My Stepbrother, My Enemy {BL}-Chapter 157: Regret
⋅•⋅⊰∙∘❦✾❦∘∙⊱⋅•-
3rd Person Pov
Adrien slid back into the driver’s seat without looking at Ethan again, gripping the steering wheel so tightly that his bruised knuckles were practically screaming. He pulled away from the curb, the tires crunching on the gravel as he drove off, leaving Ethan standing there in the dark, his face etched with helpless frustration.
That image stuck in Adrien’s mind for just a moment before the road demanded his attention; the streetlights blurred past as he sped, feeling a tightness in his chest from emotions he couldn’t quite identify.
Anger surged within him, sharp and relentless. The people who had hurt Noah weren’t some faceless monsters lurking in the shadows; they were his so-called friends—those who had laughed with him, supported him, and followed him around like it was some kind of honor to have his approval. He had always known they liked to brown-nose, always eager to keep him happy or to stay in his good books, but this... this twisted idea of "helping" him by destroying someone he cared about was beyond anything he could’ve imagined, and it made his stomach turn.
Vanessa’s face flashed in his mind, all smugness and entitlement, demanding attention she didn’t deserve, punishing him when things didn’t go her way, even though they never really had anything serious. It hit him hard and ugly—she was in on this too, wasn’t she? Another petty revenge because he hadn’t paid her enough attention, because he’d chosen Noah over her without even realizing it. For the first time, he let that thought settle in, heavy and sickening. Maybe Ethan had a point. Maybe it all led back to him.
Guilt settled into his bones, digging in its claws. No matter how much he wanted to place the blame elsewhere, none of this would’ve happened if it weren’t for him and the people he’d surrounded himself with. Noah deserved way more than just empty apologies and broken promises. He deserved safety. He deserved peace. He deserved everything.
That’s why he was with Ethan, someone he deserved and someone who deserved him as well...and Adrien was stuck watching from afar without ever daring to make a move, that’s why he was stuck being ’the evil stepbrother’.
If there was a way to change things, to change the past, he’d do so in a heartbeat.
He wondered if there was ever a chance between them, if he hadn’t tried to kill his feelings by being a dick to him, would his father still have married Helen when he knew that he was in love with Noah?
As Oakfield Mansion came into view, the clock on the dashboard read just past one in the morning. The estate stood quiet and imposing under the soft glow of moonlight. Adrien parked quickly and turned off the engine, the sudden silence ringing in his ears. Moving to the passenger side, he carefully lifted Noah into his arms, cradling him as if he might break, his head resting against his chest, his body frighteningly still except for the soft rise and fall of his breathing.
He slipped inside, moving through the mansion with hurried, quiet steps, hoping against hope that everyone was already asleep and that he could get him upstairs unseen. The house felt too quiet, shadows stretching across the marble floors, every little noise amplified by his nerves. Just as he reached the base of the stairs, a calm, steady voice cut through the stillness.
"Master Adrien?" 𝕗𝐫𝐞𝕖𝕨𝐞𝗯𝚗𝕠𝘃𝐞𝚕.𝐜𝗼𝚖
Adrien froze.
Mr. Carlby stood nearby, his sharp eyes taking in the scene immediately—from Adrien’s bloodied hands to the unconscious boy in his arms. His composed expression faltered slightly, concern creeping in.
"It’s late," Mr. Carlby said carefully. "Is everything... all right?"
Adrien swallowed hard, tightening his protective grip around Noah as his heart raced. There was no simple way to explain what had just walked through the front doors of Oakfield Mansion. Mr. Carlby’s eyes widened when he truly saw how Noah was, the way his body lay limp, his head lolling against his chest, hair tangled and face pale under the dim foyer lights. Shock broke through the butler’s usually composed demeanor, and he instinctively stepped closer, concern written all over his features.
"Master Adrien," he said cautiously, his voice low as if afraid to disturb him, "what’s happened to Master Noah? Is he hurt?"
Adrien hesitated, almost letting a lie slip out about how he’d had too much to drink at some party, that this was just a harmless mistake like so many teenagers made. It would’ve been easy, clean, believable. But the words got stuck in his throat, tasting bitter and wrong; downplaying what had happened felt like another betrayal.
"I’ll explain later," he replied instead, his tone tight but controlled. His grip on Noah tightened subtly, as if shielding him from questions. He met Mr. Carlby’s gaze for a brief moment—a fierce, unreadable look burning in his eyes—before looking away. "Where are my father and Noah’s mom?"
Mr. Carlby straightened a bit, still visibly shaken but answering. "They’re out for the evening, sir. Celebrating their one hundred and twentieth wedding anniversary. They said they’d be back quite late."
Adrien nodded once, a sharp movement, relief and dread twisting inside him. "Good," he muttered, more to himself than anyone else. Then he added, more firmly, "Please don’t mention this to my dad. Not tonight."
Before Mr. Carlby could respond, Adrien turned and made his way up the stairs, carrying Noah carefully, each step deliberate and quiet as he headed toward his room. The weight in his arms felt heavier than it should have, not just because of his body, but because of everything he’d been through and all the things he hadn’t been able to stop.
Mr. Carlby stood where he was, watching them disappear down the hallway, unease settling in his chest. The house felt colder somehow, the silence thicker. For the first time in years, the old butler sensed something terrible had come dangerously close to the family he served.
