Semua Bab Ruin Me Stepbrother : Bab 1 - Bab 10

Cindy's POV The wedding reception ended on an awkward note. Blake's words still hung in the air like smoke that would not clear. Guests kept whispering about the confrontation, their voices low but their eyes loud with curiosity.I saw them looking at me and Mum, and I wanted to disappear into the floor. Blake did not stay. He left alone without saying one nice word to his father. He just walked out with that cold face, like none of us mattered enough for him to stay.I kept asking myself why his words had cut so deep.Victor came over to us. He looked tired, older somehow than he had looked an hour ago."I am sorry, Elena. Sorry, Cindy. Blake has struggled a lot since he lost his mother. Please be patient with him. He will come around in time."Mum nodded but I could see the worry in her eyes. I tried to smile for her sake. But inside I felt uneasy, like a stone had settled in my stomach and would not move. Blake's hard stare from earlier would not leave my mind. I told myself it di

Cindy's POV I froze when Blake closed the bedroom door behind him. The sound of the click made my heart jump hard against my chest. He stood there wearing only a white towel around his waist.Water drops still ran down his strong chest and arms and landed on the wooden floor. I could not move or speak at first. My face felt hot, like it was on fire."I am sorry," I said quickly, my voice shaking. "I got lost while exploring the mansion. The halls are so big and confusing. I did not know this was your room. I will leave right now."Blake did not answer right away. He simply watched me with those dark eyes. The silence in the room felt heavy and hard to breathe in. I became painfully aware that I was standing inside his private space. This was his bedroom.His big bed was right there behind him, still made and neat. His clothes hung on a chair by the window. His smell filled the air, clean and strong, like soap mixed with something warm. I felt small and out of place, like I did not be

Cindy's POV I woke up the next morning with my cheeks burning. The hallway thing from last night kept replaying in my head. Blake grabbing my wrist, the way we looked at each other. I felt stupid. I decided right then I would avoid him completely. No talking. No eye contact. Nothing.Breakfast was awkward as hell. I sat across from Mom and Victor, poking at my eggs. Blake was already there, staring at his phone like we did not exist."Good morning, Cindy," Mom said, trying to sound cheerful."Morning," I mumbled.Victor folded his newspaper. "Storm kept you up? It was loud.""Yeah. I'm fine." I kept my eyes on my plate.Blake said nothing. He finished his coffee, grabbed his jacket, and stood up. "Got an early meeting. I'll be late." He walked out without looking at anyone. The door clicked shut behind him.Mom leaned toward me. "Is something going on between you two? You both seem off.""It's nothing, Mom. Really." I stood up fast. "I'm going to explore the house a bit."I needed ai

Cindy's POV I woke up exhausted. My eyes felt heavy, and Blake's words from last night would not leave my head. "I don't know how much longer I can keep this secret." I kept thinking about the locked room and how it must connect to whatever Victor and Mom were hiding. Something was wrong in this house, and I was tired of pretending everything was fine.I went downstairs hoping for a normal morning. But the moment I reached the main hall, I knew something was different. Servants were rushing around looking nervous. One of them almost dropped a tray when the doorbell rang.I walked closer to see who it was. An elderly man in a nice suit stood at the door. Silver hair. A walking stick. Mrs. Carter greeted him, but her voice sounded tight."Mr. Hargrove," she said. "We were not expecting you.""I was in the area," the man replied, smiling like it was nothing. "Thought I would pay my respects."Victor came down the stairs fast, buttoning his jacket as he walked. He looked surprised. "Rich

I woke up with the torn photograph still burning behind my eyes, Blake's words looping through my mind like a warning I could not shake. Before everything changed. Whatever secret this house was guarding, I was certain now it reached far beyond Katherine's death.It touched Mom. It touched Victor. Something enormous had happened years ago, and somehow I had landed right in the middle of it without ever being told the rules.Breakfast was tense in a way that had nothing to do with the food. Victor kept glancing at his phone, announcing he had an overseas call that would force him to leave early. Mom nodded along, but her attention was somewhere else entirely, and her hand trembled just slightly as she poured the coffee.At the far end of the table, Blake picked at his plate without really eating, refusing to look my way. Once, our eyes met by accident, and he turned his gaze aside so quickly it felt like a door slamming shut.I finished eating fast and excused myself. I needed somethin