elief. Dragging my already tired limbs out of the h

wed as his face appeared on the s

he

me." I said as-a-matter-o

rom your mom, so that means th

nd and burst into laughter

soning scares

went silent fo

do?" He asked, munching fr

t an overly sophisticated stepsister, an overly

"The recluse Lucian Banks? Lucky

er. There was virtually no one he di

and I cast a glance over my shoulder

ended the call, turning my attention back

" I spat, placing empha

ding to ou

hed out loud. "It's

cept it or not, you're no longer a Williamson, Ezran. You're now a Banks. You'll lear

don't have a

as furious, but because I didn't wan

t wan

.

didn't even bother to admire or take a loo

daries. And the new older stepbrother? Dangero

ed my luggage into the house

even prepare

called, runni

curled

show you to your

tched as she mo

wasn't going to stare at

ways stopped in front of a door at the

r dinner. Ask the helps to show you around."

I'm joining t

d, stepping into the r

y lips as I gape

tains, a king-sized bed, a bedside table and chair, full-length mirror, je

" I almost pass

tly, my fingers g

watch an

hi

bathroom and my

Mom must have convinced her husb

entered under the shower, th

whole new l

my thoughts kept drifting off to him. I imagined him, standing tall in the hallway, dark eyes

k sounded on my door. Jeanne

reakfast

d. "Can

m said it's important we start normal," she said,

d of the table like a statue of perfection. Black tailored shirt, perfectly ironed trousers, hair slicked back i

way. A silent challenge passed between us but I refused to back

I said to no o

Mr Banks said, beckonin

he offered. It was

I sit el

pped in. "Sit clos

n annoyance as I d

ly or sit next to Luci

essary, his words clipped, brief and precise. Jeanne tried to keep the conversat

t a stepbrother. He was a rival, a mirror, and an o

ons and green peas in the rice,

ed in concern and I shook my hea

uttered under his brea

lightly and I cl

you just