STEPBROTHER BY DAY LOVER BY NIGHT

The music pounded through the room, some people at the party sang along with the music while others danced.Audrey and I sat in the corner watching everyone. My expression was unreadable after everything that happened today. It was enough reason for me to come here and forget. Audrey's cousins Maria and Carlos joined us shortly.“You guys are so boring," Maria said amidst the loud music.“Exactly, coming to a party, sitting and watching, that's not fun.” Carlos retorted without a care as he swayed his waist. In front of us, I grinned, and everyone laughed.“You guys would blame Nyla for being in a bad mood, forcing herself to be here.” Audrey leaned forward.They tried cheering me up, but my mind wasn't here at all. I couldn't stop thinking about everything that had happened today, being fired instead of being given a promotion, and my mom's call that afternoon as I walked out of my office building with my stuff. When my phone rang. I looked at my screen, and my mom's name appeared.

I felt a chill run down my spine the moment he walked in.Lucian.He stood like someone who had walked straight out of my worst nightmare. I couldn't breathe.His piercing dark green eyes met mine, and recognition flashed across my face.He knew me.The stranger I had promised myself I'd never see again. Was standing before me at my mother's new husband's house.And judging by the way Xavier looked at him, I could already tell.I gripped the edge of the table.No.This couldn't be happening. My mother glanced at us.“Nyla?”I forced my eyes away from Lucian. “I'm fine.”She smiled, unaware of the panic racing through me. “Good. Then you can finally meet Xavier's son.”I swallowed.Lucian stepped farther into the dining room.He looked different from the man I'd met that night.He wasn't dressed casually like before. His black shirt fit perfectly across his broad shoulders, and his expression carried an authority that made the room seem smaller.But his eyes were the same.Those unmis

Lucian's pov.Her eyes met mine as I walked back into the study. I opened my laptop to join the conference meeting, but I couldn't focus.She told me to stay away from her, but how was I supposed to do that when she was the girl I had crushed on and had loved secretly for three years? I sat unfazed during the conference meeting, my mind replaying our conversation in the garden. I dragged a hand down my face and exhaled slowly.I had kept my expression blank throughout breakfast, my voice bored. None of this was easy; every time our eyes met, that night surged through the present. The way she walked up to me that night, she looked at me, even the way her breath sounded that night. And now she's living under the same roof as me. How was I supposed to pretend nothing ever happened? I inhaled as I leaned forward.“Sir, what would you say about the market potential flop at hand?” My assistant's voice jolted me from my thoughts.“Send it to the PR team and advertising team to solve it;