1 Caleb Brady rejected his stepsister Seraphina in front of everyone—then asked me, the quiet scholarship student no one noticed. Sera shattered, and her madness soon turned toward me. Yet every time she attacked, Caleb pulled me behind him, a slow smile spreading as he watched her face pale. “She’s clean. She’s beautiful. You and her aren’t in the same league.” His voice dropped low. “Leave her alone—or you’ll regret it.” The students cheered. I felt a warmth in my chest, believing I’d found the best man alive. Until Sera cornered me in the hall, ripped my shirt open, and had her crony force a kiss on me while everyone filmed. Caleb snapped. He pulled me into his arms, then dragged Sera into a stairwell and slammed her against the wall, kissing her over and over. Muffled groans tangled with sharp breaths. “Is this my punishment or reward, brother? You tell me,” Sera’s voice purred through the door gap. “You won’t be my boyfriend? What should I do next time?” “Go on—warn me again.” “Don’t you dare say you love her. You’re the one who let me play psycho to punish her.” Her mocking laugh pierced me like ice. Cold rose from the floor, freezing me in place. All along, I was just a prop in their twisted game. “Don’t flatter yourself, Sera,” Caleb’s voice was strained. “I only let you pretend to be crazy so she’d depend on me more.” “You have no idea how soft she gets when she melts against me, all hurt and needing comfort.” Sera’s foot traced a slow path up his calf. “Flatter myself? Soft, you say?” “You’re such a bad liar, big brother. That’s not what you were saying last night, when you were holding me in Mom and Dad’s bed.” “Tell me, do you have to pop a pill to get it up for Chloe, too?” “Or was that just for me? A little something to earn your reward?” Her arms snaked around his neck, her laughter bright and sharp. The sound was followed by the wet noise of biting kisses and ragged breathing, punctuated by Sera’s coquettish murmurs. “Next time, I’ll leave your lips so swollen you won’t be able to go home,” Caleb growled, his voice thick with something that sounded dangerously like pleasure. “I know,” she cooed. “I’ll be sure to try even harder.” “See you tonight, brother.” Long after Sera’s footsteps faded away, I heard Caleb’s quiet echo. “See you tonight.” My fists clenched, a roaring sound filling my ears. A few minutes later, Caleb stepped out of the stairwell, his expression a perfect mask of concern. He wrapped his arms around me, just like he always did. But this time, I didn’t dissolve into tears. I didn’t beg for his help. I didn’t even return the embrace. He stroked my hair, his touch gentle. “My sweet girl, you’ve been hurt. But I’m here now.” “I just punished her for you. Don’t be angry anymore.” I looked up at him, my eyes landing on his lip—swollen and split, a tiny bead of blood welling at the corner. My public humiliation, my helpless, screaming breakdown… was just a "punishment" in his eyes. A trivial event. Worse, it was just an excuse for their twisted foreplay. Those beautiful, almond-shaped eyes had once captivated me completely. The day another boy tried to ask me out, Caleb had smoothly cut in. “Hey, good girl. Mind if I cut in line? I’ve got a confession to make, too.” His long, elegant fingers offered me a folded note. Inside, the handwriting was bold and sweeping, filling the page with passionate words. My face burned. I couldn’t speak. He was the one who laughed first. “You’re blushing already? How red are you going to get when we’re under the covers?” He had the face of a poet and the mouth of a sailor. In a daze, I nodded my consent. From that day on, he walked me to and from school. Every single day. Rain or shine. I felt a dizzying sense of vertigo. Were they the same person? Just like now. He was talking to me, but his gaze kept drifting in the direction Sera had disappeared. I pushed myself out of his arms. “Caleb, I’m telling a teacher.” No response. Instead, his voice came out choked with anguish, full of a desperate sincerity. “I truly love you.” My heart stuttered. I looked up, only to find him staring at Sera’s retreating back in the distance. A suffocating tightness squeezed my chest. I raised my voice, forcing the words out. “Caleb, I’m going to the principal. I deserve justice.” That finally snapped him back. His hand shot out, grabbing my arm. “I told you, I already punished her.” “She’s mentally ill. She’s pitiful enough as it is. Don’t hold it against her.” “Besides,” he added, his tone dismissive, “I trust you. It’s