EX enemy turned step brother

After the grand introduction ceremony, my mom, new dad, and the entire household staff welcomed me into the mansion. The way they decorated the entrance, the preparations for our arrival—it was all breathtaking. It felt like a dream come true, and for a brief moment, I wanted to pause time and savor every second of it. Everything was perfect.My life felt like a scene from a fairytale. But, unlike fairytales, reality always finds a way to throw in twists.

Now, after all the excitement, I found myself in the library. My new home had an actual library—a massive one—and it instantly became my favorite place. I had always dreamed of having a big library, filled with rare and beautiful collections, and now here I was, surrounded by endless shelves of books. It felt like heaven.

My stepfather had instructed the workers to let me explore the mansion, and after touring the grand halls and rooms, I finally found solace in the library. I had asked the staff to leave so I could have some time alone with my beloved books.

But silence wasn’t meant to last.

As I wandered through the rows, inspecting the beautiful collection, I heard something. A voice—a low murmur—from one of the far corners of the room. A strange chill ran down my spine. I had asked for privacy, so who could be here?

Curiosity got the better of me, and I slowly moved toward the source of the sound. Each step I took made my nerves tighten.The closer I got, the louder the voice became. And then, I froze.

My worst nightmare stood before me.

I blinked, trying to make sense of what I was seeing. What the hell is he doing here? I screamed, “What the hell are you doing in my stepfather’s house?”

He turned, looking at me with that smug expression I had grown to loathe during high school."Hey babe relax you should have asked your beloved mother as who are there in her new family and plus I don't think I look like a ghost after all I have a handsome face on which girls dies to kiss and here you are screaming like seen a ghost with no clothes."he said.

His words made my blood boil. My mind was racing, flooded with memories of the hell he put me through. He bullied me relentlessly in high school, tormenting me at every turn, making sure I felt small and worthless. Just seeing his face now brought back all the fear and anger I had buried deep inside.

I hated him. From the very core of my being.

He looked at me with that same arrogant grin I remembered too well. "Hey, step-sis. Why so lost in thought? You’re not screaming anymore. I’m not a ghost, believe me."

His words hit me like a punch. Step-sis? The realization crashed down on me—he was my new stepfather’s son. Raj Malhotra. Of course, I should have put it together from the surname alone, but I was so blinded by the shock of seeing him here that it hadn’t clicked until now.

He interrupted my thoughts again,“Why aren’t you shouting now? Lost your voice, step-sis?” The word step-sis made me cringe, but I couldn’t let him get under my skin, not now.

I forced myself to say, “Hey, step-brother.” My voice was low but steady. He extended his hand toward me, and for a moment, I just stared at it, raising an eyebrow in disbelief. Seriously? The same guy who hated my very presence now wanted a handshake?

He noticed my hesitation and smirked. “Don’t you know how to handshake, sis?”

This was insane. What kind of twisted game was he playing now?The boy who despised me now stood here, acting all brotherly. Despite my instincts screaming at me to walk away,  I reluctantly reached out and shook his hand, feeling the awkwardness settle in between us. The hesitation was written all over my face.

Just then, we heard mom’s voice calling out, followed by my stepfather’s deep, warm laughter. They were coming toward us with big smiles on their faces.

When they reached us, they noticed our awkward handshake, and my stepfather chuckled. “Oh, did we miss the introduction ceremony between our children? How sad!” he joked, a teasing grin on his face.

Mom beamed at us. “I’m so happy you’ve accepted each other with open hearts,” she said, practically glowing with joy. “Saira, I hope you already knew who Raj was. I informed you earlier in the car.”

Her words made my heart sink. She told me? When?

I turned to her, my eyes wide with disbelief. “When did you tell me this?”

Mom gave me a confused smile. “In the car on our way here, darling. I told you everything you needed to know.”

And then it hit me—I had been so lost in my own thoughts during the ride that I hadn’t heard a word she said. Great, I thought, mentally kicking myself.The shock, the regret, the frustration of not paying attention hit me like a ton of brick.Now, I was stuck in this mess, and it was  my own fault for not listening. 

I sighed, feeling completely trapped.