Ruin me, Stepbrother のすべてのチャプター: チャプター 61 - チャプター 70

Dad and Mom were waiting at the bottom of the stairs, they were both dressed impeccably.Dad was in a tailored black tux that was crisp and clearly very exquisite and very luxuriously looking. Mom was in the same dress we snapped with few minutes ago. An elegant navy blue gown with diamonds glittering at her throat.They looked like exactly what they are: wealthy and great and even almost completely perfect together."There's my beautiful daughter."Dad opened his arms wide and I went to him immediately. I hugged him carefully so I wouldn't wrinkle either of our outfits."You look stunning, sweetheart.""Thanks, Dad.""Let me see you properly!" Mom was already fussing.I did a little turn for her because that's obviously what she wanted."Oh, you're perfect. Just absolutely perfect."Then she turned to Jax. "Jax, doesn't she look beautiful?"He was standing there with his hands in his pockets, being very careful."Yeah. She does."Very casual and brotherly and completely appropriate.

Lexi Hart. My actual best friend.She's standing right there with white wine all over her pink mini dress.That same wide-eyed shock on her face, and then she was breaking into the biggest grin."SCARLETT?!""LEXI?!"There were pure disbelief and joy and shock, everything all mixed together."Oh my god, what are you doing here?!""What are YOU doing here?!"We both laughed at the exact same moment, that instant reconnection.The energy just clicking back into place like no time passed at all. Even though it's been months since I've talked to her last.We both looked down at the damage at the same time.Lexi's dress was pink and tight and short and very typical 'Lexi'. The dress is now wet with a massive white wine stain down the entire front.My dress also had wine splashed on it, not as bad but not visible at all too."Oh god, your dress!" I said immediately.

I heard the sound of everything before I even entered. Stepping back into the ballroom felt like entering a completely different world than the one I'd left twenty minutes ago.The space was still glittering with chandeliers and crowded with even more elegant people holding champagne flutes, classical music still playing softly from the orchestra near the stage, but everything felt different now.I am in pink instead of red, and Lexi's beside me in her own shade of pink, and we were matching in a way that was completely unintentional but very obviously noticeable to anyone who looked.People were noticing too, eyes tracking us as we moved through the space, and I muttered to Lexi without looking at her, "They're staring at you, you're too beautiful.""You're the one that's the most beautiful, but anyways, let them stare, and keep lying," she said, very unbothered by the attention, but very cool with humor, and we kept moving forward toward the east side bar where our friends were supp

The conversation was still flowing easily and all I know was that I was laughing at something Alex had said when I felt it.I felt that kind of awareness that crawled up my spine and made the hair on the back of my neck stand up in a way that had nothing to do with the temperature of where we are.It was the same feeling I'd had a hundred times before, that sixth sense that told me he was close, that he was watching, that I was in his reach, whether I like it or not.I didn't turn around, didn't let my body language shift or give away that I knew, I just kept my attention on the group and tried to ignore the way my heart had started beating faster, the way my skin felt suddenly too tight and too aware.Miles had his hand resting lightly on my waist, comfortable in a way that would've been nice if I could've just enjoyed it without my brain immediately rambling on and on about how it would look to him watching, and I didn't like the thought even as

The bathroom was exactly how it should be. Fancy in the way that everything at this event was. It's all marble counters and gold fixtures and soft lighting that made everyone look good, with classical music piped in through hidden speakers like even the sitting area needed some elegant soundtrack.The sitting area had a velvet couch and fresh flowers in a crystal vase.I was just taking it all in when Lexi's mouth opened:"Just one or two things is what's needed to make this bathroom nicer than my room."I laughed despite everything, despite the tension still coiled tight in my chest."Right?"That's all that could just come out of my lips at that moment.It was objectively ridiculous how nice and clean the bathroom was.Lexi pointed at the couch and while teasing and also just a little bit serious. "Like, I could sleep off here, if I needed to."The fresh flowers and the fancy hand 'everything' just ma