Semua Bab MY STEP BROTHER, MY RUIN: Bab 101 - Bab 110

JUNE;I stood by the poolside, hands crossed under my breasts, pushing them up. The T-shirt did a little to keep them from swaying underneath. I had yanked off my bra the moment I stepped into my bedroom, that piece of clothing was torture!The tall golden palm trees swayed in the evening breeze, the blue water calm and swaying too. The environment was serene. It was my first time being in this part of the mansion, and I was loving how cool it was, how it afforded me the quietness to think things through. Matthew showed up at the library earlier, and the genuineness in his eyes was evident. For such a long time I had believed the worst of him. Of course, I knew he wasn’t to be trusted after seeing him in Mary's neighborhood on different occasions, and how he always knew what to order for me at all times. He knew way too much to just be coincidences, but today was different. What did he mean by he wasn’t meant to fall for me? I couldn’t ask him much then because he had shown up when

RONAN; My silver sedan came to a smooth stop right in front of the Arkwrights’ big villa mansion. The street lights glowed bright and white all around us, cutting through the early night. It was barely seven o’clock, but the whole estate felt too still, like every family had already shut their doors and gone to bed. I exhaled softly, June’s warm hand stayed wrapped around mine the whole ride here. Her fingers squeezed gently every few minutes, pulling me back from the dark thoughts spinning in my head. She had a way of steadying me without saying much. Her words from the garden still echoed in my ears. I looked at the massive gate before us, and I remembered the last time I stood here. Selene and her mom had cooked up that fake burglar story just to drag me into Selene’s bed. The whole thing still left a sour taste in my mouth. What I couldn’t figure out was why they kept pushing so hard to tie me to Selene. What did they really want from me? “You okay, Ronan?” June’s so

JUNE; It was the first day of exams and the big hall felt like a pressure cooker. The air was quiet except for the soft tapping of keyboards and the occasional cough, but underneath it all, heavy tension sat between me, Ronan, and Selene. Only the three of us knew what really went down at the Arkwrights’ villa mansion over the weekend. Every time I shifted a little in my seat and glanced sideways, I caught Selene’s eyes locked on me. They were red and glaring, burning holes into my side. It forced me to remember Matthew’s warning words when he visited the library last weekend. Selene looked like a ghost of her old self. Dark bags hung under her eyes, her face was all puffy and swollen like she had cried endlessly, and her usual bright eyes looked dull and bloodshot. She kept staring, but I forced myself to look away and stare at the questions glowing on my computer screen. I needed to focus. Matthew sat away at the far end of the hall like he always did, keeping his distance.

JUNE;She walked right into the cafeteria, but something about her steps looked off. Selene headed straight to the counter, dug through her bag with quick, nervous hands, and pulled out a card. She handed it over to the cashier without looking up much.Romy leaned in closer to me across the table. “Now she’s acting like she’s on fire. What actually happened between you two? How did you figure out she’s broke now?”“Romy,” I cautioned again, keeping my voice low.“What!” she snapped back, not caring who heard. “Don’t tell me you really feel pity for someone who wouldn’t spare you for any reason?”I shook my head slowly. I grabbed my glass and took a long sip, letting the cold drink slide down my throat. Romy’s eyes drifted back toward the counter where Selene stood.“Oh, she looks rather lost in all that designer wear today,” Romy said, kissing her teeth in disapproval.Romy was being impossible, but I couldn’t deny what I saw. Selene really did look lost, like the weight of the whole

JUNE; I spun around quickly at the sound of the vibration. Of all the names that could have appeared on my screen right now, it was Mary’s name glowing brightly. My heart did a crazy little flip, like it was reminding me just how far apart we had grown. The friendship that once felt so solid-"we were sisters"-now had deep cracks running through it. I gulped hard and ignored the ringing, turning back to face Ronan instead. “You’re not picking that?” Ronan asked. He slid his hands into his pockets, watching me carefully. “Isn’t she the one you were with at the coffee shop that day?” “Yeah,” I answered slowly, leaning back against the dresser for support. The call had already gone silent. “But it’s not necessary right now.” I tried to hide my eyes, looking down at the floor instead of meeting his gaze. Ronan had always been good at reading me, sometimes too good at it. I didn’t want him to see the storm of hurt and confusion swirling inside my chest. I remembered Matthew’s