Lavender:“But I am his stepsister. Look, it’s urgent. I need to speak with him and stop him from doing something,” I said. I had never been to such a luxury corporation before, so I didn’t even know what to say when trying to talk to the CEO.“Ugh, it’s such a good morning for some girl to ruin it for me,” she muttered under her breath and then called him again.“She’s saying she needs to stop you from doing something, boss,” there was a warning hidden in her voice.I guess I chose the right words, because they caught their attention.“Okay,” she hung up and then pointed to the guard, then at me. “Take her to the boss’s office.”I instantly straightened my back as I was led to the elevator. The guard was so bulky, holding a long gun. I don’t even know what those are called. I had only started seeing guns after being introduced to Nikon. He was the only one who waved them around so much.I was taken to the top floor where only one office stood, with two lounges on either side of it. T
Lavender:“And he—he always says things that make me feel so disgusted with myself,” I whimpered, hiccuping while trying to finish a sentence.I don’t know what made me break down, because I never do that in front of anyone. Even for my age, I always try to keep it together and act mature. But somehow, Easton walking me to an empty street next to a café made me feel like I could finally cry in front of someone.Not just anyone—Easton.I knew the minute he made me sit down on the stairs of a locked house that he didn’t mean to insult me.“Why did you even go to his office in the first place?” he asked, sitting on the step below mine, still somehow looking taller than me.“I wanted to tell him that I don’t want to continue my studies,” I said, wiping my tears, feeling annoyed with myself for acting like a baby.Usually, I handle my own problems. I comfort myself. But in front of Easton, I felt vulnerable—I wanted him to take care of me.Pathetic?After all, I’m just a human being with a
Lavender:The crowd was heavy that day. First my stepsisters, and then Igor. And from the looks of it, no one seemed too happy to see me with Easton.I sprinted into the mansion while the two followed me inside.“What were you doing with Easton?” Normani ran until she passed me and stood face to face with me.“He was only giving me a ride,” I replied, trying to sidestep, but Sabrina stood on the side, blocking my path.I don’t know where Easton went—probably went back to check on Nikon.“Oh really? How come he only saw you but never saw us?” Normani moved her head a lot when talking. It was intimidating at times.“Ask Mom. She would tell you where I went and why he might have spotted me.” I tried to get past them, but when they stood tightly together, I realized I needed to put up some kind of fight.“Why can’t you tell us?” Sabrina hissed, arms crossed over her chest.“Because I don’t owe you any explanation.” The look on their faces when I spoke up for myself for the first time shoc
Lavender:“There is something seriously wrong with you,” I said in disbelief, watching him smirk at me.“There is?” he raised his brow, and that confirmation he waited for sounded like a trick.It was as if he wanted me to take back my words. But I wouldn’t.Even when I was genuinely scared of him.“Hmm, well, let's find out what’s wrong with most of us,” he said with a slight grin as he stepped back from me.But the way he walked backward was even scarier, especially when he started rubbing his chin and looking me up and down.“I won’t let you go that easily. You’ll have to do the same for me as you’re doing for your other brothers,” those words made me look away in disgust, and that’s when his laughter made me look back at him.“What? I thought you weren’t doing anything wrong? But your reaction tells me there’s a dirty little secret you’re hiding.”I didn’t say anything to him after that, and he started walking toward the door.I kept having this awful feeling that he’d stop and tu
Igor:I couldn’t believe they were playing behind my back. And obviously, Nikon involved Easton.Did I believe they were sleeping with her?No!Nikon didn’t have it in him to cheat on his fiancée. What a waste of fame and looks he is.So what exactly was Nikon doing?He had to be planning something and had brought Lavender into the picture. The three of them would work together and make money.Lavender was the missing piece in the trio. Easton had to be screwing her, and she must have tried seducing Nikon too.Now I’m not sure if Nikon would give in that easily. That would be a twist.“She is exotic though,” I scratched the back of my neck and locked my bedroom door.I had never felt lonelier. My brothers were having fun without me. I hated how they always left me out.Why?I don’t know.Nikon said I need to do something, I need to work hard.Isn’t your big brother supposed to set the bar high for himself but keep expectations low for you?Couldn’t he give me easier work?What has Eas
Lavender:Taking the black sheets off the wall, snatching my red hair wig, I lay down in my bed after I had tucked away my private stash for good reasons.My heart was heavy with emotions. The friend I thought respected me had made his intentions and thoughts about me and the others clear tonight.I don't know why I was so upset over a person I had never met. He was probably one of those guys who thought they could sleep with me if they acted right.But it was the kind of words he used for anyone who does what I do. It hurt me. The so-called friend turned out to be a liar.He was my biggest tipper and had always said such nice things. We would chat about random stuff, stories of our childhood without revealing much, and I always thought I had a loyal and decent friend.I forced myself to go to sleep and not think about him.The next morning, I had to rush for breakfast. Nikon had made it clear that I wouldn’t skip meals with the family. Even when I did miss two last night, I guess Nik
