Lahat ng Kabanata ng Bully stepbrother: Kabanata 31 - Kabanata 40

MADISONToday has been a little different compared to the past few days.Besides my stepbrother’s issues, everything else has been smooth.I’ve had some clients at work that my supervisors think match my current studies as I work through my training, and I surprisingly aced the test we took last week, even though I was going through hell when I wrote it. I know, right? I’m a genius.Okay, back to the present.It’s almost nine at night, and the sky is dark; you can barely find a star. Most of the workers have closed for the day, but I haven’t, since I have a late evening appointment with a client who happens to be a famous basketball player from the state, and Reagan believed I could handle his session.Although I’m not alone. Lucky me, my friend Asher is keeping me company and staying around during Bryan Tatum’s session. Yes, it’s all about fanboying.Bryan Tatum is a very famous young man, having everything most men would wish for: money, fame, power, and good looks. He can make a wo

MADISONI’m stuck in that damn, unhelpful breathing thing that does nothing but amplify my aimless thoughts. Everything I see is tinged red.Caleb left an hour ago, yet I’m still unable to react to anything he told me or to the thoughts I’ve tried to bury since morning.Caden, Caden, Caden. It’s always about him. I long for a world without his tempting eyes, the mesmerizing sound of his perfect voice, the irresistible pull of those soft lips. I yearn for a world without Caden’s elusive scent, a flavor no one can compete with even a quarter of, the warmth of his body when he uses it to intimidate me. Perhaps I crave a world where I understand that abstract feeling. Or maybe I just want a world where I have the whole package, along with a caring stepbrother, like everyone else.Right now, I’m a mess.I can’t even face him because I don’t know how to. After the mess I’ve dealt with twice already, you can understand. You should be able to handle this. Any girl with a spine wouldn’t sit in

MADISONThe first thing I do after draping myself in a towel is brush my teeth, gazing intently into the mirror, my thoughts beginning to wander until a voice snaps me back.I turn to see Caden standing there. He must have been speaking for a while, but I’ve been too lost in thought to notice. Why did I leave the door open?“You’re not seriously planning to use the bathroom now that I’m in here, are you?” I ask, adopting a defensive tone. You can never predict when he’ll make a move.His upper lip curls into an amused smirk.“Am I invited?”“No. Leave.” Blushing and with my eyes rolling in mortification, I move to close the door, ignoring his laughter and the thoughts he’s set racing through my mind. Just as the door is nearly shut, his hand presses flat against it, halting my effort.Not now!“Cad—” I begin wearily, toothbrush still lodged in my mouth.“Why do you have an electric toothbrush and use it alone in the bathroom?” he asks, his question momentarily throwing me off.“Duh, t

CADENFlashbackThe gentle sound of curtain rods gliding against the polished stainless-steel pole accompanies the warm, golden glow of the morning sun as it bathes my childhood bedroom in soft, inviting light.Radiant beams breathe life into the weariness that has settled in me over the past two months.“Get up, wake up, it’s morning,” she coaxes, her voice like a silken ribbon woven with morning tranquility.Refusing to let go of my cocoon, I draw the covers tighter around me, my body recoiling from the intrusion of daylight.“I don’t want to go to school today,” I whine.Her determination remains unswayed, and she tugs the comforter until I reluctantly surrender to the brightness of the new day.In a sedated voice that bears traces of both concern and resignation, she mandates, “You must. School is essential for your future. Besides, I need some quiet today.”School, however, isn’t the solace I need. It’s my twin, Cara, whose absence has left an unfillable void in my life for nearl

MADISONI stand frozen, facing the door in the eerie stillness of the living room. I’ve anticipated this moment, knowing it would feel like bruises and cuts and scratches, maybe even fractures in my heart. It was always inevitable. With Caden, nothing ever seems to endure.Each passing second feels like an eternity, pain spreading through me like a contagious disease, gradually consuming me. I can’t even pinpoint what brings tears to my eyes. If I’m being honest with myself, I know I’ve made a lot of mistakes that led to this moment.He used all the selfish moments we shared and thrust them in my face as if I were nothing more than a one-night stand.Perhaps I am. Maybe I’m truly a terrible person. Perhaps I deserve this.I squeeze my eyes shut, partly to escape this place, but mostly because I’m scared of the intensity of the pain waiting for me when I open them. I dread the realization that it’s still Saturday morning, and I’m standing near the door of the person I can’t stop wantin