All Chapters of The Scandalous Step Siblings: First Enemies, Then Lovers : Chapter 21 - Chapter 30

The sun didn't just rise; it hit the room like a debt collector and filled the space with a harsh, blinding white that made the silver stars on the nursery wallpaper look like cheap stickers. I woke up alone and spent a few minutes staring at the ceiling, wondering exactly when my life had turned into such a low-budget thriller.The spot on the bed beside me was still warm, and the sheets were a total wreck because Kai had been clinging to me all night during his night terror. For a guy who acts like a Roman General during the day, he’s a massive space-hog when the ghosts come out, and my limbs felt heavy as I realized that every "almost" moment we shared was starting to feel like a physical bruise. I looked at the silver key on the nightstand where it sat like a silent reminder that I was a guest with a very messy agenda.I dressed fast and headed downstairs while my head was banging—and not in the fun way. I found Kai in the library looking like he’d been in a fight with a photocopi

Anya’s POVKai’s heart was thumping against my ribs, a fast, heavy rhythm that didn't match his calm voice. His lips were so close that every time he breathed, I felt it in my own lungs.He had just told me the vault was open. He was basically handing me the knife and baring his neck."The vault is open," I repeated, trying to keep my voice from shaking. "Is this the part where you tell me you trust me? Because we both know that's a lie."Kai let out a short, dry laugh that vibrated against my chest."Trust? No, Anya. I don't trust anyone who looks at me the way you do… like you’re trying to find the exact spot to stick the blade. I’m just bored of the game. If you’re going to rob me, do it while I’m looking at you."He didn't move away. If anything, he pressed closer, his good hand sliding from my fingers to the small of my back, pulling me flush against his heat. The silver key was still trapped between our palms, biting into my skin."My father is waiting for me to walk out of here

Anya's PIVThe silk of the midnight blue dress felt like cool water against my skin and it fit too well, almost like it was a second skin I hadn't earned, so I stood there shivering in the middle of the room. It was the kind of dress that didn't just sit on your body but instead it claimed it, clinging to my curves and falling to the floor in a way that made me feel less like a broke music critic and more like someone who actually belonged in a penthouse.I was struggling with the side zipper while my fingers fumbled against the delicate teeth of the metal track, and then a sharp, rhythmic knocking echoed through the suite. I knew that sound because it was a sound that had no patience for the vanity of women or the malfunction of clothing, so I held my breath and prayed for the silk to cooperate."Anya? Kai? We’re five minutes behind and the car has been idling for ten," Ethan’s voice called out, sounding like a man who counted his life in seconds rather than heartbeats. I blew a stra

Anya’s POVThe lobby of the Metropolitan Opera House was a sea of black ties, champagne flutes, and the kind of perfume that smelled like old money and secrets.The air was thick with the hum of a thousand conversations, but as soon as Kai stepped into the room, a path cleared like the Red Sea.His hand was still firmly on my waist. I could feel the heat of his palm through the silk of my dress, a steady, grounding weight in a room that felt like it was spinning."Smile, Anya," Kai murmured, his voice barely audible over the chatter. "You look like you’re walking toward a firing squad.""In this room? I probably am," I whispered back, keeping my eyes fixed ahead."Just stay close. If anyone tries to corner you, look bored. It’s the only language these people understand."We were stopped every three feet. Women in diamonds draped themselves over Kai’s good arm, their eyes flicking to me with a mixture of curiosity and disdain. Every time a man lingered too long on the neckline of my dr

Anya’s POVThe door didn't just open, it slammed against the wall with a violence that made my ears ring..My father stood in the doorway. He wasn't wearing the tuxedo of a proud parent.He looked like a man who had just watched his retirement fund go up in smoke. His face was flushed, his tie crooked, and his eyes were darting between my hands still holding Kai’s bloody fingers and the pale, exhausted face of the man leaning on my shoulder."What the hell was that?" Rahul’s voice was a low, dangerous snarl. He didn't look at me. He looked at Kai. "You stopped. You reached the climax of the first movement and you just... stopped."Kai didn't pull away from me. If anything, he leaned heavier into my space, his thumb tracing a slow, absent-minded circle on the back of my hand, smearing a streak of red across my skin."The music ended, Rahul," Kai said, his voice cold and drained of emotion. "Or didn't you hear? It was a silence three thousand people paid a thousand dollars a seat to exp