ELLIANA'S POV
As we got closer to our reserved table, I saw a familiar face but I thought that my eyes were playing tricks on me.“This is your Step Brother to be Tom, and this is his father Jeffery.” My mum introduced them to me.I was shocked. “Tom?”My heart sank as I saw Tom sitting there, waiting for us with his father. I felt my stomach twist into knots, and I could feel my palms start to sweat. My mother didn't seem to notice anything amiss, and she greeted Jeffery with a warm smile."It's so nice to finally meet you," she said, reaching out to shake his hand. Tom stood up, his eyes sweeping over me, and a sly smile playing on his lips."The pleasure is all mine," he replied, his voice smooth and confident.“This is my daughter, Elliana.” My mum introduced me."I've heard so much about you." Jeffery commented. “Good things of course.” He added and gave me a broad smile.“It's nice to meet you.” I shaked hands with Jeffery, forcing myself to smile despite the awkward moment."It's nice to meet you, Elliana," Tom's voice dripped with fake sincerity.I could feel my blood boil at his audacity, but I forced myself to keep a calm facade. "Likewise," I blurted out, my voice icy and measured. "I'm sure we'll have a lot to talk about."Tom's eyes narrowed slightly, and I could tell that he was not expecting me to be so composed. He was used to me being the timid, shy girl he had bullied in the past. But I wasn't that girl anymore.I chatted with my mother and Jeffery, making polite small talk and asking them questions about their lives. But the entire time, I was aware of Tom's eyes on me. He was watching me intently, trying to get a reaction out of me. But I refused to give him the satisfaction. I remained cool and collected, even as my insides were screaming at me to say something. I took a deep breath and focused on the conversation at hand, ignoring the weight of Tom's gaze.“You guys should take a walk out and have some more conversations, get to know each other well.” Jeffery said to I and Tom.I felt my heart sink as Jeffery Spoke those words. I didn't want to be alone with Tom, I didn't trust him. But I didn't want to make a scene, so I nodded and stood up from the table. "Come onTom," my voice tightened. "Let's take a walk."Tom stood up, a sly smile on his face. He followed me out of the restaurant, and we began to walk down the street. I tried to keep my distance from him, but he kept moving closer, until we were shoulder to shoulder.Do you really think you belong with my family?" Tom asked, his voice full of condescension. "You're nothing like us. You're not good enough."I stopped walking, my hands clenched into fists at my sides. I could feel my heart pounding in my chest, and I struggled to control my temper. "Just because I'm not like you doesn't mean I'm not good enough," I snapped, my voice shaking with anger. "I'm not going to let you put me down. I'm better than you think." Tom's eyes narrowed, and he leaned in close to me."What are you going to do, huh?" Tom sneered, his face inches from mine. "You think you can take me? You're not strong enough, and you never will be."I felt my blood boil, and I gritted my teeth. "Don't underestimate me," I hissed, my voice low and dangerous. "I'm not as weak as you think I am."Tom laughed, a cruel sound that cut through the air. "You're nothing but a pathetic little girl," his eyes glittering with malice. "You can't even defend yourself, do you think that you are superwoman?" He asked.I got mad and went back into the cafe.“We won't be having a wedding, I and your mother would just legally register our marriage and move in together. We decided not to have a wedding.” Jeffrey informed me as Tom and I came back.I was happy that they wouldn't be having a wedding, I never liked the idea of a wedding in the first place.”I went back to the house alone, likewise Tom. Our parents went for their marriage legal registration.I walked back to the house, a weight lifted from my shoulders. I knew that things were going to be different from now on, but I felt like I could finally breathe. I went to my room and closed the door, sinking down onto my bed.While I was at home, I called Kora on the phone and told her who her Stepbrother is. “He is no other person than Tom, the school's most famous playboy.” I broke the news to her.Kora was utterly shocked and wowed by the news."No way!" she exclaimed. "You're kidding me, right? This has to be a joke."I shook my head, even though she couldn't see me. "I'm not joking," I replied. "It's really him. My mom is engaged to his father, they are registering their marriage now. We will move into Tom's house.”There was a long pause, and then Kora spoke again, her voice full of concern."What are you going to do?" she asked. "How are you going to handle this?"