บททั้งหมดของ Stealing My Sister's Fiancee: บทที่ 61 - บทที่ 70

The cold New York night air stung my skin as I stepped out of the café, crossing my arms over my chest to ward off the creeping chill seeping through my coat. Fine snowflakes drifted from the dark sky, layering the sidewalk in a thin, powdery sheet. I had just spent the last few hours buried in my design project, losing track of time until I realized it was nearly midnight.I took a deep breath, ready to walk back to the apartment I shared with Elle and Joy. The café wasn’t too far from home—about ten blocks away. Normally, I enjoyed walking through the city, especially when the streetlights cast a warm glow and the city’s pulse stayed alive even late at night.But tonight felt different.I glanced across the street where a group of burly men stood huddled on the corner, leaning against the brick wall of an old building bathed in dim light. They spoke in low voices, chuckling occasionally, and one of them lit a cigarette. Not an unusual sight in this city. But the way they kept glanci

The wind picked up, carrying the scent of rain trapped behind dark clouds at the horizon. The orange light began to fade, replaced by streaks of purple and deep blue. The city’s hum grew clearer from the rooftop, as if reminding me that time kept moving even while we were caught in this never-ending game of egos.I tried to focus again on the sketchpad in front of me—rough outlines of an interactive garden with dynamic panels that could reshape themselves according to the needs of the public—an open-space concept blending nature and technology. But my concentration was broken, disturbed by the man next to me, still wearing that half-mocking smile with his arms crossed over his chest.“Modular design, interactive public space,” Aaric repeated his idea with a dismissive tone. “Ambitious, but too complex for a student project.”I snorted. “That’s what makes it interesting. I prefer a challenge over just designing a flower garden with wooden benches.”He raised an eyebrow, looking at me l

These past few weeks have felt like summer arrived too soon, warm, intoxicating, and catching me off guard.I can’t quite remember when everything started to change. Maybe it was the night Aaric picked me up on his motorcycle in the rain, handing me his spare helmet without saying a word.Or when he showed up at my workspace at midnight, carrying a coffee and a half-squashed croissant, saying, “You look like you need food—and someone who admires your sketches.”Or maybe it was when he kissed my temple right after a brutal studio presentation, then walked away without looking back.Little things. Stupid things.But they lulled me in. Too much.I hugged my pillow tighter under my chin, staring up at the dark ceiling from beneath my fading grey blanket. Elle and Joy were already asleep, I could hear the soft snoring through the door. But I was wide awake, my mind spinning with fragments of a life that suddenly felt foreign.Two days ago, I was at Aaric’s friend’s birthday party, in a pen

I bit into my chicken wrap with the kind of enthusiasm you’d use to chew through all your bad life decisions. The chicken was too chewy, the sauce a little too sweet. But at least it gave me an excuse not to talk.Aaric was still sitting across from me, fingers tapping the bottle cap like he was strategizing how to conquer another planet.“How about we just date?”I stopped chewing.The cafeteria suddenly felt too bright. Too real. The chicken wrap lost all its charm in an instant.I stared at him, sharp. “What?”“I mean… we’ve been—” He shrugged. “Spending time. A lot of it. You let me sleep in your bed. You steal my hoodie. We flirt. A lot. I figured… why not just make it official?”I stood up before I even realized I was standing.My chair screeched across the floor. The half-eaten wrap still in one hand. The other grabbing my sling bag.“You figured wrong.”“Maya—” he stood too, but I was already walking, fast, out of the cafeteria.My breath suddenly felt like a spark waiting to

The New York sky that morning looked like a crumpled canvas. Bluish gray with a faint splash of orange just starting to peek through the buildings. Light filtered slowly through the large window, uncovered by curtains. And I opened my eyes, slowly, with a head heavy like it was filled with fog.The first ten seconds were quiet. Warm.The next ten, I remembered.White linen sheets were wrapped around my waist. My skin, bare. And a hand. Long, cold once, but now warm with time, resting around my stomach from behind. Someone’s breath touched the back of my neck, steady, calm... Aaric.I froze.My body knew first. Muscles stiff. My heart... it didn’t beat slow like in the movies. It pounded. Loud. Wild. Like protest. Or confession. And my mind, slowly but surely, started piecing together the night before.Flashes of the club. Kisses in the car. His hands on my hips. Soft whispers in my room.And then...I thought I’d feel afraid. But what I found was a silence heavier than guilt.I gave s