The Stepbrother’s Hidden Desires

Annabel got out of the car at the entrance of her Villa area. It was too cold; the security guards had long retreated to the warmth of the guardhouse. From the shadow on the right side emerged a familiar figure, standing tall and straight-Logan.

His hands casually stuffed into the pockets of his coat, he walked towards her. The light cast on his face made him look somewhat pale. His gaze fell on her frostbitten cheeks, and he reached out to pull the hood of her coat snugly over her head.

“Cold? Or are you feeling warm after seeing your boyfriend?”

Logan’s tone was emotionless, making it unclear whether he was teasing or mocking her.

Perhaps it was because she now had David, or maybe it was because Logan had distanced himself from her over the past six months, but Annabel seemed to hold less resentment towards him.

She didn’t want to discuss David with him, so she swiped her card and entered the gate. “What are you doing here?”

He followed her inside. “Just back after visiting a friend.”

Annabel thought of Aria. She knew Orla had visited Kenland several times, even spending Christmas there. Every post on social media was filled with a deep sense of loneliness, indicating that Logan had ultimately chosen Aria.

She turned her head and said disdainfully, “Going to see Aria?”

He stared at her for a moment, his dark eyes hidden in the shadows, as calm as the moonlight.

Instead of answering, he asked her, “You don’t like her?”

She turned back and continued walking. “Only you guys like scheming girls.”

He quickened his pace to walk beside her. “Everyone has flaws. There is no perfect girl in this world. Aria has her strengths and weaknesses, just like you. You have even more faults. If David were as critical as you, he probably wouldn’t be with you.”

Annabel’s mood was already bad tonight, and hearing Logan compare her to a scheming girl made her even more irritated. “I didn’t want to interfere in your affairs, but you and I are somewhat connected since you are still legally my family. If she’s your girlfriend, she’ll inevitably be around, affecting my mood. And to be honest, I don’t like you either, and because of Aria, I’ll like you even less in the future.”

She heard him snort softly but he didn’t respond. The two of them walked home in silence.

The living room lights cast shadows through the floor-to-ceiling windows onto the courtyard, creating a pattern of light and dark among the trees. Only a warm yellow hanging lamp illuminated the steps at the entrance.

Annabel’s hand had just touched the door handle when Logan, standing behind her, spoke through gritted teeth, “Annabel, you’re a selfish person!”

She was a bit confused. How was she selfish?

Before she could respond, Logan’s warm hand covered hers, pushing the door to the living room open. He quickly released her hand and slipped inside.

Thomas and Brenna were still in the living room watching TV. The actors on the screen were reciting trendy catchphrases and telling forced jokes.

Thomas turned his head and waved at Logan. A moment later, Annabel entered as well. Thomas smiled, unusually refraining from questioning Annabel and calmly inviting both of them, “Come on, join us for some TV.”

Annabel sneered inwardly. As long as she was with Logan, Thomas felt completely at ease.

Brenna, on the other hand, casually asked, “Where did you two go?”

“Just went for a walk and happened to run into each other.”

Logan, having shed his earlier cold demeanor, stood behind the couch between Thomas and Brenna, pointing at the TV screen with a smile. “This show is so awkwardly acted, it makes me embarrassed for them.”

“Isn’t it?”

“Getting worse and worse.”

Annabel didn’t feel like watching TV with them, so she turned and went upstairs. Taking out her phone, she saw that David still hadn’t messaged her.

She felt guilty towards David, fearing that his family’s New Year had been disrupted.

She sent him a message, “I’m sorry.”

His reply came quickly, “There’s nothing to be sorry about. It was bound to come out eventually. Sooner might even be better.”

Annabel feared David might ignore her because of this incident, but his message reassured her. She even felt it was good that Iris knew, preventing her from pushing David and Sara together.

“Your mom likes gentle, diligent, and considerate people. I’ll be whatever she likes.”Text property © Nôvel(D)ra/ma.Org.

On her way back, she had been thinking about how to get Iris to accept her.

“Just be yourself. I won’t be able to see you for a few days, be good.”

Knowing she had caused trouble, Annabel didn’t dare go looking for David for several days.

In the following days, Annabel and her family were busy with various social gatherings. Thomas formally introduced her to the outside world, seemingly intent on easing her into the social scene.

Today’s party was at the home of a renowned international architect. Logan, due to a cold, wasn’t attending. Annabel noticed he seemed frail, often getting sick. Before heading out, she visited his room.

“Has this female cat fallen for you?”

Logan gave her a cold glance. “He’s a male.”

Annabel shrugged. “Don’t stay with him too much. When you leave, he’ll be upset again.”

Salvador, the cat, struggled in anger, clinging to Logan’s leg. Logan nonchalantly petted Salvador’s ear. “Then take him abroad. You two won’t work out. End it now while it’s early, so it won’t hurt as much.”

Annabel paused, “It’s not early. I’ve liked him for four years.”

She took Salvador from him, holding the cat protectively. “David is mine, and so is Green’s Enterprises. I want both!”

She was both defensive and warning him.

“Nobody wants your David, and I don’t care about Green’s Enterprises either. What I want, I’ll get by my own ability. Just watch and see who will achieve their desires in the end.”

His tone was calm, devoid of any visible emotion. Annabel didn’t believe him; both he and Brenna had always been ambitious.

Thomas called from downstairs, urging her to hurry. Annabel ended their unpleasant conversation and left.

Salvador eventually jumped from her arms and ran back to Logan’s door, paws on the door.

“You ungrateful dumb cat, is he better to you than I am?”