Chapter 1

"Mom, Karl, my application to study abroad was approved. I'm planning to go to Lovick."

In the quiet living room, Rosalie Selfridge's voice was soft, barely rippling the air like a drop of water falling into a still pond.

Across the couch, her mother, Marion Jones, lit up with joy. "So soon? When are you leaving?"

"In ten days," Rosalie replied.

Marion hadn't expected things to move so quickly. Her excitement was soon replaced by a tinge of reluctance. "Well, I'd better start packing for you. It's your first time traveling so far, and it's abroad, too. I can't help but worry.

"I've already contacted an old friend. Her son is also in Lovick. Just reach out to him if you run into trouble. Don't be shy about it.

"Oh, and speaking of him, we've agreed for you two to get married when you were kids. See if you two get along. It's the best if you do. If not, at least you'll have a friend."

Rosalie nodded. "Okay, Mom."

Marion was surprised to hear that. "Rosie, you're okay with that? So, you and your boyfriend… finally broke up?"

Rosalie fell silent.

Her stepfather, Karl Davies, seemed to catch on instantly. His palm smacked the table with a loud thud. "He wouldn't even come back to meet us! That alone shows he wasn't serious about you. Good riddance!"

"Boyfriend? What boyfriend?" A low voice shattered the heavy air in the room.

The three of them turned toward the source of the sound and saw Rosalie's stepbrother, Luke Davies, walking in.

Dressed in a black shirt and tailored pants, he carried himself with effortless grace. His tall, lean figure exuded a cool detachment, and every movement seemed to embody a relaxed confidence.

Rosalie stiffened slightly. She rose to her feet. "Luke."

Luke hummed in acknowledgement and tossed his car keys onto the table before heading upstairs.

…

That evening, Marion prepared an extravagant dinner and even opened a bottle of red wine.

She raised her glass and beamed at her family, ready to share the good news. "Alright, everyone. Let's celebrate! Here's to Rosie's—"

Sensing what was off, Rosalie quickly interrupted, "Mom, this wine tastes off. Could it have expired?"

"Expired?" Marion blinked, surprised. It shouldn't have. But before she could protest, Rosalie had already grabbed her arm under the pretense of getting a new one to steer her into the kitchen.

"Mom, don't tell Luke about me leaving."

At first, Marion found the request odd. But then, she remembered how much Luke doted on Rosalie. The thought of their close bond tugged at her heartstrings, so she nodded in agreement.

After eating a few bites, Rosalie excused herself and retreated to her room.

She washed up and lay in bed, her exhaustion pulling her into sleep.

But at midnight, her peace ended as someone slipped into bed beside her.

Warm breath grazed her neck. The next second, soft lips pressed against her skin, nibbling lightly. The cool, teasing sensation jolted Rosalie awake.

Her body tensed, and she instinctively pushed him away. "Luke!" she hissed, her voice sharp with alarm.

"What's wrong? Your mom wants to set you up with someone else, and now I'm off-limits?" In the dark of the night, Luke curled his lips into a smile, though it didn't reach his eyes. He lazily teased, "You've been with me for years, Rosalie. Think you can just walk away?"

Rosalie knew he had misunderstood but didn't bother to explain.

The silence stretched, and Luke's expression hardened.

He pulled her into his arms. "Rosalie, have I not made myself clear? You're not allowed to date anyone else. You're mine. Always."

Feeling the heat radiating from his body, Rosalie didn't want to escalate things. She blurted out, "It's… my time of the month. I'm not feeling well."

When Luke heard her explanation, his expression softened, but he couldn't help furrowing his brows. "Didn't it just end? Whatever. Fine. I won't touch you tonight. Go to sleep."

With that, he tightened his hold, keeping her firmly in his embrace.

As his steady breathing filled the room, Rosalie lay wide awake.

No one knew that her boyfriend was, in fact, Luke—her stepbrother.

She was 12 years old when Marion married Karl. With that, she became stepsister to Luke, the only child of the Davies family.

By the age of 14, they had grown so close that they seemed like real siblings. To the outside world, they were the perfect example of sibling harmony.

By 18 years old, Luke had discovered her secret diary filled with his name. Lounging lazily at her desk, he read through every word with a faint smirk. When Rosalie tried to snatch it back, he caught her hand and planted a kiss on her flushed cheek.

When Rosalie turned 20 years old, they crossed the line. It started with curiosity but soon turned into an unstoppable addiction.

