The Stepbrother’s Hidden Desires

David couldn’t help but reach out and touch her hair, which was still a bit stiff. He smiled, “Since you want to repay me, will you listen to me from now on?”

He thought she would refuse, but to his surprise, Annabel thought about it seriously for a moment and nodded solemnly.

The final exam was in physics, and as it approached its end, it suddenly started snowing. David and Paul were shivering, so they went into the convenience store next to the school, ordered two cups of hot coffee, and sat on high stools by the window chatting.

After a while, someone knocked on the glass. Annabel’s face pressed against the window, smiling like a flower. Snowflakes covered her hair, and her breath fogged up the glass.

Soon, she ran in, shouting at the counter, “Ice cream, strawberry flavor.”

Annabel sat down next to David, bringing in a cold breeze. David casually brushed off the snowflakes on her back, “Why didn’t you bring an umbrella?”

Paul was stunned. David’s actions seemed too natural…

It seemed natural to Annabel, who felt it was only to be expected, “I forgot.”

Paul looked at his watch. There was still more than half an hour until the end of the exam. “Are you done with your exam already?”

“Yeah, I did all the questions I could. There’s nothing I can do about the ones I couldn’t.”

Annabel’s response was straightforward, and Paul couldn’t help but sneer, “You might as well just say you don’t know how to do.”

David gave Paul a look. He always believed in an encouraging teaching style. Paul made a surrendering gesture, “Okay, you teach your student.”

The waiter brought the ice cream. Annabel scooped up a big spoonful and put it in her mouth. It was so cold that she hissed, but she still had a look of enjoyment on her face. Paul found it both cute and funny. Even though her grades were poor, she was much more fun than a bookworm.

Only David shook his head, “Why eat ice cream on such a cold day?”

“I’m hungry,” Annabel chuckled.

“Ice cream won’t fill your stomach.”

“You said that if I did well on this exam, I could have it. I did better this time than last time.”

“It’s almost winter vacation. Remember to finish your homework. You can’t always think about playing.”

Annabel was in a very good mood and nodded earnestly.

“And don’t go to those bars anymore. They’re not places for kids like you.”

Looking at the two of them, Annabel said knowingly, “That’s where you guys hang out, right?”

David made a motion as if to punch her, and she dodged with a smile. Then she said, “You’re really naggy, just like my grandma.”ConTEent bel0ngs to Nôv(e)lD/rama(.)Org .

Paul burst into laughter, “From now on, let’s call him Grandma David.”

David shook his head helplessly, but looking at Annabel, who had opened up to him again, he felt happy.

The bell rang, signaling the end of the semester. Students began to enter the shop one after another. Logan and other classmates came in and were all surprised to see the three of them.

“Hello, Sir.”

“Hello, Mr. Curry. Hello, Mr. Goodwin.”

Annabel asked David, “I’m going to New Avalon for the winter break. Is there anything you want as a gift?”

Although the convenience store was a bit noisy, Logan paid attention to their conversation and was somewhat surprised. Annabel was actually going to New Avalon for the New Year. Would Thomas agree?

David thought seriously, “Then bring your winter break homework and finish it there.”

Annabel snorted, “Always saying that, boring!”

David laughed again, his monolid eyes gentle when he smiled. Annabel looked up at him, thinking Mr. Curry looked really good when he smiled.

Paul looked at the time, “We have to go.” They were late for a meeting. They got up and waved to Annabel, “See you next semester, Annabel.”

Next semester seemed so far away, Annabel couldn’t help but feel a little melancholy.

As the two teachers turned around, the surrounding gazes became somewhat strange. Although no one mentioned David’s special treatment of Annabel to her face, there were always plenty of whispers behind her back.

“It’s obvious she like Mr. Curry. She’s always hanging around Mr. Curry.”

“Someone saw her holding hands with Mr. Curry.”

“No way…”

“Maybe Mr. Curry just likes younger girls,” Aria glanced at the bewildered Logan and said mockingly.

Upon hearing this, Annabel suddenly turned her head, pointed at Aria and her group, and scolded, “Aria, and you guys, if you’ve got guts, say it again!”

Aria’s face turned red with embarrassment. Annabel’s fierce appearance did intimidate her a bit, but being scolded in front of so many people made her feel embarrassed. “What did I say? Don’t bully me!”

The surrounding classmates whispered to each other. Annabel seemed aggressive while Aria appeared pitiful. No matter how you looked at it, it seemed like Annabel was bullying Aria.

“My parents have never yelled at me, so why do you have the right to yell at me?”

Just as David left the shop, he heard Annabel’s voice. He turned back and saw Annabel confronting Aria, who looked like a little lioness, while Aria looked teary-eyed.

“Aria, stop pretending!”

