I never imagined the "switched at birth" trope from those trashy novels would actually happen to my family. The good news: I am my parents' biological daughter. The bad news: My older brother is not my parents' biological son. The worse news: Everyone in my family, except my brother, is a complete airhead. If he wasn't holding the fort, we would have gone bankrupt years ago. When I was being tortured half to death by company affairs, my executive assistant gently reminded me. "Miss Evelyn, if Mr. Smith is no longer a member of the Davis family, couldn't he just work for the Davis family as an employee?" I thought he made a lot of sense. That very night, I put on a sexy slip dress and ran straight to Ethan Smith's apartment. 1 When Ethan Smith brought the real son, verified by a DNA test, back home, my mind went completely blank. No, I was just joking before! How could this actually be real? It wasn't until the real son shouted, "Since you don't welcome me, I'll just leave!" that I panicked. I was so confused. What role was I supposed to play in this "switched at birth" drama? Should I play the oblivious sister who inexplicably defends the fake brother? Or should I play the edgy, rebellious sibling, pointing at the fake brother and declaring he doesn't share our noble bloodline? It was so hard to choose. Before anyone could say another word, Liam—the real son—snatched the keys from the gardener, hopped onto the riding lawnmower, and drove it straight into an oak tree. Okay, we believe him. He's the real son. As the saying goes, the apple doesn't fall far from the tree. I always had a feeling my older brother, Ethan, wasn't biologically related to my parents. The reason was simple. Our entire family consisted of absolute sweet, naive airheads. My mom was a beautiful, empty-headed trophy wife. My dad was a wealthy heir who knew nothing about business. I was a third-generation heir who inherited both the beauty and the complete lack of business acumen. But Ethan was different. He wasn't just smart; he was incredibly capable. From my earliest memories, he comfortably sat on the throne of being ranked number one in his grade. He didn't even have to take the SATs; he was offered a full ride to a top-tier Ivy League university. But I was a certified academic disaster. In other words, if he wasn't my brother, I wouldn't have even known you could get scholarships through academic decathlons. I had shared my suspicions with my parents before, but they just said I’d read too many novels and fried my brain. Only Ethan, standing nearby, had a dark, unreadable expression as he looked at me thoughtfully. But I was seriously just joking! We dragged Liam out of the tree in the front yard. Ethan Davis—oh, I should call him Ethan Smith now. He suddenly took a step back. "Mom, Dad, thank you for raising me all these years. I will return all the shares in the group to you, and I will step down from the CEO position for Evelyn. Goodbye." Before anyone could process it, he grabbed a simple duffel bag and left the Davis estate. I was furious. We had lived together for over twenty years, and he didn't show a single ounce of attachment. I quickly chased after him. Thinking about his usual attitude towards me, I couldn't bear it anymore and demanded: "Did you never see me as your sister?" Ethan didn't turn around; he only left me with the sight of his tall back. The setting sun cast a long, somewhat lonely shadow behind him. "Yes." That single, light word slammed into my heart. Before I could even react to that "yes," Ethan spoke again. "Evelyn Davis, I never wanted to be your brother at all." With that, Ethan got into his car and vanished from my sight. I burst into loud sobs, crying even louder than Liam had. "Mom! He's a bad person! He doesn't want me anymore! Ahhhhhhhhhhh!" Liam froze, suddenly unsure if he should be crying too. At dinner, our family of four sat around the table, biting our nails. Because we were faced with an urgent problem that needed an immediate solution. "Who's going to the company tomorrow?" The four of us looked at each other in dismay. Back when my dad took over the company, he almost drove it straight into bankruptcy. It wasn't until Ethan went to college and started managing the company on the side that things started to improve. At the same time, he also founded his own tech company, Zenith Tech, and its momentum and revenue were on track to surpass the Davis Group. So, before he even graduated, my dad announced his retirement. He took my mom on a fabulous trip around the world, and then settled into a happy life of fishing and playing chess every day. I am a freelance photographer. Although I have some fame in the industry, I really don't know how to manage a company. The three of us simultaneously turned our gaze to Liam, the real son. Liam scratched his head awkwardly and pulled out his Advanced Electrician Certification and a "Worker of the Month" medal. "Ethan's—I mean, Ethan Smith's—parents... one was a college professor, and the other was an award-winning high school teacher. How did you...?" I asked, genuinely confused. Liam just scratched his head. The three of us silently shut our mouths in unspoken agreement. It wasn't that we looked down on his education or profession, but we felt incredibly sorry for the Smith parents. They must have doubted their own parenting methods more than once. After all, looking at Ethan, it was clear there was nothing wrong with their genetics. 