All Chapters of Off Limits: My Brother's Best Friend : Chapter 11 - Chapter 20

The following weekend brought another family gathering, this time, a backyard barbecue at the Ellis home to celebrate Marcus’s recent promotion. The yard was filled with laughter, the smell of grilled meat, and the constant hum of conversation. Elena tried to act normal, smiling at relatives and helping her mother serve drinks, but her eyes kept drifting to Damien. He stood near the grill with Marcus, beer in hand, looking effortlessly handsome in a simple black t-shirt and jeans. Every time their gazes met across the crowd, heat flared low in her belly, a secret reminder of the passionate night they had shared just days earlier. But something felt off. Lila was there. Marcus had invited a few of Damien’s colleagues, and Lila had shown up in a tight sundress that hugged her curves, her laughter ringing out a little too loudly whenever Damien spoke. She stayed close to him, touching his arm “casually” while talking, leaning in to whisper something that made Damien’s jaw tighten.

Elena barely slept that night. The screenshot from Lila burned behind her eyelids every time she closed her eyes. Damien’s short reply "Thanks for the heads up"played on repeat in her mind like a cruel loop. By morning, her eyes were swollen and her chest felt hollow. She avoided her phone all day, ignoring the string of texts from Damien that grew increasingly urgent: " Elena, call me." "It’s not what you think." " We need to talk. Please." When Marcus noticed her quiet mood at breakfast, he frowned. “You okay, sis? You look like you didn’t sleep.” “I’m fine,” she muttered, forcing a weak smile. “Just tired from studying.” Marcus didn’t look convinced, but he let it drop. The suspicion in his eyes, however, lingered, the same look he’d given her and Damien in the kitchen during the barbecue. By evening, Elena couldn’t take the silence anymore. She drove to Damien’s apartment again, her hands gripping the steering wheel so tightly her knuckles turned white. When he o

Elena sat in her car outside Damien’s apartment building for nearly ten minutes before she could bring herself to go inside. Her hands wouldn’t stop shaking. The photo of Damien and Lila, Lila’s hand resting possessively on his chest, his easy smile directed at her, played on repeat in her mind. The anonymous message had arrived just hours earlier, and with it, the fragile peace they had rebuilt over the past few weeks had shattered completely. She finally forced herself out of the car and up the stairs, using the spare key he had given her weeks ago. The moment she stepped inside, Damien looked up from the couch where he had been scrolling through his phone. Relief washed over his face the second he saw her. “Elena,” he said, standing quickly. “I was starting to worry. You’ve been quiet all day.” She didn’t smile. She didn’t move toward him. Instead, she pulled out her phone with trembling fingers and held it up so he could see the screen. Damien’s expression changed inst

Elena barely made it home before the tears turned into full-body sobs. She locked herself in her bathroom, slid down the wall, and cried until her throat burned and her eyes were swollen shut. One hand stayed pressed to her stomach, a tiny, protective gesture over the life growing inside her. Damien’s child. The man who had just called their baby a trap. How had everything gone so wrong? She didn’t know how long she sat there. Eventually, exhaustion pulled her into a restless sleep on the cold tile floor. The next morning, Marcus found her in the kitchen, staring blankly at a cup of tea she hadn’t touched. He took one look at her pale face and red-rimmed eyes and frowned. “Elena, what the hell happened? You look like shit.” She tried to brush it off. “Nothing. Just… didn’t sleep well.” Marcus wasn’t buying it. He crossed his arms, leaning against the counter. “You’ve been acting weird for weeks. And don’t think I haven’t noticed how you and Damien keep looking at each

The next few days passed in a heavy, suffocating fog. Elena barely left her room. She ate only when her mother gently insisted, slept in fits and starts, and spent long hours staring at the wall with one hand resting on her stomach. The pregnancy still felt unreal, a tiny secret growing inside her while her world fell apart around her. Marcus checked on her constantly, his anger toward Damien simmering but now mixed with fierce protectiveness. Her parents walked on eggshells, offering quiet support and space while clearly worried. The house felt like it was holding its breath. On the fourth day, Elena finally made herself get out of bed and face the mirror. She looked different. Her eyes were dull, her cheeks pale, but there was a new steel in her posture. The shy girl who had once hidden behind books and blushes was transforming into someone stronger, someone who had no choice but to be strong. That afternoon, she sat her family down in the living room. “I’ve been think