Chapter 2: Not A Blood Relative

​"Ash, baby..." Sirius tried to look into her beautiful eyes rather than her soft, elegant expression.

​"You know I have to go to work. It's an emergency, but I'll be right back when I'm done," he answered gently.

​"Hmm... All right." Ashley hugged him and rested her head against his firm, broad chest.

​Sirius wrapped his arms around her smaller frame, gently stroking her back.

​Ashley loved this warm feeling. She felt safe and cherished in his embrace. Sirius was always by her side through her best and worst moments. Her protective step-brother was the most important and dearest person in the world to her.

​After they arrived at her campus, Sirius kissed her forehead affectionately and reminded her that the driver and bodyguards he assigned were always standing by.

​Ashley got out of the car and watched the line of cars drive away until they disappeared past the university gates. She stepped steadily onto the grounds of the famous university, excited to learn and build a better future.

​As she walked down a hallway filled with unfamiliar faces, a familiar voice called out to her. She turned around to see Jean, her best friend from high school. Together, they walked to their first class.

**

​"So, you think you like your step-brother more than before?" Jean asked in a low whisper as they sat together in the large, terraced campus cafeteria. Eager to get a closer look at the nearby gardens and fountains, Ashley had suggested they grab a table on the first floor.

​"Yeah, I think so. I always blush every time I see Bubba. I love him because he is the one who’s always there for me. He’s the only family I have left, and he truly cares about me no matter what. Plus... he’s completely amazing." Ashley covered her face, shaking her head vigorously.

​She couldn't help remembering every time her handsome step-brother woke her up, or the striking, well-built physique he revealed after a shower when he wore only a towel around his waist.

​A wave of embarrassment washed over her. Since when did she start thinking about her Bubba like that?

​"Hey, Ash, you need to stop. Your head's going to spin right off if you keep going like that," Jean joked, steadying her friend's head.

​Ashley was certain her face must be as red as a boiled shrimp right now.

​"Oh gosh, you really are in love, aren't you? Your face is so red!" Jean laughed loudly, drawing the attention of nearby students for a moment.

​"Shh! Stop it, Jean, I'm embarrassed! But honestly... am I wrong? Bubba is just my step-brother, after all." Her face suddenly fell, looking gloomy and sad.

​"You guys are step-siblings, aren't you?" Jean asked, prompting Ashley to nod.

​"That means there's nothing wrong with it. Not a bit. You aren't blood-related at all, so it's completely fine," Jean reassured her with a thumbs-up, bringing a relieved smile back to Ashley's face.

​"That's true, but what if Bubba doesn't feel the same way?" Ashley's sadness returned. She was terrified that if she made her feelings too obvious, Sirius would feel uncomfortable and walk away from her.

​"Well, why don't you find out?" Jean suggested.

​"How, exactly?" Ashley tilted her head, looking genuinely innocent.

​"Ask him directly?" Jean smiled widely at her friend's look of absolute shock.

"​"Impossible!" Ashley whispered in a half-panic. "I don't want to! That's way too embarrassing. What if Bubba thinks I'm weird and annoying and decides to stay away from me?" She shook her head, trying to banish the distressing image of Sirius looking annoyed by her presence.

​"Hehe, sorry, I just wanted to see your reaction," Jean chuckled, scratching the back of her head. "Why don't you try acting a little more affectionate or spoiled than usual? If he accepts it and responds happily, he probably likes you back. If he looks uncomfortable or acts strange, it might just mean he views you strictly as a sister."

​Ashley nodded at the advice, resolving to test the waters when Sirius came home.

​"By the way," Jean added, "I've always wondered why you still call him Bubba when his name is Sirius."

​"Did I never tell you?" Ashley replied. "When I was little, I couldn't pronounce 'brother,' so I used to say 'Bubba.' It just became a habit." She smiled, remembering that Sirius, in turn, often called her 'baby' or 'princess.'

​"Ah, your tongue was just tied when you were little," Jean laughed.

​The two friends giggled and continued chatting.

​Not too far away, a few of Ashley's bodyguards—disguised as ordinary college students—sat eating lunch, keeping a watchful eye on her without drawing unwanted attention.

​Meanwhile, the two oblivious girls had caught the eye of a group of male students sitting in the corner of the room. The young men whispered among themselves, eyeing Ashley with unmasked, predatory interest. Fortunately, Ashley remained completely unaware of their gazes.

​By the time she returned home that evening, Ashley's mind was still racing. Did Sirius feel the same way? Or did he already have a girlfriend? Her step-brother was undeniably handsome; it was hard to imagine someone with his looks and presence remaining single.

​Miles away, Sirius was busy in the basement of his warehouse, interrogating the men guarding his illegal firearms cache. Fourteen newly crafted weapons had recently gone missing. ​His temper was at a boiling point, and his men stood in dead silence, heads bowed and bodies trembling. On the floor lay a battered man covered in blood, his face bruised and hands broken, his eyeballs were out of their socket. The very same person who had stared at Ashley with perverted eyes that morning, a transgression that had immediately sealed his fate.

​"Well, at least you were smart enough not to run, so your death can be quick. I'm just adding a little extra punishment because you dared to look at my baby with those disgusting eyes," Sirius said flatly, staring down at the broken man.

​He looked around the room at the thirty guards and workers, alongside fifty additional men he had brought specifically to root out traitors. "Anyone else want to follow his lead?"

​No one dared to move a muscle. Nobody was foolish enough to provoke an enraged boss.

​Suddenly, gunshots echoed from outside, followed by shouts from his perimeter guards. Everyone snapped into high alert. Several bodyguards immediately moved to shield Sirius, who signaled for his men to take their positions. They were under attack.

​Within the hour, Sirius and his crew had successfully subdued the intruders—a group of amateur, reckless robbers who had stolen the weapons a few nights prior. Their sheer stupidity had cost them their lives.

​Sirius sat at a table, calmly cleaning his gun. "Clean up this mess. Don't let them stain my territory," he ordered his men, gesturing to dispose of the bodies as well as the two internal guards who had traitorously helped the thieves.

​Suddenly, Sirius's phone vibrated in his pocket. He let out a long breath. Who would dare call him at a time like this? Aside from his own men with urgent updates, there was only one person in the world who could reach him whenever she pleased.

​It was Ashley. She never called this late unless something important was wrong.

​"Baby? What's wrong?" Sirius answered, his tone flat and his handsome face expressionless, though a deep sense of worry stirred in his chest.

​Instead of an immediate answer, he heard soft, heartbreaking sobs.

​"Baby? What's wrong, princess?" Sirius stood straight. Though his face remained composed, hearing her cry felt like a tight grip around his heart. He truly hated hearing his usually cheerful Ashley in distress.

​"Yes, baby girl. What's wrong? Is there a problem? Are you alone?" Sirius started walking out toward his car, his tone softening slightly as he gestured for the driver to head back to the mansion.

​Ashley's next words left him completely stunned.

​"Bubba... Do you really dislike me? Are you going to love and marry someone else?"