Lavender:It was night shooting, and I was dressed in a black dress with white lilies. I didn’t wear a sweater that night—it didn’t go well with the look. Even though I knew my sisters were wearing expensive clothes, my thrift store dress looked way better to me. I had curled my black hair and put on a little lip gloss before leaving the attic.While walking downstairs, I spotted Igor standing next to the staircase with a smirk on his face.“Just remember, whatever you’re doing for him—you’ll have to do it for me too,” he said as I passed by.I stopped when I heard his comment.“I’m not doing anything for anyone,” I lied. I was doing a lot for my mother and stepsisters.“Are you sure about that?”There was no way he really believed I was doing something with his brothers. But then why did he keep pushing that idea?I didn’t stop again to argue with him and rushed to meet Easton, who was standing by his car.His manager and a few guards were already around him, so I figured it was bett
Igor:The fact that Easton took them to see his shoot raised red flags in my head. He must be hooking up with Lavender in his van while the others were away.It enraged me.How could they be playing games behind my back?Was that why I was angry—or was it because my own stepsister looked like she’d rather drink poison than speak to me?I remembered the bored look on her face when I stayed at her place. But now, she was all respect and giggles for Easton.They got back home late that night, with Lavender still wearing a jacket from the set.Easton must’ve paid a lot to keep it.But why?What was going on?Why were my brothers suddenly treating her so well?Was there some game happening, and I was the one being left out?“I hope they didn’t bother you while you were shooting,” Nikon said. He always had that respectful tone with Easton.Even though I was the youngest, I felt like I deserved a bit of respect too—and I hated when I didn’t get it.“The two were definitely a handful,” Easton
Lavender:“So, Lavender! How’s your study going?” Christine started yapping, and as expected, her attention toward me brought smirks to their faces.My mother looked tired, while my stepsisters looked amused, like they were waiting for a show.“Good,” I replied, quickly looking down.“Umm, Easton—you’re a model. I know you,” she giggled, catching his attention next. Easton looked up from his food and briefly stared at her.“Good,” Easton replied, bowing his head down right away.“By the way, big brother, I heard you announced your relationship to the world?”It was Sabrina, the always-quiet yet creepy one, speaking up after a while. She didn’t talk much, but whenever she did, I always wondered what made her break her silence.I clenched my fingers around the fork tightly, side-eyeing Easton, who raised his head and exchanged a glance with his brothers.“Not yet,” Easton replied.“But we saw the post,” Igor teased him. His father looked pleased for whatever reason—maybe it was the firs
Lavender:“I feed you such good food. I bet you haven’t had fruits like this before. And this is how you massage me?” my mother snapped, kicking me before putting her foot back in my lap.I was in pain because of the blood transfusion, but she didn’t care.She had made me sit in her room for two hours now. My arm hurt so much for some reason.“I actually gave blood today,” I said. I didn’t have to remind her—she already knew.“So? You give blood all the time. Don’t make excuses,” she hissed.I sighed and started massaging her foot again. Mister Volkov wasn’t around yet, so she was making me stay in her room.I’d heard he was having a meeting with his sons.I just wanted him to come back to his room so I could go back to mine.Finally, when my hands couldn’t keep going, Mister Volkov’s voice echoed from the hallway. My mother sat up like she’d been caught with another man and snatched the oil out of my hands.She grabbed my hand and stretched it out, quickly pouring oil on it. It was h
Lavender:I woke up in my attic, worried and confused about how I got there, until I opened my eyes and saw Nikon sitting on the chair with a book in his hand.I sat up and swallowed hard.“Glad you’re awake,” he said, not looking too bothered as he kept reading the book.I had bought that book for myself.It was my damn course book that he was reading like it was some novel.“You passed out on the road,” he said casually. “I brought you here. Now thank me so I can leave.”The demands he made with a straight face were always strange.He was so full of himself.All of them were.“Thanks,” I said, steadying myself.“Hmm, you don’t have to. It was the right thing to do.” With that, he shut the book and gave me a fake closed-lip smile while I stared at his face in disbelief.“Now, what was it that I saw last night?” he asked, crossing one leg over the other.“I was out on a walk when your brother offered me a ride, but I said no,” I lied. I couldn’t tell him I’d been having something clos
