The Stepbrother's Sin

Chapter 1 — Welcome to Crestwood "I can't believe it," Eloise said, hugging me tightly. "I'm going to miss you so much." "It's not like I'm moving to another country," I said, comforting her. "Well, it kind of is," Eloise said, sniffling. "Crestwood City is so far away. I thought we'd have more time together, but everything happened quickly and now I don't want you to leave." "Don't be dramatic. We can visit each other. Nothing is going to change," I assured her, unsure if I believed it myself. "You're a good liar, Ivy," Eloise said, shaking her head. "But I'm glad you're staying hopeful. It'll make my last day with you less painful." A small smile lifted on my face before I turned and saw the four bags near the doorway. It was time to leave. I would miss this place. I looked at the cozy living room, kitchen, TV set, bookshelves, and small wooden table where I'd had my first drink and written my first article on local politics. I took in the memories of my childhood and all the years spent here. The sound of a horn honking made me jump. "Help me with the bags, Eli," I said, grabbing two. "Sure," she said, taking the other two, and we walked to my mom's car. We had already loaded a couple of suitcases earlier. These four bags contained the important things. I placed them in the trunk with the other suitcases. Mom locked the house and joined us. "That's the last of it," I said to her. "Yes," she said, getting in the car. "Are you sure you have everything you need, Ivy?" I nodded, confident that I had checked everything off my list. We didn't need to come back here.Mom quickly accelerated out of the driveway, eager to hit the main road. Background music played as Eloise and I chatted, knowing it would be a while before we saw each other again due to the distance. "I'm thinking of visiting you at the end of September, hopefully for your birthday. What do you think?" Eloise asked, pulling out her phone to check the calendar. "Yes, I wouldn't survive my birthday without you," I replied. As Mom drove on familiar roads, I took in the scenery one last time. It felt like just yesterday when Richard proposed to Mom, yet here we were, heading to the airport. The wedding was planned for mid-December, but since most of Richard's work was in Crestwood City, we decided to move there beforehand. Moving away wasn't a bad thing. I was excited to experience a new environment and possibly a different culture. Crestwood City was a bustling metropolis, quite unlike our quiet town. Surprisingly, I got accepted into a college there with an excellent creative writing program and internship opportunities. Moving with Mom once I finished high school was an easy decision. After spending the summer packing and planning, the day of the move had finally arrived. I would miss this place but was looking forward to starting a new chapter in my life. If Crestwood City was where my journey began, so be it. Mom parked the car next to the sleek black jet at the private airfield. It was my first time being so close to a private plane, as I would always drop Mom off from a distance on her previous trips to Crestwood City. "Take care of my car, Eloise. I'll be back in a few weeks to sell it, so don't damage it in any way. Treat it like your own," Mom told Eloise, unbuckling her seatbelt. Eloise nodded, promising to handle the car responsibly. "Mom, trust me, Eloise won't crash the car. She's a safe driver, much better than me. You should see me behind the wheel," I laughed, assuring her."That's good. Ivy, you'll need driving lessons before city driving. It's going to be hard for you." She opened the door. Two men in formal suits approached us with clipboards. One held a tablet and the other smiled. "Good morning, Ms. Collins," the man said to Mom. "Ready to go?" "Yes, we're all set. Is the pilot here?" "He is. I'll show you to the cabin, while Mr. Steven loads your luggage." He gestured to the other man, who opened the trunk. "You're going to be so cool," Eloise said, taking a picture of the private jet. Mom went inside, and I stayed with Eloise. "When I saw the penthouse in pictures, I nearly passed out. It's huge," I told her. "Just imagine all the cool things you can do there. Like throwing a party or a pool party. That would be amazing," Eloise said. "Maybe." I wasn't sure what Crestwood City held for me. "I'm going to miss you so much, Ivy." She hugged me. "I'm going to miss you too." "I'm going to call you every single day and annoy you," she said with a grin. "I know you will," I replied. "I'm serious. I'll call you so many times that you'll block me," she continued. "Take care of yourself, Eli, and don't change too much without me. I want to see the same old Eloise when I come back." "I won't," she said, stepping