2 In the end, choosing the best of a bad bunch, I was pushed into the CEO's seat. After all, I was the only one who got into college based on my own (admittedly mediocre) abilities. "Don't worry, Mom and Dad. I definitely won't fail this mission. I won't do worse than that heartless jerk." My dad squeezed my hand. "My expectations aren't high. Just tell me right before we go bankrupt." My mom wiped away a tear. "It's so late, I wonder if Ethan has eaten dinner yet?" Liam scratched his head. "Am I really going to experience bankruptcy right after coming home?" I glared at him, and he went quiet. Lying in bed that night, my heart still felt empty. My parents didn't let Liam move into Ethan's room; they prepared a separate room for him. Even without blood ties, they still treated Ethan like their own child. Especially since the Smith parents had passed away, they were even more worried that he wouldn't be able to handle this sudden upheaval. Actually, I never hated him; I was just a bit rebellious. Ethan, being the only normal person in the family, was very strict with me. In high school, he watched over my studies, tirelessly explaining math problems to me over and over again. He managed to drag my bottom-of-the-barrel grades up enough to pass the college entrance exams by a wide margin. When I was in college and he discovered my talent for photography, without a word, he found me the most professional equipment and the best mentors. He even personally modeled for me. Now, I'm a top-tier freelance photographer and influencer in the country. But my initial dream was really just to be a useless, idle rich kid. So, I constantly opposed him. When he was having a meeting in the home office, I would hide under his desk and pull his leg hair. When he went on blind dates with women, I would expose embarrassing stories from his childhood. I also frequently took ugly candid photos of him. Unfortunately, either my photography skills were too good, or he was just too incredibly handsome. No matter how I shot it, he looked breathtakingly good. I hated him, but I also relied on him. I never thought there would come a day when he would disappear from my world. But thinking about how decisively he left, a nameless anger flared up inside me. "Heartless jerk. Left without a second thought, not a single bit of attachment." I took out my phone and sent an angry dog emoji to Ethan. Ethan: ? The next day, I sat anxiously in the CEO's chair, listening to the department heads arguing back and forth. This is not a job for a human being. I slumped over the massive mahogany desk, wanting to cry but having no tears left. After a whole morning of meetings, I had absolutely no idea what they were arguing about. The documents on my desk were piled up like a small mountain. How did Ethan manage to process all this in a day and still get home in time for dinner? No wonder he ran away like he was fleeing a famine. Now, I wanted to flee too. I couldn't help but ask my executive assistant. "Did Ethan do this much work every day too?" The assistant adjusted his glasses. "Miss Evelyn, Mr. Davis—I mean, Mr. Smith—had to handle much more than this. Today is your first day; it will only get busier from here." I let out a helpless wail. What a disaster. "Why was Ethan able to do so much work?" "Mr. Smith has managed the company for many years, after all. He has a bit more experience than you do." I shot up from the desk. "Right, it's not that I can't do it, it's just that he has more experience." "How about this: you can go ask Mr. Smith to tutor you. You're so smart, you'll definitely catch on quickly. You can also ask him to help you do some of it." I was tempted. Shamefully tempted. I didn't want to work this job for another minute. But I was stubborn. "I don't need him. I can do it myself." Saying that, I buried my head in the mountain of documents. 