Lavender:Thankfully, he didn’t make me stay to answer his question.I mean, he didn’t have to. He literally told me he’d question me later.Did he see the whole interaction or just the part where Easton was driving behind me?It was the next day—a new morning, and definitely a new beginning for me.Another person I thought cared about me was gone.I was now completely alone.But I guess there are some perks to being lonely—you can’t get hurt.“You look a little pale.”The nurse, a middle-aged woman with kind green eyes, studied my face while preparing me for the blood transfusion.“That’s just my complexion,” I lied, smiling through tired, empty eyes.Her concern wasn’t wrong—I hadn’t eaten that morning since I had to catch a bus early for college and then head straight here for my appointment.My mom had been blowing up my phone, reminding me not to miss this transfusion.I hadn’t fully healed from my fall and the previous transfusion—but who was going to tell her that?And now that
Lavender:“Lavender, don’t make a scene out here,” he drove right beside me, rolled down his window, and looked at me.“You told me to fuck off, so please drive home. I can walk back. And it’s you who’s making a scene on a fucking abandoned road,” I said, no longer trying to be timid.Why do women get so happy when a man calls them innocent and sweet?Trust me, I used to feel happy too—until that night.I realized that when a man calls a woman innocent, he means she’s easy to fool. It’s not a compliment. Being a good girl is such a harsh scam. It’s often used for women who get taken advantage of, and my heart ached for them—and for myself.I’d rather be known as a cunning bitch now than be called innocent and sweet.“Lavender, you’re starting to make me angry,” he hissed, and I stopped walking.“Easton! Fuck off,” I bent down to the level of his window and yelled right in his face.The shock on his face was worth it. He could come out and kill me for all I cared. I felt so disgusted b
Lavender:“We? Talk about yourself. I didn’t do all that with you because I wanted to bond with you. You made a fool out of me,” I began to panic once I realized he had played me.And then my mind went back to what Igor had told me. Did he know his brother would do that to me?“When I asked you about the models, you told me you don’t do all that. Why?” I wanted to grab his collar to make him look at me so badly, but I don’t think I could get that close to him again.“Because that was my personal business which you were trying to poke your nose into. I’m a model turned actor, I don’t go around telling everyone about my life,” he raised his voice. “And stop acting like I took advantage of you. Whatever we did was mutual. It’s not my fault that you caught feelings.”As he kept talking, I’d had enough. I opened the door and stormed out to avoid being scolded by him after getting cheated on.After a few seconds of me crying alone, he came out as well.“Lavender, I meet fans every day. Do y
Lavender:I had come downstairs and sat in the passenger seat of his car, just like he had asked me to, while he was still inside. I was worried someone would see me in his car before he arrived, and it would be another mess.After a while, I watched him come outside in a gray shirt and hop into the driver’s seat.He started the car and drove us to the same abandoned building as before. The minute he parked the car, he unbuckled his seatbelt and then leaned over to do the same for mine.His scent was so strong, his cologne amazing. But I was still reminded of the way he had slept with the other girls the same day.However, once the seatbelt was off, I found him holding my waist to help me out, probably intending for me to sit on his lap.That’s when I realized he was going for a steamy session.“Wait,” I steadily placed my hands on his hands to free my waist. He stopped and set me free, leaning back in his chair, looking so confused as to why I did that.“You gotta tell me what’s goin
Lavender:“You are a fucking liar,” I hissed.I was breathing heavily, losing my mind. My body was shivering so badly that I didn’t know what to do to calm myself down.Reading his text gave me so much anxiety, and instantly, I remembered the words spoken to me by his own brother.Igor!He was right.Easton is a good actor.He had me in the chokehold of his love, and I believed it all.I had my hand on my forehead when I received another text from Easton.E-Tron: Are we meeting today? I’m really excited to see you.I groaned, clenching my fists.My hand flew to my chest as tears started spilling down my face even more. It wasn’t easy at all for me to settle it in my mind that yet another person in my life had played me.E-Tron: What happened? Where did you go? I want to know what time we can meet so I can make reservations for usI was gritting my teeth hard. Reading his text felt like he was reaching through the screen and slapping me hard.I started typing hysterically, writing what
Lavender:I fixed my hair one last time before I was satisfied with how I looked. It was a huge day for me. I was going to meet Easton. I wasn’t sure how he would respond to us being stepsiblings, but I was confident he would find a way to navigate through it—maybe a loophole for his brothers.Honestly, I wasn’t expecting too much from our meet-up when I used to think about it, but now I had a feeling it would escalate to something very intimate. We would be the only ones at the manor, and I was sure he would get closer to me, maybe even too far this time.I smiled at the thought of being under him. His affection would make me feel more alive. But I was a little worried now that I remembered Nikon. Nikon had told me, “One of the rules in the mafia is not to get involved in forbidden love. Never be seen with your friend’s, foe’s, or ally’s spouse or partner. Never catch feelings for someone who is related to you—that includes stepsiblings and a friend’s partner too. And finally, never