The Forbidden Mark Of My Stepbrother

I am the invisible step-daughter of the billionaire Wilder family, a "guest" in a mansion of gold fixtures and cold hearts. For years, I’ve occupied the secret spaces of my step-brother Cornelius’s life, waking up in silk sheets that still smell of our shared nights before slipping out the side entrance like a criminal. The illusion of our connection shattered during a family breakfast when Cornelius calmly announced his engagement to socialite Emerald Kerr. Without a flicker of warmth, he swept his eyes over me—the woman he had just held hours before—and reminded me to take the morning-after pill because his "real" bride was returning to claim him. The cruelty only escalated from there. While I worked myself to the bone to pay for my dying step-father’s medical bills, Cornelius used his power to keep me trapped. He sabotaged my career prospects to keep me dependent, humiliated the only man who treated me with respect, and stood by as his sister physically assaulted me, coldly reminding me that I was nothing more than an interloper in his home. He tracked my phone and monitored my every move, all while playing the part of the devoted fiancé to a woman he didn't even want to touch. I couldn't understand why he treated me like a shameful secret he hated, yet refused to let go. I was drowning in the injustice of being his sister in the light and his property in the dark, a transaction disguised as brotherly charity. I finally reached my breaking point, blocked his number, and tried to disappear into the city lights. But as I sat in a dive bar miles away, the door was ripped open. Cornelius, who was supposed to be in Boston signing a billion-dollar merger, stood there with murder in his eyes, ready to burn my world down just to drag me back into his cage.

Chapters

Chapter 6

The next morning, Kelsie received the official offer letter from Sterling & Associates. The starting salary was more than she expected.

"We were very impressed by your academic record and the tenacity you showed in your interview," the HR rep said on the phone. "The partners felt you were a perfect fit for our culture."

Kelsie closed her eyes. It was a real offer. She had earned it. The relief was so profound it almost brought her to her knees.

She wanted to celebrate. She wanted to scream. But she looked at the trash can with the broken card. She looked at the text from the hospital billing department. She had no choice but to be pragmatic.

"I accept," she said, her voice steady.

She unblocked Cornelius for five seconds. She typed: I will pay you back for everything. Stay out of my life. Then she blocked him again before the message could even show as 'Read'.

"Kelsie!" Joanne burst into the room, beaming. "Great news! I set you up!"

"Mom, no."

"His name is Caleb. He's a pediatrician. Good family. Not Wilder good, but respectable. He's taking you to Le Coucou tonight."

Kelsie wanted to say no. But then she thought of the engagement. She thought of Cornelius's psychological games in the car. She needed to move on. She needed to prove she could exist without him.

"Okay," Kelsie said. "I'll go."

That evening, Le Coucou was dimly lit and romantic. Caleb was... nice. He was handsome in a safe way, with kind eyes and a nervous laugh. He asked her questions and actually listened to the answers.

"So, corporate law?" Caleb smiled over his wine. "You must like a challenge."

"I like order," Kelsie smiled. It was a genuine smile. For the first time in months, she felt like a normal twenty-four-year-old.

Then, the air in the restaurant changed. It grew heavier.

Heads turned near the entrance. Cornelius walked in, Emerald hanging onto his arm. He was wearing a tuxedo, looking devastatingly handsome and utterly terrifying.

The Maître D' hurried over. "Mr. Wilder, right this way."

He led them to the prime table. The table directly next to Kelsie and Caleb.

Kelsie froze, holding her menu up like a shield.

Cornelius sat down. As he adjusted his napkin, his eyes locked onto Kelsie. Then they slid to Caleb. His expression was utterly neutral, a chilling void of warmth that seemed to assess Caleb not as a person, but as a temporary obstruction.

"Kelsie! Oh my god, what a surprise!" Emerald chirped, waving.

Kelsie lowered the menu slowly. "Hi, Emerald. Cornelius."

"Is this a date?" Emerald asked, leaning in. "He's cute!"

Caleb smiled politely. "I'm Caleb. Nice to meet you."

Cornelius didn't smile. He stared at Caleb's hand, which was resting near Kelsie's wine glass.

The waiter arrived with a platter of oysters for Caleb.

Before Caleb could even lift his fork, Cornelius caught the waiter's eye with a slight raise of his chin. "The Sauvignon Blanc," he said, his voice carrying easily to their table, "is an interesting choice. We, however, will have the '08 Sancerre. It's the only thing that won't clash with the salinity of the Belons."