3 That night, I still shamefully brought the endless pile of work to Ethan's apartment door. My heart was a bit resistant. After all, he had said he didn't want to be my brother. "If my fingerprint doesn't unlock the door, I'm leaving." I muttered to myself while pressing my finger against the scanner. Click. The heavy door opened smoothly. "At least he has some conscience," I scoffed coldly. The living room lights were on, but no one was there. The sound of running water came from the master bathroom. I grabbed a bottle of water from the fridge and sat on the large bed in the master bedroom. Growing up, I never needed his permission to barge into his private space. Ethan's voice suddenly came from the bathroom. "Evelyn, Evelyn." His voice was muffled by the sound of the water, so I couldn't hear it clearly. Was he calling me? The bathroom door suddenly opened from the inside. A cloud of steam billowed out first, followed by Ethan, wearing only a pair of shorts. His hair was still dripping wet, the slightly long strands falling by his cheeks, giving him a sort of decadent beauty. His lips and cheeks were flushed, contrasting with his pale skin, making him look like a vampire who had just fed—lazy and dangerous. A drop of water slid down his broad chest. His tight abs had no trace of extra fat, and his waist was narrow but powerfully defined. One look, and you knew he was explosive. So this is the legendary "V-taper." The bottle of sparkling water slipped from my hand in shock, rolling across the floor to stop right at Ethan's feet. "Are you crazy? Why are you walking around half-naked?" I grabbed a throw pillow to shield my face, hiding my violently blushing cheeks. He's the crazy one! It's the middle of summer, people can wear whatever they want in their own homes! Seeing me, Ethan froze for a moment, then grabbed a T-shirt from the edge of the bed and pulled it on. "When did you get here?" "J-Just now." Ethan looked strange today; his eyes were fixed intently on me. It was the look of a hungry wolf spotting meat. Could he be planning to take revenge on me for all the times I annoyed him over the years? Seeing his arms, which were almost as thick as my thighs, I couldn't help but shrink back a little. But I didn't want to admit I was scared, so I puffed out my chest. "What are you looking at?" "First time seeing you in a blazer... very... pretty." I felt pretty good hearing that compliment. I had spent ages picking out this suit. It perfectly accentuated my waist-to-hip ratio, making me look tall and slim. Paired with the face I inherited from my mother and a pair of rimless glasses, I looked the epitome of an elite socialite. "Of course. Look who you're talking to—the most beautiful girl in the city's high society." Ethan smiled, took my hand, led me to the living room, and sat me on the sofa. He brought out fruit and snacks. "Eat something first, I'm going to cook." Munching on an apple while watching a handsome man cook. A feast for the eyes. Suddenly, I remembered I hadn't done what I came here for. "Ethan, teach me, please." I piled the stack of documents in front of him. Ethan glanced at me sideways, saying nothing. "Bro, big bro, brother, please." I fell back into my habit of acting cute. In the past, as long as I called him "brother," he would immediately surrender and grant my every request. Ethan took the stack of documents and placed them on the corner of the kitchen island. "Eat first." Ethan made my favorite: minced pork with eggplant, tomato and egg stir-fry, and a large pot of corn and pork rib soup. I ate two huge bowls of rice, my stomach bulging comfortably. Ethan slowly put on his blue-light glasses. He picked up a document with one hand and patted the seat next to him with the other. "Starting today, you come here every night, and I'll tutor you." I shot up from my seat. "Why should I?" Ethan didn't even look at me, his voice flat. "I'll handle these for you today, but you have to follow along and learn." I pouted, pathetically but obediently sitting back down. "Okay, brother. Whatever you say." The tutoring session lasted until past ten o'clock. I slumped weakly on the table, waving my hand at Ethan. "I can't do this anymore. My brain is fried." Ethan checked his watch. "It's too late. Mom and Dad are already asleep. Just sleep here tonight." I thought about it, realized it made sense, and agreed. 