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48. damage Control
Last Updated:
2025-02-26 01:26:09
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Brother's Best Friend Loves Me Not 49. The eyes that haunt
I fumbled with the keys to my apartment, my hands shivered as I tried to insert the key into the lock. I walked in through the door to find Stella standing in the kitchen, stirring a spoon in the mug she held. Sarah and Lucy sat on the sofa scrolling on their phone. When I entered the apartment, their faces abruptly turned to me. However, the confusion in my head, with what had just happened, was threatening to burst out any second. And it did. I remember sliding my back down the door, I had just entered the apartment through and bursting into tears. I saw the three concerned faces rushing towards me. All I was able to whimper in between the hiccups was, “Help me, please help me, I'm not okay.” The girls and I sat in front of the door for four hours that night. During that time, I told them everything from the past. How Brian and I had known each other since childhood. Not just known, I'd had a massive crush on Brian. About his breakup with Lyla. The agreement we had formed and
Last Updated : 2025-02-26Brother's Best Friend Loves Me Not 50. Can't have the Fun Alone
Steph's PovI groaned, throwing my head back onto the couch, my fingers gripping the fabric in frustration as Stella, Sarah, and Lucy practically vibrated with excitement in front of me. Their eyes sparkled with anticipation, their energy so palpable it was exhausting just to witness. They were relentless, like a pack of wolves circling their prey—except this time, I was the unlucky target."C'mon, Steph!" Sarah chirped, nudging my arm like an impatient child. "It's the weekend! No classes, no clinicals, no basketball game for you to use as an excuse to avoid fun. This is the perfect time to let loose!"I let out a tired breath, already shaking my head, but before I could utter a single word, Stella was on me."And don't even think about saying you just want to rest." She pointed a perfectly manicured finger at me, her brown eyes narrowing in warning. "You've been holed up like a damn hermit for weeks now. We barely see you outside of class! It’s actually concerning at this point."I
Last Updated : 2025-02-26Brother's Best Friend Loves Me Not 51. Mine
Brian's pov The rhythmic pounding of the punching bag echoed through my private gym, my muscles burning with exertion, sweat dripping down my back. Each punch was calculated, powerful, precise. I had worked for this—bled for this. Three years of relentless training, of pushing past my limits, of rising through the ranks of the national leagues, and now, finally, I was standing on the brink of something bigger. Months from now, I’d be making my debut in the international basketball scene, the very dream I had envisioned when I first stepped onto the court. But none of it—none of the wealth, the fame, the power—mattered as much as her. Steph. I threw another punch, the force of it rattling the chains of the bag. She was the reason I had pushed so hard. The reason I had refused to settle, refused to be just another name in a long list of forgotten athletes. I had built myself into something untouchable, someone no one could ignore. Not even her. The kiss in the car was proof
Last Updated : 2025-02-27Brother's Best Friend Loves Me Not 52. The Talk
Brian's pov I barely heard the music anymore. The pounding bass, the buzz of conversation, the gasps from the onlookers—it all faded into the background. My pulse roared in my ears, my fists still clenched as I glared down at Beck’s sorry ass on the floor.But then—"Brian! What the hell is wrong with you?"Her voice sliced through the haze of rage, sharp and furious.Steph.Before I could turn, she shoved me, hard, right in the chest. I barely moved, but the force of her anger hit me harder than any punch ever could.My gaze snapped to hers, blazing, breathing heavy. I was still wired, still seeing red, but the fire in her eyes wasn’t what I expected.It wasn’t just anger.It was hurt."What’s wrong with me?" I spat, voice low, venomous. "What the fuck are you doing letting random guys put their hands on you?""Excuse me?" She scoffed, her chest rising and falling, her whole body trembling with rage. "I can dance with whoever the hell I want! And he's not a random guy! He's my fucki
Last Updated : 2025-02-27Brother's Best Friend Loves Me Not 53. Buried Memories
