《The Dare to Ruin Him, Falling for My Step Brother 》全部章節：第 141 章 - 第 150 章

ELI'S POV"You are not fine."Bianca said it the second I walked into the kitchen. I stopped in the doorway. She was sitting at the table with Maya right beside her. Both of them looking at me like they had already been talking about me before I even got there."I am fine," I said."You have been staring at your phone every four minutes since you got home," Bianca said. "You made tea and forgot to drink it. Twice." She held my gaze. "You are not fine, Eli."Maya stayed quiet, watching me.I had not really met her properly yet. Third door on the left did not count. She was smaller than I expected, with sharp eyes that seemed to notice everything. She looked like someone who understood Bianca without needing many words.I liked her right away. I was not going to say that out loud."Sit down," Bianca said."Bianca—""Sit."I sat.Maya slid a fresh cup of tea across the table toward me without saying anything.I looked at the cup.Then at her."Thank you," I said."Mm," she replied softly

BIANCA'S POV"It is not burning," I insisted, waving the spoon around like that would magically fix everything."Bianca," Maya said beside me, so calm it was almost annoying. "It is absolutely burning.""It is browning," I snapped back. "There is a difference, okay? Browning is intentional. This is... artistic.""The smoke is literally coming out of the pan," Maya pointed out, still sounding way too reasonable.The smoke detector went off like the world was ending. Loud, shrill, piercing — the kind of sound that makes your soul leave your body for a second.Lucas appeared in the doorway with his newspaper tucked under his arm, looking like a man who had predicted this exact disaster from the moment we announced we were cooking and had been too polite to say anything.Then Sebastian and Eli stumbled in right behind him, both flushed and messy, hair a little wild, like they had rushed downstairs for reasons that had nothing to do with saving dinner.I stood there in the middle of the sm

ELI'S POVBianca's lawyer called back at eleven forty three.I know because I was glued to that kitchen clock like a fucking idiot, watching every second crawl by like it was personally screwing me over. My stomach was in knots, chest tight, the kind of anxiety that makes your skin feel too small.Sebastian was right beside me, two cold-ass coffees sitting there untouched. His laptop was open to some dry university financial aid policy page he'd been staring at for the last hour with that scary intense focus he only gets when shit is real. Jaw clenched, eyes narrowed, like he could will the rules to change if he read them hard enough.Lucas had gone to bed around eleven but left his office door wide open and the light blazing, like even in sleep he couldn't fully check out on us.Maya was curled up on the sofa in the sitting room, legs tucked under her, doing whatever on her phone. But every so often she'd wander in without a word—bringing water, then toast with butter the way I like

SEBASTIAN'S POVThe confirmation came at eight oh three.One email. Clean and formal and completely certain."Dear Mr Brooks. Following review of updated documentation including the withdrawal of the filing previously cited as grounds for suspension, the scholarship review committee has determined that no further action is required. Your scholarship remains active with immediate effect. We apologise for any distress caused."Eli read it twice.Then he put his phone face down on the kitchen table and just stared at the wall for a long moment, like he was waiting for it to feel real.Lucas was at the stove making breakfast, flipping eggs with his back to us.Bianca sat across from Eli, coffee in both hands, watching his face like she was scared it might crack.Maya was right beside her, doing the same.I was next to him, shoulder brushing his, watching every tiny shift in his expression.Nobody said shit.Then Eli picked up his phone and read it one more time.Put it down."It is confir

BIANCA'S POVSelena sat at our kitchen table like she belonged there.She’d planted herself right where we ate breakfast every single morning. No warning. Just her.Maya stood by the counter, arms folded tight, eyes locked on me the second I walked in with Sebastian behind me. She looked ready to tear the room apart if I needed her to.Selena looked up. “Bianca. Thank you for coming back.”“I live here,” I said. My voice came out rough. “For two more days.”“Yes. I know.”I glanced at Maya. She gave me that small sharp nod. I felt her strength behind me like a wall.“Sebastian,” I said without turning.“Yeah?”“Give us the kitchen.”“Bianca—” His voice broke with worry. “You sure? I can stay. I don’t mind—”“I’m fine. Please. I need this.”He breathed out hard. “I’ll be right outside. Call me and I’m in here in a second. Promise me you’ll call.”“I promise. Thank you.”The door stayed cracked. I could still feel him there, breathing.I sat down across from Selena. Maya moved closer be