MY STEPBROTHER AND I

OBSESSION

CHAPTER THREE

OBSESSION

SERAPHINA

I woke up to the relentless pounding in my head, like a reminder of everything that had gone wrong the night before. My phone was still lying on the nightstand, face down, as if it carried the weight of my regrets.

I had sent the photos to Dan. The ones where Ian’s lips were on mine, his hand tangled in my hair, and my body had betrayed me by leaning into him instead of pushing him away.

And then, like the coward I swore I wasn’t, I had ended my relationship with Dan over a short, clipped text.

“We’re done. Don’t call me.”

That’s all it had taken to close the chapter, and I had blocked him before his angry texts or calls could come flooding in. I texted mom afterwards and told her everything.

“Dan’s out of my life. He’s controlling, manipulative, and I can’t take it anymore. Please don’t try to fix this.”

She viewed the message but didn't give any reply or follow-ups. Just emptiness that made me wonder if I’d done something unforgivable.

I dragged myself to the bathroom, splashing cold water on my face as if it could wash away the guilt that clung to my skin. The moment my hand brushed against my lips while I brushed my teeth, Ian’s voice echoed in my head.

“If I kiss you, will you stop this?”

My cheeks burned as the memory came rushing back. His steady and daring voice, and his lips—damn his lips—had been warmer than I’d expected. The kiss had sent a shockwave through me, one I hadn’t been able to shake even after pushing him away. I gripped the edge of the sink, willing my heart to slow down, chanting in my head

He’s a jerk.

A playboy.

My stepbrother.

This can’t happen.

But no matter how many times I repeated it, the heat crawling under my skin wouldn’t fade. I spat out the toothpaste, rinsed my mouth, and decided to shower, hoping it would wash away every lingering thought of Ian.

By the time I stepped out and dressed, pulling on my sandals, a knock at the door sent my pulse into overdrive.

Mom.

I was sure she’d come to question me about the breakup and scold me for being so reckless. But when I yanked open the door, it wasn’t Mom standing there.

It was Dan.

I froze, my stomach twisting into knots as his sharp eyes raked over me, and I felt my anger raging. “What the hell are you doing here?” My voice came out sharper than I’d intended, but I didn’t care. “And how did you even get here?”

Dan smirked, leaning casually against the doorframe like he had every right to be there. “Your mom called. Said you were crying your eyes out all night and needed me to come and comfort you.”

My jaw tightened. “She wouldn’t do that.”

He tilted his head, feigning sympathy. “Oh, but she did. And guess what? She and the others are out playing hockey, so it’s just you and me now. No interruptions.”

A wave of unease rolled through me as I stepped back, my grip tightening on the doorknob. “Get out, Dan. Whatever game you’re playing, I’m not interested.”

His smirk faded, replaced by something that made my skin crawl. “You think you can just dump me with a text and block me? No, Phina. We’re not done. Not until I say so.”

He pushed past me, slamming the door shut behind him, and before I could react, his hands were on my shoulders, shoving me back against the wall.

“Dan, stop!” I struggled, my voice shaking, but he didn’t let go.

“You’re mine,” he hissed, his lips brushing against my ear. “You’re not leaving me until I get what I want. And after that? Then you can go.”

His hands slid down my arms, and I shoved him hard, breaking free for just a moment before he grabbed me again.

My palm collided with his cheek, the slap echoing through the room.

“Get out!”

Dan’s eyes darkened with fury, and the next thing I knew, I was shoved onto the bed, my skirt riding up as he climbed on top of me.

Panic clawed at my chest as I kicked and shoved, but he was stronger, pinning my wrists above my head.

“Get off me, Dan!” My voice cracked as tears burned my eyes.

Then, suddenly, his weight was gone, ripped away so fast that the room spun. I blinked up to see Ian, his hands fisted in Dan’s shirt as he shoved him against the wall.

“If you touch her again, I’ll kill you.” Ian’s voice was low and lethal, and for the first time, I saw something dangerous flicker in his eyes.

I scrambled off the bed, running to Ian and clutching his arm as sobs wracked my chest. He wrapped one arm around me protectively, but his glare never left Dan.

Dan smirked despite the blood trickling from his lip. “Of course, it’s you.” He pointed at Ian. “You’re the guy in the pictures. The one she kissed.”

Ian stiffened, but before he could respond, the door burst open, and Theron and mom rushed in.

“What the hell is going on here?” Theron’s eyes darted between Ian, Dan, and me.

“What’s going on? Your precious son and step daughter are screwing each other behind your backs, pretending they hate each other so no one suspects.” Dan sprouted, his chest heaving in frustration.

My stomach dropped as Mom appeared in the doorway, her face pale. “Seraphina?”

“No!” I shook my head, stepping back from Ian. “It’s not like that!”

Theron turned on Dan. “You’re lying.”

“Oh, am I?” Dan held up his phone, showing the photos and videos of Ian and me kissing. “See for yourself.”

Ian’s arm dropped from around me, and the look in his eyes broke something inside me.

Theron grabbed Ian, demanding answers, while Dan stormed out, leaving destruction in his wake.

And Mom? She just stood there, staring at me as if she didn’t recognize me at all.

I couldn’t breathe. My heart pounded in my chest, every beat echoing in the empty room. I stood there, frozen, as more tears stung at my eyes.