The waiter, flustered, scurried away. Caleb's smile faltered, the oyster forgotten on its bed of ice. Cornelius didn't look at him again. His gaze settled on Kelsie, cold and possessive, and it was in that look she understood. He wasn't just ruining the oysters. He was ruining the evening.

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For ten years, I disguised myself as my dead twin brother, fighting bloody mob wars to build the Falcone family's bootlegging empire. When the war ended, I thought I could finally take off the men's suits and be Anya again. Instead, my parents stole my victories to secure my father's power, demanding I disappear forever. When I tried to expose the truth, my family dragged me into a soundproof basement. My younger brother forced a metal funnel past my teeth and poured corrosive chemicals down my throat, dissolving my vocal cords into a blistered ruin. They chained me to a freezing pier, whipped me bloody, and let the men I used to lead spit on me as a jealous traitor. Then, under the guise of a family reconciliation dinner, my mother drugged my wine. While I lay paralyzed but fully conscious on my bed, my brother took heavy iron pliers and crushed all ten of my fingers, bone by bone. They wanted to ensure I could never hold a gun or write the truth again. I had slaughtered for them, bled for them, and craved only their love. In return, they pulverized my body and painted me as a hysterical madwoman just to keep the crown I had won for them. The foolish girl who wanted a family died in that agonizing pain, leaving behind only a ghost. Dragging my mangled, bandaged body into the rival Romano family's charity gala, I collapsed at the feet of their ruthless matriarch. "I invoke the sacred code," I rasped through my chemically burned throat. "I demand a Vendetta."

Action Mafia Modern

9.3

Heartbroken; From Ruin to Being the Queen of Them All

9.3

Betrayed by the man she once adored, a woman's world crumbles into total ruin. Left with nothing but a shattered heart, she refuses to let her spirit break. Instead, she embarks on a fierce journey of transformation and power. Rising from the ashes of her old life, she navigates the elite circles of high society and business. Through grit and newfound ambition, she secures her place at the top, eventually ruling over those who once sought to destroy her.

Billionaire Modern Romance

8.4

Hiding His Twins From The Underboss

8.4

I saved a man bleeding out in the snow. He had no memory, so I called him Ben. We lived in a cabin, fell in love, and married by firelight with no witnesses but the ghosts of my parents. Then one day, he disappeared. Two years later, he returned. Not as my husband, but as Bernard Logan, the ruthless Underboss of the city's most dangerous crime family. And he didn't remember me. He brought his cruel new fiancée to my clinic and treated me like a stranger. When she threw my father’s antique music box into a cactus display, he watched as I tore my hands apart trying to save it. He called our past a "drug-induced hallucination" and threatened to destroy me if I spoke up. Worst of all, I found out I was pregnant. He cornered me in the hospital room, his eyes cold and devoid of the warmth I used to know. "Is it mine?" I knew if I said yes, he would turn my child into a killer like him. Or his fiancée would ensure we never survived. So I looked the love of my life in the eye and lied. "No," I said. "It's not yours." I signed his NDA, took his hush money, and vanished to Europe to raise my twins alone. I thought I was free. I found a good man who actually loved me. But three years later, at an art gallery in Zurich, the crowd parted. Bernard was standing there, staring at me with a terrifying hunger. He had found out the truth. And he was ready to burn the world down to get us back.

Modern Mystery Romance

9.0

I Lost Our Child the Day He Chose Her

9.0

For five years, she endured a loveless marriage, only to be abandoned when her husband's first love returned. On the day she was meant to announce her pregnancy, he chose to protect another woman, leading to the tragic loss of their unborn child. Devastated by his cold indifference and the death of her baby, she signs the divorce papers and vanishes. Now, as she seeks a fresh start, the man who once broke her heart is desperate to find her.

Billionaire Modern Romance

9.8

La profesora del hijo del CEO

9.8

Elena is a dedicated educator whose life takes an unexpected turn when she is hired as a private tutor for the young son of a cold, powerful CEO. While navigating the billionaire's strict rules and intimidating presence, she begins to break through his emotional walls. As their professional boundaries blur, a deep attraction sparks between them. Elena must decide if she can handle the complexities of his elite world and a hidden past.

Billionaire Modern Romance

8.0

Love in Disguise

8.0

Isabella, a talented but struggling artist, finds herself in a bind after her sister's sudden disappearance. To save her family's reputation, she must step into her sister's shoes and marry the cold, enigmatic billionaire, Alexander Sterling. As Isabella navigates the treacherous waters of high society, she discovers that Alexander isn't the monster she expected. Amidst secrets and lies, can their forced union blossom into a genuine love?

Billionaire Modern Romance

The Forbidden Mark Of My Stepbrother

Chapter 6

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