"You either walk away now," Aiden said, his voice sharp and cutting, "or you stay and deal with the consequences." Tristan's chest tightened as he met Aiden's gaze, the challenge blazing in his dark eyes. Every instinct told him to run, to leave before things spiraled out of control, but his feet wouldn't move. "What's it gonna be, Tristan?" Aiden's voice was low, almost taunting. "Because if you stay, there's no turning back. You won't just be here. You'll be mine. Every inch of you, every breath, every thought... mine!" ...... Even before they became stepbrothers, Aiden and Tristan had never been on good terms, not since high school. Tristan couldn't have imagined that the arrogant guy he despised-the same one he hated with passion-would one day become his stepbrother, a fact he refused to acknowledge. But after a drunken night led to an accidental kiss, something shifted in Aiden. He began to see Tristan differently, from an angle far removed from brotherhood. It enraged him. He fought to keep hating him, to remind himself how wrong it was. Yet, the harder he tried, the more he missed him. The more he wanted him.
"Do you feel it too?" Aiden's voice was so low that Tristan barely heard him, but the words sent a shiver down his spine.
As Aiden moved even closer, he blinked several times, taking another step back to put more space between them. A smirk hinted at the corners of Aiden's silver eyes and caused the skin around his lips to crinkle. He advanced one step forward, then another, until he'd pressed Tristan against the wall with nowhere left for him to go. Tristan's Adam-apple bobbed as he swallowed hard and tried not to meet Aiden's gaze.
"Or is it just me?"
Tristan's breath caught as Aiden's fingers brushed his, the contact lingering longer than it should have. They were standing too close-closer than brothers should-but neither of them made a move to create space. The heat between them was undeniable in a way that felt dangerous, like standing too close to a flame that could either warm you or burn you alive.
Suddenly the power went out, but their faces were still visible thanks to the soft glow of an automatic lamp illuminating the room.
"Aiden, we shouldn't..." Tristan started to speak but Aiden moved swiftly, caging him against the wall.
"Why don't you find out if it's just me," Aiden murmured, his voice barely above a whisper as he drew even closer. Their lips were almost touching. Tristan clenched his fists against the hem of his own shirt, bracing himself for what was to come.
Just as Aiden's lips met his, Tristan's eyes snapped open. He jolted awake, looking around the room frantically as if searching for any sign of Aiden. But it was just a nightmare, or so he hoped. To him, this wasn't a dream; it was a nightmare.
He ruffled his hair, a frown appearing on his forehead. He hadn't had time to dwell on his "nightmare" before his alarm rang out. With a sigh, he brushed the thought away and got out of bed, heading to the bathroom to get ready. As a final-year student, he had an 8 a.m. class to attend.
Once finished, he left his room in a pair of loose jeans, his dark brown hair styled neatly, and his backpack slung over one shoulder. When he entered the living room, he found his mom setting up the dining table.
"Tristan, you're up," she smiled. He simply nodded and started toward the door, but she quickly rushed over, grabbing his hand and pulling him to the table.
"Breakfast is ready," she insisted with another smile. Tristan sighed and reluctantly sat down.
His mom never listened, and it got on his nerves-most of the time, if not always.
He picked up his spoon and instead of eating, just pushed the food on the plate around with it, glancing at his wristwatch every now and then.
"You don't come home often enough. And you wouldn't have come even this time if I hadn't forced you yesterday." she said, pouting playfully as she shot him a mock glare.
Her gaze shifted to the stairs, focusing on Aiden's door. "You know Aiden's hopeless in the kitchen. I need to cook for him, and now I'll have to bring food to you boys at the dorm too..." The mention of Aiden's name made Tristan lose what little appetite he had.
"Is Aiden still asleep? Why didn't you wake him?" she asked, but Tristan stayed silent.
"I told you not to take anything he does to heart. You should be nicer to him. He's your-" Just as his mom was about to finish, her eyes landed on Aiden, who was already heading toward the door.
"Aiden, you should eat breakfast before going to class," Tristan's mom said, but Aiden didn't respond or even acknowledge her as he headed for the door. She knew she was the last person Aiden wanted to see, but she couldn't just ignore him.
"Aiden..." she called softly, and he finally turned to face her, his expression unreadable.
"I'm not hungry," he said but his stomach betrayed him, growling loudly. Even then, he refused to go near the dining table, let alone eat the food she had prepared.