4 "Ethan, you have a 2,000-square-foot luxury apartment, and only one bed?" Is this a joke? "I usually live alone and rarely come here. There are no other occupants, so I didn't set up the other rooms." My driver had already gone home, I'd had a little wine with dinner, and it was raining outside. Looking at the massive king-size bed, I figured two people could easily fit. I quickly jumped onto the side near the window, sat under the covers, and shook my fist at him. "If you dare cross the line, you're dead meat." Ethan lay down silently. With his back to me, he only took up a tiny sliver of space on the edge of the bed. Ethan was entirely too quiet tonight, which made me feel a bit weird. "What's wrong with you?" After a long silence, just when I thought he had fallen asleep, his voice suddenly came from the darkness. "Did he ever say what his adoptive parents were like?" Was he talking about his biological parents? "No." The bedroom fell silent again. Waking up one day to find out you're the fake son, and your biological parents have already passed away without you even meeting them. Suddenly realizing you're completely alone in the world. He must feel incredibly insecure. No wonder he seemed so quiet this time, becoming increasingly gloomy and taciturn. I hugged him from behind. His shoulders were so broad that even with my arms wide open, I couldn't fully wrap around them. "Brother, you still have me. I'll stay with you." "Then is Evelyn willing to stay with her brother forever?" This guy always kept his thoughts hidden since we were kids, never sharing anything with the family. It seems he was just pretending to be strong before; otherwise, he wouldn't have let me stay to keep him company. How could a kind, passionate, generous, and beautiful girl like me refuse the request of a broken, handsome man? "Of course I am." Ethan suddenly turned around and pulled me into a bone-crushing hug. "Evelyn, let brother hold you for a bit." His embrace was warm and very comfortable. Drowsiness quickly overtook me. Half-asleep, I mumbled groggily. "Brother, your phone is poking me." Ethan suddenly sat up. "You sleep first. I'm going to take a shower." Then he bolted into the bathroom. ? Didn't he already shower? And so began my bizarre cohabitation with Ethan. During the day, we went to our respective offices. At night, he tutored me and handled the things I couldn't manage. Then we slept in the same bed. Wait, doesn't he have an assistant? We always started the night with a clear boundary between us on the bed. But by the next morning, I would inevitably roll into Ethan's arms. He would helplessly massage his temples. "You're a terrible sleeper." Wait, who am I supposed to complain to? Through Ethan's tutoring, my progress was at a snail's pace. Some things really do require natural talent. 5 Finally, there was something I was good at. My executive assistant told me there was a business gala tonight. Finally, my time to shine. I picked out a stunning evening gown and got my hair and makeup done perfectly. Tonight, I swore to be the most dazzling woman in the room. The confidence drained by work these past few days had returned. That evening, I made a glamorous entrance into the banquet hall and was quickly surrounded. People trying to network, make friends, ask for my number, seek partnerships. I gracefully handled wave after wave of people, then quietly hid behind the dessert table. To squeeze myself into this mermaid dress, I hadn't eaten lunch, and I was dizzy with hunger. The macarons at this hotel are the best. I hid in a corner, stuffing my face, when I suddenly saw a few wealthy heirs chatting nearby. "I saw the fake son from the Davis family is here too." The fake son of the Davis family... isn't that Ethan? I perked up my ears to eavesdrop. "I can't believe that 'switched at birth' nonsense actually happened." "I've seen the real son of the Davis family. He looks exactly like Mrs. Davis when she was young." "No wonder old Mr. Davis was raising someone else's kid all these years." "You can't really say that. Ethan's—I mean, Ethan Smith's—abilities are undeniable." At that moment, a disdainful voice cut in, dripping with schadenfreude. "He's just a sparrow that fell into a phoenix's nest. A sparrow is a sparrow; flying onto a high branch doesn't make it a phoenix. He used to walk around with a straight face, acting so arrogant and high-and-mighty. Well, look at him now. Let's see how arrogant he can be." "Mark, don't forget, Ethan helped your family out before. And Ethan single-handedly carried the Davis Group, while you haven't even been allowed to join your own family's company yet." The man named Mark sounded even more contemptuous. "He just got lucky being taken in by the Davis family. He's not even fit to shine my shoes. If my dad had given me the chance, if I were the heir to the Davis family, I definitely would have done better than him." I picked up the ice bucket next to me and dumped it straight onto Mark's head. "Evelyn Davis, are you crazy?!" "Did you eat laxatives for dinner? You're spewing crap the moment you open your mouth. It's just because the goddess you chased for years liked Ethan, and Ethan rejected her, so you're holding a grudge. So what? She got rejected, but she still doesn't want you! You want to be the heir to the Davis family? Don't you own a mirror, or at least a puddle to look at your reflection? You're not even as tall as a green onion, and your face is as wide as a pancake. Even if