Chapter 5 My Stepbrother And I

The evening had mercifully come to an end. Robert and Mom lingered by the valet stand, chatting animatedly about their plans for the wedding. Chris and I hung back, the awkward tension between us thick as fog. I tried to keep my distance, hoping he'd let it go, but the moment Mom and Robert turned their backs, Chris stepped closer.

"Stella," he said, his voice low and deliberate.

I glanced at him, my heart racing. "What?"

He smirked, his eyes scanning my face. "You're really going to pretend like nothing happened?"

My jaw tightened, and I crossed my arms. "I don't know what you're talking about."

Chris chuckled softly, the sound infuriatingly self-assured. "Really? Because last night is still pretty fresh in my memory. You sneaking out? That stung a little, by the way."

I looked away, my cheeks burning. "It was a mistake."

"A mistake?" he repeated, raising an eyebrow. "Is that what we're calling it?"

I didn't answer, focusing instead on the cars pulling up to the curb.

His piercing blue eyes searched mine, and for a moment, his smirk faltered. "So, what now?"

"What do you mean, 'what now'?" I said, exasperated. "We act like adults and move on. That's what."

Chris tilted his head, a faint smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. "Move on, huh? You think it's going to be that simple?"

"It has to be," I insisted, keeping my voice steady. "Our parents are getting married, Chris. Whatever happened between us... it's over."

He leaned in, his voice barely audible. "Tell me something, Stella. Was it really just a one-time thing for you?"

I hesitated, my breath catching. His proximity, his scent-it all brought back flashes of the night we'd shared. But I pushed the memories aside, straightening my posture.

"Yes," I lied, my voice firm. "It didn't mean anything."

Chris stared at me for a long moment, his expression unreadable. Then he nodded, stepping back. "If that's how you feel, fine. But don't think for a second I'm going to make this easy for you."

Before I could respond, Robert called out to him. Chris turned, flashing me one last infuriating smirk before walking away.

As I watched him leave, I felt the weight of the situation settle over me. This wasn't just complicated-it was a ticking time bomb. And Chris seemed more than happy to light the fuse.

I stood there, rooted to the spot, staring after Chris as he walked away to join our parents. My heart pounded erratically, and I struggled to regain my composure. The night air felt suffocating, my head swimming with a mix of anger, regret, and... something else I didn't want to name.

"Stella, are you coming?" Mom's voice cut through the haze, snapping me back to reality. She was smiling at me, oblivious to the storm raging inside.

"Yeah, I'm coming," I called back, forcing a smile.

As we all got into Robert's car-Mom in the passenger seat, Robert driving, and Chris and I in the back-I tried to focus on anything but him. But it was impossible. His presence was like gravity, pulling my attention no matter how hard I resisted.

The ride was quiet, save for the low hum of the engine and the occasional chatter between Mom and Robert. Chris, however, was anything but quiet in his own way. Every now and then, I could feel his eyes on me, and when I glanced his way, he'd smirk, as if he knew exactly what he was doing to me.

"Stella, you're awfully quiet tonight," Robert remarked suddenly, glancing at me in the rearview mirror.

"She's probably nervous about meeting us all," Chris said smoothly, his tone teasing but laced with something deeper. "Right, Stella?"

I shot him a glare, but he just grinned, leaning back in his seat as if he hadn't just dropped a live grenade into the conversation.

"Oh, don't worry, Stella," Robert said with a warm smile. "We're going to be one big happy family. No need to feel nervous."

"Exactly," Chris added, his voice dripping with mock sincerity. "We're family now, after all."

I clenched my fists, my nails digging into my palms. Family. The word felt like a slap in the face coming from him.

When we finally reached home, I all but bolted out of the car, mumbling something about being tired before heading straight to my room. I closed the door behind me, leaning against it as I let out a shaky breath.

This was a nightmare.

As I sat on the edge of my bed, trying to process everything that had just happened, there was a light knock at my door.

"Stella?" Mom's voice was soft, but I could hear the concern laced in her tone. "Can I come in?"

I quickly wiped at my face, not even realizing tears had started to form. "Yeah, sure," I called out, trying to steady my voice.

She stepped in, her expression a mix of worry and motherly intuition. Mom had always been good at sensing when something was off. She closed the door behind her and sat next to me on the bed, placing a hand gently on my knee.

"You've been quiet all evening," she said, studying me closely. "Is everything okay? You seemed... tense at dinner."

I forced a smile, though it didn't quite reach my eyes. "I'm fine, Mom. Just tired, that's all."

Her brows knitted together as she tilted her head. "You've always been a terrible liar, Stella. What's going on? Are you nervous about this whole Robert situation?"

"No, Mom, it's not that," I interrupted, shaking my head. "I mean, it's a lot to process, but I want you to be happy."

She smiled softly at that, but the worry didn't leave her eyes. "Then what is it? Is it Chris? Did he say something to upset you?"

I stiffened at his name, and she immediately picked up on it.

"Stella..." she said gently. "You can talk to me, you know. If there's something about Chris-or this whole situation-that's bothering you, I need to know. I don't want you to feel uncomfortable."

I hesitated, my mind racing. I couldn't exactly tell her the truth, not without turning her happiness into a mess.

"No, Mom, Chris is... fine," I said finally, avoiding her gaze. "It's just strange meeting him, that's all. Everything's happening so fast."

Her expression softened, and she pulled me into a hug. "I know it's a lot, sweetheart. Believe me, I'm adjusting too. But we'll get through this together, okay? You and me."

Her words made my chest ache with guilt, but I hugged her back tightly, grateful for her warmth.

"Thanks, Mom," I whispered.

She pulled back, brushing a strand of hair from my face. "Get some rest, alright? You'll need your strength for our move tomorrow." she said and got up to leave.

I looked up at her shocked by what she had just said. "Move?"

She nodded, "Robert has asked us to move into his mansion."

As the door clicked shut behind her, I let out a shaky breath. So I was going to live in the same house as Chris?