By day, they were siblings. By night, they were entangled in secrets no one could ever know.

For Rosalie, loving Luke was her one rebellion in an otherwise well-behaved life. She was so in love with him that she convinced herself she didn't need recognition or approval. Someday, they could elope and marry in secret.

But all those fantasies came crashing down two weeks ago when she overheard his conversation with his friends.

It was raining that day, so she brought Luke an umbrella. Just as she reached the door to the private room, she overheard his friends.

"Luke, what are you going to do with your stepsister? Didn't you say you'd ditch her after you had enough fun? Why are you still with her?"

"Yeah. You were only with her to get back at her mom for marrying your dad. Don't tell me you're getting attached."

Revenge?

He dated her not because he liked her, but for revenge!

Rosalie's face was drained of color. Her mind buzzed, and her whole body began to tremble uncontrollably. Yet, she stubbornly stayed, desperate to hear Luke's response.

Then, came his voice, cold and cutting, like a blade slicing through her illusions, "She'll suffer more if I play along a bit longer."

Laughter erupted inside the room, but outside, Rosalie stood paralyzed.

So, he didn't like her. Being with her, calling her his girlfriend, and spending night after night together were all just revenge for Marion taking the place of his mother, Irene Leverton.

Marion still had to live in the Davies residence. Rosalie couldn't afford to let this truth ruin everything.

So, she made up her mind. She'd leave quietly—leave this house and leave him. That was why she applied to study abroad.

Now, she had only ten days left before she disappeared from his life.

Staring at the countdown on her phone, Rosalie gently pried Luke's arm from her waist.

But he instinctively pulled her back after a few minutes. She tried again, and once more, he clung to her.

The back-and-forth wore her patience thin. In the end, she grabbed a pillow and wedged it between them.

This time, he finally stopped. Rosalie could finally have some peace.

She knew their relationship was nearing its end. Soon, she'd no longer belong to him, and he'd no longer have the right to claim her.

Chapter 2

The alarm went off at 8:00 am, pulling Rosalie from her dreams. She opened her eyes and saw that there was no one beside her anymore.

To avoid being caught by their parents, she and Luke had set a routine. He would come in at midnight and leave by 5:00 am. They'd been living like this for five years.

But soon, things would change. They'd just be siblings, and he wouldn't need to sneak around anymore.

After changing, Rosalie went downstairs. She immediately spotted an unfamiliar woman sitting on the couch.

Marion waved excitedly and called her over. She introduced the woman warmly, "Come here, Rosie. This is Luke's girlfriend, Joslyn. Go get her some water."

Joslyn Woodward stood up graciously, extending her hand with a smile that made her eyes sparkle.

"You must be Luke's sister, right? It's nice to meet you. Even though this is our first time meeting, I've heard so many good things about you from Luke."

Rosalie's hand trembled slightly as she glanced at Luke, but she didn't ask any questions. She simply turned away and went to get Joslyn some water.

She was pouring a cup of water when Luke walked in.

He wrapped his arms around her waist and leaned in to kiss her.

Rosalie quickly turned her head to avoid him. "Cut it out. Your girlfriend's out there."

Luke raised an eyebrow and gave a light peck on her lips. "Don't be angry. I forgot to mention. She's just my childhood friend. She went abroad when she was really young and just came back a few days ago.

"Dad's been pushing me for marriage, so I had her come play along. You know who my girlfriend is, don't you? Hmm?"

Rosalie listened quietly for a moment, showing no emotion. She simply nodded.

Luke was surprised by her indifferent reaction. He had thought he'd need to coax her for a long time.

After all, when other girls gave him love letters back then, she'd get so jealous that she'd cry herself to sleep. He'd ask her about it when he found out, but she'd never admit it right away. He'd have to pull it out of her.

It turned out that she felt their forbidden relationship couldn't be accepted by the world, and she'd never be able to stand proudly beside him as his girlfriend.

So, she never confronted him or got angry. She just hid away, sulking under the covers.

This time, though, her response was different. Her indifference made Luke pause, unsure of what was going on.

Before he could ask, Rosalie took the cup of water and walked out of the kitchen.

…

After breakfast, the family sat down as usual. Joslyn was seated next to Luke. The two chatted about childhood memories, laughing and seeming very close.

Joslyn loved fried eggs. When Luke learned this, he immediately took one from his plate and handed it to her.

She smiled shyly and gave him a piece of the egg she had bitten into.

Luke couldn't help but glance at Rosalie.