my parents took home the wrong child, they wouldn't have picked an ugly thing like you. You've lived too many ugly days, now you're just having delusions of grandeur." Mark was red in the face from my scolding and raised his hand to hit me. Unable to dodge in time, I fell into a dry, warm embrace. A familiar, cool scent made me inexplicably feel safe. A wail of pain came from behind me. Ethan held me with one arm and gripped Mark's wrist with the other. With a slight application of pressure, Mark howled in pain. "Looks like Zenith Tech needs to re-evaluate its partnership with the Taylor family." Ethan let go of Mark and took off his suit jacket, draping it over my shoulders. When I dumped the water on Mark, some of it splashed onto me as well. "Are you okay?" Ethan looked at me nervously. I shook my head. "My dress is wet." "Brother will take you to change." His tone was gentle, like coaxing a child. We went to the Davis family's permanent suite in the hotel, and I changed into a different gown. "You were too impulsive today. The other guy is a grown man. If he got really angry, you wouldn't have been a match for him." I pouted. "He was talking badly about you." Ethan paused, then sighed. "Even if you were defending me, you can't do that next time." "I'll do it again next time." Ethan choked, raising his hand to pat the top of my head. I swatted his hand away and shook my fist at him. "I worked so hard to get this volume in my hair. If you flatten it, I'll fight you." Remembering how he faced off against Mark just now, exuding a fierce aura. I felt like a little wildcat baring its teeth. Ethan smiled. He looked incredibly handsome when he smiled, like the spring breeze cracking the ice on a frozen lake. 6 Back at the gala, Mark's younger sister, Chloe Taylor, toasted me with a glass of wine. Chloe and I were on reasonably good terms. Thinking that she and Mark had different mothers, and that the Davis and Taylor families shouldn't let things get too tense, I drank it. Not long after, I began to feel restless and my body grew hot. Having spent years in high-society circles, I immediately guessed what had happened to me. I stumbled toward the stairs. As soon as I got back to my room, I'd be safe. But I ran into the Taylor siblings in the hallway. Chloe stood in a corner, speaking cautiously. "Big brother, I did everything you asked. Next month, can you please stop cutting my and my mom's allowance?" Mark looked at me with a sleazy grin. "Fine, since you were so obedient." I looked at the two siblings in disbelief. "Chloe, you're an illegitimate daughter. When you were bullied in the Taylor family, I helped you. And this is how you repay me?" Chloe gritted her teeth, her eyes red. "Who needed your help? It was just your condescending charity, to satisfy your own vanity. You think everyone wants to look at your seductive, slutty face. If I had your background and looks, I wouldn't need your help at all." I leaned against the wall to keep my balance. Mark approached me with an evil smirk, reaching out to touch my face. "Gotta say, with a face and body like this, who knows who would have gotten lucky in the future. You humiliated me in public today, so pay me back tonight." "Aren't you afraid the Davis family will come after the Taylors?" "Once everyone knows we slept together, the Davis family will have no choice but to marry you to me to save face. It's a very profitable deal." He grabbed me and started dragging me. I felt weak all over and couldn't break free. In my daze, I saw the window in the hallway. I desperately wrenched my hand free, rushed over, and used my high heel to smash the glass. Someone would come up soon. I took the opportunity to run back to my room and locked the door. Mark banged on the door a couple of times and then fled. When Ethan arrived, he found me soaking in a bathtub full of cold water, still wearing my gown. "Evelyn, what happened?" The cool scent on Ethan brought me a brief moment of clarity. "Brother, it was Mark and Chloe. They drugged me." I managed to squeeze out the sentence before my consciousness descended into chaos again. There felt like a fire in my lower abdomen, burning my internal organs. I desperately grabbed onto anything I could reach. The person in front of me felt cool and smelled nice. "Brother, you smell so good." I pressed myself against him desperately, trying to absorb a trace of coolness. "Evelyn, don't do this." "Brother, please help me, I feel so awful." I clung to his neck, my lips clumsily biting and kissing his collarbone. The room was filled with the erratic breathing of two people, the air feeling thin and sticky. I heard a sigh by my ear, as if accepting fate. Then the room spun, and I was tossed onto the soft, massive bed. "Evelyn, Evelyn." Ethan murmured my name. Husky, pained, yearning. Ethan was usually so aloof, like the wind through a bamboo forest, or the moon in the high clouds. He rarely showed strong emotions. It was also the first time I had felt him so consumed by desire. I remembered that day outside the bathroom, hearing him call my name. It was the same—reverent, focused, restrained. I wanted to ask him why he was calling my name that day. But I soon couldn't form a complete sentence. 