Forbidden

Not so pleasant meeting

As I slowly opened my eyes, the morning light casting a soft glow across the room. Blinking away the last remnants of sleep, I sat up and stretched, feeling the warmth of the blankets enveloping me.

I swung my legs over the side of the bed and walked across the room to the door. Taking a deep breath, I turned the handle and stepped out into the hallway, ready for breakfast.

But as I made my way down the stairs, I was met with an unexpected sight. There he was, leaning against the kitchen counter with a scowl on his face, his arms crossed tightly over his chest. His dark hair was tousled, and his eyes held a hardness that made my stomach churn.

"Um, hi," I ventured tentatively, trying to break the awkward silence.

He didn't respond, just continued to glare at me. Was that a disgusted look on his face? He’s disgusted? By me? . I shifted uncomfortably, suddenly feeling very small and out of place.

"Are you... Lucas?" I asked,.

He let out a scoff, rolling his eyes as if my very presence was an inconvenience to him. "Yeah,," he muttered sarcastically.

What the hell is his problem?

I felt hurt by his words, but I tried to brush it off, reminding myself that this was just the beginning. Maybe he was just having a bad day, or maybe it would take some time for us to get to know each other.

But as I watched him storm out of the room without another word, I couldn't shake the sinking feeling that this was going to be a lot harder than I had thought.

Great.

Lucas POV

I woke up to the sound of footsteps echoing through the house, my mind still foggy from sleep. Rolling over in bed, I checked the time on my phone and groaned. It was way too early for this.

Dragging myself out of bed, I made my way downstairs, already dreading what the day had in store for me. As I was waiting for my first morning coffee I looked up and saw her standing there, looking all bright-eyed and happy, like she belonged here or something.

I scowled as she approached, Great, just what I needed – another reminder of how messed up my life had become.

"Um, hi," she said, her voice wavering with uncertainty.

I didn't bother responding, just continued to glare at her, hoping she would get the message and leave me alone. But she carried on, asking if I was her new stepbrother who else would I be ?the gardener?

"Yeah,," I muttered bitterly, not bothering to hide my annoyance.

I could see the hurt flash across her face, but I didn't care. I didn't ask for this – for her, for any of it. I just wanted to be left alone.

As I stormed out of the room, I could feel her eyes on me, and for a moment, I felt a tiny bit of guilt. But then I pushed it aside, burying it deep down where it could be forgotten.

Because the truth was, I didn't have room for anyone else in my life – especially not her.