"Ethan, meet Sophia." My mother beamed and I wanted to die of embarrassment "Step sister." His sinister voice dripped with amusement. "How convenient." Sophia Carter thought things couldn't get worse after finding her boyfriend in bed with her best friend, until a wild one-night stand with a stranger flipped her world upside down. The next day, she flees, vowing never to look back. But when she walks into her dream job interview, he's there, Ethan Blackwood. Her new boss. Arrogant, magnetic, and entirely off-limits. And just when she thinks thing's couldn't get any worse, a family dinner reveals the unthinkable: Ethan isn't just her boss-he's her new stepbrother. And he wants her, Ethan always gets what he wants.
Chapter 1 The Birthday betrayal
Birthdays are supposed to be special, a day to feel loved, celebrated, and remembered. For me, they have always been a bittersweet reminder of how alone I have felt most of my life.
I hated birthdays, especially mine, and trust me when I say my hatred is justifiable, I mean something bad always happened on my birthdays.
But then again, I had held on to some hope this year. Alex, my boyfriend of three years, had promised me a quiet dinner with just the three of us, and by the three of us, I meant me, him and my best friend Lily, the two most important people in my life.
It wasn't grand or extravagant, but it was something.
Plus it was at a fancy Italian restaurant I have been dying to try.
I had dressed in a sexy red dress that showed too much cleavage and I don't usually go bold with wearing red because it commanded too much attention.
So to be honest, I looked hot.
I walked into this restaurant with confidence but right now I felt like shit, imagine the girl in a table for three sitting all alone.
This was sad and pathetic.
I could see the way the server looked at me, I had been waiting thirty minutes on an empty table, and it looked like I've been stood up.
"Are you ready to order miss?" He refused to meet my eyes, that was how pathetic my situation was. Gosh! This was embarrassing, I shook my head not having enough confidence to reply him.
But after a while I saw from the look he gave me that he was expecting a verbal reply.
"No, I'm waiting for my company." I have him a small mechanically fake smile and he left.
He left but I knew if he came again, I had to leave.
I decided to order a mimosa and then one turned to tell and then three, then I had decided to order a full bottle of wine but then I decided against drinking it, I didn't want to be drunk by the time Alex and Lily arrived.
But as the minutes ticked past and then turned into hours, I sat at the restaurant alone, staring at the untouched glass of wine in front of me.
There was a smile in my head that kept whispering the obvious: they weren't coming.
I tried calling Alex, but the line went straight to voicemail. I texted Lily, only to get a vague, "Sorry, something came up," in response.
My chest tightened as disappointment crashed over me. I told myself I was overreacting, that there was some logical explanation. Maybe Alex had planned a surprise? Maybe Lily was in on it?
Yes! There had to be a surprise party at Alex's apartment, my birthday was definitely not ruined.
Gripping my purse, I paid for the untouched wine and mimosa's and left.
I took a cab to Alex's apartment. I needed answers.
I pushed the key into his lock, the one he gave me months ago, and stepped inside.
It was quiet but when I walked into his bedroom what I saw stunned me.
Every nerve in my body was alerted, I literally screamed internally as stomach twisted, and every nerve in my body screamed for me to turn around and leave.
But I couldn't, it was as if I was rooted to a spot.
It was quiet, except for the faint sound of music drifting from his bedroom.
There they were, the two most important people in my life, Alex and Lily, she was on top of him as he was plunging into her like his life depended on it.
It was erotic and disgusting.
I wondered if it was the same man that kissed me with soft passion that was fucking my best friend as if he was paying her for the sex.
They didn't even notice I was there, they didn't even here my scream, that was how into the sex they were.
For a moment, my mind refused to process what I was seeing. My heart was beating.
"What the actual fuck guys." I screamed out finally getting their attention, my hands trembling as I walked towards them, they finally broke apart instantly, their wide eyes facing me as if they didn't expect me to find out.
I wondered how long they have been fucking? Why couldn't they just not do it today.
"Sophia," Alex stammered, his voice filled with panic.
But I couldn't speak. I couldn't breathe.
The betrayal hit me like a physical blow, stealing the air from my lungs.
After my mother and troubled childhood I hardly let people in but then after letting these two idiots in, this is how I get repaid?
My throat burned, but I swallowed back the sob threatening to escape. I wasn't going to cry in front of them, they didn't deserve my tears. I refused to give them the satisfaction of seeing me break. Instead, I turned on my heel and fled, ignoring Alex's shouts behind me.
I didn't know if I imagined the smirk on Lily's face, it was almost as if she looked satisfied.
I didn't know where I was going, my legs just carrying me forward aimlessly.
I felt like a ghost-disconnected, hollow, and empty. The two people I trusted most had shattered me, and now I didn't know who I was without them.
Where do you go when everything you thought you knew crumbles?
I didn't have an answer.
So, I just kept walking.