not that big of a deal.” The casual indifference in his eyes sent a chill down my spine. Not a big deal? Then what was? Oh, right. Seraphina’s happiness. That was what mattered. Caleb draped an arm over my shoulders, a hint of impatience in his gesture. “We’re practically family, anyway. Just let it go.” “Let’s get back to class.” I bit my lip so hard I tasted blood, but the sharp tang was nothing compared to the agony ripping through my heart. As we walked, whispers and stifled giggles followed us like a cloud of flies. They were all pointing, all staring. Suddenly, someone shoved me hard, sending me stumbling into our classroom. A blizzard of photos rained down on me, their sharp edges kissing my skin like paper cuts before fluttering to the floor. They were all of me—my shirt torn, my face twisted in shock as that boy forced himself on me. “Surprise!” Sera appeared, holding another handful of even more explicit shots, scattering them over my head. “We’re all so curious, Chloe! Why don’t you give us a little performance right now?” “Performance!” “Performance!” “Performance!” The chant hammered into my skull. My entire body started to shake. Helplessly, my eyes found Caleb. Our gazes met for a split second before he looked away. “Shut up,” I screamed, grabbing the nearest textbook and hurling it at Sera. But Caleb’s hand shot out, his fingers closing around my wrist like a vice. “That’s enough. Everyone, disperse,” he commanded. “Class is starting.” As the crowd melted away, Sera shot me a triumphant smirk. She unhooked a lacy bra strap from under her shirt and casually looped it around Caleb’s wrist. Then she raised a perfectly sculpted eyebrow at me in a blatant challenge. “What is this supposed to be?” he grumbled, but he quickly pulled down his sleeve to cover the strap. My heart felt like it was bleeding, drop by painful drop. This was the same guy who thought my simple hair clip ruined his image, yet here he was, treasuring his stepsister’s underwear like a trophy. I sank into my seat, a numb automaton. The whispers around me grew louder. “Too bad for Caleb. Guess he only gets sloppy seconds.” “Seriously. I was late today, I missed everything. Someone send me the pics?” “She looks so innocent, but who knows how many guys she’s slept with behind his back.” The words were quiet, but they felt like needles stabbing into my back. I gripped my pen, but my hand was trembling too much to write. Suddenly, a hail of trash—half-eaten snacks, fruit peels, wadded-up napkins—pelted my head and shoulders. Someone even threw the contents of a small trash bag at me. I whipped around. Sera just hummed, looking bored. “What’s wrong, good girl? Why don’t you ask my brother for help?” “Give him a little kiss. He’d probably die for you,” she said, covering her mouth in a mock giggle. My voice was a choked sob as I reached out my hand. “Caleb.” He flinched away from my touch. His eyes were fixed on Sera’s back. “Go wash up,” he told me, his voice flat. “Tonight, I’ll lock her in the dark room. I promise I’ll make it up to you.” In the girls’ bathroom, I scrubbed frantically at my skin, trying to wash away the filth and humiliation. Through the crack of the stall next to me, I saw her. Sera, perched on his lap. “Don’t push it, Sera.” “She’s pure and clean. She’s not someone you can mess with.” Sera just giggled. “Is that so? But my dear, dear brother—” “Why did you pull away from her just now?” “Don’t even try to tell me you weren’t disgusted by her.” “Shut up,” Caleb hissed, his voice tight with rage. “I have a thing about germs.” “You think everyone’s like you, swapping partners like they’re changing clothes?” “It’s disgusting.” Sera was unfazed. “Brother, you’re not a very good liar.” “Does my lingerie smell nice? Is it satisfying, holding it while you sleep at night?” “I’ve been with so many men, but you still sneak into my room every night to kiss me, don’t you?” Caleb’s breathing grew heavy and ragged. “Shut up! That’s your punishment! For what you do to her.” “Tonight. The dark room.” “The dark room? Tonight, I want to be on top.” “And the sheets are getting old. The bed isn’t soft enough.” “I saw the maid outfit you hid in the closet. I want you to wear it for me tonight.” Caleb’s body went rigid. “If you dare touch her, I’ll double your punishment.” “In Mom and Dad’s bathtub this time? It’s nice and big in there.” Sera leaned in and pressed her lips to his. “Admit it, brother. You’re madly in love with me.” I stumbled backward, my hand flying to the wall to keep myself