My Stepbrother, My Enemy {BL}-Chapter 74: The King Of Heartfelt Apologies (BC)

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When I finally opened the door, I didn’t expect him to still be standing there. 𝚏𝕣𝐞𝗲𝐰𝕖𝐛𝐧𝕠𝕧𝚎𝚕.𝐜𝚘𝗺

Adrien was leaning against the doorframe with his arms casually folded over his chest. He looked relaxed, but those piercing green eyes of his were fixed on me in a way that made things feel intense. This time, he wasn’t smirking or wearing that infuriatingly smug look he usually had. Instead, his face was calm, maybe a little too calm, and that somehow felt worse.

For a moment, neither of us said anything. The silence hung there, heavy and awkward, until I finally forced myself to speak up.

"Y–you shouldn’t have yelled at me like that," I said, managing to keep my voice steadier than I felt. "I wasn’t trying to—invade anything. I just..." I swallowed hard, searching for the right words. "I found the journal while I was looking through the shed. I read a few entries, sure, but I wasn’t trying to pry. I thought you’d... like to have it, especially since you don’t have anything of hers back at Oakfield mansion."

His eyes flickered with...maybe surprise? But it was gone too quick for me to tell. He didn’t say anything, just stood there staring at me with that unreadable expression, his jaw tense like he was holding back something.

The longer he looked, the more my confidence began to fade. My throat felt tight, and I suddenly found the floor really interesting. "I shouldn’t have read it," I mumbled, fidgeting with the hem of my shirt. "I’m sorry for snooping. I really didn’t mean any harm by it. I just—"

I hesitated, the words sticking in my throat. It wasn’t just guilt I felt; it was fear. Fear that the fragile peace we’d created over the past few days would shatter completely. I couldn’t bear to go back to how things were, not after everything we’d been through.

Taking a shaky breath, I forced myself to meet his gaze again. "I just don’t want things to revert to how they were," I admitted softly. "You know, all the yelling and you acting like I don’t exist unless it’s to ruin my day. I know we’re not—family, not really...but, um... I’d like to keep whatever this is. The... decent version of us."

My cheeks burned as I realized how pathetic that sounded, but I pushed on, my voice small but sincere. "You can still be a stupid, heartless bully sometimes," I said, just managing to earn the faintest twitch of a smile from him, "but these last few days, you’ve actually been... less awful. And I guess I’ve started to see you a bit differently. So even if you still don’t consider me family, I hope we can at least... get along."

For a moment, he didn’t move. The silence between us thickened with all the unsaid things, guilt, confusion, whatever flicker of emotion I saw in his eyes that I couldn’t quite name.

Then, almost reluctantly, he sighed. "You talk too much," he said, his tone softer than usual.

I blinked, half expecting him to follow that up with one of his usual jabs, but he didn’t. He just stood there, watching me like he was trying to figure something out, as if my words had struck a nerve he didn’t want to acknowledge, some uncertainty hidden beneath his usual bravado. Then, quietly, he asked, "And why are you even apologizing? None of that was your fault."

I blinked in surprise. "Because someone has to be the bigger person," I said, crossing my arms defiantly. "And clearly, it’s not going to be you."

That made him laugh, a genuine one this time, not sharp or mocking like it usually was. "You? The bigger person?" he said, smirking down at me. "Come on, you barely reach my shoulder. You couldn’t be the bigger person if you tried."

I gasped, shooting him a glare so fierce my cheeks heated up. "Stop making fun of my height!" I snapped. "It’s not my fault I’m stuck like this!"

That only made him laugh harder, the sound ringing through the hallway and easing the tension between us. He doubled over a bit, shaking his head in disbelief at what he’d just heard. I tried to stay mad, but his laughter, it wasn’t cruel this time—it almost made me want to smile.

Almost.

Fuck, I hate being so short!

"You’re so stupid," I muttered, rolling my eyes. "Completely stupid."

"You’re just way too easy to mess with," he said, still grinning as he straightened up. But then his smile faded, and he rubbed the back of his neck, his voice dropping. "But seriously... "

When I looked at him again, his expression had shifted. Gone was the teasing smirk, replaced by something more subdued, almost vulnerable. He cleared his throat and glanced away like he couldn’t meet my eyes. "I might’ve... overreacted earlier," he said finally. "I shouldn’t have yelled at you like that. I’m... sorry."

For a second, I couldn’t believe my ears. Adrien Fell...the same guy who used to make my life miserable just for fun, was actually apologizing to me? For real? My brain short-circuited for a few seconds as I tried to process what he’d just said.

I stared at him, searching his face for any hint that this was just another one of his games. But there was no trace of mockery. His voice was steady, and his eyes, held something that looked a lot like regret.

My mind went into overdrive. Oh my God, he actually apologized. Like, really apologized. Is this legit? Did someone swap him with a human while I wasn’t looking?

I bit back the urge to smile too quickly, trying to stay composed, but I could feel my cheeks flushing. "Well," I said, pretending to think it over, "I guess since you seem genuinely sorry, I can forgive you."

The corners of his mouth twitched, not quite a smile, but close enough that I noticed. I don’t think he expected me to say that. For once, his confidence seemed to waver just a bit, like my forgiveness did something to him he wasn’t ready for.

"Good," he muttered, his voice lower than before. "Because I wasn’t about to grovel."

"Would’ve been fun to watch you try," I said with a small grin.

He shook his head, but this time there was no bite to his expression, just that same quiet disbelief, as if he was starting to see me in a different light. And maybe, just maybe, I was beginning to see him differently too.

For a heartbeat, the air between us felt still and oddly warm and comfortable as well. And as his gaze lingered on me, I couldn’t help but wonder why seeing me smile seemed to throw him off so much.