All Chapters of Forbidden Step Brother : Chapter 21 - Chapter 30

Three days after Marcus left, I still hadn't left his room.I'd moved from his bed to his chair to his window seat, reading his note over and over like it might reveal some hidden message. Some sign that he'd change his mind and come back.Jules finally staged an intervention on day four."Okay, that's it." She marched into Marcus's room—how she got past security, I didn't ask—and physically pulled me up. "You're showering. Then you're eating. Then we're talking about how you move forward.""I don't want to move forward.""Too bad. You're not Bella Swan and this isn't Twilight. You don't get to zombie your way through senior year because some guy left.""He's not 'some guy'—""He's the guy who abandoned you without a real goodbye. Who chose running away over fighting for you." Jules's voice softened. "I know you love him. But Aria, he left."The truth of it hit me like a physical blow. Marcus had left. Chosen distance over us. Given up."Come on," Jules said gently. "Shower. I brought

The next few weeks fell into a comfortable rhythm.Classes, study sessions, coffee with Ethan on Saturdays. Slowly, painfully, I was building a life that didn't revolve around Marcus or waiting for him to come back.It helped that Ethan was easy to be around. He didn't push, didn't pry, didn't expect anything beyond friendship. We'd study together at the library, grab lunch between classes, text about random things—funny memes, complaints about professors, recommendations for new music."You listen to the worst stuff," Ethan said one afternoon, scrolling through my Spotify. We were in the campus quad, taking advantage of the unseasonably warm October weather."Excuse me, The Chainsmokers are iconic.""Iconic disasters, maybe." He made a face. "Here, let me educate you."He put in his earbuds, handing me one. Suddenly my world was filled with indie folk I'd never heard—soft guitars and lyrics about longing and loss."This is depressing," I said, but I didn't ask him to change it."It's

Thanksgiving week arrived with the kind of family tension I'd been dreading."Marcus is coming home," Richard announced at Monday dinner. "Just for the weekend. He wanted to see everyone."My fork clattered against my plate. Mom shot me a concerned look."That's wonderful," she said carefully. "It'll be nice to have the whole family together.""Will it though?" I couldn't help asking.Richard sighed. "Aria, I know this is difficult—""Difficult? He left. Without a real goodbye. And now he just gets to waltz back in for turkey?""He's my son. This is his home.""Is it? Because he chose Tokyo.""Aria," Mom said gently. "Maybe you two should talk. Clear the air.""There's nothing to clear. We're fine. Completely fine." I stood, appetite gone. "I have studying to do."In my room, I called Jules."He's coming back," I said without preamble."Marcus?""Yeah. Thanksgiving weekend. Richard just told us.""How do you feel?"That was the question, wasn't it? How did I feel?Angry. Hurt. Hopeful

The kiss was different from before.Before, we'd been desperate, stolen, tinged with guilt and fear. This was deliberate. A choice we were both making with full knowledge of the consequences.Marcus kissed me like he'd been drowning and I was air. His hands tangled in my hair, pulling me closer, and I went willingly. My hands found his bare chest, feeling his heart hammering beneath my palms."Aria," he breathed against my lips. "God, I've missed this. Missed you."I should stop. Should push him away. Should remember all the reasons this was a bad idea.Instead, I kissed him back harder.We stumbled backward until my back hit the gym wall. Marcus's hands gripped my waist, lifting me slightly, and I wrapped my arms around his neck. Everything else fell away—Ethan's words, my mother's concerns, the complications that had driven us apart.There was only this. Only us."Wait," I gasped, breaking the kiss. "Wait, we can't—""I know." But he didn't move away. His forehead rested against min

My heart hammered. "Mom, what are you talking about?""There was a woman. In Tokyo. Someone Marcus was..." She struggled with the words. "Someone he was involved with while he was there."The world tilted. "Involved how?""Apparently, they had a brief relationship. Very brief. But she contacted him today with news.""What news?" But I already knew. Somehow, I already knew."She's pregnant, Aria. And she says Marcus is the father."The words hit like a physical blow. I sat down hard on the foyer bench.Pregnant. A baby. Marcus's baby."That's not possible," I heard myself say. "He wouldn't—he was working, he was focused on—""He was also trying to move on from you. Richard said Marcus told him it happened early in his stay. A colleague. They went on a few dates, it got physical, and then Marcus ended it." Mom sat beside me. "He didn't know she was pregnant until today."My mind raced. Early in his stay meant September. Right after he left. When I was here, crying over him, and he was t