from collapsing. My nails scraped against the tile, leaving bloody streaks, but all I could feel was a hollowing ache inside me. My heart was emptying out, becoming a vast, cold cavern. A bitter smile twisted my lips. Caleb, oh, Caleb. What a true love you are. When I got back to the classroom, a girl grabbed me by the hair and shoved my head toward a trash can. “Thief! How dare you steal from me!” I struggled wildly. “I didn’t…” A series of sharp slaps rocked my head. “Still denying it? We found the necklace in your bag!” “You’re just a poor charity case! How could you ever afford something like that?” Pain exploded behind my eyes, and the world started to go gray. I reached out, grasping for something, anything. “What’s going on?” Caleb walked in, looking a bit disheveled. Sera stood behind him, a smug look on her face. A moment later, our teacher followed. After hearing the story, the teacher frowned at me. “Chloe, is this true?” I shook my head. “No.” “But the necklace was found in your possession.” “Sera told me yesterday she saw you acting suspiciously in the classroom after hours.” My heart seized. I whirled on Sera. “It was her! She’s the one who has it out for me!” “She’s doing this on purpose! She’s jealous of me and Caleb, so she framed me!” “She even had someone rip my clothes this morning!” The teacher looked conflicted, her gaze finally settling on Caleb. He looked at Sera, and a flicker of understanding crossed his face. He stepped in front of me. “Ma’am, Chloe told me yesterday how much she liked that necklace.” “She didn’t mean any harm. I’ll apologize on her behalf. Please, let’s just forgive her.” The teacher sighed, looking at me with a mixture of pity and disappointment. “Your scholarship is revoked. And I want a ten-thousand-word apology on my desk by tomorrow morning.” I stood there, frozen. A bone-deep chill spread through me. In this vibrant, lively school, I felt like a ghost. Caleb patted my shoulder. “It’s okay. So what if it’s revoked?” “It’s just a few thousand dollars. I’ll transfer you the money right now.” A second later, my phone buzzed with a notification from my bank. Sera shot him a glare. “Well, aren’t you someone’s little treasure?” “You better take good care of her. We wouldn’t want her turning into a little thief again, would we?” “Get back to your class,” Caleb snapped at her. He turned back to me and gently wiped a tear from my cheek. “Don’t be scared, sweet girl. I’m here.” I stood there like a wooden doll, unmoving. Sera was right. He was already hopelessly in love with her. And I was just the shield he used to deny it. I opened my phone, staring at a familiar contact. My thumb hovered over the words I had typed out, the most decisive words I’d ever written. Then I let the screen go dark. 2 Maybe it was guilt. For the next few days, Caleb stuck to my side like glue. But his mind was elsewhere. His thumb was always rubbing the jagged scar on his wrist. I knew the story behind it. I’d overheard it one day. Sera had been dating some guy, and Caleb had lost his mind with jealousy. He’d hunted the guy down and started a fight. But Sera had protected the other boy. In the ensuing chaos, she had been the one to shatter Caleb’s wrist. He should have hated her for it. But when she came to apologize, to gently clean the wound and apply medicine, he forgave her instantly. He even refused to change the dressing she’d put on, wearing it until it was gray and frayed. How ironic. When we first started dating, I’d worried about that scar. I’d gently touched it once, and he had recoiled violently, shoving my hand away. He’d rushed to the nearest sink and scrubbed his skin raw, as if terrified my touch had contaminated that sacred ground. Just like now, in the cafeteria. From across the room, Sera let out a small cry, and Caleb was on his feet in a second, rushing to her side. His face was a mask of panic, which quickly soured into annoyance when he realized it was just a prank. Sera wrapped her arms around his waist in front of everyone. “Brother, I ordered too much food. I can’t finish it.” “Can you help me? Please? Just eat the rest for me.” He grumbled and said no, but then he took her plate and finished every last bite, without even changing the fork. He even ate the fatty piece of pork she’d left, the one thing I knew he absolutely detested. If I had ever asked him to do something like that, he would have lectured me about how disgusting it was to eat someone else’s leftovers. It wasn’t the food that was disgusting. It was the