STEP BROTHER DEAREST
“And the other?”
“Will burn.” His tone was flat, merciless. “You cannot know both. That is loyalty—choosing which truth matters most.”
I stared at the envelopes, the weight of his words crashing down on me. One held Ian. The other, myself. And I could only pick one.
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“I don’t understand,” I said, my voice shaking. “How is this loyalty? It’s—cruel.”
“It’s clarity,” he countered smoothly. “Everyone claims they can be loyal to themselves *and* to someone else. But when the paths divide, loyalty demands a choice. So choose, Ari. Him—or you.”