The Stepbrother’s Hidden Desires

On New Year’s Eve, Brenna was busy in the kitchen, while Thomas kept Bonnie company, chatting away. Annabel nestled into a corner of the sofa, engrossed in her game, while Salvador curled up at her feet, lazily drifting off to sleep.

By the time Brenna finished cooking, Annabel had just finished her game. Before dinner, she prepared some cat food for Salvador, who still seemed uninterested and lethargic.

Annabel crouched down, gently poking him with her fingertips. “What’s wrong? You need to eat something.”

Thomas chuckled. “I’m not even half the parent she is to that cat. I come home once a month, and she doesn’t even come downstairs to greet me.”

Bonnie glanced at Brenna and sighed. “You treat your stepson better than your daughter. As the saying goes, you reap what you sow.”

As soon as Bonnie finished speaking, they heard the front door being pushed open. Within seconds, Bonnie’s stepson was standing at the living room door, holding a suitcase.

Bonnie looked puzzled as Brenna hurried over to hug her son, her eyes welling up with excitement. “Why didn’t you tell us you were coming back?”

Logan, looking tired, hugged Brenna back. “Wasn’t it supposed to be a surprise?”

Thomas, beside himself with joy, patted Logan on the shoulder. “Perfect timing. You must be starving. Go wash up and have dinner.”

Logan nodded, his gaze briefly passing over Annabel, who was playing with the cat by the coffee table. Without stopping, he greeted Bonnie. “Grandma.”

Bonnie nodded slightly in response.

After putting down his luggage and changing clothes, Logan finally made his way downstairs. Annabel was already seated at the dining table, barely sparing him a glance as he walked in. She continued playing with her phone.

It had been six months since Logan had seen her, and he couldn’t help but notice how much thinner she looked. Her slender fingers flew over the phone screen, typing away at lightning speed. He wondered who she was messaging, completely ignoring her meal.

He pulled out the chair next to her, just as Salvador suddenly jumped onto his lap, snuggling into his arms.

Only then did Annabel look up, her mouth slightly agape, surprised at the sight of the man and the cat before her.

Was this a female cat?

She quickly grabbed some cat food and handed it to Logan. “He hasn’t been eating much lately. See if you can get it to eat.”

Before Logan could even feed him, Salvador approached and started eating eagerly. Annabel felt unhappy. How could even the cat she raised betray her?

Brenna greeted them with a smile. “Alright, stop fussing over the cat and let’s eat before the food gets cold.”

Thomas poured some wine. “You’re an adult now. Come, let’s have a drink, just us father and son.”

“Sure.”

Annabel caught a whiff of the rich aroma of the wine, making her mouth water.

As Logan poured wine for everyone, he skipped Annabel. She raised her glass, glaring at Thomas. “I’m eighteen too!”

Bonnie chuckled. “How can a young lady like you act like a drunkard? But it’s a happy occasion today, so let’s all have a drink.”

Logan gave her a disdainful glance and then reluctantly poured her some wine.

Thomas and Logan got along well. As they drank and chatted, Brenna smiled and occasionally joined in the conversation. Annabel felt a bit out of place, but she didn’t want to disappoint her grandmother, so she kept trying to cheer her up with stories from school.

After dinner, Annabel followed Bonnie to the living room. Logan noticed the bowl next to her. She had barely eaten anything during dinner-just a bowl of soup and a few dishes, even less than what the cat had eaten. No wonder she was so thin.

Bonnie beckoned to Annabel from the sofa.

Understanding, Annabel sweetly said, “Happy New Year, Grandma! Wishing you good health and happiness every day.” Then, she held out her hand. “Red envelope!”

Bonnie pointed to her forehead and scolded with a laugh, “Little one!”

There was no big red envelope as she expected. Instead, Bonnie placed a bunch of keys in her hand.

Annabel was pleasantly surprised. “What’s this, a house? Is it for me?”

Bonnie nodded. “It’s a house in Edenbridge. You’re eighteen now, and it’s time for you to start owning your own assets.”

Annabel hugged Bonnie happily and kissed her repeatedly. “Grandma, I love you the most.”

Brenna’s gaze wandered over. Edenbridge was the most expensive area in the city. A single house there would cost millions. Was Bonnie planning to transfer her assets to Annabel in advance? She hadn’t been in good health recently and might have been making plans.

Annabel danced with joy, while Bonnie’s eyes, sharp as ever, glanced at Brenna. Brenna concealed her complicated thoughts, smiling gently at Bonnie.

Just as she had the good fortune of outliving Essem, she would also outlive Bonnie in the not-so-distant future. But there was still Annabel, bound to Thomas by blood, inseparable and unbreakable. In that moment, Brenna realized with a heavy heart that she could never truly be the mistress of the Green Family.

After dinner, Thomas also gave Annabel and Logan each a red envelope and generously gifted them a car as a New Year’s present, letting them choose it themselves.

Annabel was overjoyed. “Are you joking after having too much to drink?”ConTEent bel0ngs to Nôv(e)lD/rama(.)Org .

Thomas retorted, “Don’t want it?”

“I want it, I want it!” Annabel laughed like a sly fox.

Meanwhile, David and his family were having their New Year’s Eve dinner outside. He didn’t tell Annabel he was coming home until almost 9 PM.

Annabel had missed David terribly over the past few days.

She went upstairs to change, wrapped herself up tightly, grabbed the prepared gift, and headed out of the house. As Logan was coming up the stairs, she passed by him.

“So late, where are you going?” he asked.

“Got something to do.”

As she passed him, he grabbed her, turned his head, and asked coldly, “Are you two together?”

Annabel lightly nodded. He let go of her, his lips curling into a shallow smile. “Congratulations, you finally got him.”

His gaze was icy, more mocking than congratulatory.

Annabel valued her time and wasn’t interested in arguing with him.

After drinking in the evening, she didn’t dare to drive. She took a taxi and headed straight for the road to David’s house. Lanterns adorned the trees on both sides of the street, but it was quiet and serene. Only Iris’s clinic was still lit. This doctor was too dedicated; she didn’t even take a break for the New Year.

She and David had decided to keep their relationship secret from their families, so she didn’t plan to go in and say hello.

She took out her phone to call David. Before she could dial the number, she saw a familiar pair of figures through the glass door.