My Stepbrother, My Enemy {BL}-Chapter 181: A Taste Of His Own Medicine
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Later that night, after Gigi and Skylar dropped me off with warm hugs and promises to text about dresses for Snow Ball, the mansion felt oddly quiet yet overwhelming. On the drive home, their laughter filled the car, and holiday lights whizzed past the windows in colorful streaks. But as soon as I walked through the front door, the warmth of their company evaporated, leaving me alone with the heaviness of unspoken thoughts.
When I got to the dining room, dinner was already laid out—an elegant, understated setup that had become the norm in this house. Crystal glasses sparkled in the chandelier light, silverware gleamed, and the aroma of rosemary and garlic wafted from the herb-crusted salmon.
Mom and Keith were already seated; Keith was loosening his tie, looking both tired and affectionate as Mom poured him some wine. And of course, there was Adrien, sitting right next to me, looking annoyingly put-together in a dark sweater that made his eyes pop. He looked up as I walked in, a soft, searching expression flickering across his face, but I quickly averted my gaze and mumbled a quick hello as I took my seat.
Keith jumped straight into talking about the upcoming end-of-year gala—just three days away, and the stress was evident in the lines on his forehead.
"The venue confirmed the string quartet, thank God," he said, cutting into his salmon with a precision that screamed both focus and frustration.
"But the florist is in some kind of crisis over the white orchids, and the caterer keeps calling about dietary restrictions. Honestly, if one more person tells me they’re gluten-free and vegan but still want the foie gras..." He trailed off with a chuckle, reaching for Mom’s hand across the table.
Mom laughed and squeezed his fingers. "You’ll get through it, love. You always do. And it’ll turn out beautifully—everyone will be raving about it for weeks."
Adrien chimed in with agreeable sounds, asking about the guest list and keeping the conversation going, but I wasn’t really tuning in. My fork moved mindlessly through the food, flakes of salmon crumbling apart under the tines as Gigi’s voice echoed in my mind: I refuse to be a cheater... I’d have to make a choice... set boundaries even if it meant heartache.
With every bite, those words sank deeper, tightening the guilt in my chest. Ethan’s face kept flashing in my memory—his gentle smile from when he kissed me goodbye, the way he always checked on me without being pushy, the quiet safety he offered without any strings attached.
He had been nothing but perfect, and here I was, letting another guy’s hands and lips rewrite everything I thought I knew about myself.
Damn, just what had I gotten myself into?!
I didn’t notice Adrien’s gaze lingering on me, a concern creeping into his green eyes as I sat there in silence. At one point, he shifted in his chair, his knee brushing against mine under the table. I pulled away instinctively, focusing harder on my plate instead.
Nope...I needed to think right now, I’ve come to realize that his touch tended to take away my thinking abilities completely.
Once the maids began clearing the dishes...quiet and efficient, the silver clinking softly as they stacked the plates, my resolve solidified. I couldn’t keep slipping deeper into this mess. I needed boundaries.
Clear, firm boundaries, just like Gigi the wise one had said.
"Goodnight," I said quietly as everyone got up from the table, slipping away before anyone could pull me back into more conversation. Upstairs, my room felt like both a refuge and a cage—moonlight spilling onto the bed where everything had shifted just the night before, the lingering scent of my vanilla candle from earlier.
I grabbed some fresh blue pajamas and headed to the bathroom, turning the shower on hot enough to fill the space with steam.
Standing under the pounding water, I let myself linger longer than necessary, eyes closed, letting the warmth soak into my skin and wash away the day’s stickiness.
The marks on my neck had faded to faint shadows, easily hidden beneath the turtleneck I’d worn to school, but they still haunted my mind, reminding me of how quickly I lost control.
Just kissing, I told myself firmly, scrubbing shampoo into my hair a bit harder than needed. That was the line. A stupid, dangerous line, perhaps, but the only one I could live with right now. I wouldn’t sneak behind Ethan’s back any more than I already had. I wouldn’t let Adrien pull me against another wall and make me forget who I was supposed to be.
I repeated that like a promise as I rinsed the conditioner from my hair, while wrapping myself in a towel and walking back into my room, slipping into soft flannel pants and an oversized T-shirt that smelled like laundry detergent and safety.
Boundaries. I was going to tell him now...calmly, clearly, without letting his eyes or voice or touch confuse me again.
I had to. Because if I didn’t, I’d become exactly what Gigi refused to be.
After my shower, I put the blue pajamas—those soft flannel ones with tiny white stars scattered all over that made me feel like a kid even when everything in life felt so grown-up and complicated.
My hair was still damp, hanging loosely down my back, and my skin smelled like the lavender body wash I used to calm the chaos in my head. Boundaries, I repeated as I walked barefoot down the hallway, feeling the plush carpet warm beneath my feet. I was going to set boundaries. Clear ones. Adult ones. No more letting things get out of hand.
Adrien’s door loomed at the end of the corridor, solid dark wood with a brushed-nickel handle that caught the faint light from the sconces. I raised my fist and knocked once....sharp and determined then twice when there was no response.
Silence.
Maybe he was already asleep, or perhaps he was blasting some brooding playlist he pretended not to have. I hesitated, my toes curling against the carpet, common sense urging me to go back to my room and just text him in the morning like a normal person.
But then I tried the handle, and it turned easily. Unlocked. A sly smirk tugged at my lips. After all the times he barged into my room without even knocking, sprawling across my bed, stealing my snacks, acting like personal space was optional, making fun of the books on my shelf.
I figured it was only fair to return the favor, just this once. Let the asshole taste his own medicine.
I slipped inside and shut the door almost all the way, leaving it cracked just enough for a sliver of hallway light to seep in. His room was bigger than mine, of course...everything in Adrien’s world seemed to come with extra space—and smelled of clean laundry mixed with whatever cedar-and-spice body wash he used.
Moonlight filtered through the half-open blinds, casting stripes across the dark comforter on the massive bed that dominated the room. I couldn’t help but grin mischievously as I flopped onto the mattress, stretching out dramatically on my back like I owned the place, arms spread wide, staring up at the ceiling and waiting for the moment he’d walk in and find me invading his space.
The soft hiss of the bathroom door sliding open made me freeze.
Steam billowed out first, warm and fragrant, followed by Adrien himself—shirtless, skin still glistening with droplets of water tracing lazy paths down his chest and over the defined muscles of his abs.
He wore just low-slung gray sweatpants that clung to his hips in a way that should totally be illegal, the waistband riding low enough to reveal the sharp V of muscle disappearing beneath. His dark hair was damp and tousled, a few strands falling across his forehead, lit up just right to highlight every line and contour of his body like it was sculpted.
My heart did a somersault, lodged itself in my throat, and threatened to stop altogether. I forgot how to breathe. I forgot why I was here. I even forgot my own name.
He halted mid-step, towel draped over one shoulder, eyes wide for a moment before that infuriatingly smug grin spread across his face.
"Oh?" he said, his voice low and laced with amusement as he leaned against the doorframe, crossing his arms in a way that definitely didn’t help my situation. "What a pleasant surprise, Noah."
