Do you know what’s worse than being cheated on by your fiancé?

It’s walking in on him as he fucked another man.

I let out a curse as memories of Liam flashed in my head.

Fuck him.

And fuck his man too!

Hey, I am not homophobic. I never was. 

But my hatred towards cheaters had been established ever since I was a little kid.

I slammed my car door in frustration and walked towards the elevator of the thirty-floor condominium where Sebastian, my future stepbrother, was living. Also the place where I would be living in the next few months.

The cold breeze of Chicago made its presence. The biting cold reminded me of my own stupidity.

For a moment, I started to think, if moving to another state to live with my stepbrother was the right thing to do. 

After I caught Liam in bed with that guy, I wanted to stay away as far as I physically could. Leave the people who knew about him cheating behind my back and his sexuality but never said anything about it. Leave behind everyone who betrayed me and helped Liam do the same.

But staying in my house where my fiancé had been fucking another man was enough to twist a knife in my gut everytime I thought back to it. It was fucking humiliating.

This and the fact that I had paid the down payment for my wedding expenses next year was enough to leave me penniless. So yes, I had no other choice but to ask my stepbrother for a place to stay as I start my life anew in a new state away from everything. A state that’s a hundred times colder than California.

After a few minutes, I reached the twentieth floor, I looked around on the numbers and found his flat at the end of the corridor.

I let out a sigh as I stared at the large mahogany door in front of me. Running away was never a plan. I was supposed to confront Liam but I was too angry, too irrational. Too afraid to punch him in the face, I decided to pack a small suitcase and fly to this place. I hauled my whole life and moved to a different state without a plan and without a thick coat.

I bit my lower lip as my heart started pounding against my chest. I was going to stay in this place until I sold mine. Then I was moving away to a new place. Away from everyone else.

I punched in the code that Sebastian gave me. There was a quiet hiss then a beep. Hearing it, I pushed the door wide open and dragged my small carry-on inside the house.

The warmth of the house immediately lifted my mood. The sweet smell of Lavender welcomed me. I didn’t know Sebastian also liked Lavender.  At least, the house wasn’t like its owner. I thought of what Sebastian told me when I called him the other night.

Other than the absolute silence throughout the entire conversation… he had said four words over the phone. ‘I will be waiting’. Then he dropped the call without even saying goodbye.

While irritated, I understood that my presence would disturb his calm bachelor life. So I took a deep breath and decided to let it go.

I looked at the interior of the house.

I had thought of seeing a reddish Persian rug, brown and beige, and a cozy space. 

That was the Sebastian that I knew since I was in high school.

Yet what I saw was a black and white and sleek glass table.

The space looked neat— too clean and edgy.

It was the exact opposite of the Sebastian that I knew ten years ago.

My eyes glazed over the small living room and focused towards the large floor to ceiling glass windows that would give me a view of the city. Sunlight slipped from the slightly opened blackout curtains. It gave me a preview of the snow in downtown Chicago.

A sigh left my lips.

The space reminded me of a clean office, something that my ex would have loved. Rolling my eyes inwardly, I immediately went to my room. It was on the left, just across his. Sebastian had sent a text— a very detailed direction of what to do when I arrived. Of course that included a bold DO NOT DISTURB ME phrase. So typical of the nerdy villain that I knew.

I opened the door and went inside the room without hesitation. Though exhausted, I planned to spend the rest of the day on my laptop today. I had sent out some job applications while waiting for my flight earlier and someone had actually replied when I landed earlier. It was quick but they explained that this was an emergency and a temporary position.

So yes, I am planning to spend the rest of the day in my bed sending applications while I try to console my bitter heart. 

A large bed with white beddings and a black paneled headboard immediately made me frown. I hate anything white and Sebastian knew this.

Funny son of a bitch.

I chose to ignore it and observe the rest of the room.

Just like the living room, this room was neat and elegant. It was nice aside from the haunting red sheets. A sigh escaped my lips.

Removing my boots, I sat on the bed and looked around. The plain white walls and dark carpet made the room elegant, sophisticated. A large canvas sat opposite on the bed just next to the door that would probably lead to the bathroom.

Honestly? The room felt detached, like a hotel room. Nothing about it felt cozy. But hey, I wasn’t having any complaints.

I looked at the hanging side table and found a piece of paper. Then my expression worsened.

[Household Rules]

1. No Noise 24/7

What?

I turned the paper around, thinking there was a large JOKE written somewhere.

There wasn’t.

