Chapter 3 Step Sibling

"You two know each other, right?" Martin glanced at Lucas, who had just stepped out of the doorway, then turned back to where Grace had just gotten out of the car they were driving. "But I'm sure it'll be a little awkward with your sudden status as step-siblings."

He turned to look at Lucas and Grace alternately, while Samantha was beside him, clinging affectionately to his arm. "Try to get to know each other. Lucas, take her around the mansion and chat to break the ice."

Lucas, who had been standing there like a statue with no interest, looked cold and disinterested, but nodded his head. "Alright, Dad."

He surprised Grace with his obedient response to his father's words.

"Yes, enjoy your time together. Now you have a sibling to joke around with, so I'm sure your lives will be more enjoyable." Without knowing anything, Samantha encouraged them before leaving them there.

The corners of Grace's lips curled up awkwardly, forming a bitter smile. She looked completely overwhelmed, not knowing what to do.

Lucas's gaze fixed on her with a sneer, a cold, judgmental look. "Come with me, sister." Suddenly, he smiled and acted friendly, pointing toward a different corridor from the one their parents had taken.

Grace couldn't speak; her throat felt too numb to process words, and all that came out was a mumble, causing her to curse herself as she followed Lucas's steps ahead.

"This is my room." Lucas pointed toward a room on the second floor.

At that moment, Grace could only see Lucas's back facing her and his hand pointing in that direction, then moving beside her. "And that's your room."

Grace nodded. "Can I rest?" Grace felt that Lucas was as kind as he appeared.

She had worried that Lucas, being an Alpha, might look down on her, but it turned out he was just too nervous and overthinking things.

"Of course." He nodded.

Grace saw that from behind, so she turned around. But she was startled when her hand was forcefully pulled, and suddenly her body was pressed against the wall while her hand was raised and pressed against the wall.

Her eyes widened as she saw Lucas's friendly smile disappear and turn into a cold grin from a gaze that made her shiver. "Do you think I'll accept you?"

Grace regretted her judgment a few seconds ago about Lucas being kind. He looked like a seductive devil behind the smile he showed.

"Let me go..." Grace whimpered in pain as she tried to break free from Lucas's grip on her arm. Pain. His strength was no match for hers.

With a sharp, blank stare, Lucas seemed to warn her. "Don't do anything to upset me, and don't bother me with your antics. I'm sick of people like you." He released Grace's hand, flinging it into the air, then turned and left her there.

Grace quickly entered her room and locked the door tightly, then her body collapsed behind it. The tears she had been holding back now fell from her eyes as she clutched her sore wrist. "You bastard, why is he blaming me? I didn't want this marriage either." She cried there until she fell asleep.

After learning that Lucas was Martin's son, Grace's life changed drastically, both at home and on campus. She tried to go through her days as usual, but her already difficult situation became even more suffocating. Lucas's presence made her feel uncomfortable, not because of any special feelings, but more out of an irrational fear that always came over her whenever she crossed paths with him.

As she walked toward class, Agnes suddenly bumped into her forcefully. Grace nearly fell, but she quickly regained her balance, trying to stay calm and avoid trouble. However, Agnes's sharp gaze fixed directly on her, sending a chill down Grace's spine.

"Grace," Agnes hissed in a cold, threatening tone. "Remember my words well. Never get close to Lucas. Don't even think about flirting with him or bothering him, understand?"

Grace was startled by Agnes' sudden words. She had never had any intention of approaching Lucas, so the threat felt unreasonable to her. She looked at Agnes calmly, trying not to show her fear. "I have no interest in Lucas. You can relax."

Agnes narrowed her eyes, glaring at her with a sneer. "Better that way. You're just an omega, Grace. You have no right to be near him. Don't try to elevate your status by associating with him."

Grace nodded, choosing not to prolong the issue. She was well aware of how obsessed Agnes was with Brix, her gamma colleague. Every time they were together, Agnes always showed excessive attention to Brix, as if no one else mattered to her.

That's why Grace was confused as to why Agnes was now worried about Lucas. However, to her, it wasn't important. She just wanted to live her life peacefully without adding to her problems.

Unfortunately, the peace she hoped for never materialised. Lucas turned out to be no different from those who often bullied her.

Now he stood across from her with a condescending gaze, silently mocking Grace, but it was far more painful.

"Why do you always look so stupid, Grace?" Lucas said in a flat yet sharp tone when they happened to meet in the living room as she returned home.

Grace could only lower her head, choosing silence over a response. Arguing with an alpha wouldn't bring her any good. Besides, Lucas wasn't someone she could easily confront. His cold and harsh nature made Grace feel small and insignificant. Over time, she had no choice but to endure it.

On several occasions, Lucas even ordered her to do trivial tasks, such as fetching drinks or helping with household chores that weren't her responsibility. Every time she was ordered around, Grace felt like she was a servant in that house for him. She felt constrained, but Lucas's presence was too intimidating for her to defy. She could only endure it, swallowing all the insults without protest.

However, on the other hand, her life was now a little more peaceful because Samantha, her mother, was no longer drowning in alcohol like before.

Martin had indeed succeeded in getting Samantha to stop her self-destructive habit. Samantha now seemed happier and far removed from her old ways. Still, Grace wasn't sure if this change could be considered a blessing. Lucas's presence, which brought such pressure into her life, made her unsure whether to celebrate this positive change.

That night, Grace sat alone in her room, staring at her reflection in the mirror. The faint bruises from Agnes and Brix's bullying were still visible on her arms.

Her healing was so slow, perhaps because she was an omega. She found it harder to heal herself.

Lucas's image returned to her mind, reminding her of how he had treated her. A figure who seemed perfect and admired by many, but whose attitude was not much different from that of the bullies.

"What's that? Are you hurt?" The voice behind the doorframe startled Grace, and she quickly turned to check.