Steph’s POV I struggled against Brian’s grip, my breathing uneven, my heart pounding. His words clawed at my insides, reopening wounds I had spent years trying to seal shut. I shoved at his chest, but he didn’t budge. “You don’t get to decide where I should be, Brian. You lost that right years ago.” His jaw tightened, his hands pressing against the door on either side of me. “Damn it, Steph. Stop acting like I don’t fucking care about you.” I let out a bitter laugh. “Care about me? You left me! You vanished, Brian! And now you think you can waltz back into my life and dictate what I do?” His nostrils flared. “I didn’t leave because I wanted to! You don’t know the full story!” “Then tell me, Brian! Tell me why you left me with nothing but heartbreak and silence!” He exhaled sharply, his fingers curling into fists. “I had to go, Steph. If I had a choice, I would’ve stayed.” “Bullshit!” I spat. “You had a choice. You just didn’t choose me.” His eyes darkened, a storm br
Last Updated : 2025-02-28Brother's Best Friend Loves Me Not 53. Engaged
Steph’s PovMy phone buzzed in my pocket, the sudden vibration jolting me out of my spiraling thoughts.I pulled it out with trembling fingers, my breath catching when I saw the name flashing on the screen.Beck.Shit.I had almost forgotten about the meetup.Swiping at the tears on my cheeks, I inhaled sharply, willing myself to pull it together. My heart was still racing, my mind a tangled mess of emotions, but I couldn’t let Beck hear any of it.I sniffed, clearing my throat before pressing the answer button. "Yep, I’m coming—just traffic…" My voice wavered slightly, but I forced it to stay steady.There was a brief pause on the other end, and for a second, I thought maybe he heard something in my tone."Alright," Beck said finally. "You good?""Yeah," I lied, squeezing my eyes shut as I rubbed a hand over my face. "Just running a little late."Another pause."Okay. See you soon.""See you."I ended the call, exhaling slowly as I stuffed my phone back into my pocket.I had to pull
Last Updated : 2025-02-28Brother's Best Friend Loves Me Not 54. Forever Mine
Brian's Pov No. No, this wasn’t happening.The world around me seemed to tilt as I stared at the ring on her finger. My chest tightened, my stomach churned, and a sharp, searing pain lanced through my heart.I blinked, trying to convince myself that I was seeing things wrong, that the dim lighting was playing tricks on my mind. But the silver band gleamed under the soft glow of the lamp, taunting me, solidifying the brutal truth before me.I shook my head, my throat constricting. “You’re lying.”Steph didn’t flinch. She didn’t say anything at all. She just stood there, her expression unreadable, her silence cutting deeper than any words ever could.I took a shaky step forward, my hands clenching at my sides. “This—this is just another way to push me away, right?” My voice wavered, desperation leaking into my words. “You can take it out on me. Yell at me. Hate me. Hell, even hit me if it makes you feel better. But don’t do this, Steph. Please.”Still, she said nothing.A ragged breath
Last Updated : 2025-03-01Brother's Best Friend Loves Me Not 55. At Your Service
Steph's POV I walked out of my dorm building, taking determined steps towards my Uber ride that I had called for. The clickety-clack of my heels, added to my confidence, which I was very much in need of today. I had woken up early today, meditated and convinced myself that this was going to be easy. At the back of my head, I knew, even if it wasn't easy it had to be done. My Uber ride stopped in front of a brown, ruggedy stoned building. I took in a deep breath and got out. Beck’s father asked him to attend court cases with him in the afternoon to help him. We had planned to sneak out together, the second the trial ended. Beck needed an escape from his tyrannical father, and I needed a favour from Beck, a huge one too. I walked inside the trial room and quietly found a seat for myself in the fourth row. Beck sat next to his very serious and stern looking father in the first row. Beck looked really attractive in his formal attire, taking down notes att
Last Updated : 2025-03-02
Latest chapter
Brother's Best Friend Loves Me Not 86. Epilogue
