My One-Night Stand Is My Billionaire Stepbrother.

Chapter 14

The Grand Ballroom of the Plaza Hotel was a sea of glittering crystal chandeliers, expensive champagne, and the sharp, rhythmic flashes of paparazzi cameras.

It was Tuesday night. The "United Family" gala.

"Just smile, Aurora," my mother whispered from beside me, her hand gently resting on her barely visible baby bump. She looked stunning in a flowing, emerald-green silk gown that draped beautifully over her changing figure. "The press is going to love this."

I forced my lips to curve upward as a group of high-society photographers lined up in front of us.

"Richard, over here! Isabella, look to your left!" the voices called out, a chaotic wall of sound.

I felt a sudden, commanding warmth settle against my lower back. I didn't need to look to know who it was. The scent of cedarwood, leather, and expensive cologne preceded him.

Ethan stepped up beside me, his long, powerful frame clad in a flawless, bespoke black tuxedo that made him look impossibly handsome and terrifyingly out of reach. His hand stayed firmly anchored on my waist, his long fingers pressing through the thin, midnight-blue silk of my backless gown.

"You look beautiful, stepsister," he murmured, his deep baritone barely audible over the din of the crowd.

His voice was polite, his face perfectly composed for the flashing cameras, but his fingers tightened against my waist with a possessive, painful grip that belied his calm exterior.

"Thank you, Mr. Kingston," I replied under my breath, keeping my smile pasted on my face. "I see you’ve mastered the art of playing the loving family man."

"I do what is necessary to protect my father's interests," he said smoothly, his eyes locking onto a camera lens as it flashed. "And right now, his interests require us to stand together. Smile, Aurora, people are watching."

For the next hour, we were paraded around the ballroom like prize cattle. Richard introduced us to senators, tech CEOs, and old-money matriarchs, always presenting us as the "success story of a blended family."

The hypocrisy of it was a physical weight in my chest. Every time Richard talked about how "thrilled" Ethan and Aurora were to welcome a new sibling, I felt a sick, burning sensation in my stomach.

"Ah, Richard! There you are!"

A loud, booming voice cut through the polite chatter. A tall, extraordinarily handsome man in his late twenties strode toward our group, a glass of scotch in his hand. He had a rakish, dangerous smile and dark hair that fell perfectly across his forehead.

"Carter," Richard beamed, stepping forward to clasp the younger man’s shoulder. "I'm glad you could make it. Have you met my stepdaughter, Aurora?"

Carter Vance, the heir to Vance Maritime, the Kingston Holdings’ largest corporate rival, and a man notorious for his playboy lifestyle.

Carter’s dark eyes locked onto mine, a slow, predatory smirk spreading across his lips. He stepped forward, taking my hand and bowing his head slightly, his eyes never leaving mine. "I haven't had the pleasure. Aurora... a beautiful name for an absolutely breathtaking woman."

Beside me, the air temperature plummeted to sub-zero.

I didn't have to look at Ethan to know he had gone completely rigid. The hand on my waist vanished, but the physical aura of his rage was so intense it was almost suffocating.

"Carter," Ethan said, his voice dropping into a quiet, lethal register that made the hair on the back of my neck stand up. "I didn't realize you were on the guest list."

"Your father invited me, Ethan," Carter chuckled, his eyes sliding to Ethan with a mocking defiance. "After all, our families are going to be doing a lot of business together soon, and I have a feeling Aurora and I are going to get along... exceptionally well.”