw how happy Lexi was when Stephanie said she could go. Besides, we knew what we were getting into when we signed that bloody contract."

Thomas scowled. "Yeah, I don't think so-"

"I'm ready!" Lexi said excitedly, tugging her suitcase downstairs.

"Here, Tesoro, let me help you with that." Hayden offered, ignoring her protests and picking up the light bag.

Ryan engulfed Lexi in a tight hug, feeling like he was loosing his sister for the second time. "Take care Lex, okay? You have our numbers right?"

"Yeah." She whispered, blinking back her own tears.

"Good. Now if you need any help, we are just one phone call away, okay?" Ryan pulled away and sniffed slightly. Lexi couldn't speak through the lump in her throat, so chose to nod instead.

One by one, Lexi hugged all her half-brothers, who murmured sweet words of advice and promises. Sam held her for a little bit longer than the others, so long Stephanie was worried he wouldn't let go. But eventually, he did- with a heavy heart

"Bye everyone." Lexi said, her voice hoarse and choked with unshed tears. She climbed into the black taxi, just as the heavens opened up and it began to rain, washing the world in its sorrows.

"You'll like this new family." Stephanie offered words of empty advice as they drove down the driveway.

Lexi nodded, not trusting herself to talk, eyes glued on to the huge mansion that had finally become her home, and on the people she'd finally started to call family.

"Goodbye." She said softly, finally allowing the tears to fall. She stared through the cascading waterfall on the windows. "Thank you for everything."

End of chapter 32.

Sorry it's short! Next chapter will be longer!

I think it's cute how you guys thought I'd give her a happy ending. I got way too many death threats to kill her off (which I actually found highly amusing) so this was the next best thing :)

One more chapter and then maybe an epilogue. Maybe. Who knows? Anything is possible.

I hope you guys liked it!

Stay safe and thanks for reading :)