She had her head down, focused on her food, as though she hadn't noticed what had just happened. When she looked up to grab a napkin, Luke took a bite of the egg.

Rosalie looked up at the same moment. Silently, she put down her fork and left the table.

Seeing her move toward the door, Joslyn quickly called out to her, "Are you going out, Rosie? Luke and I are going out on a date, too. Wait up. We'll go together."

Rosalie was about to decline when Karl spoke up, "It's raining outside. Have Luke take you. Your mom and I will be worried otherwise."

Since Karl had spoken, Rosalie couldn't refuse. She headed to the garage.

She was going to the visa office, which meant Luke would find out about her studying abroad. After thinking it over, she couldn't come up with any other solution, so she just let it be.

Just let him know, then. The plans were set, and there was nothing he could do about it now.

Soon, Luke and Joslyn arrived in the car.

Strangely, Joslyn sat in the back seat and deliberately struck up a conversation with Rosalie. The latter wasn't in the mood, so she replied in a half-hearted manner.

As the car drove off, the sound of rain intensified.

Joslyn leaned in close to her ear, deliberately lowering her voice. "I know you don't like me, and I know you and Luke aren't just regular siblings. But you should know that this won't work out.

"Luke feels something for me, too. Believe me. If I want to, I can take him from you."

Chapter 3

Rosalie's heart skipped a beat. She turned to her side and saw Joslyn smirking. The latter pulled out her phone and set an alarm.

One minute later, the alarm went off precisely.

Joslyn pretended to answer a call. Within seconds, she forced out a few tears and looked toward the front seat with misty eyes.

"Luke, my home just called. My puppy's sick, and I'm really worried. Can you take me home now?"

Luke pulled the car to the side of the road. As he stared out at the relentless rain, his brows furrowed.

But as soon as he saw Joslyn's tear-streaked face, he hesitated. In the end, he shifted his focus back to Rosalie. "I'm going to take Joslyn to the west side of the city. It's not on the way. You should take a cab."

Afraid Rosalie would refuse, Joslyn immediately handed her an umbrella.

Rosalie glanced back and forth between the two of them. Without a word, she opened the car door and stepped out.

The rain poured through the holes in the umbrella, quickly soaking her.

The downpour was so heavy that she couldn't hail a cab. She had no choice but to use her bag as a shield and rush forward.

She ran for a full half hour before finally reaching the visa office, drenched and exhausted.

After getting the visa, she still couldn't get a cab, so she walked for another hour in the rain to get back home.

By the time she arrived, she felt a fever coming on. Her body ached terribly, and she felt lightheaded as she collapsed onto the bed.

She had bizarre nightmares that made her body drenched in cold sweat. She felt as though a monster was chasing her.

When she finally forced her eyes open, she realized the "monster" was Luke.

He was holding her in his arms, spooning medicine into her mouth. His voice was gentle with a hint of concern. "Here. Drink your medicine. You'll feel better soon."

Rosalie couldn't tell if she was in reality or still dreaming. She swallowed the medicine, then drifted back to sleep.

When she woke again, her fever had broken. Instinctively, she looked to her side.

The bed was empty. Only a phone on the nightstand vibrated continuously.

She picked it up and opened the messages, only to find a group chat full of messages tagging Luke.

"Your acting is top-notch, Luke! Hearing that your sister is sick, you pushed aside a project worth billions of dollars just to go back and take care of her?"

"Feels like Luke really cares. He rushed home, running 20 red lights to get back to her. He can't just be playing, right?"

"I agree. The urgency didn't seem like an act."

At the bottom of the chat, Luke had replied with one line, "Care about her? Not unless I'm dead. I just have to play the part completely. I want her to fall deeper, so when the truth comes out, she'll be even more heartbroken, don't you think?"

Each word sent a chill through Rosalie.

Five years of companionship, and all she got was the cold line, "Care about her? Not unless I'm dead".

Luke really was heartless.

Rosalie felt a wave of exhaustion wash over her. Her hand fell limply at her side.

Just then, the bedroom door opened.

Luke entered with a cup of warm water. His face turned pale when he saw her holding the phone. He quickly stepped forward and snatched it from her.

His usually carefree voice had a rare edge of tension. "What did you see?"

Rosalie lowered her head to hide her reddened eyes and replied in a hoarse voice, "Is there something that I shouldn't see?"

She didn't understand. If he already knew how deeply she was trapped in her feelings for him, why hadn't he stopped? Was it really necessary to drag on this act for so long?

