Semua Bab Rule Number 1: Kissing Your Stepbrother Again Will Ruin You: Bab 11 - Bab 20

Elowen I've come to a conclusion that I must've been the universe's most hated person to walk the earth. I was fully convinced of that by the time I dragged my suitcase down the stairs that morning. It didn't just dislike me or feel mildly inconvenienced by my existence. Passionate hatred—that's the feeling it had for me. Because there was absolutely no other explanation for why my life had turned into a badly written comedy where every punchline involved my dearest stepbrother. My duffel bag was slung over one shoulder, a backpack hanging off the other, while I half-dragged my suitcase like a struggling single mother of three. My laptop bag kept slipping down my arm every three seconds, and I was already sweating. What a great way to start your first day in college. Fantastic. By the time I reached the last few steps, I could see Zephyr through the open front door, standing there and looking illegal. He leaned against a sleek blue sports car parked in the driveway like he belo

Elowen I had officially decided that Belmont Academy was a scam. Who in their right mind designs a university where Mondays aren’t actual instructional days and then conveniently forgets to mention that in the acceptance packet? Because if that little detail had been printed anywhere, I wouldn't have spent my morning playing the role of the campus clown. The memory replayed in my head for the hundredth time that night. Me, wearing a bike helmet, wanting pedal my overly ambitious heart into academic greatness, only to find out about this in the worst possible way. And worse—finding it out in front of Zephyr and a handful of hot, deeply judgmental Belmont guys. I buried my face into my pillow, letting out a muffled groan. God, kill me. Actually, no. Kill him. Because somehow, every humiliating milestone in my life lately had Zephyr’s fingerprints all over it. First, I tripped and fall on him. Then my face landed on his— No. I refused to let my brain go there. I pressed the pill

ElowenBy the time the taxi crawled to a stop in front of the massive wrought-iron gates of Belmont Academy, my anger toward Zephyr had metastasized. It was no longer a hot, impulsive reaction; it had cooled into something structured, patient, and deeply calculated. A refined, low-simmering loathing. The kind that whispered, "Don’t just break something of his. Wait and when it's time, make it hurt."I handed the driver my remaining cash, leaving my wallet completely hollow, and stepped out onto the pavement. I hitched the strap of my backpack higher on my shoulder, took one look at the campus ahead of me, and completely forgot to breathe. Oh My God!!Belmont Academy wasn't just a university. It was an aggressive display of generational wealth.Massive Gothic stone buildings loomed against the morning sky, their cream-colored facades softened by thick, meticulously manicured ivy. Tall, arched windows caught the sunlight, throwing brilliant, diamond-like reflections across the pristine

Elowen "Hey," My entire nervous system short-circuited. I froze, my eyes wide, staring fixedly at the blackboard. "You know," the voice murmured lazily, a distinct, amused vibration in the tone, "most people at least offer a polite 'hello' after spending that much time appreciation-testing my anatomy." A fierce, bright crimson blush exploded across my cheeks, heating my skin all the way to my ears. Ivy glanced over, her brow furrowing. "Elowen? You okay? Your face is literally purple." "Fine," I choked out, my voice sounding strained even to myself. "Just... hot in here." "Time is up," Dr. Hale announced, standing up. "Pass your papers to the left." The relief of the bell was instantaneous. The hall erupted into a chaotic swell of groans and complaints as everyone began packing up. I moved with frantic speed, shoving my notebook and pens into my bag like I was clearing out a crime scene. Escape was the only priority. I threw the strap over my shoulder and stood up, bu

Elowen I didn't think. I simply vibrated with a brand-new, terrifying frequency of pure, unadulterated rage. One second I was standing by the coat rack processing the sound of giggles echoing through the apartment. The next, my feet were moving on autopilot, tracking a scent trail of heavy, cloying designer perfume straight down the short hallway down to my room. I slammed my palm against the wood, throwing the door open so hard the doorknob punched a clean indentation into the drywall behind it. "What the actual hell do you think you're doing?!" The words died in the quiet air. Total, agonizing silence fell over the space. And then my eyes adjusted, and I instantly wished for temporary blindness. Zephyr was sprawled across my mattress. My goddamn mattress. He was wearing nothing but a pair of low-slung black boxers, looking entirely shameless and aggressively comfortable, as if the concept of personal boundaries was a foreign language he had no interest in learning. Propped