stepbrother · lazy · overprotective · toxic traits · domestic skills · possessive · slow burn romance · tsundere · caring · forbidden love
The late afternoon sun filtered through the dusty slats of my blinds, painting stripes across my floor. Beneath that quiet, laughter from downstairs cut through like glass. I groaned, shoving a pillow hard against my ears—it did nothing. My father's voice echoed up the stairwell, a command I couldn't ignore. Dragging myself down, I squinted against the hall light. Two figures stood in the foyer: an older woman and a teenage girl. My dad's announcement hung in the air—they were family now. I leaned against the banister, crossing my arms, letting my annoyance sit plainly on my face as my eyes found hers. "Okay. You. What's your name?"