He had to be cautious, afraid she'd find out. Was he not tired of pretending?

This was enough! His goal was accomplished! She was already in unbearable pain!

Unaware of her thoughts, Luke just assumed she was upset from being sick. He hurried to hold her and comfort her, "No, of course. I'm just preparing a surprise for you. I didn't want you to know. If it bothers you, I'll tell you now, okay?

"I found out that Drevania allows non-blood-related siblings to marry. Rosie, how about we immigrate there and get married? I've already started arranging everything."

They had talked about this so many times in the quiet hours of the night.

But hearing it now, Rosalie no longer felt any surge of emotion. All that remained was a dead, still silence in her heart.

She knew it was over between them.

Ten days later, Rosalie would no longer be a part of Luke's life, and he would no longer be a part of hers.

Chapter 4

After Rosalie recovered, the first thing she did was calculate every expense the Davies family had covered for her over the years.

Sitting at the table with her credit card in hand, she meticulously listed all the costs incurred during the ten years she'd lived with them—from tuition to everyday necessities. The total came to a staggering 30 million dollars.

The inheritance and family home left by her father, Morgan Selfridge, were worth over 20 million dollars combined. Over the years, she had worked hard and saved up quite a bit, but her account was still short by several hundred thousand dollars.

Before leaving, she needed to find a way to make up the difference.

Rosalie majored in photography. With that in mind, she posted an ad online, offering her services.

It didn't take long for the requests to pour in. Soon, she had eight clients lined up, ranging from wedding shoots to graduation photos.

She took every job, working tirelessly from morning till night. Even when she was exhausted, she never complained because Marion had assured her that Karl was already divorced before they met. He just hadn't made it public.

They had a normal relationship that led to marriage, so she was never a homewrecker.

Neither Marion nor Rosalie had ever sought to exploit the Davies family's wealth.

Rosalie was determined to leave, but she didn't want Luke to continue misunderstanding Marion, who was going to stay in the Davies residence. That was why she resolved to repay every last cent.

After five or six grueling days, she had managed to save a little over 30,000 dollars.

Just as she was stressing over the slow progress, a high-paying job came her way.

A client reached out, asking her to shoot a birthday party. The payment was a whopping 200,000 dollars. Of course, such a generous offer came with strings attached.

The client warned her that the birthday girl was incredibly picky, and every shot had to meet her exacting standards before payment would be released.

Desperate to settle the debt, Rosalie agreed without hesitation.

When the day of the party arrived, she packed her gear and headed over, only to realize she knew the guest of honor.

Standing before her was Joslyn, dressed in a princess gown and wearing a sparkling tiara, with Luke by her side in a sleek black suit. Rosalie's heart sank.

Luke frowned as he took in her tired, worn-out face. "Why are you taking on gigs like this? Didn't you always dream of becoming a top-tier photographer? Is Dad not giving you enough money?"

"I'm an adult," she replied flatly. "And I enjoy the work."

Luke's face darkened further.

He looked ready to argue, but Joslyn quickly stepped in. "Rosie, don't take it the wrong way. Luke's just worried about you overworking yourself. No need to pick a fight with him."

With that, Joslyn hooked her arm around Rosalie's and led her inside, saying she was excited to see her photography skills in action.

Her words were polite enough, but that night, Rosalie didn't get a single moment's rest. She clicked her shutter so many times that it felt like sparks might fly from the camera.

By the end of the night, she had taken over 5,000 shots, yet Joslyn still wasn't satisfied. She insisted Rosalie drag her exhausted body to get aerial shots.

Carrying dozens of pounds of photography equipment, Rosalie climbed to the third floor, set up the tripod, and aimed at the center of the stage.

Through the lens, she saw Luke step onto the stage amid the cheering crowd. He took out a necklace, said to be a Davies family's heirloom, and put it around Joslyn's neck.

Joslyn beamed with triumph. She glanced purposefully up at the third floor before throwing herself into Luke's arms.

Rosalie knew Joslyn was doing it on purpose.

The entire evening, Joslyn clung to Luke, sparing no effort and pulling out all the stops to flaunt their affection in front of Rosalie.

She fed him sips of champagne from her own glass, asking him to taste it.

She danced with him on the dance floor. Her actions left the guests speculating if a big announcement was on the horizon.

She even softly complained that her legs hurt and asked him to give her a massage.

Such intimate moments filled Rosalie's memory cards, one after another.

She felt numb. She stared blankly through the lens at the couple embracing on the stage and mechanically pressed the shutter.

