Stephanie's POV:
“You’re our sister,” he muttered, his voice low, almost reluctant.
“I’m tired of hearing that,” I shot back, my tone sharp with frustration. “Peterson isn’t even your father. He’s just a stepdad.”
“That doesn’t change anything, Stephanie. We’re still family,” Nicholas replied firmly, his gaze unwavering.
I took a step closer to him, tilting my head back to meet his eyes despite the fact that he towered over me. He always had this way of looking down at me—not just physically, but like I was some puzzle he couldn’t quite solve.
“What if my mother hadn’t married Peterson?” I asked, my voice softer now, but no less challenging. “Would that change anything?”
He didn’t answer. Instead, he just stared at me, his jaw tightening ever so slightly. The silence stretched betwee