2. No friends while I’m here.

Growing up, Sebastian was always quiet and alone. He prefered his books over people. In high school, he was at the top of our class but he always refused to join activities that needed him to interact with everyone else.

So, this one was kind of understandable.

3. No eating my prepped food. Aside from that, feel free to eat everything in the fridge.

Fair enough. 

4. No eating inside your room. I hate the smell.

But this… was my room, right? I frowned. What kind of rule was this? It’s not like he would come inside my room and smell it? 

For some reason, the thought of him coming into my room made me freeze. My heart thundered against my chest.

When was the last time I felt something like this?

Nine? Ten years ago?

I dragged my eyes back to the note as I buried the twisted fantasy inside my head.

How could I think about fucking my own stepbrother?

The thought made my face hot.

Was it wrong?

Definitely.

But did that stop me from thinking about it?

Nope. Big NOPE.

Memories quickly filled my head

We were seventeen and our parents had just met. But that wasn't when it all started.

It all started when I saw him naked.

I gulped, my cheeks heating up.

And for ten years, I have tried and failed to remove that scene from my mind. For years, I have buried the fantasy deep in my subconscious. Aware that it would be a sin to fuck my own stepbrother, I moved away. I studied, fucked some guys, and moved on. Or so I thought.

Ten years and I am going to see Sebastian again. 

No. I am not just seeing him. I will be living in his house, eating his food, and using his Internet for the next six days. Butterflies fluttered in my stomach as my core ached.

What a pervert.

I sighed and then continued reading.

5. I like the house to be clean. Wash your dishes. Do your own laundry.

Not a bad rule. I like the house clean too. But I wasn’t like this ten years ago. Thinking back, my room was always messy back then. Was that the reason why he wrote this rule?

I shrugged.

6. NEVER come inside my room.

I rolled my eyes. As if.

7. Do not stay in the living room while I am inside the house.

So, he doesn’t like seeing me. I nodded at that. I like that rule.

After what I did to him. It’s only fair that he would hate me. In fact, I never expected him to let me inside his house in the first place. He must have done it because his father is finally going to marry my mother six days from now.

After more than ten years of being in a relationship, the two finally decided to tie the knot. Sebastian is going to become my official stepbrother and he was planning to leave for another state after the wedding.

A new job in another state.

The timing was just right.

Perfect.

8. No going out of your bedroom at night.

Huh? What a weird rule. Was he planning on bringing some woman? An unknown pang of emotion hit my chest. It disappeared as quickly as it came.

9. Do not rearrange any of my furniture.

10. Do not talk to me.

What?

What the hell was wrong with this man?

I frowned.

He was going to be my stepbrother in six days and he didn’t want me to talk to him?

What bullshit!

Anger made its way into my head and before I could stop myself, I had already crumpled the paper and threw it towards the bed. I opened my phone, planning to text him about his damn rules.

Then my eyes widened.

There was a text.

His text.

It was sent more than thirty minutes ago. 

[Keeping the house clean means not bringing dirty boots inside your room. It will smell. No rearranging my plates and mugs too. You are not allowed to put your unfinished apples inside the fridge. Stop wasting food. Your footsteps are too loud, keep it quiet. Especially during the night.]

That’s it!

I got up.

Did he really think I was still the same clumsy high school girl that I once was ten years ago?

Irritation coursed in my nerves as I opened my door and started pounding on his. After a few minutes without any answers, I opened his door.

I knew then I shouldn’t have walked inside his room. 

But against my better judgment, I did.

And what I saw made me speechless.

Handcuffs, vibrators, a fucking cxck ring, chains, and more chains. Instead of running away, I stood there frozen as I tried to decode the electric pulses that wrecked my insides. My stomach tightened and my pxssy clenched at the thought of the tools being used on me.

Before I could say another word, another door opened and a naked Sebastian appeared in my sight. My eyes widened, my breathing hitched.

“Didn’t I tell you not to come into my room?” Sebastian’s voice was deep and husky and everything that I had been dreaming about for the past ten years.

“I— " Flustered, I took a step back. “I’m sorry…” I wanted to run. Go inside my room, lock my doors and follow everything on that list from now on.

But my eyes betrayed my head.

It darted towards his bed then, it focused on his chiseled body next, his beautiful face, and his…

I gulped as my eyes sprang back to his. 

“Tell me, Samantha…” Sebastian took a step toward me, a dangerous smirk appeared on his face. “How should I punish you this time?”