Steph's Pov It was one of the other event of Rita and Simon and to be honest, I had lost count on how many parties they threw for their wedding..pre-wedding, post wedding etc etc I walked over to the buffet table, scanning the offerings. The waiter removed the cover from one dish, wafting the aroma of the succulent shrimp into the air. All of a sudden, my stomach did a flip and a wave of nausea washed over me. My face paled, and my mouth started watering in a bad way."Oh no," I muttered to myself, my hand over my mouth. "Not now."I didn't hesitate, turning and making a quick departure, my hand over my mouth as I hurried to seek out a secluded area in which to compose myself. The pharmacy was compact but well supplied, with rows upon rows of medicine, toiletries, and other necessities. I walked to the family planning area, my heart racing in my chest. I looked at the shelves, my eyes finding a familiar brand of pregnancy tests. I picked one up and quickly headed towards the check
Brother's Best Friend Loves Me Not 85. Stephanie, Soon to be Lockwood
I stood in front of the bathroom mirror, looking at the bright red mark along the nape of my neck. I pressed it tenderly, it didn't hurt as much, but it looked pretty serious. As much as I loved this mark on my neck, I knew I couldn't go out like this. Especially not in front of Simon. Moreover, today Simon and Rita had organized a pool party for everyone, which meant swimsuits, which meant if I went out wearing a hoodie everyone was bound to find out what was happening. I sighed heavily looking at myself in the mirror, then began to fish for a concealer in my makeup pouch. “Is something wrong?” Brian said, walking in, wrapping his arms around my waist and resting his chin along my shoulder. His deeper voice sounded sexier in the morning. I smiled at my half-asleep boyfriend, with his hair ruffled, as his spicy masculine smell hit me. “My very loving boyfriend has left his very own mark on my neck, and now I don't know how to cover it.” I complained to him. “I don't remember he
Brother's Best Friend Loves Me Not 84. Twin Beds
Steph's PovBrian and I walked into the suite Simon had booked for us and froze the second we entered the room. It had two twin beds. I really had to give it to Simon, he was consistently playing the role of a protective brother really well. I looked at Brian and rolled my eyes and he grinned.“Well, this clearly won't do," he said, locking the door and began to push the two beds close. I wanted to mock Simon saying, “See, ya got nothing on me,” but we were really too old for this so I decided against it. While Brian fixed the beds, I explored the suite. The bedroom was truly beautiful with a gold and white colour combination. Right next to the beds was a massive window down to the length of the floor, overlooking the clean, magnificent blue sea of Hawaii.The bathroom was tiled with wooden floors, with a massive bathtub covered with glass doors. When I saw the shampoo, soap and toothpaste on the shelves, the hoarder in me wanted to grab at it immediately, however I controlle
Brother's Best Friend Loves Me Not 83. The Wedding
Steph's Pov I was curled up around Brian, with his arms around my body. This had been more intimate. Back then I was young and cautious, I didn't know what to do. Today, I was sure with Brian, I knew he loved me, and I wanted to prove it to him that I loved him more. I wanted to touch him; I wanted to be weird, and I was not ashamed of it because I knew he would not judge me for it. “I've had sex after a very long time. I'm glad it was with you. I wouldn't have it any other way.” I said to him as he played with our fingers. It was this that I had wanted. The care after the sex. The assurance that I was not only wanted for this. That nothing had changed; if anything, this had only brought us closer. We ordered pizza. When he went to pick it up, I wore his shirt and looked at myself in the mirror. It looked better on me than it did on him. It smelled just like him. Man, I could bathe in his scent. I was immersed in these thoughts when he came back in. Seeing me in his shirt, his f
Brother's Best Friend Loves Me Not 82. The beginning of forever
Beck's POV: Each time I came into this room, there was a new challenge, a new obstacle waiting to be cleared. Today, however, was different. Today, I had the most vicious man I'd ever had the misfortune to meet - Richard Rivers staring right back at me. Thankfully, things were looking in our favour. Whatever amount of money Richard had paid Tony Martinez evidently wasn't enough, he was wasn't prepared, totally. He was seated in the front row, his face having a smug look, playing dumb, playing the bereaved husband. We all knew, however, his dirty little secret. I knew he was guilty of Lyla's murder, of the atrocities she had been subjected to at his hands. I sucked in a deep breath, bracing myself for what lay ahead. It was time to put a stop to Richard's game. It was time to play my strongest card. I addressed the judge, speaking firmly. "Your honor, I'd like to have Miss Stephanie Hudson take the stand." Stephanie got up, looking me straight in the eye, and walked toward