person. I stared down at my own plate, my vision blurring. My phone buzzed. [I’m only going along with her because I’m afraid she’ll bully you. Eat up, my sweet girl.] How kind of him to find the time to string me along. I couldn’t breathe. It felt like a dull knife was being dragged over my skin, again and again, leaving me a mangled mess of flesh and blood. A wave of nausea hit me, and I ran to the bathroom, heaving until my stomach was empty. When it was time to go home that evening, Caleb still hadn’t noticed anything was wrong. He just muttered something about having to take care of something and left without me. My face was pale as I walked down the street alone. Suddenly, a bag was thrown over my head. I was dragged into a narrow, damp alley. Sera clapped her hands together, her voice sharp and gleeful. “Hit her hard. I’ll pay you double.” “Beat her until she’s half-dead. It’ll be more fun that way.” “Don’t hold back. I’m a certified psycho, remember? My brother will clean up any mess I make.” The sharp clicks of her heels echoed as she walked over and kicked me hard, several times. “Harder! You think you can mess with me? You overestimate yourself.” “Don’t you know who I am? I’m the princess of the Brady family.” “You’re so small and skinny. My brother says there’s nothing to grab onto. I don’t know what he sees in you.” A brick slammed into my collarbone with a sickening crack. A pained grunt escaped my lips. I was in so much agony. “Caleb…” I whispered his name, a desperate prayer. I still clung to the hope that he would appear like a savior and rescue me. The blows rained down, heavier and heavier. Finally, I stopped fighting back, collapsing onto the grimy pavement as darkness encroached. Through a haze of pain, I thought I heard familiar footsteps. He won’t leave me like this, I thought, a desperate flicker of hope igniting within me. He couldn’t. Not when I’m this broken. But the next voice I heard was Caleb’s, cold and detached. “Are you done venting? We can go now.” “You’ve been a little hard on her lately. She’s been crying in secret. Don’t go too far.” He sounded so indifferent, but Sera just melted against him, her voice a playful whine. “But it’s her fault for messing with me. I’m not done yet.” “That’s enough. Don’t think you can do whatever you want just because I’m here.” Sera’s voice turned demanding. “Then tell me you love me.” “Don’t be ridiculous.” “Tell me you love me, and I’ll stop.” A long silence stretched out. Just when I thought he wouldn’t answer, he did. “I love you.” “That’s more like it.” Sera snorted. “I knew you loved me most. Otherwise, you wouldn’t have tipped me off that she was coming this way.” “If I hadn’t done this, you already had people lined up to take care of her, didn’t you?” “The only tough thing about you is your mouth… my sweet, dear brother.” She planted a series of loud, wet kisses on his face. Satisfied, she signaled for her goons to leave. Caleb stepped into her path, blocking her way. “Now, what about my reward?” “Three hours. Is that enough?” “Not enough. I want the whole night.” He cupped her face, his thumb stroking her cheek before he leaned in and kissed her deeply. “You’re so greedy,” she murmured against his lips when they finally broke apart. She leaned against him, her body pliant. They stayed like that for a long time before finally leaving together. Caleb glanced back at the crumpled figure on the alley floor. A frown creased his brow for a moment. Then, without a second thought, he turned and walked away. I don’t know how much time passed. I managed to drag myself up against the rough brick wall. A stray dog trotted over and snatched my shoe. My hand was sticky with something warm and metallic-smelling. I couldn’t seem to draw a full breath for the pain. My phone lit up with a message that felt like a devil’s whisper. [Chloe, you shouldn’t have touched her.] My bloody fingerprints smeared across the screen as I clutched the phone, a wave of helplessness washing over me. The edges of my vision were growing darker. I remembered when we first got together. He held me close and promised, “Sweet girl, no one will ever bully you again. I’ll make you happy.” Even with his demanding schedule, he found time to write me poems. He once stood up in front of our entire class and read one aloud before leaning in to kiss the tip of my nose so gently. Now I realized it was all just a performance. Another way to provoke Sera. My collarbone was broken. The delay in getting treatment meant it would never heal