Living In with My Evil Stepbrother

Alarm clock ringing...

"Miss Noane, get up." Gracia pulled the curtains on both sides of the bedroom to let the sunlight in. "It’s morning and you’re still lounging there. It’s Monday, and Mr. Albertz is arriving, so get up," she reminded her while picking up the scattered items on the bedroom floor one by one.

"Nang, just take it easy. I’m still sleepy!" the young woman whined, her eyes still closed under the blanket. "Thirty minutes more—ahh! Nang, it’s cold!" She jumped up instantly when Gracia pulled the blanket away.

"Miss Noane." Gracia wasn't surprised by what she saw, but she couldn't hide her concern.

While others wake up wearing pajamas or sleepwear, Noane wakes up in a mini skirt and crop top every morning. She even wears makeup, with eyeliner and lipstick already smudged all over her face. Her long, wavy black hair looked like it had been through a hurricane, it was so messy. This look wasn't new to Gracia, she saw it every day when she woke the girl up.

"Get up and take a bath. We'll talk later," she reminded her one last time before leaving the room.

"Ahhh, I still want to sleep!" she grumbled like a child, throwing a tantrum before finally deciding to get up. "Isn't there a remote control to pause the time?"

Noane started her usual morning routine, removing her makeup, taking a shower, and putting on her maid uniform. She left her hair down and applied some lip gloss before deciding to leave the room. She was barefaced, but even then, her natural charisma stood out.

"It’s good that the 'dear princess' is finally awake," greeted Ashley, Gracia's niece who started working after deciding not to pursue college. She chose to work to help her younger sister to finish her studies.

"Where have you ever seen a princess dressed like this?" Noane asked sarcastically before sitting down at the table.

"Even if you dress like that, you’re not really struggling. You even sleep in a room with air conditioning." Ashley sat beside her and leaned in very close. They were almost face-to-face. "So, where were you last night? Did you meet anyone handsome?" she whispered, making sure only the two of them could hear.

Noane immediately shook her head while chewing the sandwich Gracia had prepared for her. "There were some handsome, but they aren't my type," she whispered back.

"Enough with the gossip this early. Ashley, bring this to the east wing now. It’s almost 7:30," commanded Gracia, who had just finished putting all the food on a tray.

"Wait, Auntie, my stomach hurts! I'll go to the bathroom first. I'll be quick, I promise!" Ashley sprinted toward the bathroom, knowing they would be in trouble if the food didn't arrive on time.

"Look at that girl. She prioritized gossiping over taking her medicine." It's early in the morning, Gracia already had a headache from the girls with her.

"What happened to her, Nang?" asked Noane, who was already on her third sandwich.

"I told her not to eat the cake left over from last week. She didn't listen, and now she’s suffering from LBM because of her stubbornness." She looked at her watch and saw only six minutes left. "It looks like Ashley will be in the bathroom for a while."

"Looks like it—"

"You take it instead, Miss Noane."

Noane nearly choked on the milk she was drinking. "M-me?" she confirmed, wiping the milk that had spilled on her mouth.

"If I take it, I won't make it—"

"Nang, come on! You know how many years I’ve been avoiding that man. I even already forgot what he looks like and you want me to bring this to him?" she complained, crossing her arms and pouting like a child.

Gracia sighed, knowing the girl's feelings and what she had been through. She was there during her hard times even until now. "You don't have to show yourself. Just leave it outside his room, knock three times, and leave," she explained carefully. "Hurry! There’s no time." She took the tray and handed it to her so she couldn't refuse.

Noane had no other choice. Her hands were shaking as she climbed the stairs, every step made her chest tighten. She was sweating even more as she approached the east wing of the mansion. The last time they had faced each other was when she was stripped of her rights as a Montgomery. Since then, their paths hadn't crossed, even though they lived under the same roof. In the girl’s mind, this delivery was a suicide mission.

"I'll just leave it at his door and knock before leaving," she reminded herself as she arrived. She swallowed hard and carefully placed the tray on the small table at the side. "Okay, I’ll knock—wait, how many times again? Ten?"

"A-ah... Zeus... o-oh, Zeus...!"

Noane suddenly froze when she heard something from inside the room. She wasn't sure what it was, but she suddenly became curious. She slowly leaned in and pressed an ear to the door to hear better.

"S-Shit... Zeus, keep going...! You're so big...!" moaned the woman, her voice raspy and full of lust.

She froze even more. Her eyes widened. She couldn't believe it when she realized what was happening inside. She pulled away from the door with a disgusted expression. "Eww. Th-that’s so gross. Super gross!."

"Miss Noane."

"Ahhh!" She jumped in surprise at the voice. When she turned to see who it was, she held her chest and breathed a sigh of relief. "It’s just you, Butler Hanz. Long time no see. Hehehe. And what with the miss? Do I look like a 'miss' in this outfit?" she asked, referring to her maid uniform.

The butler smiled at her. "What are you doing here in the east wing?"

"Ah, well... Ashley’s unwell, so I was tasked to bring this here." She pointed to the tray on the table.

"I understand," he replied calmly. "I will take it inside later. You may leave and prepare for your class."

She scratched her head and replied, "Okay." She was about to walk away when she suddenly remembered something. "I forgot to knock."

"You don't have to—"

Noane pounded on the door repeatedly, losing count of the knocks. "Bye!" She sprinted away, nearly losing her balance as she ran down the stairs. You're dead, Noane! she told herself, but she couldn't help but laugh at what she had done.

Butler Hanz was left standing, shaking his head at the girl's behavior. Before he could even move, the door suddenly opened. The handsome figure of a man appeared, wearing only a black, open robe.

"What was that knock for, Butler Hanz?" he asked irritably, glaring at him. "You better be reasonable."

"It was Miss Noane who knocked, Master."

"Noane? She was here?" Zeus didn’t say another word. His eyes, dark and sharp, didn't look at the butler—they locked onto the hallway where Noane had just vanished. A slow, chilling smirk tugged at the corner of his lips. "So," he murmured, his voice low and dangerous, "the little mouse finally decided to come out of her hole."