Tristan stood up, adjusting his backpack, ready to leave. He disliked how his mom constantly tried to bond with Aiden when it was obvious he despised her. Tristan shared similar feelings of resentment towards Aiden too, but he couldn't bring himself to hate Aiden's father. His mother had been genuinely happy with him
"I won't be coming home on weekends anymore," Tristan announced.
"Why?" his mom asked, her gaze shifting to Aiden as well. "What about you, Aiden?"
"This is my dad's house," Aiden replied coldly, his eyes narrowing. "The people who don't belong here are you..." His gaze shifted to Tristan. "And your son," he added, his voice dripping with hatred as he stormed out of the house leaving them behind.
Tristan clenched his fists and shut his eyes, trying to control his anger.
"You're the older brother," his mom said softly, trying to calm him. "You should try to be more patient with Aiden. He'll come around eventually."
"I can't. I don't want to. And I hate that we're stuck sharing a dorm," Tristan shot back, before turning and walking out.
His mother let out a weary sigh, feeling helpless. It had been a full year since she and Tristan moved in with the Belltowers, yet Aiden remained closed off, refusing to accept her or her son. How long could someone carry such deep-seated hatred?
*****
Aiden wiped the sweat from his forehead, slinging his backpack over his shoulder as he headed to class with a few friends from the basketball club, spinning a basketball in his hands. His body still buzzed with leftover energy from the game, his mind set on getting through the last class of the day.
He liked basketball because it was one of the few things in his confusing life that he could make some sense of. However, as he neared the door of the classroom, he slowed down.
There he was.
Tristan.
The stepbrother he could barely stand, sitting in the back corner of the class with his face as serious as ever. Of course, Tristan was the face of Silverbound College: intelligent, successfully, and always in a position of authority. He was smart, yes, but his presence was more like an annoying shadow that followed Aiden wherever he went.
No matter how Aiden attempted to avoid him, Tristan was always right there, a walking, talking advertisement of all the mistakes that were made after the parents got married. To be in the same space, or share the same air as them was almost unbearable.
Aiden felt queasy when they made eye contact for a second and he quickly looked away. What was Tristan even doing in this class? He was a senior, he was in his last year of college. It didn't make sense.
"Isn't that Tristan?" Jefferson, one of Aiden's friends asked, squinting as he stared across the classroom. "What's he doing in the same class as us?" he asked.
Just the prospect of being in the same class with Tristan made Aiden's blood rise. It was the first time they would be in the same class, and he was certain Tristan was the one who planned it that way.
He hated Tristan. Hated how easily he got under his skin without even trying. Hated the constant tension between them at home, and hated that they had to share anything at all.
The bell rang, and Aiden slumped into his seat beside his friends, determined to focus on the class. But it was impossible. His mind kept drifting back to Tristan, sitting there like he owned the place. Having Tristan in the same room as him was enough to make Aiden's skin crawl with irritation. He tightly ground his teeth as the teacher spoke on and on without him really listening to anything.
Then he was suddenly distracted by a single announcement.
"So for this week's assignment, you are going to have your partner for the final project, senior with a junior," the teacher said while looking around the class.
Aiden sat up straighter and a wave of dread washed over him in his stomach. He looked around nervously, wishing the teacher would just pair him up with anyone in the class, literally anyone else.
The names were called out and his heart started beating until the teacher finally called his name.
"Aiden Belltower," she said, pausing as she looked at the paper before her. "You'll be working with... Tristan Roxley."
Aiden stood motionless, his two black eyebrows drawn together in disbelief.
"What?" he blurted out.
"You'll be paired with Tristan," the teacher repeated, her gaze locking onto him. "You didn't do well on the last test, so I basically pleaded with Tristan to join the class to assist you"
Aiden's brows furrowed even more as he fought the urge to cuss at the lady, who was standing barely ten meters away from him. This was his biggest nightmare come true; it was happening right before his eyes. He quickly glared at Tristan who sat up, a frown etched on his face too. The teacher had clearly left that part out when convincing Tristan to join.
"No," Aiden said sternly, his voice higher pitched than he wanted. "I'm not working with him. You need to change this, miss... whatever your name is."
The teacher tilted her head down and narrowed her eyes while folding her arms in front of her. "There's really no choice in the matter, Mr. Belltower. You're partners. Figure it out."
