All Chapters of No Longer A Substitute : Chapter 111 - Chapter 120

Devon POV “What did you just say?” I exploded at Alex, my voice echoing violently through the already tense living room. “I am her husband here, not you! And those children are mine, not yours!” The moment the words left my mouth, the atmosphere in the house became even heavier. Rain slammed brutally against the tall glass windows while thunder cracked across the sky outside, the storm almost sounding alive. The warm lighting from the chandelier above us cast long shadows across the room, making everything feel strangely distorted. Mrs. Kent sat frozen near the fireplace with her sleeping son curled against her chest, too terrified to even breathe loudly. Broken porcelain from the vase I shattered earlier still littered part of the hardwood floor like sharp white ice. And in the middle of all of it stood Stella and Alex. Together. Alex stepped forward slightly, placing himself subtly between Stella and me. “They may be biologically yours,” he snapped back, “but I raised t

Chapter 110Stella POVI swiped the hotel keycard against the door sensor with trembling hands.A soft beep sounded before the lock clicked open.The moment I stepped inside the room, exhaustion crashed into me so heavily I nearly lost my balance. I pushed the door shut behind me and leaned against it for a few seconds, staring blankly at the unfamiliar space around me.This hotel was nowhere near as luxurious as the one Devon had booked earlier.The suite was smaller, quieter, more hidden away. The wallpaper was plain beige instead of expensive textured marble, and the furniture looked old but clean. A small lamp glowed dimly near the couch while rain tapped softly against the wide glass windows overlooking the city below.But honestly?I preferred this place.It felt private.Safe.No Devon.No Alex trying to comfort me.No police officers looking at me like I was hysterical.No Mrs. Kent crying in the corner.Just silence.The kind of silence that felt unbearable after everything t

Stella POVThe moment I stepped out of the kitchen and into the common area, my entire body froze.A massive black python was slithering slowly across the chair I had been sitting on only moments ago.Every ounce of color drained from my face instantly.My hands began trembling so violently I nearly dropped the cup I was holding.The snake’s dark scales glistened beneath the dim hotel lights as its body coiled lazily against the cushion, thick and terrifyingly long. Its tongue flicked in and out slowly while its head moved with unnatural calmness, almost like it was searching for something.Searching for me.I couldn’t breathe.Couldn’t move.My knees felt weak beneath me while cold terror spread through every inch of my body.What… what was a python doing inside my hotel room?My thoughts crashed into each other chaotically.How did it even get in here?Who would allow something like this into a hotel?Was it someone’s pet?But pets weren’t allowed here… right?Or maybe they were?Ma

Stella POV“I’m sorry, Stella. I believe you, I promise.”Devon kept whispering those words repeatedly against my ear while holding me tightly in his arms, his voice low and steady like he was trying to pull me back together piece by piece. His warmth surrounded me completely, one hand pressed firmly against my back while the other cradled the side of my head protectively, shielding me from the chaos still lingering around us. The sound of his heartbeat beneath my cheek should have comforted me more than it did. Maybe a small part of me did feel safer in his arms, but the terror inside my body had already rooted itself too deeply. I couldn’t stop shaking no matter how hard I tried. My knees felt weak, my breathing uneven, and every few seconds the image of the python flashed violently through my head again like some horrifying nightmare refusing to end. I could still see its black scales glistening beneath the dim hotel lights, still see the way its body coiled before lifting itself h

Chapter 116Stella POVI couldn’t sleep all night.No matter how tightly I shut my eyes or how many times I rolled over beneath the blankets, sleep refused to come. My thoughts kept racing endlessly between Estelle, Devon, and my children until my head hurt from overthinking.The hotel room was silent except for the soft hum of the air conditioner and the distant sound of cars outside the window. Every shadow in the room made me uneasy now. Every tiny sound made my chest tighten.I pulled the blanket closer around myself as I sat against the headboard, staring blankly into the darkness.Why would Estelle do something like this again?It had been years since she last terrorized me with snakes.Years.I thought she had stopped.No, maybe not stopped.Maybe she simply grew bored of it.The memory alone made my stomach twist painfully.I could still remember being a child and seeing snakes hidden among my belongings. Opening drawers and screaming. Pulling back blankets and finding fake sn