The Stepbrother’s Hidden Desires

“WOO, how romantic,” Perez pointed at the computer screen. The school’s official website had selected the top ten most romantic things, accompanied by a very sentimental text and a picture:

In front of the girls’ dormitory, the ground was covered with roses in the shape of a huge heart, occupying almost half of the area. In the middle of the heart shape, pink flowers were arranged to form the letters “AG.” The students watching spontaneously left a space for the confessing boy. The boy was playing the guitar and singing a love song, seemingly confessing to the girl in the dormitory building.

David looked at the letters “AG” and unconsciously pronounced “Annabel Green.” Calculating the days, she hadn’t contacted him in quite a while.

“Do you think the girl the boy is confessing to is Annabel?”

“How would I know? You’re the gossip lover.”

Perez shrugged with some regret. “Such a beautiful girl like her, she’ll probably become someone’s girlfriend in less than half a year.”

“She’s in college now. It’s normal for her to have a boyfriend,” David stretched his legs lazily against the back of the chair.

Perez looked envious. “With such a beautiful girl, you don’t even fancy her. What a waste! I heard there are many people who like her. I even saw her sitting in a luxury car once, and the guy was very attentive to her.”

David shook his head dismissively and didn’t respond.

He saw Annabel again at the end of November. It happened to be snowing lightly that day, and he, Perez, and Sharon were having lunch in the cafeteria.

Suddenly, a familiar voice was heard, “We still have classes in the afternoon. Can I just pretend to be dead?”

David turned slightly, she was wearing a loose caramel-colored down jacket with the zipper open, revealing a thin light gray sweater inside. The large fur collar complemented her delicate face, which, although thinner than before, looked lively.

A boy came over with two trays, pushing one towards her and blinking, “Your Majesty, please enjoy your meal.”

They chatted and laughed together.

Perez whispered, “Isn’t that Annabel?”

Sharon looked puzzled. “How did Annabel end up with him? He has so many girlfriends!”

Sharon, having done her undergraduate studies at the same school, knew more about the school’s affairs than they did.

“Do you know him?”

“There are few girls at school who don’t know him. He’s from a wealthy family, always showing off his luxury cars around campus. He’s a junior this year and the girls he dated can fill a truck with.”

Perez sneered, “And yet girls still fall for him. You girls are so shallow!”

“A handsome, wealthy, and romantic guy? Which girl wouldn’t like that? He’s always giving away designer bags and watches worth tens of thousands. These young girls are very materialistic.”

Sharon had heard from Perez a while back that this girl was chasing after David. Unexpectedly, she had now hooked up with a rich kid. Sharon, amidst her disdain, felt a bit envious. Annabel’s bag was LV, her sweater was Chanel. Sharon couldn’t afford those. She glanced at Perez, feeling a bit disappointed. Sharon was torn between her current boyfriend and Perez, neither of whom was her ideal choice. Both men treated her well, but neither had money.

Perez glanced at David, who seemed indifferent to it all.

The three of them finished eating quickly and got up. The round-faced girl walked ahead, with Annabel in the middle, yawning. The boy behind them tapped her head with his fingers, saying something that made her laugh.

David felt a slight discomfort. As they left the cafeteria, Perez headed to Sharon’s dorm.

David went to the school’s supermarket to buy some daily necessities. As he checked out, he saw Annabel and the boy standing at the supermarket entrance, as if waiting for someone.

The boy was tall and handsome, with confident and assertive eyes. He was half a head taller than her and they were both wearing matching down jackets, like a couple.

Annabel had a cigarette in her mouth, lit it with a lighter, took a deep drag, and exhaled smoke into the air. The boy put his hands in his pockets, stepped down the steps, and turned to face her. “It’s cold. Want to have hot pot tonight? I know a newly opened restaurant with good taste.”

Annabel nodded. “Sure. I’ve been eating salad all month. My face is turning green. Let’s invite everyone from our dorm. It’ll be lively.”

The boy’s smile paused for a moment before he smiled again. “Sounds good.”

“Let’s go. We shouldn’t wait.”

“Wait, your shoelace is loose.”

Before Annabel could respond, the boy had already knelt down to tie her shoelace naturally. Annabel turned her head and caught sight of David.

