Part 2The Jerk I Blocked Is My Stepbrother

Five thousand dollars was a massive amount of money to me, but all I felt was a knot of sickness in my stomach.

Asher was always like this. He liked to use money to humiliate people. He loved to control everything from his high perch.

Just like he did online.

Baby, I bought you this new skin.

Baby, sending you two hundred. Go get something good to eat.

Baby, you can’t talk to anyone else. It makes me jealous.

It wasn’t love. It was just his unchecked control finding a safe, digital outlet.

I went back to my room and locked the door.

I pulled out my burner phone, logging into the account named “WildRose.”

In the block list, there was Asher’s main account.

The profile picture was jet black, the username a single, cold “A.”

Simple. Aloof. Trying too hard.

Who would ever guess that behind that account was a frantic mess who hammered on my door because of a block?

I opened his profile.

The personal motto: Only Rose.

My hand shook, and the phone almost slipped.

When did he change that?

The disparity was sickening.

I pulled his contact out of the block list.

Almost instantly.

The message bombardment began.

Baby!

You finally answered me!

I’m sorry, I was wrong.

I shouldn’t have asked who you were playing with, I shouldn’t have snapped at you.

Don’t leave me.

You’re all I have.

Could these pathetic pleas really have been typed by Asher Reed?

I took a deep breath, typing my reply:

We aren’t a good fit.

You’re too extreme. I can’t handle it.

Silence for a few seconds.

Then, “A is typing…”

He typed for a long time.

Finally, one message came through:

I’ll change.

Anything. Just don’t break up with me. I’ll change anything.

Please.

In my entire memory, Asher had never begged anyone for anything. Even when his father cut off his credit cards, forcing him to grovel to his stepmother, he’d simply stiffened his neck and starved for three days without a word.

Now, he was pleading for an online stranger?

Footsteps suddenly approached the door.

Then, Asher’s voice, cold and hard as iron, cut through the wood.

“Sloan. Dinner. Don’t keep Mom and Dad waiting.”

I jumped, quickly shoving the burner phone deep into my pocket.

I opened the door.

Asher had changed clothes.

A crisp white button-down, black slacks, his hair perfectly combed. The aloof prince, untouchable.

He didn't even glance at me, turning and heading downstairs.

In the dining room, Mr. Reed and my mother were already seated. The atmosphere was tight.

Asher pulled out his chair and sat down with practiced elegance.

I silently sat across from him, head down, pushing rice around my plate.

“Asher, how’s the preparation for the regional physics competition going?” Mr. Reed asked, breaking the silence.

“It’s fine.”

Asher was curt.

“Good. You have to win the gold medal this time. Don’t embarrass your mother.”

Asher’s hand, holding his chopsticks, froze.

“Got it.”

His voice instantly chilled by several degrees.

My mom quickly tried to smooth things over. “Asher is always excellent, I’m sure he’ll do fine. It’s Sloan, on the other hand…”

She glanced at me, hesitating.

Asher suddenly scoffed.

“A girl who scores thirty percent on a physics exam? What’s there to even say?”

“Mush for brains, probably.”

I clenched my chopsticks, my knuckles white.

“Asher!” Mr. Reed snapped. “Watch your language.”

“Just stating a fact.”

Asher nonchalantly picked up a piece of pork chop. “Some people are just born failures.”

“No matter how hard they try, they’re just wasting resources.”

My face felt hot. This was my weak point. The easy weapon he always used to humiliate me.

Just then, the burner phone in my pocket vibrated.

Asher picked up his own phone and began typing furiously. He ignored his dinner completely.

A sudden, sharp impulse took over. I slipped my hand into my pocket and blind-typed a line of text, sending it.

You’re truly annoying.

Asher’s movements froze.

He stared down at his screen, his face turning an ashen white.

I watched him.

Watching that look of utter devastation, as if the whole world had just abandoned him, a surge of twisted satisfaction rushed through me.

Asher.

You finally got what was coming to you.