Part 1Plot Twist: My Three-Year Crush Suddenly Became My Brother

In the kitchen, Lachlan pressed against my back, trapping me against the counter.

He reached one hand under my apron while casually feeding me a strawberry with the other.

My face flushed red.

He chuckled suggestively, "Stepsister, you sure know how to bite."

Mom turned to look at me from the dining room across the way, asking with concern, "Avalon, are you cold? Why are you shaking?"

I never imagined the person I had a crush on for three years would become my stepbrother.

The day I moved into the Harrison house with my mom, I was standing at the doorway when a bucket of water was dumped on me, soaking me from head to toe.

Water dripped steadily off my clothes.

Lachlan sauntered over with the empty bucket, looking me up and down with a nasty smirk. "Oops, my hand slipped. But..."

He paused, "You're barely wearing anything, so I'm sure you wanted to cool off anyway."

I looked down and realized my white shirt had gone completely see-through, revealing the color of my bra underneath.

Horrified, I quickly crossed my arms over my chest.

Lachlan's laughter grew even more unrestrained.

He must have seen everything! The thought made my face burn with embarrassment.

"Lachlan!" His brother Callum rushed over.

A jacket with a faint soapy scent fell over my shoulders as Callum stepped in front of me, ushering me inside. "Avalon, go change first. I'll deal with him later."

He pushed me into the downstairs bathroom, where I stood in shock.

My heart was still pounding.

I had finally seen Lachlan in person. He was just as handsome as before, unchanged.

Except... he didn't seem to welcome me.

I suppose that makes sense, given that my mom had broken up his family.

Bang bang bang!

Loud knocking on the door made me jump back several steps.

As I hesitated nervously, Lachlan's voice came from outside: "I brought you some clothes."

My heart, which had just calmed down, started racing again.

I looked at my soaked, disheveled reflection in the mirror and didn't dare open the door.

But Lachlan started turning the doorknob. Thank goodness I had locked it.

When he couldn't open it, he threatened, "If you don't open up, I'm going to kick the door down."

"Don't think I won't. I'll count to three - one, two..."

Of course I knew he would do it. Lachlan always followed through on his threats. I looked around frantically and grabbed a towel to wrap around myself.

Just as he reached "three," I rushed to the door and opened it.

Lachlan was leaning casually against the doorframe with my clothes draped over his arm.

He was very tall, looking down at me with his striking features - high cheekbones, a sharp nose with a small mole at the tip.

His eyes swept over my chest and he smirked disdainfully.

"Why are you covering up? Weren't you trying to show off and seduce someone?"

"No, I wasn't," I protested quietly, my voice thick with hurt.

I had never intended to seduce anyone.

"Avalon, don't play innocent. Your mom's a homewrecker and you're just a little seductress. Your mom seduced my dad, and now you're here to seduce my brother."

He frowned with obvious irritation. "Take off my brother's jacket!"

I froze, not daring to move. If I took it off he would see everything.

But if I didn't listen to him, he would get angry.

"Take it off!" he repeated.

Nervously clutching the towel around me, I glanced at the clothes on his arm and said, "Give me the dry clothes first."

Lachlan held up the clothes in his arms.

I immediately reached out to take them, but he quickly pulled them back.

"You want them? Beg me for them." Lachlan tilted his head, smiling slightly as he looked at me.

"Give them to me!" I lunged forward.

Lachlan was quick, raising the clothes high above his head.

I jumped but still couldn't reach them. How tall was he exactly?!

I had to jump even higher.

This time I used more force, but I was still just short.

Not only did I fail to grab the clothes, I lost my balance when I landed and stumbled forward into Lachlan.

"Tsk."

I heard his mocking laugh.

"Are you trying to copy your mom's tricks and seduce me?" Lachlan taunted.

I suddenly realized my entire body was pressed against him, especially my upper half which was squished right against his arm.

Even worse, in the commotion the towel I had wrapped around myself had nearly fallen off, barely covering anything.

I quickly clutched the towel tighter and turned away from him.

"What's wrong? Not going to continue?" Lachlan said. "Those weak moves won't be enough to seduce my brother, you know."

That's not it, I never intended to seduce anyone.

But at this point, no matter what I said, he wouldn't believe me.

My heart was full of hurt, tears threatening to spill from my eyes.

I knew Lachlan hated me and my mom. After all, his mother had only passed away recently, and now my mom had moved in with me, taking his mother's place.

I understood why he hated me.

But he shouldn't misunderstand me like this.

"Lachlan!" Callum's voice rang out. "What are you doing? Blocking a girl's way to the bathroom is incredibly rude!"

"Brother, why do you always take her side?"

"Avalon just moved in, you should be more considerate. Besides, she's older than you, so she's your stepsister. Don't be so disrespectful. Give her the clothes."

Lachlan quickly retorted, "I don't have a stepsister like her."

"Give her the clothes!" Callum ordered firmly.

Lachlan glared at me before finally handing over the clothes, gritting out, "Here you go, stepsister."

Callum sighed and said to me, "Avalon, I'm sorry. He's always been ill-mannered. Go ahead and change."

I took the clothes and whispered a thank you, then closed the door.

Soon after, I heard them walk away.

Alone in the bathroom, I hugged the clean clothes and finally broke down crying.

I had a crush on Lachlan for three years, but in the end, I became his stepsister, hated by him.