Semua Bab The Stepbrother I Crave : Bab 61 - Bab 70

Flashback Continues:Maya's words echoed oddly inside the old walls that Sophia had carefully repaired. Regrets, it turned out, were simple to hold onto—especially once the most precious parts of life began slipping away.“It may look as though she has everything with you now, Julian,” Maya started, her tone laced with warning, “but mark my words, regret will eventually arrive. She is young and swept up in her feelings. In time, when clarity returns and she starts relying on reason instead of impulse, she will see what she is missing. And Julian, I hate to say it, but why would you want her to carry the troubles that shadow your existence? Your unstable ex is a never-ending problem, constantly pursuing you and appearing everywhere. Your uncles still demand money from you, you have not recovered from the troubles of your youth, and those scars run deep—perhaps too deep to mend. If you truly care for her, why force Sophia to endure all of that? No one wants to put the person they lov

As Sophia and kate made their way down the stairs, Sophia’s eyes immediately met her father’s. He sat beside Maya, though his usual lively energy seemed noticeably absent. A deep crease had formed between his brows, and for a moment, Sophia wondered what had dampened his mood. Her attention shifted from the small group of familiar faces gathered around them. While she couldn’t recall every name, she recognized most of the guests.“Where exactly are you heading, Sophia?” her father asked, his tone sharp with disapproval.She had anticipated this reaction. After all, he was her dad—he preferred to keep her close, always within sight.“I’m going to the club with my friends,” Sophia answered, offering him a small smile as she walked past. However, her expression quickly faded when she noticed who sat across from them, Julian and Olivia. They were positioned side by side, with Julian’s arm wrapped possessively around Olivia’s waist. She leaned into him intimately, their closeness impos

For a brief moment, Sophia’s entire world seemed to stop spinning. A strange wave of relief washed through her body as the stranger’s hand finally released her throat. Yet the shock of seeing Julian standing right there, in front of her, was almost too much to process. She simply couldn’t believe it.Was he truly here?Her eyes widened in disbelief, her mind struggling to comprehend the scene. Then, for a split second, her vision blurred, only to refocus on the crimson blood staining Julian’s knuckles and the fresh stream of blood dripping from the attacker’s nose. Even through her drunken haze, it was clear that Julian had just delivered a powerful punch—one she had missed while momentarily lost in shock.He was really here.Everything was unfolding too quickly, or perhaps it was just the alcohol clouding her perception. But she suspected it wasn’t only the liquor at play.With one sharp glance in her direction, his intense green eyes burning with barely contained fury, Julian grab

Sophia’s eyelids felt impossibly heavy, as though invisible weights had been attached to them. She could feel the leather of the car seat beneath her and noticed the blessed absence of the harsh morning sun, a clear sign that the miserable night still dragged on.Why was she in a car? She was supposed to be at the club with her friends. Her memories twisted and spun in a chaotic haze, making it difficult to force her eyes open and take in her surroundings.Had someone taken her? The thought sent a ripple of alarm through her clouded mind.It was obvious she remained heavily intoxicated—perhaps even more so than before. Alcohol was supposed to wear off with time, yet hers only seemed to grow stronger. What kind of trouble had she stumbled into this time?She prayed it wasn’t anything too dreadful.Her thoughts halted abruptly as fragments of memory began returning, slow and reluctant at first, then rushing in like a violent flood. She recalled the blond stranger forcing himself on her,

Maya released a cloud of smoke into the cool night air, resting against the balcony railing while her eyes scanned the vast, darkened sky. Her phone stayed firmly in her other hand as she flicked cigarette ash into the tray below.Stress had always been a fierce opponent for her, one that refused to yield. She could neither step back nor push ahead without consequences.She had tried reaching Arthur, but her partner had left his phone in the room. His simple task—to retrieve two bottles of beer from the kitchen,had clearly turned into something far longer. The delay made it obvious he had wandered into other matters.The beer had been a half-hearted attempt by Maya to shift his focus. In truth, he was far more determined to interfere with Sophia’s evening plans, whether by calling her directly, contacting her friends, or tracking her down himself if necessary.He was furious, a rare state for Arthur. Usually calm and steady, he had been pushed to his limit by Olivia. Maya longed to re