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80.

Author: Daisy_D
last update Last Updated: 2025-08-25 01:00:37

I looked at him. Really looked at him. And for the first time in a long time, I didn’t know what to feel.

I felt empty.

Like every version of him I’d built in my head was slowly peeling away, and underneath… I didn’t know what was left.

Ryder didn’t look away. “Liliana dyed her hair,” he said quietly. “That’s when I lost interest.”

My throat tightened. “You say that like it’s normal.”

“I didn’t mean it like that.” He rubbed his hand down his face. “I wasn’t possessive with her. I wasn’t even… invested. Not the way I should’ve been.”

“So why did you date her?”

He shrugged, like the answer didn’t sit well even with him. “She reminded me of you. That was all it took.”

I shook my head, disgust twisting in my chest.

“I didn’t treat her badly,” he added quickly. “I wasn’t cruel. Just… distracted.”

“Great,” I muttered. “That makes it all better.”

He kept going anyway. “Sienna hated it. Thought I liked Liliana more than I did. Got jealous. Started following her around, trying to dig into what
Daisy_D

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  • My Stepbrother, My Ruin   80.

    I looked at him. Really looked at him. And for the first time in a long time, I didn’t know what to feel.I felt empty.Like every version of him I’d built in my head was slowly peeling away, and underneath… I didn’t know what was left.Ryder didn’t look away. “Liliana dyed her hair,” he said quietly. “That’s when I lost interest.”My throat tightened. “You say that like it’s normal.”“I didn’t mean it like that.” He rubbed his hand down his face. “I wasn’t possessive with her. I wasn’t even… invested. Not the way I should’ve been.”“So why did you date her?”He shrugged, like the answer didn’t sit well even with him. “She reminded me of you. That was all it took.”I shook my head, disgust twisting in my chest.“I didn’t treat her badly,” he added quickly. “I wasn’t cruel. Just… distracted.”“Great,” I muttered. “That makes it all better.”He kept going anyway. “Sienna hated it. Thought I liked Liliana more than I did. Got jealous. Started following her around, trying to dig into what

  • My Stepbrother, My Ruin   79.

    “What's that supposed to fucking mean?”I didn’t realize I’d said it until the echo bounced off the walls.The door was already closed, but I wasn’t done. Not even close. My fists were clenched, and my jaw ached from how hard I was grinding my teeth.Don’t break her?That’s what Nate said to me?I paced the living room, every step sharp. My chest was tight. Too tight.He kissed her.He held her, touched her—talked to her like he knew her better than I ever could. Like he hadn’t just walked into her life with his soft words and his easy charm and taken what I didn’t know how to hold onto.He fucking kissed her.I picked up a glass off the table and almost threw it. Almost. Instead, I set it down, harder than necessary, and leaned forward, bracing my hands on the edge of the counter.The silence crawled up my spine.I closed my eyes.“If you really cared about her, you’d stop thinking about what hurts you and start thinking about what’s best for her.”He’d said that like it was so damn

  • My Stepbrother, My Ruin   78.

    Did she know?That was the question sitting on my tongue, heavy and bitter.Maya turned the last page again, eyes scanning the edge of the journal like she might’ve missed something. I took the book from her carefully, holding it like it might fall apart in my hands. The spine was cracked. The paper smelled like smoke and dust. Her handwriting shifted halfway through—neat, then frantic. The ink smudged in places, like she’d written while crying.“She was scared,” I said again, but quieter this time.“She knew they were watching her,” Maya murmured. “Maybe even following her.”Nate knelt beside me, took the USB from where it rested on the floor. “We’ll check what’s on this. Could be nothing. Could be everything.”“There has to be more,” I whispered, flipping back through the pages.And then I saw it.One page had a taped fold in the back cover. Like she’d tried to seal it in. My fingers worked carefully along the seam, peeling it open until a thin, crumpled piece of paper slipped out a

  • My Stepbrother, My Ruin   77.

    I blinked, about to turn.“Don’t look now,” he murmured.Then he leaned in and kissed my forehead.It wasn’t long, or dramatic. Just soft. Like it belonged there.My chest fluttered.I smiled. Then grinned.He smirked. “Now look.”I turned, casually, like it was nothing.Sienna was walking away, fast, heels clacking against the stone path. Her shoulders were stiff. Her head didn’t turn once.“She saw?” I asked.“She saw,” Nate said. “Let her think what she wants.”He stood and slipped his hands into his pockets.“But be careful, Evie. You dig too far, and you won’t just make enemies.”I looked up at him, the smile fading slowly from my face.“I don’t want to find out what happened to Liliana,” he said quietly. “By having it happen to you.”That stopped me.I blinked, caught off guard by the weight in his voice. It wasn’t a warning. It felt closer to a plea.“Thanks,” I murmured, unsure what else to say. Then I turned and walked away before he could see the confusion on my face.Later

  • My Stepbrother, My Ruin   76.

    Sienna removed her contact lenses, blinking at the mirror as her eyes adjusted to the harsh bathroom light. Her heels were already kicked off, the gala dress hanging half-zipped around her waist. She looked tired. Not in the cute, effortless way either—just drained.Her phone vibrated where it sat on the marble counter.Cohen.She picked it up and answered without much enthusiasm. “Yeah?”“You sure it was smart to invite her?”Sienna rolled her eyes, twisting her hair into a loose bun. “I didn’t invite her, Cohen. Riley did. And even if I had, it’s not like she was snooping.”“She’s been asking questions. Someone’s been poking around Liliana’s name.”“And you think it’s her?”There was silence on the other end.Sienna sighed. “Evie’s too busy playing Romeo and Juliet with Ryder. I doubt she has time to actually dig deep.”“You sound pretty confident. Isn't Ryder her Stepbrother?”“Soon to be. I mean Ryder is hot, I doubt if it would stop her. One day I would catch them in the act. Wou

  • My Stepbrother, My Ruin   75.

    His lips were warm against mine. He tasted faintly like peppermint and something sweeter I couldn’t place. His hand found the curve of my waist, holding me gently, like I might pull away any second. I didn’t. Not right away.The kiss was good. Soft. Controlled. The kind that didn’t rush. It felt like it should’ve meant something.But it didn’t feel like Ryder.Nate kissed me like he was trying not to break anything. Ryder kissed like he didn’t care if we both shattered.I eased back just a little, enough to see his face. His eyes searched mine, waiting for some kind of answer.“You okay?” he asked.I nodded, then shook my head. “I don’t know.”His brow furrowed. “Too much?”“No,” I said quickly. “You didn’t do anything wrong.”He looked like he wanted to ask more but stopped himself. He stepped back a little, giving me space.I ran a hand through my hair, trying to breathe past the tangle in my chest.“I just…” I looked down. “It felt different.”“Different how?” he asked, not unkindl

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