“I don't know.” I signed. “Tom was so arrogant earlier, he said many mean words to me.” I added.“I know right. He has pride.” Kora stressed.“The worst part of it all is that I've had sex with him, how do I face him and live together under the same roof with him. My mum would kill me if she gets to know that I had sex with Tom.” I complained.The next day, my mother and I packed up our belongings and moved into Jeffery's house. My mum left our house like that, she decided that she wouldn't put it on sale.“Do you want to seduce me for the second time like how your sly mother seduced my dad?” Tom snapped when I mistakenly entered his room. I mistook his room for mine because I was not yet familiar with their big house.“What?” I snapped. “How dare you!” I yelled.ELLIANA'S POV“What are you still doing here?" Tom snarled, looking at me with undisguised hostility. "This is my house, not yours."“You are just a rude brat.” I snapped.“You're just a pathetic little tagalong," he sneered. "My dad must be out of his mind to let you live here. You're going to ruin everything.”I walked out of him and I found my room, I closed the door behind me, grateful for the moment of privacy. I started to unpack my things, trying to put the unpleasant encounter with Tom out of my mind. I knew it was going to be hard living with him, but I was determined to make the best of it. After all, it was only temporary, and I could get through anything for a few months. I just had to be strong.As I unpacked my clothes, I heard a knock on the door. I opened it, expecting to see Tom again, but instead it was my stepfather, Jeffery. He looked concerned."Hi Elliana," Jeffery said, a warm smile on his face. "I just wanted to check in and see how you're doing. How's the unpa
ELLIANA'S POVTom snorted. "Nothing about you is a big deal," he snapped, his words like knives. "You're just a useless waste of space. I can't believe my father wasted his time on you guys."I felt like I had been punched in the gut. I couldn't find the words to reply to Tom.I stormed out of there, my mind boiling from my encounter with Tom.The next day, I decided to be friendly with Tom. "Hi, Tom," I said, trying to sound upbeat. "Thanks for letting us move in."Tom didn't respond, merely raised an eyebrow at me before disappearing upstairs without another word. I frowned, feeling deflated, but tried to brush off his coldness. After all, it wasn't my fault his dad had decided to marry my mom.Later that night, I lay in bed, staring up at the unfamiliar ceiling. Thoughts of Tom and our new living situation swirled around in my head, making it impossible to sleep. Suddenly, I heard a faint tapping on my bedroom door."Who's there?" I whispered, sitting up in bed.The door creaked op
ELLIANA'S POVOur relationship had always been complicated, full of hate, but also undeniable attraction. And now, it seemed like we were finally giving in to that attraction, allowing ourselves to explore the forbidden territory of our desire."Come in," I whispered, stepping aside to let him into my room.Tom stepped into my room and closed the door behind him, his eyes fixed on mine. In his hand was a small box of chocolates, which he offered to me with a shy smile."I got these for you," he said, his voice soft and uncertain.I took the chocolates, feeling a rush of warmth flood through me. It was the first gift he'd ever given me, and it felt like a kind of truce, a way of saying that things had changed between us."Thank you," I appreciated, my voice catching in my throat.Tom stepped closer to me, his hand brushing mine. "You're welcome," he replied, his voice low and intimate.I felt my heart racing, the air between us charged with electricity. We stood there for a moment, jus
