บททั้งหมดของ HER LYCAN STEPBROTHER’S OBSESSION: บทที่ 41 - บทที่ 50

41.Ivy's POV.When the test papers were handed back, I almost couldn’t believe my eyes.98. The highest score in the class.Relief and pride swelled in my chest, spreading through me like warmth on a cold morning. I stared at the bold red marks on my paper, my fingers tightening around the edges."Excellent work, Ivy," Mrs. Reynold announced, nodding at me approvingly. "This is what I was expecting from you. Keep it up."I nodded, still slightly dazed, barely able to register the praise. It had been so long since I had been recognized for something good, something I had earned."And speaking of excellence, the application for the International Oratory Championship is now open. Ivy, Brandon, you both shouldn’t forget to apply. I expect great things from you two."With a smile, she walked away.A hand landed on my desk, dragging me back to reality. Jackie grinned down at me, eyes twinkling with amusement."God, you’re actually blushing," she teased, her voice dripping with exaggerated

43.Brandon's POV.I must be running mad. That was the only explanation for why I felt this way.Nothing else made sense. Nothing else explained why Ivy’s accusation had gotten to me the way it did. People had said things about me before, and I had never once cared. Never lost sleep over what someone thought of me.But this?This wasn’t the same.This felt like something sharp had been driven straight into my chest, lodged between my ribs, refusing to let me breathe properly. It sat there, heavy and unmovable, pressing down on me in a way I couldn’t shake off.Ivy had looked at me like I was capable of something that vile. Like I was the lowest kind of filth. Like I had hurt her mother and the baby out of pure malice.I had tried explaining, but she hadn’t let me. She hadn’t even given me the chance. She had just screamed at me, her voice shaking with fury, telling me exactly what she thought of me. Telling me how despicable I was. How vile and horrible I had to be to do something lik

Ivy's POV.The moment I stepped out of the office, I pulled out my phone and searched for the official announcement for the competition. My fingers flew over the screen as I skimmed through the updates, my heart picking up speed with every line I read.This wasn’t just some regular oratory contest anymore. What was once a two-day competition had transformed into a five–day competition, drawing in representatives from elite schools across the country. Winning didn’t just mean a trophy or bragging rights. It meant connections. Recognition. And, most importantly, a massive advantage in college applications.A 75% increased chance of getting into an Ivy League school.I exhaled sharply, my grip tightening around my phone.This was everything I had been working toward. My golden ticket. My chance to secure my future, to carve out a path beyond this town, beyond the weight of everything that had been dragging me down. This competition was my way out.But there was just one problem.It was

47.Ivy's POV.Brandon stayed true to his word.It was unexpected, but he actually made an effort. He showed up to our tutorial sessions on time, brought study materials, and even wrote study notes that significantly lessened my workload. If I was being honest, he was incredibly efficient, probably even more than me, and I was surprised.But no matter how hard I tried to concentrate, my mind kept circling back to that first day. To what we did.Brandon, however, acted like it never happened. He never made any reference to it, never tried to touch me again, never even looked at me in a way that suggested he remembered. Our relationship was now cordial and what was supposed to be normal.I was supposed to be grateful for that. But every time he sat next to me, completely unfazed, a frustrating part of me wished he would.It was annoying.The day before we were supposed to leave for the competition, I decided to spend the evening with my mom. She was recuperating well after losing the

Ivy's POV.One of the girls in the group scoffed, folding her arms as she turned to Aaron with a skeptical look. “Oh, please. You’re just trying to get close to her so you can steal her points. Everyone knows she’s the most brilliant one here.”A few students chuckled, nodding in agreement, but before I could even process the compliment, another girl shook her head.“I don’t know about that,” she said, crossing her arms. “Ivy isn’t the most brilliant here, Brandon is.”Dude, I'm standing right here.The conversation immediately shifted. A few murmurs of agreement rippled through the group, heads nodding as students exchanged glances.“Their school must be ridiculously lucky to have two prodigies like them,” one of the guys mused, adjusting his glasses. “Most of us don’t even have one.”“Right?” another student chimed in. “I mean, their parents must be over the moon that they’re stepsiblings now. Imagine raising two geniuses under the same roof.”I stiffened slightly at that, my finge