After my billionaire husband died, the way his two sons looked at me started to get… strange. I was terrified they were about to throw me out on the street, and I spent my days walking on eggshells. One night, I logged onto Reddit and anonymously posted in a support forum: [Help! My wealthy husband suddenly died, but his sons seem to hate me. What should I do?] Some kind strangers replied: [Have they actually said they hate you?] I tried to think back. [Well, no… but the way they look at me is terrifying. Like they want to eat me alive TT_TT] Then, a reply from a mysterious user popped up: [Don’t worry. Just get a few boxes tonight and smooth things over.] A few boxes? Of what? I stared at the sentence, turning it over and over in my mind. That evening, my arms shaking, I brought home six boxes of Teddy Grahams. 1 Now, don't underestimate the power of six boxes of Teddy Grahams. From what I could gather, both Marcus and Leo Covington had a sweet tooth. I’d spent the entire afternoon driving to three different gourmet markets to find these six limited-edition flavors. My legs felt like jelly. I carefully arranged the cookie boxes inside a decorative gift box, tied it with a satin ribbon, and placed it in the most conspicuous spot on the living room coffee table. I even added a handwritten note: “You’ve both been through so much lately. Just a little something I love, and I hope you will too. For Marcus and Leo. ^_^” As a little preview, I posted an Instagram story for my “Close Friends” list—which now consisted of only the two of them: [Six boxes. Plenty to go around. First come, first served!] I didn’t include a picture, of course. The magic of a surprise is in the unwrapping, isn't it? I stood back, admiring my handiwork, and couldn't help but anticipate the looks on their faces. 2 Two weeks ago, my husband, Arthur Covington, fell during a rock-climbing expedition at Devil’s Pass. After days of searching, the rescue team never even found a body. After two years of marriage, I thought I’d finally made it. I spent my days dreaming of inheriting his massive fortune—hello, yachts, male models, and sprawling villas. I was ready to ascend to the peak of my life. But when the lawyer read the will, I discovered the old bastard had left everything to his sons. I didn't get a single cent. My fate, the will stated, was to be “arranged at the discretion” of his children. A sob escaped my lips—a genuine one. Over the years, I had grown accustomed to a life of effortless luxury. The last thing I wanted was to go back to my old, miserable life. If I had known this would happen, I would have spent the last two years charming the hell out of those two boys. Arthur had two sons from two different mothers. The eldest, Marcus, had already taken over the family corporation. He was a tall, imposing man who had inherited Arthur’s sharp, dark eyes. He rarely smiled, radiating a quiet, almost intimidating aura of self-control. The other was Leo, who was still in college. With a quarter Slavic blood, he was aggressively handsome. He had a perpetual smirk on his face, but it was the smile of a predator. The two half-brothers had exactly one thing in common: they barely knew me. And ever since Arthur’s death, the way these two strangers looked at me had grown stranger by the day. They were definitely planning to kick me out. I cupped my face in my hands, my brow furrowed with worry. All my hopes were now pinned on the advice from that mysterious Redditor. These six boxes of cookies… I just hoped it was enough. I hadn't even saved one for myself. 3 The sound of the front door opening echoed through the foyer. Tonight, Marcus and Leo came home together, which was rare. Seeing me waiting on the sofa, Marcus paused, his expression unreadable. Leo, however, simply raised an eyebrow in my direction. “You’re home!” I chirped, trying to sound breezy. I gestured toward the pink gift box on the table. “I’m sorry,” I began, my voice trembling slightly. “I was always so busy taking care of Arthur that I neglected you both.” “This is something I picked out just for you today. Now that… now that your father is gone… it’s just the three of us left to fend for ourselves, isn’t it?” I was on the verge of tears, my eyelids puffy and red from the onion I’d chopped earlier. I pretended to dab at the corner of my eye. I made sure to emphasize “the three of us,” a desperate hint that our future lay together. “That’s thoughtful of you, Stepmom. Thank you,” Leo answered first. Seeing Marcus standing frozen in place, Leo leaned in closer to him, his voice laced with a playful challenge. “Brother, if you don’t want the gift, you can give it to me. Don’t just stand there scowling. You’ll scare her.” I quickly waved my hands. “It’s no problem…” Besides, I thought, if he doesn’t want it, I can eat all six boxes myself. But before I could finish the thought, Marcus strode to the table. His long fingers picked up one of the small, pink-wrapped boxes. “I never said I didn’t want it.” He looked down at the little box, and for a reason I couldn't quite grasp, he seemed… serious. Almost tense. Leo followed suit, grabbing a box for himself. He shook it gently, and hearing the rattle inside, the corner of his mouth curved into a wider smile. But the moment he tore it open, his expression froze. “‘Plenty to go around. First come, first served.’ This is what you meant?” Across the table, Marcus had also opened his gift. He stared at the raspberry-flavored teddy bear cookies in his hand, and a soft chuckle escaped his lips. Wait—was Marcus… happy? But Leo clearly was not. He stood directly in front of me, leaning in so close I could feel the warmth of his body. His gaze locked onto my lips, and he let out a long sigh. “Stepmom,” he murmured, his voice a low purr. “You really think a few little snacks are enough… to satisfy the two of us?” 4 “Of course not!” I scrambled to defend myself. “I know you have big appetites, so I made dinner myself. The cookies are for dessert.” For a moment, Leo was speechless. He narrowed his beautiful, amber eyes, as if he was about to say something else. But then, Marcus’s hand landed on his shoulder. In a voice softer than I’d ever heard from him, Marcus said, “Rosalind. Thank you for the dinner and the gift.” “Father just passed, and you’ve been running around taking care of everything. You’re exhausted. From now on, you don’t need to do things like this yourself. Let the staff handle it.” From now on? Did he just say from now on? That means he’s not kicking me out! I seized on that keyword, my face breaking into a wide, relieved smile. “Oh, you’re so right! I’m completely worn out. And the smoke from the candles at the memorial was so strong, it made my eyes water for hours. They’re still red and swollen. I really should get some rest…” The truth was, during the memorial, I was thinking about how Arthur hadn’t left me a dime. I was so furious I wanted to scream. When no one was looking, I’d “accidentally” spilled a glass of red wine on his favorite portrait. But I would never, ever tell them that. I had to maintain my persona as the grieving, helpless little widow. I was going to stay in this house forever. 5 Late that night, a storm broke. Rain hammered against the windowpanes, a rhythmic, almost soothing percussion. Finally feeling relaxed, I was soaking in a bubble bath, sipping champagne. I’d always worried that Marcus would be the ruthless one, the one to show me the door without a second thought. But it seemed he was surprisingly reasonable. I pulled out my phone and found the anonymous Redditor who had given me the advice. I sent them a direct message: [Thank you so much! Your suggestion worked wonders!] [Although, I think I bought too few cookies, and the boxes were too small. They didn’t seem completely satisfied. I’ll be sure to buy more next time.] The mysterious user didn’t reply. Humming a little tune, I stepped out of the tub. Knock, knock. A rap on the master bedroom door. Assuming it was the maid with my usual glass of warm milk, I cinched my robe tighter and went to open it. The moment the door swung open, the smell of alcohol hit me like a wave. A tall figure stumbled into my arms. Strands of Leo’s brilliant blond hair were damp, as if he’d just come in from the rain. His warm breath ghosted across my bare neck, mingling with the sweet scent of my body lotion. I froze on the spot, my mind a complete blank. Leo’s voice was muffled against my shoulder. “When I was a kid, Dad would always hold me during thunderstorms like this. I wonder how he’s doing now. Is it raining where he is?” His voice cracked. “I really miss him…” He sounded utterly lost, desperate for comfort. I could understand that. The pain of losing a parent was immense. But this was way, way too close. I was only wearing a bathrobe! I tried to push him away gently. Instead, he wrapped his arms around me, pulling me in even tighter. “Stepmom,” he whispered. “Can I sleep with you tonight?” 6 What? Had he lost his mind? He had to be drunk. “No,” I said flatly. “I know you’re sad, but you can go sleep with your brother. His room is right next to yours…” Leo’s damp eyes filled with disappointment. “But you’re my stepmom, aren’t you?” “You said it yourself today—that you’d take care of me from now on. Why are you pushing me away? Was all of that a lie?” He seemed completely oblivious to how inappropriate his request was. “I did say I’d take care of you,” I stammered, my face flushed. “But us… sleeping in the same bed… that’s not right!” Leo looked at me with wide, innocent eyes. “Stepmom, what are you thinking?” “I meant on the floor. In your room. Nothing else.” I blinked. A hot, embarrassed blush crept up my neck. Right. I was five years older than him. He was in college, surrounded by beautiful young women. Of course he wouldn’t be interested in me. My refusal… it made me sound like the one with inappropriate thoughts about her stepson. Seeing my hesitation, Leo’s shoulders slumped. “I knew it. That’s why you were so quick to say no. What kind of person do you think I am?” “My dad used to let me sleep in this room when I was little. That’s why I…” He was starting to get lost in his dead-dad memories again, and I was so mortified I wanted the floor to swallow me whole. “Fine, fine! Stop talking. You can come in.” At my approval, Leo finally let go, a brilliant smile spreading across his face. “Thanks, Stepmom. You’re the best.” As he closed the door behind him, his gaze suddenly flickered toward the staircase. Standing there, a figure emerged from the shadows, his face unreadable. Leo just smirked.
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