ELLIANA'S POVThe woman's phone suddenly started ringing and she left in a hurry.“That was close.” I let out a sigh of relief.As the pharmacist rattled off a list of options, I felt a surge of embarrassment wash over me. I had never purchased contraception before, and the thought of sharing intimate details of my life with a stranger was mortifying.But I knew that I needed to be responsible, especially given the reckless path I had embarked on with Tom. "I'll take the pill," I replied finally, my voice a whisper.The pharmacist nodded, handing me a small box. "Take both at a time," she said, her tone matter-of-fact. With the pill in my purse, I left the pharmacy, my cheeks still burning with embarrassment. But as I made my way to Kora's house, a sense of relief washed over me. At least I had taken some precautions to protect myself from the consequences of my reckless behavior with Tom.I arrived at Kora's house, my nerves returning as I knocked on the door. When she opened it, he
ELLIANA'S POV"That sounds lovely," I responded, trying to keep my mind focused on the conversation. "It's nice to get some fresh air after being cooped up all day."As we walked, Chris chattered easily about his day, his job, and his plans for the weekend. I found myself relaxing more and more, enjoying the gentle rhythm of our conversation.We strolled along the lake, Chris gestured toward a small shop on the corner. "Hey, my friend owns this place," he said, his tone excited. "Want to stop by and check it out? They have the best snacks in town."I glanced at the shop, feeling a slight hesitation. But Chris seemed so genuine, so friendly, that I couldn't bring myself to refuse. "Sure, why not?" I said, smiling.Chris grinned. "You won't regret it," he promised. "You can thank me later."We stepped into the shop, the bell above the door jingling as we entered. The place was small and cramped, with shelves lined with chips, candy, and various other snacks.But as I looked around, I co
ELLIANA'S POV"He should have been home by now," she murmured, her voice tight with tension. "I've left him three messages, and he still won't pick up."Tom emerged from his room, a concerned expression on his face. "Maybe he's just trying to work through things on his own," he suggested, though his voice was uncertain.Night fell, and still there was no sign of Jeffery. My mother, Tom, and I huddled together in the living room, a sense of impending doom hanging in the air."He's never done this before," my mother worried, her eyes wide with fear. "He always checks in, always tells me where he's going. This isn't like him."As the clock ticked past midnight, Tom reached for his phone, his fingers trembling as he dialed a number. "I'm calling the police," he said, his voice low and determined. "Something's not right.Just as Tom's finger hovered over the call button, his phone vibrated in his hand. The screen lit up, displaying an incoming call from an unknown number.He answered, and
ELLIANA'S POVI made my way toward my bedroom, Tom suddenly reached out and grasped my hand, stopping me in my tracks. I turned, my heart fluttering in my chest as he looked at me with an intensity I'd never seen before."Can you stay with me tonight, in my room?" he asked, his voice low and urgent. "I just...I'm feeling down, and I don't want to be alone right now."I hesitated for a moment, taken aback by the request. But looking into his pleading eyes, I knew I couldn't refuse.I nodded, my breath catching in my throat. "Okay," I whispered, as Tom led me into his bedroom.We closed the door behind us, the room bathed in the soft glow of the streetlight outside. Tom walked over to his bed, sitting on the edge and motioning for me to sit next to him.I took a deep breath, suddenly feeling the weight of the day's events pressing down on me. As I sat down on the bed, I felt Tom's hand reach for mine, his fingers entwined with mine.The room was quiet, the soft glow of the streetlight o
ELLIANA'S POVAs my words hung in the air, Tom's heart pounded against his ribs, his breath quickening. He could feel my desire radiating from my body, and it set his own blood on fire.Gently, he pushed me back onto the couch, his hands roaming over her body as he covered me with kisses. I arched her back, moaning softly as his lips trailed down the sensitive skin of my neck, his tongue flicking against the hollow at the base."You're so beautiful," he whispered, his voice rough with desire.My breath catches in my throat as Tom pushes me back onto the couch, his hands roaming over my body with a possessive heat. My skin tingles as he covers me with kisses, his lips burning a path down my neck."You're so beautiful," he murmurs, his voice a low, seductive rumble. The air around us is thick with desire, the tension building between us like a wave cresting on the shore.I arch my back, my fingers tangling in his hair as I press myself against him. "Take me," I whisper, my voice a despe