Brother's Best Friend Loves Me Not 81. The Trial
Stephs POV: The courtroom was filled with hushed conversations and the occasional sound of papers rustling. I took in the room, my eyes finding the familiar form of Brian, his shoulders set and his jaw clenched.But I was able to get to him before I could, as a frazzled-looking reporter blocked my path. He was a rumpled sight, wearing a tattered hoodie and jeans, his eyes puffy from lack of sleep. He looked like he'd been running around for days picking up leads.".......and welcome back to NBS News," he declared, his voice echoing through the courtroom. "I'm reporting live from the courthouse, where the much-awaited doping case against NBA star Brian Lockwood is about to be played out. The public has been waiting for answers, and today, they'll finally have their opportunity to witness justice being served."He took a moment, his eyes sparkling with a blend of enthusiasm and fatigue."Lockwood, the golden boy of basketball, stands accused of taking performance-enhancing drugs to get
Brother's Best Friend Loves Me Not 80. A favor to ask
Steph's POV: I sat on the couch, watching as Cirril paced back and forth across the hotel room. It had been a week since we'd received the devastating news of Lyla's death, and the days that followed had been a blur of lawyers, meetings, and media scrutiny. I still shuddered, when I thought of her death. She'd been driven to insanity, and the only escape she found was in death. Unfortunately, she took her child with her. Brian had been released from the hospital, but his health was still fragile. The dark circles under his eyes seemed to be deepening, his eyes sunken and hollow. He looked exhausted, both physically and mentally. Cirril was on a video call, arguing with yet another lawyer who was refusing to take on Brian's case. "You're asking for five times the normal price? That's ridiculous!" she exclaimed. I watched as Brian tried to calm her down, his voice soft and soothing. "It's okay, Cirril. We'll find someone else." But Cirril was having none of it. "No, we won't! They'
Brother's Best Friend Loves Me Not 79. Breaking Point
Brian's POV; I groggily reached for my phone, wincing as I sat up. Cirril's name flashed on the screen. "Cirril," I answered, trying to sound more alert than I felt. "Brian, where are you?" she demanded, her voice shrill with worry. "Do you realize the kind of mess you're in?" I rubbed my temples, trying to ward off the impending headache. "I'm at the hospital, Cirril." There was a pause on the other end of the line. "What? How are you at the hospital?" I sighed, not wanting to get into the details over the phone. "I'll explain everything when you get here. Can you please just come?" Cirril's voice was laced with frustration. "Obviously, I'm coming. Is that even a question?" I hung up the phone, feeling a sense of relief wash over me. Cirril would know how to handle this mess. As I waited for Cirril to arrive, I glanced over at Stephanie, who was sitting in the corner, watching me with concerned eyes. I smiled weakly at her, trying to reassure her. Cirril burst into the room
Brother's Best Friend Loves Me Not 78. A Reputation on Line
Steph's POV: I stayed at the hospital. I couldn't leave him. I didn't want to leave him. I am not going to leave you alone ever again Brian. The nurse in me kept checking his vital signs. The entire night I could not sleep. The nurse had given Brian a sleeping pill and a painkiller, to soothe his pain and allow him to rest. I kept walking around, tucked him in, but I could not put myself to sleep. There was this constant fear that something was about to happen. In moments when I did drift off to sleep, I would wake up, with a jerk with a sudden feeling that I was running away from something. At about three in the morning, I saw Brian's eyes flicker open. I immediately went up to him. “What is it? Does it hurt somewhere? Do you need something?” I asked him in fear. He slowly put his hand up and beckoned at me, then patted on his mattress beside him. He was asking me to lie down beside him on the bed. Tears began to stream down my face again, looking at Brian's condition. This
