My Stepbrother, My Enemy {BL}-Chapter 80: Welcome Back To The City (BC)

⋅•⋅⊰∙∘❁❀❁∘∙⊱⋅•-

When we finally made it across the bridge marking the entrance to Willow Haven, everything outside the car window seemed so vividly alive it was almost jarring.

The peaceful buzzing of insects and rustling trees that I’d gotten used to back at Clearwater was suddenly replaced by the cacophony of honking cars, bustling crowds, and the unmistakable hum of city life. It felt like I’d forgotten just how noisy it could really get.

As soon as we passed the "Welcome to Willow Haven" sign, my phone, which had been totally useless for nearly two weeks...lit up with a flurry of notifications. I blinked, momentarily shocked by the sheer amount: missed calls, texts, and group chats all piled up until my phone was nearly frozen from the overload.

"Oh wow..." I said, unlocking it. "Looks like the world didn’t forget about me after all."

Adrien shot me a look from the passenger seat, one eyebrow raised. "What, surprised you actually have friends?"

I couldn’t help but smile a little. "Shut up."

He smirked but fell silent, leaning back against the seat as we rolled into town.

Scrolling through my notifications, Gigi’s name appeared everywhere twenty-seven unread messages and six missed calls.

Classic Gigi.

Skylar wasn’t far behind, her tone a bit less over-the-top, but still filled with question marks and all caps.

Gigi 💅🏾: HELLO?? EARTH TO NOAH?? DID YOU DIE OR SOMETHING??

Skylar🎸: You better not have ghosted us for some dude again.

Gigi 💅🏾: If your new stepbrother murdered you, blink twice.

I let out a laugh without meaning to. "God, I missed them," I muttered to myself.

Adrien cracked open an eye, his voice deadpan. "What’s so funny?"

"Just Gigi being... well, Gigi," I said, still grinning as I replied.

Me: Hey, I’m alive. I didn’t have any signal where I was. I’ll fill you in later, promise.

Almost immediately, I saw Gigi start typing:

Gigi💅🏾: NO SIGNAL??? BOY, WERE YOU IN ANOTHER DIMENSION?? Spill. EVERYTHING. Right now.

I chuckled, shaking my head. There was no way I could explain the past two weeks over text.

The cabin, swimming lessons, late-night arguments, laughter, and that strange sense of peace I’d found there... plus Adrien. Especially Adrien. The complicated, frustrating, and unpredictably maddening Adrien.

As we turned down the familiar streets leading to Oakfield, I had this nagging feeling that something in me had shifted, like I left a part of myself in those woods. Maybe it was the quiet or the time to think, or maybe it was everything that happened with Adrien. Whatever it was, I had a sense that returning wouldn’t mean just picking up where we left off.

My phone buzzed again, another message from Gigi lighting up the screen:

Gigi 💅🏾: You better call me the second you get home. I have questions. Lots of them.

I smiled at that, typing back a quick, "I will," and tucked my phone into my pocket.

Adrien sighed beside me, looking like he was already regretting coming back. "You think our parents have another goddamn ’bonding experience’ planned for us at home?"

I laughed, leaning back. "If they do, I’m running away this time."

He chuckled softly. "You and me both, princess."

For a brief moment, even with the chaos of Willow Haven closing in around us, it felt like the calm of Clearwater hadn’t completely vanished. It was still there, quiet, steady, and a little bittersweet.

By the time we pulled into the long, winding driveway of the Oakfield mansion, I felt like I was experiencing emotional whiplash. The peacefulness of Clearwater was gone, replaced once more by the distant clamor of city life—cars, chatter, and the low hum of traffic, even from this distance. 𝑓𝘳𝑒𝑒𝓌𝘦𝘣𝘯ℴ𝑣𝘦𝑙.𝘤𝑜𝑚

Carlby parked smoothly, and the moment my phone picked up full bars, it went wild with notifications. Messages flooded in faster than I could read, and my heart raced when I noticed Ethan’s name at the very top.

Reading through his texts made my chest tighten. The guilt washed over me again, he really had been concerned. And I hadn’t even let him know I was leaving. I typed quickly, my fingers shaking a bit.

Me: I’m so sorry for not replying. I had to leave town for a family trip, and there was zero signal where I was. I swear I wasn’t ignoring you.

The message sent immediately. Seeing the small "delivered" sign eased some tension inside me, though there was no reply yet. I took a slow breath and leaned back in my seat, watching the sunlight filter through the mansion gates as they swung open.

At least he’d know now. At least he hadn’t completely given up on me.

"Alright, we’re home," Mom announced cheerfully as Carlby switched off the engine. Her voice had that unmistakable tone of victory, as if keeping her kids away for two weeks was a major triumph.

Maids rushed out to help with our bags, and Keith stretched his legs, sighing like he’d just returned from a glamorous vacation instead of dropping two teenagers in the wilderness.

As I got out of the car, Mom was right there, eyes gleaming. "So," she started, brushing off her floral blouse, "have you heard from your boyfriend yet?"

I nearly choked. "Mom!"

Her innocent smile was her signature move when she was being mischievous. "What? I’m just curious! You’ve been gone for weeks; I thought poor Ethan must’ve been worried sick."

Adrien groaned loudly behind us. "Oh, great," he muttered, "we’re back for five minutes, and it’s already all about Ethan."

I shot him a glare, which only made him grin wider.

Trying to keep my cool, I turned back to Mom. "I texted him back already. I explained everything. He’ll probably reply when he sees it."

"I’m sure he will," she said with a knowing smile. "You know, he came by here looking for you. Practically demanded to know where you’d gone."

I froze, blinking at her. "Wait—he what?"

Keith laughed as he handed his bag to one of the maids. "Yeah, that boy showed up a few days after you left. He was worried sick. Sweet kid."

Heat flooded my cheeks before I could help it. "He came all the way here?" I asked quietly, half in disbelief.

Mom nudged me playfully. "Looks like you’ve got yourself a pretty devoted boyfriend. You’re lucky, Noah."

I could feel my entire face burning as I looked away, pretending to adjust my bag strap just to hide my embarrassment. I wasn’t sure whether to feel flustered or secretly pleased.

From behind us, Adrien’s voice broke in, dripping with sarcasm. "Yeah, lucky her," he said casually, but I could see his jaw was tense.

I glanced back, catching a hint of darkness in his eyes, something that made my stomach twist uncomfortably, but I brushed it aside. I told myself it was just his usual disdain for Ethan. He’d never liked him, after all. That was nothing new.

Yet, as we all walked toward the mansion doors, I couldn’t shake the feeling that Adrien’s silence this time felt heavier than just his typical annoyance.

And that thought stuck with me long after we stepped inside.