David instinctively scolded. “Annabel, what’s wrong with you?”

Annabel, feeling frustrated and disdainful, didn’t bother to explain. She turned and walked quickly past David, rushing out.

Paul watched Annabel’s departing figure. Since they met at the basketball court, they had spent quite a bit of time together. He somewhat understood Annabel. “I guess those girls said something bad about her. She can’t handle it; she’ll definitely fight back.”

David didn’t say anything, his expression somewhat complicated. Suddenly, Paul added, “Annabel seems to rely on you a lot.”

David nodded, not denying it. “It seems that way, probably because she doesn’t have a mother.”

“Even though she’s Thomas’s only child, she lacks nothing with such a wealthy family background. Why should she be upset about anything?”

Their knowledge of her family background only came to light on the night of the incident at the bar. That night, the police almost sealed off the street.

Paul watched the disappearing figure in the heavy snow. David seemed to be overly concerned about her. He couldn’t help but remind him, “Although she looks like Lola, she’s not. Don’t feel responsible for her.”

David was taken aback. “What are you talking about? She’s just a kid. Annabel’s situation is somewhat special. I feel sorry for her when I look at her. I’m just doing what a teacher should do.”

“I hope you really think that way.”

After the exams, Annabel felt completely liberated. She went to Mason’s Factory No. 7 and found out that Mason had avenged her for the last time she was beaten up.

Mason patted her shoulder with great pride. “Bro, you owe me a favor again, don’t you? You scared everyone that day, but how did Logan know which bar you were going to? Even I didn’t expect that.”

Annabel rolled her eyes. “How would I know?”

She didn’t feel grateful at all. If it weren’t for them, mother and son, she wouldn’t be in such a miserable situation.

Alex interjected, “Bella, seriously, Logan is actually pretty good to you.”

Orla, at the mention of Logan, had a dreamy look on her face. “Yes, yes, Logan is actually quite nice.”

Both Mason and Annabel angrily retorted, “What do you guys know?”

Before leaving, Orla repeatedly urged her to get Logan’s WhatsApp account. Annabel looked at her speechlessly, while Mason looked sad.

Mason’s liking for Orla made Annabel feel a little lonely. It seemed like she had lost a good friend of many years.

As night fell, the lights mingled with the snow, casting a cold light. There were few pedestrians on the street. Annabel felt inexplicably empty inside.

There were hardly any people on the bus home. Although there was heating, she still felt cold, huddled in the back row. She felt like she might be catching a cold.

The bus announcement indicated that the next stop was her destination. She looked out the window at the straight road covered in snow. The snow danced menacingly in the glow of the streetlights. She hesitated whether she should ask Eve to bring her an umbrella.

After getting off the bus, Annabel unexpectedly saw Logan at the platform. She wasn’t sure if he was leaving or just arriving. Their eyes met, and Annabel remembered the unpleasant encounter with Aria at the shop earlier. She taunted, “What, are you here to avenge your girlfriend?”

Logan pursed his lips, ignoring her comment and simply handed her the umbrella he was holding. “Take it.”

Seeing Annabel hesitating, he pushed the umbrella into her hand and walked away briskly.

Watching Logan walking away in the snow, Annabel couldn’t help but feel that sometimes Logan wasn’t so bad after all. But then she chastised herself for being swayed by a small favor. They owed her so much, so accepting an umbrella from him wasn’t a big deal.

As they walked, the snow reached their ankles, and Logan soon had a layer of snow on him. Softening her heart, Annabel told herself to be more generous. She caught up to Logan and offered him half of the umbrella.

Logan raised his misty eyes, looking somewhat startled. Annabel felt extremely embarrassed and shot him a glare, “What are you looking at? Go.”

Logan hesitated for a moment, then took the umbrella from her hand, silently smiling.

Neither of them spoke as they walked, only the sound of their footsteps crunching in the snow. Annabel stole a glance at Logan, wondering about the likelihood of Orla’s success in wooing him.

Suddenly, Logan stopped in his tracks and turned to her. Before Annabel could react, she slipped and fell backward. Instinctively, she grabbed onto Logan, feeling his weight on top of her, and then she felt his lips on hers.

Stunned for a few seconds, they both finally realized what had happened. Annabel pushed Logan away angrily, climbed to her feet, grabbed a handful of snow, and threw it at him. “Ah, my first kiss, you jerk!”

Logan didn’t dodge, standing with a haughty expression. “Who cares?”

He was always surrounded by girls, probably stealing many a lovesick girl’s first kiss. Of course he didn’t care.

The thought made Annabel feel even more aggrieved. She kicked him in frustration, then stormed off, only to come back a few steps later to grab the umbrella lying on the ground. Without looking back, she headed home, completely ignoring Logan’s grimace of pain behind her.