7 When I woke up the next day, I felt like I had been run over by a truck. Sunlight pierced through the gap in the curtains. I squinted at the unfamiliar ceiling, my mind a complete blank. Then, the memories of last night rushed back like a tidal wave. Mark, the drugs, the bathtub, Ethan— And that line, "I never wanted to be your brother at all." I sat up abruptly, the blanket slipping off me. The chill made me look down. The marks on my collarbone and shoulders were as clear as a silent declaration. "Fuck." I grabbed a pillow and threw it at the air, but the temperature on my face rose uncontrollably. The bathroom door opened, and Ethan walked out wearing a bathrobe. His hair was still wet, holding a towel. He saw I was awake and paused. "How do you feel?" His voice was very calm, as if nothing had happened last night. I glared at him, opening my mouth, but not a single word came out. What could I say? Thank you, brother, for helping me detox? Or ask him why he took advantage of my vulnerability? But I knew clearly in my heart that I was the one who threw myself at him last night. I was the one holding onto him, refusing to let go. I was the one who said, "Brother, help me." I was the one— "Evelyn Davis, stop biting your lip." Ethan walked over, his long fingers pinching my chin, forcing me to unclench my teeth. "The skin is already broken." His thumb gently brushed across my lower lip, the movement overly tender. My brain exploded with a buzz. "D-Don't touch me!" I slapped his hand away, wrapped the blanket around myself, and retreated, shrinking against the headboard. Ethan withdrew his hand, looking down at me, his deep eyes churning with emotions I couldn't read. "About last night—" "Nothing happened last night!" I shouted before he could finish, my voice so shrill even I found it grating. "I was just drunk, and I don't remember anything! You're not allowed to remember either, you hear me!" Ethan looked at me in silence. That kind of silence caused more panic than any interrogation. "Evelyn Davis." He finally spoke, his voice very soft. "Are you blaming me, or are you afraid of me?" Afraid of you? What I'm afraid of is myself. I'm afraid that even though I should have pushed you away, I didn't want to at all. I'm afraid that for all these years, I kept telling myself you were my brother, but last night I realized I never truly saw you as a brother. "What am I blaming you for?" I forced a smile, but my voice trembled uncontrollably. "We're brother and sister. We were before, and we will be in the future. Last night was just an accident. What else can we do but forget it?" "Enough." Ethan suddenly leaned over, hands resting on either side of me, trapping me between the headboard and his chest. The scent of his cold cologne mixed with body wash filled my nose, and my brain completely shut down. "Evelyn Davis, listen well." His voice was deep, every word landing hard on my heart. "I do not regret what happened last night." My eyes widened. "But if it makes you uncomfortable or feel violated, then it's my fault. You can blame me, you can curse at me, you can even beat me up. But the one thing you cannot say is 'nothing happened'." His gaze burned into me, like it was trying to scorch a hole right through me. "From the moment I knew I wasn't a biological child of the Davis family, I couldn't control myself anymore." My brain completely stalled. Ethan, however, suddenly stood up straight, took two steps back, and returned to his cold, restrained demeanor. "Breakfast is in the living room. I'll take you to the office after you eat." He turned and walked out of the bedroom, his back as straight as a tree that would never bend. I sat on the bed, clutching the blanket, my heart beating so fast it felt like it would leap out of my throat. He had known for a long time that he wasn't a child of the Davis family. That year I secretly wore my mom's high heels and fell down the stairs, he was the one who caught me. He sprained his wrist and couldn't write for three months, yet he still insisted on tutoring me every day. That day he looked at me and said something very strange: "Evelyn Davis, can you please grow up a little slower?" I thought at the time he found me annoying. Now— I buried my face in the blanket and let out a muffled groan. It's over. It's all over.
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