Aiden clutched the edge of his desk tightly his hands shaking as he did so. The universe seemed determined on making his life a living nightmare. He heard a mocking scoff from Tristan's direction, the sound grating on his nerves like nails on a chalkboard
This wasn't just bad. It was going to be the absolute hell. How had he ended up paired with Tristan, of all people?
She had only intended to steal a kiss from him that night when he was drunk, but that act had ruined their entire friendship. Growing up together, Marianne Corelle had loved Alexander Skarsgard all her life. Even though she knew he saw her as nothing more than his best friend, she still secretly hoped for a chance with him-a chance she got, but at the cost of their friendship. Just before she left, she vowed, "I'll stay away as you want, and I promise to keep myself hidden from you as much as possible." Alexander thought he could live without her, but her departure broke him. When he saw her again five years later, she was accompanied by a child who looked exactly like him. With a mix of hope and desperation, Alexander asked, "Is he... is he mine?" Marianne's eyes narrowed with resentment as she replied coldly, "No, he's not. And neither am I. Don't forget, I was never truly your wife."
On the day of their wedding anniversary, Joshua's mistress drugged Alicia, and she ended up in a stranger's bed. In one night, Alicia lost her innocence, while Joshua's mistress carried his child in her womb. Heartbroken and humiliated, Alicia demanded a divorce, but Joshua saw it as yet another tantrum. When they finally parted ways, she went on to become a renowned artist, sought out and admired by everyone. Consumed by regret, Joshua darkened her doorstep in hopes of reconciliation, only to find her in the arms of a powerful tycoon. "Say hello to your sister-in-law."
They don't know I'm a girl. They all look at me and see a boy. A prince. Their kind purchase humans like me for their lustful desires. And, when they stormed into our kingdom to buy my sister, I intervened to protect her. I made them take me too. The plan was to escape with my sister whenever we found a chance. How was I to know our prison would be the most fortified place in their kingdom? I was supposed to be on the sidelines. The one they had no real use for. The one they never meant to buy. But then, the most important person in their savage land-their ruthless beast king-took an interest in the "pretty little prince." How do we survive in this brutal kingdom, where everyone hates our kind and shows us no mercy? And how does someone, with a secret like mine, become a lust slave? . AUTHOR'S NOTE. This is a dark romance-dark, mature content. Highly rated 18+ Expect triggers, expect hardcore. If you're a seasoned reader of this genre, looking for something different, prepared to go in blindly not knowing what to expect at every turn, but eager to know more anyway, then dive in! . From the author of the international bestselling book: "The Alpha King's Hated Slave."
To the public, she was the CEO's executive secretary. Behind closed doors, she was the wife he never officially acknowledged. Jenessa was elated when she learned that she was pregnant. But that joy was replaced with dread as her husband, Ryan, showered his affections on his first love. With a heavy heart, she chose to set him free and leave. When they met again, Ryan's attention was caught by Jenessa's protruding belly. "Whose child are you carrying?!" he demanded. But she only scoffed. "It's none of your business, my dear ex-husband!"
For two years, Ashton had poured his heart into his marriage, yet Emalee's heart remained cold. Despite his dedication, Emalee presented him with divorce papers. She bluntly stated she could not remain married to a man whose net worth was less than a million dollars. Ashton signed the papers, closing one chapter of his life and stepping into a new beginning. Then, Ashton revealed his secret identities: a music mogul, a medical expert, and a martial arts master—each persona impressive enough to stun the world. As Ashton’s true capabilities came to light, Emalee was overwhelmed with deep regret.
"Sign the divorce papers and get out!" Leanna got married to pay a debt, but she was betrayed by her husband and shunned by her in-laws. Seeing that her efforts were in vain, she agreed to divorce and claimed her half of the properties. With her purse plump from the settlement, Leanna enjoyed her newfound freedom. The constant harassment from her ex's mistress never fazed her. She took back her identities as top hacker, champion racer, medical professor, and renowned jewelry designer. Then someone discovered her secret. Matthew smiled. "Will you have me as your next husband?"
After three secretive years of marriage, Eliana never met her enigmatic husband until she was served with divorce papers and learned of his extravagant pursuit of another. She snapped back to reality and secured a divorce. Thereafter, Eliana unveiled her various personas: an esteemed doctor, legendary secret agent, master hacker, celebrated designer, adept race car driver, and distinguished scientist. As her diverse talents became known, her ex-husband was consumed by remorse. Desperately, he pleaded, "Eliana, give me another chance! All my properties, even my life, are yours."