My Stepbrother, My Enemy {BL}

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Morning came in like that friend who just shows up unannounced. Sunlight streamed through the huge windows of my suite, casting everything in a warm, golden hue. I woke up to the gentle but persistent knock of hotel staff bringing in what had to be the most extravagant breakfast cart I’d ever seen.

Silver domes sparkled in the light, fresh orchids bobbed in a crystal vase, and the delicious smell of warm croissants and perfectly ripe berries drifted through the air like a luxurious scent. I sat up, my hair a messy halo, staring at the sheer opulence of it all.

The attendant beamed at me, said something about "compliments of the house," and slipped away before I could even get a full thank-you out. Alone again, I lifted the first dome to uncover fluffy scrambled eggs topped with truffle, a mountain of caviar next to blinis the size of silver dollars, and a chilled glass of champagne fizzing like it was offended by gravity.

This really was the life...

I should’ve felt spoiled, but instead, I just felt a bit silly, like I’d accidentally stumbled into someone else’s life and they hadn’t caught on yet.

I ate slowly, almost mechanically, the flavors exquisite yet somehow distant. My phone buzzed on the nightstand—Adrien.

Adrien 💀: Morning, Hamster. Made it through the night without turning into a pumpkin?

Adrien 💀: You’ve got this tonight. We’ve got this. Just remember breathe and try not to faceplant on the floor.

A small laugh escaped me despite everything. I typed back with buttery fingers.

Me: If I trip and face-plant in front of three hundred people, I’ll just say you tripped me.

Adrien 💀: Then I’ll catch you mid-fall. Heroic slow-motion style like in one of your dumb novels. Deal?