Modern Love {A Cinderella Retelling} ✔️

Chapter Thirteen

The next day, Brock awoke with the biggest smile on his face. Even though he had lost his chance to tell Amelia how he felt about her, he was still happy that he could share his feelings with someone else. For once in his life, he didn't feel alone. Brock got out of bed and got ready for the day. Starting with brushing his teeth and moving on to getting his shirt back on. Brock began his day by feeding the farm animals who'd been hungry early in the morning. Brock shockingly got most of his farm chores done before making his way inside.

Unfortunately, that same morning he dealt with his stepfamily. Brock retrieved the newspaper from the front lawn and walked inside only to find that his stepfamily had come downstairs and were now sitting around the table waiting for food and drink to be served. Ignoring their wandering eyes, Brock handed Alaric the newspaper and walked over to the kitchen. He began getting everything ready when Stella and Aston entered the kitchen.

"So, were you really here last night?" Aston asked.

"Yes, I was here," Brock said. Not looking them in the eyes. "While you idiots were off partying, I spent most of my time here cleaning,"

"But I swear I saw you out there dancing," Stella responded.

Brock nearly knocked over the pitcher of water by the sink, thankfully, he'd caught it before it spilled.

"I don't know what you're talking about," Brock answered. "Now go out there and wait, food will be done shortly,"

"Aston you go ahead, I'm going to have a word with our stepbrother," Stella stated.

Aston glared but nodded before he left the kitchen and sat at the table. Brock turned only for Stella to come face to face with him. Her eyes were filled with red hot rage, like she knew he had been hiding something.

"You think I'm stupid?" Stella said. "If I find out that you truly were at that party, let's just say things are not going to go like you had planned,"

With a flick of her hair, she turned on her heel and stormed out of the kitchen leaving Brock alone and in the middle of cooking a breakfast, he shook his head and finished making everything pouring a cup of coffee before walking out and into the dining room where Alaric was reading the paper. Brock placed the plates and cups down in front of his stepfamily before pouring coffee into each one of their cups. Brock glanced at the paper and did a double take when he read a headline talking about how Amelia was looking for her lost love. Somehow, Brock hid it well enough for his steps not to notice.

"Dad?" Aston said.

"Shut up," Brock said under his breath. "Don't mention the paper..."

Alaric looked over at his son.

"What is it?" Alaric questioned.

"What does that headline read?" Aston asked.

Alaric flipped the paper over and read through it.

Upcoming writer, Amelia Dehalia searches for her lost love.

Last night during Amelia's book release party, a young man dressed in a black blazer and white shirt with dress pants and dress shoes. He ran off on her thirty minutes till midnight. Leaving the upcoming author with questions and a Tiger's eye necklace.

"I know that he's out there," Amelia said to news reporters. "He knew my name, even under the mask he knew who I was, but I don't know his name," she continued. "If he's out there, I hope that he knows, that no one has ever made me feel this special," she kept going. "All I ask is for you to return to me and tell me who you are,"

Alaric frowned and looked between his kids and his stepson. Brock had no way of knowing what his stepfather would do to him next. So instead, Brock ignored him.

"Kids," Alaric said. "Can you leave me alone with your stepbrother for a few minutes, I need to have a talk with him,"

Stella and Aston nodded as they left the table and made their way back upstairs. Brock watched them leave as Alaric placed his newspaper down and got up from his seat. Determined to keep the secret hidden, Brock looked his stepfather in the eyes waiting for the onslaught of insults. However, Alaric seemed way too calm for his own liking. He worried that Alaric discovered his secret.

"Where were you last night?" Alaric asked.

"Here at the house cleaning," Brock responded. Alaric walked around the table and slowly approached Brock. "I was,"

"Do you think I'm stupid?" Alaric said knocking the coffee pitcher onto the floor causing it to shatter into a million pieces. Brock stumbled nearly colliding with the table. But he remained in place. "I know you were there last night,"

"What are you talking about?!" Brock demanded. "I was nowhere near that party! Maybe you were imagining things,"

Suddenly, without warning, Alaric backhanded him so hard that he fell onto the broken glass. Brock flinched, hiding the pain that shone on his face. Everything was about to come crashing down on him and he didn't know what to do. There was no way his stepfather could have figured it out himself. Unless he learned about it earlier.

"Don't talk to me like that you lowlife servant," Alaric warned. "If I find out that you were at that party, you will kiss everything goodbye including that precious guitar of yours," he continued. "Let me make something quite clear, you are nothing, just an unwanted child that your mother left me,"

"My mother was a great woman!" Brock stated. "She was a much better parent than you ever were! She left you with everything!" Alaric responded by kicking Brock in the stomach knocking the air out of him.

"Your mother left me a widower!" Alaric yelled. "I didn't even want you in the first place, but I had to deal with you, because your mother loved you and I loved her, but I will never see you as one of my own," he kept going. "So, you better think twice, Brock, before you talk back to me!"

To prove his point, he grabbed his coffee and dumped the hot liquid into the sink and threw the cup on the floor shattering it as well. "Now get your ass off that floor and start cleaning!"

Alaric stormed off and into his office, slamming his door. Knowing Alaric, Brock would be left alone in peace considering his stepfather wanted to work alone and would summon him when needed. Brock pushed himself to his knees and picked up the shards that were large enough to hold. Getting onto his feet, he grabbed the broom and dustpan began cleaning up the rest of the shards.