She grinned, “David.”Content (C) Nôv/elDra/ma.Org.

He didn’t say anything, just frowned, took the cigarette from her lips, and casually threw it into the nearby trash can. “I thought you quit?”

Annabel smiled casually. “I did quit for a while.”

David took a deep breath, speaking with restraint, “Smoke less. It’s not good for you.”

The boy beside them looked up, feeling something different between the two. Although David addressed Annabel, his gaze was on David, with some hostility. “Who’s this? Introduce us.”

She glanced at him. “David, my former teacher. Now a graduate student at our school.”

Cody’s face relaxed, and he greeted with a smile, “Hi, I’m Cody, from the Business Administration Department, I’m her…”

He paused, gesturing meaningfully towards Annabel.

Annabel chuckled and interjected, “Suitor, the renowned playboy of our school.”

The boy looked a bit embarrassed. “You really dare to say that.”

Annabel ignored him, tucking a stray strand of hair behind her ear. Her hair had grown, reaching just to her shoulders. Her big hat framed her elegant neck. After her illness, she seemed to have lost some of her boldness, gaining instead a touch of delicacy and fragility.

David remembered her leaning against him before, and for some reason, it made him feel itchy.

After a moment of silence, she asked him, “Long time no see. Can I treat you to dinner tonight?”

“No, I have plans tonight.”

Annabel didn’t insist, nodding. “Alright then, maybe another time. I’ll be off.”

She checked her watch and turned to Cody. “You wait here by yourself. I’m leaving. Come pick us up before we head out tonight.”

Annabel turned to leave, and Cody hurried after her. “Hey, wait for me.”

Chasing after Annabel, Cody explained, “What playboy? That’s just a rumor. If I meet a girl I genuinely like, I’ll be devoted to her.”

Cody had been interested in Annabel since he first saw her on the basketball court. What attracted him was her beauty and the confident, nonchalant air about her. His curiosity about her was genuine, but his understanding was limited.

Annabel put her hand on Cody’s shoulder and pulled him closer. “Hey buddy, maybe you should sort out your ex-girlfriend first.”

The boy glanced at the hand on his shoulder, feeling uneasy. “Did she come to see you? Did she bother you?”

“She came to my dorm yesterday and caused a scene. That girl was dressed extravagantly. You spoiled her too much. But neither of you loses out. She’s after money, and you’re after looks.”

The boy asked cautiously, “Did she do anything to you?”

“Me? I gave her a slap, and she ran away crying. They say you’re a playboy, but I think you’re just a fool. What else can you do besides spending money to impress women? If you have the guts to dump a woman, you should have the guts to deal with the consequences. How dare she bring her drama to me.”

Cody was stunned by her assertiveness and was somewhat troubled by being called a fool. He had been in the dating scene for years, never failing due to his wealth and good looks. Why was he suddenly a fool?

For the first time, he felt a bit at a loss with a girl he was interested in. This game was completely different.

“But after her scene, I feel like I shouldn’t be wrongly accused.”

She suddenly reached out and pinched Cody’s chin, turning his head left and right. “I’m bored anyway, and you’re not bad-looking. Playing around with you for a while is okay.”

What did she mean by that? Cody was completely bewildered by her actions. Wasn’t he the one dating her? Or was she dating him?

Cody looked at her blankly. “What… do you mean?”

Annabel chuckled lightly, tiptoeing, her hands resting on his shoulders, a hint of mischief in her voice as she asked, “What do you think?”

Cody was stunned by Annabel’s dominance and captivated by her beauty. A sweet scent of womanhood drifted to his nose. Her lips were moist and full, and he instinctively swallowed, reaching out to hold her head, wanting to kiss her.

Suddenly his hand was empty, and she was gone from his arms.

In an instant, he saw Annabel being pulled back by another boy, shielded behind him. Cody was filled with rage. “Who the hell are you? ”

Cody had just felt that this boy seemed refined, but now he looked furious and menacing, pointing at Cody as if he was about to start a fight.

Cody was seething. “What does it matter to you?”

Annabel playfully swatted David’s hand away and chuckled. “Yeah, Mr. Curry,” she teased, “are you getting a bit too controlling?”

David scowled at her and retorted, “Just keep causing trouble, then!”