Chapter 1
Edeline
The day my father died was the day birthdays stopped meaning anything.
But my mother who abandoned me for 8 long years, showing up to claim me during his funeral like an insurance check, completely shattered what was left of my heart.
It didn’t matter to her that my father died a week ago on his birthday and that I’d been struggling and crying non-stop since then. She couldn’t care enough to ask how I felt after just watching the only parent I’d ever known, the only one who loved me unconditionally, be put in the ground. No. She wasn’t here to comfort me, just delude herself into believing she wasn’t the worst mother on Earth.
“You’re not alone, Edeline. You have me. Please stop crying, it’s what Daniel would have wanted,” Lydia said, coming to rest her hand on my shoulder.
My muscles locked. I shrugged the hand off. “Get away from me. You have no right to say his name.”
She took a step back in surprise, then quickly collected herself. “I know it’s not easy, but—”
“Don’t.” I met her eyes so she could see my burning hatred. “Don’t you dare pretend like you have the right all of a sudden to say those words.”
Her lips pressed into a thin line. “Edel, I’m your mother—”
“Was!” I snapped. “Was my mother. Eight years ago. You walked away, remember?”
“Honey—”
“Spare me, please. You made your choice all those years ago. Don’t you dare start trying to play that role again.”
“Edel—”
“I’m ready to go,” I said with finality as I turned my back to her, heading for the black limousine parked a few meters ahead, waiting for us.
She called out my name, but I didn’t bother glancing back. As long as I was concerned, I was done with the conversation and had already said my goodbye to the last and only parent I ever knew.
***
The drive began without ceremony.
Silence enveloped the car, my gaze fixed on the window as the city blurred past. Familiar streets slipped away, and it felt like I was losing something for the second time today. My dad and I had lived in Beverly Hills for years, in a modest house filled with mismatched furniture and warmth. Every corner held a memory. Every stoplight carried ghosts.
I bit down hard on my lip, trying not to focus on the life I was leaving behind, finding interest instead in the rain droplets pattering against the glass.
Lydia cleared her throat. “You’ll like it where we’re going. It’s quiet. Peaceful.”
I ignored her, pretending she wasn’t seated right beside me.
“It’s a lovely neighborhood. And you won’t be alone,” she continued, oblivious to the irritation her voice stirred in me. “You’ll have servants and a nanny attending to your every need.”
“Thrilling,” I replied flatly, hoping she’d take the hint.
“It is.” Her voice pitched up, mistaking sarcasm for encouragement. “You’ll have a new stepbrother. He’s smart, respectful, and very entertaining.”
“Yay, me.”
That seemed to pierce her delusion. She reached out and touched my lap.
My body went rigid. I withdrew my leg instantly, like I’d been burned.
“Don’t touch me,” I warned.
“Edel,” she sighed, her tone slipping into something quiet and pitiful. “I know you’ll never be able to forgive me, but that doesn’t mean I can’t still try.”
“That’s exactly what it means,” I hissed. “Don’t bother with the pretentious courtesy. I’m only staying until I graduate and get a job.”
“And until you’re stable enough to live on your own,” she countered. “I’m sure Alexander will help you with that—”
I snorted. “No, thanks. I don’t need any help from you, and certainly not your filthy money.”
Her eyes narrowed. “Edeline. Watch your mouth.”
“Or else what?” I challenged, staring her down. “What are you going to do? Abandon me again? Send me back home?”
“Don’t you dare use that tone with me. Show some respect—”
“Then maybe fucking earn it!” I spat. “Don’t try to shove your disgusting, bougie lifestyle down my throat. Unlike you, I don’t sleep with the next breathing thing that has a big, fat wallet just to live comfortably. You may be a gold digger, but the apple fell very far from the tree.”
A muscle ticked in her jaw, but she kept her composure, smoothing her coat as she turned her gaze away from me.
My hands curled into fists.
I wished she’d just died instead of disappearing eight years ago with no contact, only to reappear at my dad’s funeral and drag me away from the life I’d built with him.
My entire frame trembled with fury, the silence that followed now more suffocating than before. Whatever fragile peace I’d managed to claim shattered the moment my eyes landed on the tall iron gate rising ahead of us like something out of a nightmare. Two heavily built men stood guard on either side, weapons visible, earpieces tucked behind their collars.
The gates opened to reveal an endless stretch of manicured lawn. Men dressed in black were positioned at every corner, their gazes forward yet disturbingly aware. A water fountain sat at the center, streams spilling into a narrow, gleaming river that disappeared somewhere beyond the grounds. As we drove closer, the mansion finally came into view. White stone. Endless windows. A structure that looked less like a home and more like a movie set.
“Isn’t it breathtaking?” Lydia whispered. I could feel her watching me. “I know it’s different from what you’re used to, but once you adjust, you’ll learn to appreciate the beauty.”
Unbelievable.
The way she spoke, calm and unprovoked, as if we hadn’t just torn into each other minutes ago.
“Welcome to one of the most exclusive and secure estates in Bel Air, Edeline,” she continued. “You won’t have to worry about anything, at least financially.”
Had she heard a single word I’d said?
“This is only half of it,” she breathed, sounding almost dreamy. “There’s a river out back. A basketball court. An indoor bowling room. So many things to keep you entertained. Help you forget.”
My teeth ground together. She was delusional if she thought any of it would make me enjoy being here. Nothing could compare to waking up early on Sundays to beat Dad at Scrabble, or baking and singing together before binging our favorite shows.
I said nothing as I stepped out of the car and followed her into the absurdly large mansion. A woman in a sky blue floral dress and white apron opened the door, lowering her head slightly as we passed.
“Darling, you’re back,” a rich, polished voice called.
A man in a tailored suit approached Lydia and pressed a polite kiss to her cheek.
I resisted the urge to gag.
“You must be Edeline,” he said, extending a hand with a smile.
I looked at it, then up at him, and did nothing.
Lydia chuckled softly. “She’s not in a very chatty mood, Alex. Pardon her manners.”
I rolled my eyes.
“Where is—” Lydia began, but the front door opened again.
We turned. And the air vanished from my lungs.
Black hair, damp from the rain, fell effortlessly over deep blue eyes, framing a face I knew far too well, yet now seeming impossibly perfect, like it had been carved for a magazine cover. His jaw was chiseled in a way I hadn’t remembered, somehow more commanding, and his body had grown broader, every line of muscle looking like it had been sculpted by the gods themselves. He was sin incarnate.
He wore nothing but sweatpants, a few droplets of rain clinging to his bare shoulders, the sight of his devastatingly handsome upper half leaving me reeling. My bully—the reason I’d been forced to change schools—stepped inside with the ease of someone who owned the room, and the door clicked shut behind him.
“Ah, there you are,” Lydia said, moving to pat his cheek affectionately. She turned to me. “Edel, meet Auric Gilbert. Your new stepbrother.”
His face stretched into an infuriating smirk as his eyes settled on me coolly. “Long time no see, Edeline. Did you miss me?”
