Chapter 5

“Here’s your room, dear.” The older woman wearing a uniform pushed the door open and stepped back, letting me pass. “Welcome.”

According to Eugene, he didn’t keep female staff—if he wasn’t married to mom, I’d declare him gay—but had hired this one specifically for me. Weird, but that was the least of my problems.

Tired from the grand curved staircase I’d just climbed, I exhaled and strolled into the room. Unlike my old room, this one was big. A queen-size mattress sat in the middle against the wall overlooking a door which I suppose was the closet. By the edge of the room was a ceiling-to-floor window with velvet curtains covering it.

“If you need anything, I’m a call away,” the woman said, already pulling the door.

“Uhm—” I rubbed the back of my neck, facing her. Since Eugene’s chauffeur had driven us into the mansion, I’d been a bundle of nerves. And I’ve had one question lingering in my mind. She whipped around and I pressed my lips together. “Colton, is he around?”

“Your brother?” She scrunched her eyebrows together, tilting her head to the side. “No, dear. Mr Colton is barely in the mansion. He takes care of the family business.”

Inwardly thanking god, I pressed my palm on my chest and exhaled. She smiled politely at me, then turned, left and shut the door behind her.

I walked to the bed and collapsed onto it dragging the cold sheet around my body and wishing it drained the tension sitting in my chest. It didn’t, but speaking to Jojo would.

The only problem? My bag was downstairs, and my phone was inside.

I stood from the bed, walked to the door and yanked it open then rushed out into the hallway. My eyes narrowed and I paused. Everything looked identical. A total of seven rooms were by the two sides of mine with similar stairways by the edge of the walls.

Exhaling, I shut my eyes. Left? Right? Left. I opened them and turned left, shuffling my legs against the marble floor. Almost at the stairway, my feet twisted and slipped off my platform heels. I squeezed my eyes tightly and folded my hands around my head as I staggered down.

My heart pounded. Why was I hanging in the air? What gripped my waist?

I slowly dropped my hands down and opened my eyes. And goddamit why was I wrapped around a shirtless Colton’s arm? Didn’t the housekeeper say he wasn’t around?

An unfamiliar thrill shot through my veins as he pulled me up. My hand flew to his chest pressing hard against it as I waited for him to let go. He didn’t.

I tilted my head back to meet his gaze. His jaw sharpened, forehead wrinkling a bit before it relaxed again. The white bulb above us struck his fair skin giving it a delicate glow. He looked a million times better in daylight. Like a demon wearing an angel's face.

His dark eyes dropped to my lips from my eyes, while he still held me to himself. I blinked, my chest pumping when I saw the hickey on his neck, just above his tattoo. Oh, god. Did I do that?

With his free hand, he stroked a strand of hair off my face then his lips shifted to a corner. He smiled. No,no he smirked. In fact he just showed me his white teeth, just like he did when he lifted his wine at me yesterday.

My stomach fluttered and I swallowed a lump, a mixture of hate and heat vibrating between us. Footsteps approached.

“Well, would you look at that,” Eugene’s voice echoed in the hallway. Colton let go off my waist but I was rooted in my spot, my body numb. His dad crossed over, forcing himself into the little space between us. “I see you both are already getting along.”

I shifted and spared him a glare. “Mr Eugene.” I hated this man too. I hated that he was getting into mom’s head.

“Call me dad.” He crouched and threw a hand over my shoulder. Rolling my eyes, I squeezed my lips. He leaned up and faced his son. They looked exactly alike—same height, hair, body. The only difference was Colton had an oval face while Eugene had a round face. “Colton, this is Poppy, your sister.” Whirled to me again. “Poppy, your older brother.”

Brother indeed.

Colton glanced at me coldly. “Stepbrother.” I almost believed the smile a few minutes ago was my imagination.

“I was—” I glanced back before I spun to his dad. “I was looking for the stairs”

“Give it time, you’ll be familiar with the building.” Eugene pressed my shoulder. Could this man stop being touchy? He checked his wristwatch and straightened the collar of his blue shirt. “Colton, why don’t you show your sister around?” His gaze registered on me before he started walking away. “And please wear a shirt next time. We have a lady around now.”

My face turned red. Stepdad, I support you on this.

After his footsteps had faded, I took a deep breath and shook my head. Colton was already walking away too. Really? I frowned and followed him. “Are we going to pretend to be strangers?”

“Yeah.” He kept going.

“Are you serious right now?”

“Darling, I’ll say this once.” He paused and spun, maintaining a calm demeanor. I stilled, almost bumping into him. He inched closer, and with two fingers lifted my chin then dropped his hand down. “we’ll keep it between siblings, yeah? Wouldn’t want to ruin the new couple’s marriage”

I sneered, flaring my nostrils. This jerk! Using our parents' wedding as leverage. “You don't have to threaten me, Colton. I already want to forget it too.” I swung around and started storming toward the stairs. Three steps away, I paused and tilted my head. “And I left your money there.”

I didn’t wait for a response. Or maybe he didn’t respond.

I walked down the first stairs then the curved one and thankfully, I was in the living room. My bag was on the couch, exactly where I left it when mom had been introducing me to her so-called husband.

Grabbing it, I turned around and flinched when I caught a figure staring at me from the stairway. Eugene. His eyes were wide and a small grin plastered over his face. He nodded his head once and walked away. Then my phone buzzed.

Jojo, I thought as I dug through my bag for my phone and unlocked it.

It was a text from an unknown number. I clicked on it and my face went pale, my hand flying to my mouth. A picture of Colton and I in the hotel last night, naked. The shot wasn’t clear, and looked as though it was a screenshot from an actual video.

My heartbeat spiked. I scrolled up with shaky hands and read the caption:

‘Does Daddy know what his little girl did last night?’ My phone buzzed again. ‘Ask your mother who you belong to.’