She Used Me for a Dare… Now I Own Her Mother

The afternoon sun streamed through Nina's hospital room windows, casting warm rectangles across the polished floor.

Nina slept peacefully, her breathing steady and strong... a stark contrast to the labored gasps of just days before.

The monitors hummed softly, their gentle beeping a reassuring rhythm that filled the quiet space.

Sarah sat in the chair closest to Nina's bed, her textbook open but forgotten in her lap.

Her eyes kept drifting to Linda, who stood by the window, phone pressed to her ear for the third time in twenty minutes.

"Still no answer," Linda murmured, lowering the phone with a frustrated sigh. Her fingers trembled slightly as she stared at the dark screen.

"Aunty, they'll be fine," Sarah offered gently, closing her book. "Their trial is probably still going on. That's why their phones are off."

Linda turned from the window, worry etched deep in her features.

But it wasn't just worry... there was something else there, a restless energy she couldn't name.

"But it's been hours, Sarah. What if something went wrong? What if they..."

"Nothing will happen to them." Sarah rose from her chair and moved to Linda's side.

"They didn't do anything wrong, and Alex has good connections at the college. You saw how he handled Nina's situation... he knows how to handle these type of situations."

At the mention of Alex's name, Linda felt that strange warmth again, stronger this time.

Her breath caught slightly, and for a moment the room seemed to blur at the edges, as if she were looking through water.

She squeezed the phone in her hand, steadying herself.

Last night.

She had lain awake in the cot, staring at the ceiling, shaking her head at the shameful thoughts that crept into her mind.

She had told herself they were nothing... random sparks born of stress, exhaustion, and fear. Shadows in her head that would vanish with sleep.

But the morning had come, and instead of fading, those thoughts had sharpened. They clung to her now, stronger, heavier, impossible to shake.

It wasn't just stray gratitude anymore. It wasn't just a trick of fatigue.

Alex's face kept intruding where it didn't belong... his voice, his certainty, the way he carried himself like the world bent when he willed it to.

Linda's pulse quickened. She pressed her palm against the window frame, as though anchoring herself to the present, but inside her chest a dangerous truth was dawning:

What's wrong with me? she thought, gripping the windowsill as if holding on could anchor her swirling thoughts.

She forced herself to take a measured breath tried to steady the sudden rush of warmth in her chest, convincing herself it would go away.

"You're right," Linda said quietly, her voice barely above a whisper. "Alex always... he always knows what to do."

The words brought with them another unwanted memory... the way his voice had dropped to that deeper register when he'd promised Nina would be okay.

Not the boy's voice she remembered, but a man's voice. Strong, certain, protective in a way that made something low in her stomach flutter.

Sarah studied her with growing concern. "Are you okay? You look...pale"

"I'm fine," Linda said quickly, too quickly. She moved away from the window, her hands fidgeting with the hem of her shirt. "Just tired. It's been a long few days."

But Linda wasn't fine. The thoughts were coming more frequently now, each one more vivid and inappropriate than the last.

She remembered the panic that had surged through her when she first heard about the trial and the complications at the college.

But his single assurance... "Don't worry, nothing will happen. I'm here." ...had calmed her instantly, steadying the chaos inside her.

A whisper seemed to drift through her mind... so faint she almost convinced herself it was the air conditioning. 'He's magnificent, isn't he?'

Linda shook her head sharply, causing Sarah to look at her strangely.

"Where's Dad?" Sarah asked, settling back into her chair.

"Getting some air," Linda replied, grateful for the distraction. But even as she said it, the comparison struck her like a physical blow.

David. Her husband. The man she'd married, built a life with, had children with. He was good, steady, reliable.

But when had she stopped feeling that flutter of excitement when he walked into a room? When had his embrace become comfortable rather than electrifying?

The guilt crashed over her in waves. How can you even think that? she berated herself.

David is wonderful. He's been by your side through everything. And you're fantasizing about...

"He needed to make some calls to work, explain the situation," Linda managed to say.

Sarah nodded, then looked at Linda with renewed concern. "Seriously, Aunty, you should rest. You've barely slept since Nina got sick."

Sleep. That was another problem entirely.

Whenever she tried to close her eyes, her treacherous mind conjured images of Alex... the way he'd held her when she broke down, the strength in his arms, how his breath had brushed against her hair as he whispered reassurances.

And then even worse things, thoughts so forbidden and vivid they left her trembling with guilt, hating herself for feeling them.

"I'll rest when I know the boys are okay," Linda said, but her voice sounded strange even to her own ears.

Her eyes kept darting toward the door, half-expecting him to appear, heart hammering with a mix of dread and longing.

The warmth in her chest pulsed again, and this time she was certain she heard something... a voice like silk threading through her thoughts: You want to see him again, don't you?

Linda pressed her palms against her temples. "I think I need some water."

As she moved toward the small kitchenette, her mind betrayed her again.

Stop, she commanded herself. He's family. He's like a son to you.

But even as she thought it, another part of her mind whispered back: Is he, though? Really?

The voice was so clear it made her gasp.

"What's wrong?" Sarah asked, suddenly alert.

"Nothing, I just..." Linda's hands were trembling as she set down the water cup. "I thought I heard something."

Sarah tilted her head, listening. "I don't hear anything."

Of course she didn't. Because the voice was coming from inside Linda's own mind, encouraging thoughts she'd never allowed herself before.

Thoughts about how Alex's lips might feel, how his hands might touch, what it would be like to be held by someone who looked at her the way he had in that moment when her towel slipped... with shock, yes, but also with unmistakable desire.

The memory of that moment sent heat racing through her body. She'd been so mortified at the time, but now... now she found herself wondering what would have happened if she hadn't wrapped the towel around herself so quickly.

You're a horrible person, she told herself. A horrible, sick person.

But the thoughts wouldn't stop. If anything, trying to suppress them only made them stronger, more vivid.

"I need some air," Linda said abruptly, heading for the door.

Sarah looked at her, a flicker of worry crossing her face. "Aunty… wait. What's wrong? Are you okay?"

She got up from her chair, taking a hesitant step toward her. "You're acting… strange. Did something happen?"

Linda paused with her hand on the door handle, realizing how she must sound. "I... I just need a minute."

In the hallway, she leaned against the wall and closed her eyes, trying to regain some semblance of control. But even with her eyes shut, she could see Alex's face.

Why him? she thought desperately. Why not David? Why can't I feel this way about my own husband?

But she knew the answer, even if she couldn't bear to acknowledge it. Alex had awakened something in her that had been dormant for years... a hunger, a longing, a desperate need to be desired by someone who could move mountains with a phone call.

Someone who wasn't her husband.

A hospital worker passed by, giving her a curious look, and Linda realized she was standing in the hallway breathing heavily, probably looking half-mad.

She forced herself to walk back into the room, where Sarah was watching Nina sleep with a peaceful expression.

"Better?" Sarah asked without looking up.

"Much," Linda lied, settling into the chair farthest from the door and farthest from where Alex would be when he finally arrived.

Because he would arrive eventually. And when he did, Linda wasn't sure she'd be able to hide what was happening to her anymore.

The voice in her mind purred with satisfaction: Soon.

And despite her guilt, despite her shame, despite everything she knew was right and wrong, Linda found herself counting the minutes until Alex walked through that door.

In the shadows of the room, Lilith's influence strengthened, feeding on Linda's guilt and desire, nurturing the forbidden thoughts until they bloomed into something that would soon be impossible to resist.

The seed had not only been planted... it was beginning to grow.