208–Blackmailing My Stepbrother
Nora:
I stayed alone in my bedroom the whole night. I didn’t even eat anything, and I don’t think anyone else did either.
I woke up early to catch everyone at breakfast. I approached the morning with the intention of clearing many issues, especially getting over my fight with Natalya and April. I wanted to do damage control now, even though I was innocent. But I also believed there was enough evidence that made me look guilty and the more I tried to deny it, the guiltier I seemed.
“Good morning,” I greeted as I found it difficult to join the table where everyone looked upset and angry with me. I wore a black top and jeans but didn’t wear any makeup. The bags under my eyes were visible, and my face had lost color.
“Here! Mia and her mother made some great waffles,” Lord Atwood insisted, though he didn’t look directly at me. I let him fill my plate and observed the others. Nash kept his head down in his bowl, eating hist cereal. Cain silently enjoyed his omelet until I arrived; now he was grinding his teeth visibly. Ryker had his arm stretched out with a fork. in his hand, his waffles untouched.
Silas ate calmly without seeming too bothered.
“I wanted to talk to all of you,” I cleared my throat, trying to get everyone’s attention, though I could feel their sidelong glances already.
“Save it, we don’t want to talk about it,” Nash grunted, keeping his head down in his bowl.
13091
208 Blackmailing My Stepbrother.
“But I want to,” I replied, feeling slightly irritated, which he noticed.
Before Nash could say anything, Lord Atwood gestured at him not to argue with me.
“What is it, my daughter?” Lord Atwood asked, trying to maintain an appearance of being pleased with me, which was slowly breaking my heart.
even
“I know what happened last night was significant,” I began, watching Cain roll his eyes at my acknowledgment, “and though I didn’t lie about anything, I believe there is enough evidence that makes me look guilty. So here I am, extending my apology to everyone. I didn’t mean to cause so much trouble. I just don’t understand why this is happening to me. But please, forgive me if you can. I promise to stay away from Natalya and April and will mend my ways.”
It felt like someone had stabbed a silver–hot knife into my chest when I took responsibility for someone else’s wrongdoings.
They remained silent until Ryker cleared his throat and said, “It’s fine. Things happen, and since Natalya has lied a lot in the past, I can understand why-” He stopped speaking when he couldn’t find the right words.
I didn’t even know whose side Ryker was on, but his actions in blocking my entry to Lord Atwood’s library suggested he also believed I had painted the car to retaliate against Natalya for all the wrongs she had done to me in the past.
“I’m glad you’ve taken accountability,” however, Lord Atwood let out a sigh of relief and smiled genuinely. Cain raised his head and looked at his father’s face in disbelief, almost silently asking him, ‘What the heck!‘
25.22924
209–Backmailing My Stepbrother
“Cain! She’s your stepsister, a little stepsister. She’s asking for an
apology, and I think you should consider it. Tomorrow is the ball, and I want you all to be happy and on good terms with each other. Now, come on,” Lord Atwood insisted. Cain let out a deep sigh before he threw his fork onto his plate.
“Okay! But don’t expect me to talk to her like nothing happened. From now on, she will stay away from me, and I will keep my distance from her,” he said firmly, causing my heart to flip inside my chest.
The more he showed this side to me, the more my heart urged me to make him understand that I wasn’t bad. I didn’t want to appear desperate, but everything happening around me was damaging my self-
esteem.
“Now finish your breakfast, everyone, and prepare for the ball,” Lord Atwood placed his hand on mine and gave me a comforting smile. I smiled back and began eating, though tears kept appearing and disappearing in my eyes.
When I first arrived here, they disliked me. But as they got to know me, their opinion of me changed. I still remember how they used to tell me I was sweet and naive, and didn’t understand the games Natalya was playing with me.
I don’t know how they changed so much to now view me as someone. so cunning and deceitful that all I do is plot and scheme.
I finished breakfast last, as everyone else had already left for their rooms. Nash had to go check the venue to see if the security was tight.
I was trying my best to convince myself that tomorrow would bring happiness to me. But seeing Natalya again would be so difficult. She knows what she did, and if Cain told her about the incident, she would also know that I was accused in the end and lost against her.
52.87%
1309
20–Backmaling My Stepbrother
“Nora!” Mia’s voice startled me. She seemed strangely happy, with a big smile on her lips.
Last time she was met with disappointment, I hope she has found someone to go to the ball with.
“What is it?” I asked, noticing that Mia had already taken care of the dirty dishes while I sat at the empty table lost in thoughts about the ball.
“Silas will take me to the ball,” she giggled happily, causing a frown to crease my forehead.
“Really? Did he tell you that?” I inquired, confused because last time. when Silas was asked when Silas was asked about the ball, he said he wouldn’t go with
anyone.
“No, he didn’t have to. And even if he doesn’t, at the very least he’ll introduce me as his girlfriend after the ball,” she added, sounding so cheerful that I couldn’t help but notice her body language.
“And how are you so certain about it?” I questioned.
“I’ve found something against him. I’ll use it to make him comply with me,” she finished, causing goosebumps to appear on my skin.
82.991