properly. It was a twisted, ugly knot under my skin, like a maggot. I was out of school for a long time while I recovered. Caleb never came to see me. He’d send the occasional placating text, claiming he was busy. But he wasn’t busy. He was in the park just down the street. Kissing his stepsister. When I finally returned to school, the taunts were louder, the cruelty more blatant. They put glue on my chair, tore up my books. Someone spat in my water bottle. They’d hoot with laughter when they succeeded. Caleb was always there, standing on the sidelines with a cool, detached expression. His silence was a green light for all of it. Occasionally, he’d offer a few hollow words of comfort. But every time he did, Sera would retaliate with something even worse. Which would lead to another one of Caleb’s “punishments.” And I would fall deeper and deeper into the abyss. I couldn’t take it anymore. I dragged Sera up to the rooftop. She just crossed her arms, completely unfazed. “Well, well. The good girl finally snapped?” “How many times have you cried yourself to sleep?” “You did all of it on purpose.” My voice was tight, my chest aching. She just smiled, then reached out and pulled my collar aside, exposing my mangled collarbone. “Tsk, tsk. Look at that… so ugly. I wonder if brother will still be able to stomach kissing you now.” I grabbed the front of her shirt. “Sera!” “Chloe, stop it!” Caleb charged onto the roof, breathing heavily. He looked terrified. But his terror wasn’t for me. It was for her. I threw a small audio recorder at his feet. “Listen to it.” “They did it on purpose. They planned it all.” “I’m going to expose everything!” Caleb’s eyes widened. He was scared. Scared of how he was going to clean up Sera’s mess. “Sweet girl, come here.” “She’s sick. Let’s not stoop to her level.” “You’ve been in love with her all along, haven’t you!” “What? How could you think that?” “She’s disgusting. I’d never be interested in her. Sweet girl, are you feeling insecure?” Even now. Even now, he was still lying. “Then you release the recording. Right now.” His brow furrowed. “It’s not that I don’t want to, it’s the Brady family name…” I pulled Sera back toward the edge of the roof. “I don’t care! Do it now! Post it!” “Don’t! Sweet girl, don’t move!” “Choose! Choose right now!” I was getting more and more frantic. He lunged forward. And pushed me off the roof. Maybe he didn’t mean to. Maybe, in his rush to grab Sera and pull her to safety, he just shoved me out of the way. By some miracle, I survived. When I came to, I heard their voices. “Sera, you have to stop,” Caleb was saying. “You’ve gone too far recently.” Sera scoffed. “No way. Why are you so concerned about her?” “She’s my girlfriend. Your future… sister-in-law.” “She is not!” Sera shrieked. She grabbed Caleb’s head and pulled him down for a bruising kiss. “Why do you call me disgusting?” she demanded. “I was young and stupid, someone tricked me. But now, you’re the only one I want, brother!” “You know you have feelings for me, too. Now let me sit on your lap.” Caleb turned his head away, silent. “What if she wakes up…” “I don’t care! I want to! You bastard brother!” He gave in. I clutched the bedsheet, tears sliding silently down my temples. The pain was sharp, drilling into my very bones. I didn’t dare open my eyes, didn’t dare face what was happening. A week later, I chose a time when I knew they’d be out and went home to get my things. From down the street, I could hear the sound of things smashing. The inside of our small apartment was destroyed. And my brother, my only family, was lying in a pool of his own blood. “Leo!” I screamed, rushing in and gathering him in my arms. Sera saw me. She didn't even seem to care. She was on the phone with Caleb. “She’s back. Way to ruin the mood.” I screamed into the phone, my voice cracking. “Caleb, help! It’s my brother, he’s—” His voice on the other end was calm, unhurried. “Alright, sweet girl. Maybe you’ll learn your lesson this time.” “I’ve already taken care of everything. Don’t even think about calling the police or making a scene. It won’t do you any good.” Sera raised a triumphant eyebrow at me. “The good girl,” she purred. “Brother says… being with me is exciting. It’s interesting.” “And you? You’re just a toy to pass the time.” The ambulance arrived too late. My brother was dead. The day of his funeral, a cold rain fell from a gray sky. And I dialed a familiar number. “About what we discussed before… I’ll do it.”
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