Sleeping With My Stepbrother

"Wait wait wait. Hold up" Mr. Harrington, the company's new heir, stopped me midway "You mean to tell us that you broke up with your boyfriend because you saw the guy you loved sleeping with someone else?"

"Yeah" I answered in a 'duh' tone.

"Where's the logic in that?" He asked

"Well, for starters, when I saw the guy I love with someone else, it confirmed my feelings and made me realize I couldn't continue stringing my boyfriend with me anymore" I added "Also, the fact that I randomly stated 'I broke up with my boyfriend because the guy I love slept with someone else' out of nowhere got you all hooked and wanted more. Thus, I present to you our March cover" I said as I pulled the cover off the huge cardboard replica of our magazine's March cover.

"So let me get this straight" Senior VP Alicia Mercedez began "Your marketing strategy is clickbait?"

"I mean, it's not clickbait if the story behind the title is related to the title" I said "I mean just look at our March headline. Readers will see it and think 'no way that's real' but buy anyway because their curiosity will get to them"

Everyone began exchanging looks.

God, I've been doing this forever, there is no way in hell I was gonna tank this cover pitch.

After a couple of seconds, ms. Mercedez turned back to me.

"Congratulations, Miss Jones. Your pitch is our new March cover" she says before everyone gets up to shake my hands. "You're a really great asset to this company, miss Jones" she adds

"Thanks you maam" I answer

"One question" Mr. Harrington interrupts "So, you never saw the guy you loved ever again?"

Damn. Who knew company owners loved gossip as much as the next person?

"Uh... well... no" I answered "He never really came back to our hometown since. But I've also never been home in a long time, so I don't know"

Everyone just nodded before getting up and leaving the conference call.

"Miss Jones?" Krissy, my assistant knocked on the door "You have a phone call from your mother. She sounds reallu distraught so I think it's urgent"

"Okay thank you" I answer before picking my phone up to answer my mom.

"Mom?" I answered the phone, but all I could hear was my mom bursting into tears "mom what's wrong? Why are you crying?"

"D-Dave..." my mom said almost inaudible

"What about Dave?" I asked, as my palms began to sweat, like my body was warning me that what I was about to hear was something that I definitely wasn't gonna like.

"Dave's gone, Kyls" mom said before she bursted into even more heavy tears.

I didn't know how long I had been listening to my mom brawl her eyes out, but suddenly tears were running down my eyes as well.

Dave had been my step-dad for 12 years now. I haven't really called him dad but I considered him as that.

So learning that he had given up after battling with cancer for half a decade now completely broke my heart.

"Hang in there, mom" I said as I signalled Krissy to come over. Work can wait. "I'm coming home"

As soon as I got home, I stuffed my bag with clothes and hurriedly headed to the airport.

By 4pm, I arrived.

It was rush hour and there was heavy traffic along the way so it was a bit hard to flag a cab, but I managed to get one. I didn't want to bother mom at the moment. She had her own problems, if not bigger.

As soon as the cab turned left from the intersection, a hundred memories began their way back to me.

Mind you I haven't been home ever since I left for college. I guess I was always busy and it was so far away that only mom had the leisure to actually come to me and visit for holidays.

Don't get me wrong, I've been meaning to come home for a long time now. I just couldn't find the time to do so.

So despite being busy, I knew I had to come home and be there for my mom.

As I drove through the familiar road, I began noticing new things. Like, a couple of shops had just opened.

Then there were also the old things that had been there even after I left.

One might think that 12 years had been a really long time, and you're right.

I honestly have no idea how I managed to remember the way to my house.

Soon enough, I caught a glimpse of a very familiar rooftop.

I might have only lived there for 5 months, but it was still home.

driveway, and hurriedly got

the driveway so I was

was no need for me to knock. Technically this is still my

I said as I went inside. Tons and tons of memories flooding through my mind

Nothing changed.

still looked the same. I mean, a couple of new home decor here

red. Then she ran over to me and gave me a hug before brawling her eyes

me what happened" I asked as I

——

was a busy day.

I decided to help her out by doing

I saw a copy of Dave's will, which stated that Luke and my mom gets half of

his name, only then did I remember that his dad just died and he was

as

stated "He must really

smiled and walked over to

Luke, but I

I began "You told him

He must be on his way by now" mom answered, then silence as I

liked each other?

out laughs, as if I found it really really funny "Mom what even are

me" mom said

we could do anything. I mean, you and his dad were married

blood relatives

said, a bit louder than normal. By now, I was blushing like a damned teenager.

am a grown ass woman, but I get reminded of Luke

this talk with you is?" I asked my mom and

Why should you be embarrassed?" Mom said "Besides, Dave and I had talked about it before. We both

my god mom. Can you leave me to do Dave's paperwork in

then got up and left the room.

relaxed again, when the doorbell rang, and I was very uneasy

heart was pounding like

second, I was gonna find out

opening the door, and I began hearing

were

sad about Dave, but was also really anxious about seeing Luke again.

up, and took a deep

just let him see me in here at some point, but I soon found

up Emma?" Luke asked

been better" mom said "And here I thought your dad was tough enough to fight this one. He'd always brag about how much of a

about me. How are you? Where's Sadie?" Mom

with her mom" Luke said. "Is...Kylie here

cue, I guess. And I could just imagine

I got out of my

I said, making both of them to look at me.

couldn't say I

he still looked like how he used to when we

he currently had a thick bush of beard), but he still looked the

heart was now

is the first time I'm seeing him after all these years so this was a pretty

I've been such a coward all these years. I mean, I'm not even friends

made me feel when mom randomly told me one

mom said before skedaddling towards the

we slowly walked over to each

if I was supposed to hug him or something. He, on the other hand, apparently already made up his mind the moment

hug before I could finish

his hug still felt very very comforting and warm that I couldn't help but hug him back. Not caring that the feelings

missed you so bad Kyls" Luke said "I've been meaning to call you all this time, but I couldn't because I know it

he could confess his feelings, however, I stopped

god's sakes, I still loved the guy but

Luke said before pulling out of the hug. He flashed me a smile before grabbing his stuff and

————

only invited those who really mattered and cared

back to our house for

I went around the room making sure the

both mumbled, until he turned around and we were both stunned for

said "It's good to see you.

second dad to me" Justin said "Anyway, how are you doing? I heard from a