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 7

The dinner was a disaster. Because of the proximity of the tables, the two couples were forced into a grotesque double date.

"So, Kelsie tells me she got a job at Sterling & Associates," Emerald said, trying to be conversational.

"Yes," Kelsie said. "I start Monday."

Cornelius swirled his red wine. "It's a demanding firm. They don't tolerate mediocrity. I hope you can keep up. It would be a shame if you washed out during the probation period."

It was a direct attack on her competence.

Caleb frowned. "Kelsie is brilliant. She graduated top of her class. I'm sure she'll do great."

Cornelius turned his head slowly to look at Caleb. "A pediatrician," he said, the word sounding like an insult. "Tell me, Caleb. What is the annual income for checking sore throats these days? Can you even afford the wine list here, or should I have them bring the house blend?"

The table went silent. Caleb's face turned bright red.

"Cornelius!" Kelsie slammed her hand on the table. "Stop it."

"Darling, be nice," Emerald giggled nervously, placing a hand on Cornelius's arm.

Cornelius turned to Emerald. He took her hand, lifted it to his lips, and kissed her knuckles. But he didn't look at her. He kept his eyes fixed on Kelsie while he kissed his fiancée.

"I'm just looking out for them," Cornelius said softly. "I hate to see people punching above their weight class."

The intimacy of the gesture, paired with the cruelty of his eyes, made Kelsie want to vomit.

"We're leaving," Kelsie said. She stood up. "Caleb, let's go."

"Check, please," Caleb called out, his voice shaking slightly.

"Put it on my tab," Cornelius said lazily.

"No," Kelsie snapped. "We pay for ourselves."

Caleb threw his credit card down, desperate to get out. They rushed out of the restaurant, the humiliation burning Kelsie's skin.

Back in the car, Kelsie covered her face. "I am so sorry, Caleb. He's... difficult."

"Difficult?" Caleb let out a nervous laugh. "He looked like he wanted to murder me. Does he always control your life like that?"

Kelsie didn't answer.

Inside the restaurant, Cornelius watched the taillights disappear. His expression was thunderous.

"You really ruined the mood, babe," Emerald pouted.

Cornelius stood up abruptly. "I have a headache. The driver will take you home. I'm walking."

"What? But-"

He was already gone, storming out into the New York night.

Kelsie arrived at the estate gate. Caleb walked her to the pedestrian entrance. He leaned in to kiss her.

Kelsie flinched. She turned her head, and his lips landed awkwardly on her cheek.

"Right," Caleb said, disappointed. "Goodnight, Kelsie."

"Goodnight."

As she walked up the driveway, she looked up at the main house. The light in Cornelius's bedroom window was on. As she watched, the curtain twitched.

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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 7

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