Between Scripts and Heartbeats

Chapter 59 - Subtle Rivalries and Family Chaos

The next morning, the energy in the house was already buzzing. Liam and Noah were bickering over breakfast cereal, chairs scraping against the floor, voices overlapping in chaos. I was perched on the edge of the counter, coffee in hand, trying not to laugh too loudly at their antics. Jake was sprawled on the couch, scrolling through his phone, still recovering from jet lag after Paris.

Henry entered the kitchen, neatly dressed, hair perfectly combed, carrying his usual aura of controlled authority. But even he looked slightly tense. His eyes flicked toward me as I laughed at something Noah had said, and I caught that familiar subtle twitch of jealousy.

“Good morning, everyone,” he said, voice warm but with a hint of edge.

“Morning, Dad!” Liam and Noah chorused.

I tilted my head, giving Henry a teasing smile. “Morning, Mr. Stern. Sleep well?”

He raised a brow. “I did. You?”

I shrugged, sipping my coffee. “Like a baby.”

Jake snickered from the couch. “Don’t let her charm you too much this early in the morning.”

Henry’s eyes narrowed just slightly, glancing between Jake and me, then quickly back to the boys. “Breakfast is ready,” he said, more firmly than necessary, guiding Liam and Noah toward the table.

The boys, of course, noticed my playful glance toward Jake, giggling behind their hands. “Dad’s jealous!” Liam whispered.

Henry froze mid-step, trying to maintain composure. “I am not,” he said quickly, clearing his throat.

I smirked, leaning back on the counter. “Sure, sure. Totally not jealous.”

Later, as the day unfolded, subtle rivalries bubbled beneath the surface. Whenever I helped the boys with homework or played a quick game of cards, Henry would linger nearby, asking questions, making suggestions, always keeping a watchful eye. He wasn’t rude, but it was clear he didn’t fully trust me—not because I’d done anything wrong, but because I wasn’t part of his immediate family, and somehow, that made me a competitor in his protective mind.

Jake, of course, noticed everything. At one point, he leaned toward me with a grin while we were arranging the living room for a small photoshoot with the boys. “You know, he’s adorable when he’s jealous,” Jake whispered.

I snorted. “Adorable? He looks like he’s about to explode.”

Jake laughed quietly. “Exactly. You’re messing with him just the right way.”

By afternoon, the boys had grown tired of lessons and chores, so we took a break. I sat on the couch between them, reading a comic, while Jake snapped candid photos with his phone. The boys, protective as ever, leaned toward me whenever Henry tried to step closer, muttering, “She’s ours!”

Henry, standing just a few feet away, glanced at me, then at Jake, then at the boys, and finally muttered under his breath, “This is going to be interesting…”

I couldn’t help but grin, sensing the playful battle lines forming. Between me, Jake, and Henry, the house was a mix of laughter, tension, and subtle competitiveness—and I loved every chaotic second of it.