Mated To My Obsessive Stepbrother

We drove in utter silence.

Kester tapped away on his phone and tab. His attention was absorbed in anything but me.

He was almost ignoring my entire existence as if he had already moved past the damage he had caused. I stared out the window, barely blinking, my reflection smudged against the dark glass.

It seemed like luring a fish out of the water and letting die out there. He had just broken the news of us to everyone, pulled the rug out from under my feet, stripping me of every loved one I would have turned to for warmth whenever I needed, and now, he was actually ignoring me.

Good thing I had some time to reflect on many things, including the anonymous person who hadn't sent me any texts for the past two days.

I didn't know if I should be worried or relieved.

The car came to a stop in the parking lot, and the mini convoy that drove with us also came to a halt.

Before Kester could so much as move, I pushed open the door and climbed out. I couldn't stand being near him. I just needed to go into my room, bury my head in the pillows, and cry out my heart.

But the moment I stepped into the living room, I stopped dead in my tracks.

What in the name of Selene is this?

My eyes scanned the vast living room.

The entire place was different.noveldrama

The walls every single one of them

were covered with pictures of me.

Paintings. Canvases. Polaroids.

Some were massive, taking up half a wall. Some were so small you could miss them if you weren't looking hard enough. But they were all of me. Everywhere I turned, there I was.

Some were pictures from my phone. There was no need to ask how he got them.

Others were from my old photo albums, while there were some I didn't even remember taking.

A painting of me sitting by a lake with my hair blowing across my face. Can't remember taking that.

A photo of me laughing so hard I had to cover my mouth, caught mid-moment. No memory of it either.

Another one... I was right by the fireplace. Thankfully, I recognized it immediately.

I was seventeen, and it was a sunny afternoon.

I was holding my puppy

Zeus

the tiny ball of golden fur wriggling in my arms while I grinned like an idiot. However, I gifted her out to a sweet little girl from our pack who loved her as much as I did.

Dad had taken that picture right after telling me I needed to stop grewing up so fast.

God, I hadn't thought about that day in years.

My throat closed up.

It was too much.

Too many memories.

Too many pieces of myself...

I felt him behind me before I heard him.

When I turned, he was standing just a few steps away with his hands casually stuffed inside his pockets. He was looking at me so intently that I almost lost the little composure I had gathered.

"Why...?" My voice cracked, so I cleared my throat and tried again. Why are my pictures everywhere?"

Kester's face stayed blank for a second, like he was measuring how much of the truth to give me.

Then he shrugged – just a small, casual roll of his shoulders - and said, "Because you own this house now." His eyes stayed locked on mine. "And because you're the only thing I want to see when I walk through that door."

I couldn't breathe.

I didn't know if my heart was supposed to break or beat faster.

I didn't know if I was supposed to smile or run.

I just stood there, blinking at him, while the backs of my eyes burned with unshed

tears.

He looked so calm about it, like what he said was the most obvious thing in the world.

I hugged my arms around myself, feeling like I was splitting apart.

My voice came out smaller and weaker this time. "Why are you doing this, Kester?" I whispered. "Why can't you just let me go? Why are you trying so hard to cross the line?"

Chapter Comments

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just when I cannot stand gim anymore you turn around and do that. it is a good start but not enough. il hope we see more of this side of him being gentle and vulnerablea ...

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Such a good chapter!