Lahat ng Kabanata ng Forbidden Romance With My Ruthless, Alpha Stepbrother : Kabanata 1 - Kabanata 10

Lily’s pov,I held the breakfast tray carefully, the silver edges were cold against my palms, and my hands shook even though I tried to steady them as I pushed open the heavy oak door to Vincent’s study. The room was just as it always was, dark wood, tall shelves filled with books I knew he never touched, leather chairs, and the sharp scent of his cologne. That scent always twisted something in my stomach and I hated that it did.At nineteen, I was still the quiet stepsister, moving through his world like I didn’t belong there. I had entered the family through my mother’s marriage, carrying only a suitcase and a careful heart. The mansion never truly felt like home to me. I walked softly, spoke less, and tried not to be noticed. In a house built on power and control, I was the fragile piece that didn’t quite fit.Vincent was different from everyone else. He hadn’t just inherited money. He had inherited power. His father had been the Alpha before him, feared and respected, and when he

Vincent – POVThe call ended with a dull sound.I lowered the phone slowly and placed it on the desk like it weighed more than it should. The office felt too quiet after that. It was too still, the kind of silence that lets thoughts grow loud.I leaned forward and planted both hands on the table.A mate and an heir, the final shift of power. That was what they wanted.The board members didn’t bother hiding it anymore. They spoke calmly, like this was a business transaction, like choosing a mate was the same as signing a contract or acquiring a company.“Without a mate,” one of them had said, “your position as Alpha will never be complete.”They didn’t need to remind me what the ritual meant, I knew it better than any of them. An Alpha without a mate was unfinished, unstable and a risk.My jaw tightened.My father had already chosen one for me long before he died. A political match and a perfect Luna on paper, having strong bloodline, loyal family and no complications.No emotions.I e

Lily’s POVSeven years.Sometimes I said the number out loud just to remind myself it was real. It has been seven years since I walked away from the Looke mansion with nothing but a small bag, a shaking heart, and a promise to myself that I would survive.Life did not become easy the moment I left. That was a lie people liked to tell. There were days when I barely had enough money for food and nights when I cried quietly so no one would hear me. There were also moments when fear almost dragged me back to a place I swore I would never return to.But I adapted.I learned how to stand on my own feet and how to speak up in rooms that once would have silenced me. I learned that strength was not loud or violent. Sometimes it was simply waking up and choosing to try again.Almost a year after I left, Matthew was born.He came into my life on a rainy morning, screaming like he was angry at the world already. I remember holding him for the first time, my hands trembling, my heart full and terr

Vincent’s – POVI had faced enemies on battlefields and in boardrooms. I had made decisions that ruined powerful men. I had stood my ground while entire territories challenged my rule.None of that prepared me for the moment Lily walked back into my house.And she didn’t come back alone.I stood at the top of the stairs long after she passed me, my body stiff, my mind racing in a way I hated. Power was supposed to bring control. Years as Alpha had trained me to hide shock, to hide weakness.But when my eyes fell on the child holding her hand, something deep inside me shifted.A boy, small, calm and watching everything.When his gaze met mine, it felt like being struck by something I couldn’t see.For a split second, my wolf stirred.That had never happened, not anymore.Lily’s words echoed in my head. “This is my son.”My chest tightened and my thoughts scattered as I watched them walk away, her back straight, her steps steady. She did not look like the girl who ran from this house se

Lily’s POVThe morning came faster than I wanted.I stood in front of the mirror, staring at my reflection while the sun slowly rose behind the tall curtains. Today was important. Today was the launch of the new branch, my branch. The one they trusted me to build and lead. The one that dragged me back to the city I once ran from.My hands trembled slightly as I adjusted my dress.“You’re ready,” I whispered to myself. “You can do this.”A soft knock came on the door.“Lily?” my mother called.“Come in,” I replied.She stepped inside with a gentle smile, already dressed, calm as always. Matthew trailed behind her, rubbing his eyes sleepily.“Mama,” he said, walking straight to me.I knelt down and hugged him tight. I breathed him in like I needed the strength.“Mother,” I said as I stood up again, guilt creeping into my voice, “I’m sorry for burdening you with looking after Matthew today.”She frowned at me instantly. “Burdening me?” she repeated. “Lily, don’t ever say that again.”She