STEP BROTHER DEAREST
Tamara
I glanced at him, noticing the shadow that crossed his face—the same one I had seen yesterday, when the rumors had exploded like wildfire.
“Sometimes sacrifices are necessary,” his stepbrother continued, eyes flicking toward Ian briefly before returning to me. “People get hurt along the way. That’s life. But not all hurt is malicious. Ian knows this. He… he just struggles with boundaries. And when he feels trapped, he lashes out.”
The words landed like a blow. I realized then that Ian’s stepbrother wasn’t just controlling; he was a shield and a cage, all at once. Ian had been caught between his brother’s world and his own, and I had been dragged unknowingly into the crossfire.