“Where did you learn such bad habits, Ian?! To kiss your sister? This is completely inappropriate. I'm disappointed in you both,” Theron raged out, his voice was cold, his eyes burning with fury.

I wanted to protest, to tell him that it wasn’t Ian’s fault, that I was responsible. I made him do it. But the words caught in my throat.

I was the one who had let everything spiral out of control. And now we were both paying the price.

“From now on, your driving license is revoked. No more car keys, and I’m freezing your bank accounts except for one. You’ll stay with Chris for the time being.” Theron muttered, his voice devoid of any mercy.

Ian didn’t flinch. His eyes remained stoic, as if the punishment meant nothing to him. But I could see the hurt in his eyes. The betrayal.

Theron’s words cut deep, and I was the cause of it.

Theron turned to me, his disappointment evident. “And you, Phina,” he said, his voice sharp. “You’re grounded. No leaving this house”

"Tomorrow, I and Zephyrine are going on a business trip. I’ll handle your college processing while I’m away, and by next week, you’ll be leaving for college.”

I tried to reach out to my mom, but she only looked away, agreeing with Theron’s decision. “I’m disappointed in you too, Phina,” she said quietly, her words sinking like daggers into my chest.

Tears threatened to spill, but I swallowed them down, forcing myself to hold it together. But my heart felt heavy, and my soul felt like it was slowly crumbling.

Ian didn’t say anything. He didn’t try to fight back, didn’t argue with Theron or even look at me. He just stood there, silent, his expression unreadable. The last thing I saw before he walked away was the hurt in his eyes.

And then, he was gone.

I crumbled to the floor, unable to hold myself up any longer. The tears I had been holding in came rushing out, flooding my vision. Why had I kissed him? Why had I let this happen? I was the one who pushed for revenge against Dan, and now I had dragged Ian into my mess.

I had ruined everything for him. For me. For us.

The thought of attending the same school as Dan made my stomach churn. I had no choice but to face him every single day, knowing that I had pushed Ian into this position. How could I have been so selfish?

__________

One week has passed since the chaos. Theron and my mom had left for their business trip, and Ian was still staying at Chris’s house. I hadn’t seen him since that day, and every day felt like an eternity. The guilt gnawed at me. I couldn’t stop thinking about the kiss, about how his hands had touched me, about the look in his eyes as he had pulled away.

I couldn’t escape it.

Just then I heard the door creaking open.

My heart raced in my chest. I froze, the sound of the door echoing through the quiet house.

My mind raced—was it a burglar? Someone trying to break in?

I jumped to my feet, panic rising, and grabbed the nearest object I could find—a flower vase—my grip tight as I tiptoed out of my room. My breath was shallow, and my heart hammered against my ribs.

I made my way down the stairs, my feet barely making a sound. I was ready to confront the thief, but what I saw when I turned the corner stopped me dead in my tracks.

It was Ian.

My breath caught in my throat as I whispered his name, almost as if I wasn’t sure if he was really standing there.

“Ian?”

He turned slowly, his eyes meeting mine, and for a moment, neither of us said anything. I was paralyzed, my heart leaping in my chest.

“I’m just here to get my favorite cup,” he said, his voice distant. He was trying to brush it off like it was no big deal, but I could see the tension in his jaw.

“I’m sorry,” I whispered, the words slipping from my mouth before I even had a chance to think about them.

He nodded, his expression blank. “It’s fine,” he said, but I could see the walls he had built up around himself. He was shutting me out.

He turned to leave, and I felt my heart twist painfully.

“Wait,” I called out, my voice trembling.

Ian paused, his back still facing me, but I could see the hesitation in his stance.

“I’m sorry,” I said again, my words heavy with the guilt that had been suffocating me for days.

He nodded without turning around. “It’s fine,” he repeated, and I knew he didn’t believe me.

I turned to leave, my heart sinking deeper with every step. But just as I reached the stairs, I missed a step, my foot slipping beneath me. The world around me tilted, and I braced myself for the fall.

But before I could hit the ground, strong arms wrapped around my waist, pulling me back into a firm chest.

I looked up in shock, meeting Ian’s eyes.

“Always a crybaby,” he teased, his lips twitching into a smirk. “You need to be careful, Freckles.”

I couldn’t help but chuckle, despite the tears still threatening to spill.

He helped me stand, his hand steadying me. But before I could pull away, I found myself stepping closer to him, unable to stop the need for him.

“I missed you,” I whispered, my voice breaking.

“Yunno, I've been with many girls but I've never gotten any tangled in my thought or getting obsessed about and most importantly, not from just a kiss"

Ian’s arms tightened around me, and before I could say anything more, he crushed his lips to mine, the kiss raw and desperate.

I froze, my eyes wide as he pulled away for a moment.

“You’re going to get us killed if your father finds out,” I whispered, my breath shaky.

Ian smirked, brushing a strand of hair from my face. “He wouldn't.”

I stared at him, my heart racing. “But what if they find out later?”

Ian didn’t answer. Instead, he dragged me closer, his lips crashing down on mine again, and this time, I didn’t fight it.

The world around us melted away as he led me up the stairs, the taste of him on my lips lingering.

And then, just as we reached the top of the stairs, we heard a noise.

A loud thud.

The front door slammed open, and our hearts stopped.

Someone was home.