Just as the first shot was taken and she was about to snap the second, Joslyn stood on her tiptoes and kissed Luke.

Rosalie froze at once. Her dull eyes regained a fleeting sharpness as they focused on the scene in front of her.

In the high-definition shot, Luke froze as well.

But it only lasted three seconds before he pulled Joslyn into his arms. With one hand holding the back of her head, he deepened what had started as a fleeting kiss.

Chapter 5

"Well, well, looks like the lovebirds are getting along splendidly," Karl said with a laugh. "At this rate, I'll be drinking at Luke's wedding soon enough!"

His voice pulled Rosalie back to reality. She quickly raised her camera and snapped a few shots to capture the grand climax of the night's event.

On the stage, Luke and Joslyn broke apart. She blushed deeply and waved toward the third floor. "That's enough for tonight, Rosie. Thank you so much!"

Rosalie finally breathed a sigh of relief. After packing up her gear, she headed downstairs to where Marion and Karl stood.

Marion was chatting warmly with Joslyn while holding her hand. "Karl and I got held up on the way. I hope you don't mind, Josyln."

"Of course not, Mr. and Mrs. Davies. You arrived just in time. We haven't even cut the cake yet," Joslyn replied cheerfully.

Karl turned to Luke with a satisfied expression and clapped him on the shoulder. "Luke, I'm glad you've finally settled down. Since you gave Joslyn the family's necklace, isn't it time we invite the Woodwards over to discuss the wedding details?"

Joslyn's face turned an even deeper shade of red. She gazed at Luke with stars in her eyes before shifting her attention to Rosalie.

"I'm fine with that. It's just that I don't have many friends here. I might need Rosie's help. Be my bridesmaid, okay?"

Busy rubbing her aching hands, Rosalie hadn't caught what she said. It wasn't until Marion nudged her and repeated what Joslyn had said that she finally snapped back to reality.

When she looked up, her face was calm, devoid of any readable emotion.

"Sorry. I have other commitments and probably won't be able to make it to the wedding. But I sincerely wish you two a lifetime of happiness. I'm glad that I'll be having a sister-in-law."

Her words brought smiles to everyone's faces—except Luke's.

He cast a dark, unreadable glance at Rosalie. The faint smile on his lips slowly vanished.

…

The agonizingly long night was finally over. Rosalie dragged her weary body into the bathroom as soon as she returned home.

After washing up, she stepped into her bedroom, only to be shoved against the hallway wall before she could fully enter. Large, strong hands pinned her in place.

Before she could react, a flurry of hot, insistent kisses rained down on her damp neck, leaving a trail of flushed marks.

Rosalie barely held back a scream. Biting her tongue, she stifled the sound and twisted desperately to escape his grip.

But the more she resisted, the fiercer Luke's kisses became. He even held her chin firmly.

She struggled desperately. Her fear grew deeper with every step heard coming up the stairs.

"You're insane!" she hissed.

Upon hearing those words, Luke let out a sneer. His eyes were red as he leaned in close to her ear.

"Yeah, I'm insane. So, why don't you scream? Go ahead. Let everyone come running and see for themselves what kind of brother kisses his sister like this."

The footsteps paused, then retreated back downstairs. Only then did Rosalie's pounding heart begin to settle.

Summoning all her strength, she shoved his arm away and ducked under it. Her voice trembled with fear as she spoke, "What the hell is wrong with you?"

Luke's gaze followed her every move. His eyes were still clouded with anger.

"What's wrong with me? What's wrong with you? Who told you to call Joslyn your sister-in-law?"

Rosalie froze. She couldn't understand why he cared so much. Wasn't this all part of his plan for revenge?

"Why not? You're my brother, and you're getting married, aren't you? You even kissed her right in front of me!" she retorted.

"Rosalie! How many times do I have to tell you? That kiss was just for show! I only kissed Joslyn because I saw Dad and Mom watching!" His words came fast and angry, as if he was genuinely angry.

Rosalie couldn't tell if his frustration was real or just another act.

But she convinced herself that he was just putting on an act for her, so she played along, nodding in agreement. "Well, you're certainly a great actor."

So, how far was he planning to take this charade? She was already broken, just as he seemed to want. Wasn't that enough?

The thoughts stayed locked in her mind, unspoken. Her tears, however, slipped free despite her best efforts to hold them back.

She was exhausted. She didn't have the strength to keep playing this game.

Couldn't he just let her go?