Darn Stupid Brother You Are by Mairee

Chapter 61

(Ava's

POV)

The rumours reached me first. They always did. Moving through the hallways like ghosts, brushing past my ears, tickling my senses. And the rumours were always the same filled with fragments of conversations, bits and pieces of secrets that others tried so hard to keep buried. But nothing stayed hidden forever, not here. Not when I was around.

That morning, I overheard two girls talking in the lounge. I leaned against the wall, pretending to check my phone, but every word they said sliced through me like a blade.

"I swear, I saw them," one of the girls said, her eyes darting around to make sure no one was listening. "Angel and Hendrix, they were... you know... close." "Close?" The other girl snorted. "Girl, you mean close, close?"

"Yes, I'm telling you. They were practically glued together. And you should've seen the way he looked at her. I mean, who does that with their stepsister?"

My blood ran cold. Angel and Hendrix. I should have known. So they still got the thing going? All the pieces started falling into place. The way Hendrix's eyes still lingered on her during therapy sessions, the way Angel always seemed to tense up whenever Hendrix walked into a room. It was sick they were still keeping at whatever they had going on between them. Disgusting. But it was also the confirmation I needed.

They weren't just stepsiblings. There was something more. Something that made me want to tear my hair out, claw my way through the walls of this damned place, and scream.

The memories started flooding back, unbidden, and I felt myself sinking, spiraling into the darkness that I had fought so hard to keep away.

>>>I was only thirteen when it started. I remember the way my stepbrother looked at me that day, his eyes dark and hungry, like he could devour me whole. "Come here, Ava," he'd said with a warped kind of sweetness. And I was so stupid, so naïve. I didn't see the warning signs. I didn't recognize the danger in his eyes.

And by the time I realized what was happening, it was too late. His hands were on me, rough and demanding, stealing pieces of me that I would never get back. "You're mine, V," he whispered, his breath hot against my ear. "You'll always be mine.">>>

I blinked back the tears that wanted to spill over. No. I wouldn't let myself go there. Not now. Not when I had bigger things to deal with. Angel. Hendrix. They were my targets now. And I wasn't going to let anyone stand in my way. As I made my way back to my dorm, I passed by Thomas sitting on the bench near the courtyard. He looked up as I approached, his face lighting up with that stupid, goofy smile of his. And that's when I realized the way he watched Angel, the way he'd always seemed to gravitate towards her. It all made sense.

feelings for

adrenaline, my mind spinning with possibilities. This was perfect. If I could turn him against Angel, if I could drive a wedge between them, maybe

eyes on me, tracing every curve of my body, and I smirked. Men were all the same easy to manipulate, easy to control. I'd learned that the hard way. "Hey, Thomas," I said, leaning against the bench, my voice soft and seductive. "You look lonely. Mind if I join

blinked, taken aback. "Uh, sure, I guess." He shifted,

us. "You know, you've been spending a lot of time with Angel lately," I said, my tone casual.

she's just a

sound light and airy. "Oh, come on, Thomas. We both know that's not true. I

go...do some

wasn't done talking to

And he was gone.

Strange. Or rather, fascinating.

...

laid eyes on her. There was something about the way she carried herself and that effortless sweetness. It made my skin crawl. But lately, things had gotten worse. Her eyes followed Hendrix with a look I'd seen one too many times. I wasn't an idiot. I knew what desire looked

them yesterday. They were whispering by the entrance of the common room. I'd been out of sight and hidden behind one of the pillars, but I saw the way Hendrix leaned into her like he was drawn to her. And when she placed her

the sting, reminding myself to keep my rage in check. I'd been here before and had been cast aside for someone else's happiness. But I'd be damned

way he acted the last time I wanted to talk to him, it wasn't helping his case. But when I saw him staring at her from

breath quickened as I stood there, hiding behind the vending machine, and my mind raced with possibilities. Two men tangled up with one girl-it was almost poetic how easy it was to ruin things when hearts were involved. Especially when one of those hearts had always belonged

ago. You don't just attack. You plant seeds, you make people question themselves until they're drowning in their

I had to

were hunched over. He looked lost, and I could use that. I smoothed down my hair and made sure my skirt was a little higher than usual. Then

close enough that our legs touched. He glanced at me, startled, and I flashed him a smile, letting