back. "Take care, Ivy." "I will." "Bye," she waved as I headed to the jet. It would be a long journey, but I was ready. The jet was sleek and had a spacious interior. It had a glossy white exterior with the words "Grayson Enterprises" written on the side. Inside, the seats were covered in white leather and there was a minibar in the corner. The windows were tinted, and the floor was carpeted, making the experience comfortable. I admired the luxurious details. "It's a step up from flying commercial," Mom said, making herself comfortable on one of the seats. "Come on, Ivy, take a seat." I sat down and a man named Michael appeared, handing us glasses of champagne. "Thank you," I said, accepting the drink. "I hope you enjoy the flight. You'll find refreshments in the minibar, and if you need anything, please don't hesitate to ask. My name is Michael, and I'll be serving you for today's flight," he introduced himself. "Thank you, Michael," Mom said, and he nodded, stepping away and disappearing through the door. "How long will the flight take?" I asked her. "Probably about three hours, maybe less. It depends," she looked at her watch. "I think we'll arrive there right on time. We'll get to the penthouse and probably have some time to settle in. Maybe you can go explore the area." I nodded and looked out the window. The sun was rising, revealing a clear and blue sky. But Crestwood City was often clouded, and rain was expected shortly after landing. "So, are you nervous?" Mom asked. "No, not really," I leaned back. "I'll be fine, Mom. You're going to be there with me. So stop worrying." "Are you sure?" "Yes." I was optimistic about moving to Crestwood City. It happened so quickly, but I couldn't do anything about it.They were engaged to be married.Richard was going to become my stepfather. He had visited us several times through the four years he had been dating Mom.I met him when I was fourteen. He was kind, generous, and always had a joke ready. We clicked instantly. Richard was an entrepreneur and a businessman. He was extremely wealthy, with a net worth of billions.His company, Grayson Enterprises, was involved in multiple industries. Crestwood City was his hometown, and he owned most of the skyscrapers and buildings there. I hadn't been to Crestwood City before, but I was excited to finally visit, especially the campus of Crestwood College, where I had been accepted. "We're ready for takeoff," the pilot announced. Mom and I fastened our seatbelts. The jet slowly began to ascend. Soon, we were above the clouds. "So, how's Richard?" I asked. "He's good. Busy, as always," Mom replied. "But he's really excited to have us. He keeps telling me how happy he is and how he's looking forward to spending some quality time together before the wedding." Seeing the smile on her face, my eyes lit up. "I can't wait to see him again. It feels like a lot longer." "Yeah, and you'll also get a chance to meet Cain." I had never met him, and he was rarely mentioned when Mom spoke about Richard. It took a moment to remember that he was Richard's only son. "Right. Your future son-in-law. Wow, that sounds a bit weird," I said. "I hope the two of you can get along before the wedding. It would be great," Mom said hopefully. But I wasn't sure about that. I didn't know anything about Cain. "How is he, Mom?" "Well, I'm not really sure. He's respectful but a troublemaker. Richard is always worried about him, and I can't blame him. It's a difficult age," Mom said. I try not to judge him so quickly. After all, I haven't even had the chance to see him yet. Maybe he was a nice man. "Mom, how old is he?" I asked. "Oh, he's twenty-three." Oh. I was a little taken back. Shaking my head, I directed my attention to the window. I tried to relax, but the idea of meeting Cain was already making me nervous. Mom was right. It was a difficult age, and the thought of having to live with someone, especially a stepbrother, was a bit unsettling. I had no idea what his expectations would be or how he would react.Now that I was finally thinking about it, I realized how much I had been ignoring it. It was the elephant in the room, the thing I had pushed to the back of my mind because I didn't want to think about it. By the time we landed, it was raining. The sky was dark and grey, and the rain was falling heavily. The wind was cold and harsh, and the weather was a complete contrast to the bright sunny day we had left behind. "It looks like we're going to have a wet day," Mom commented, staring outside the window. Rain poured heavily the moment we stepped out of the jet. I pulled up the hood of my jacket, trying to shield myself from the rain, but it was useless. Thankfully, we were able to make it into the car without getting drenched. "I can't believe this," I murmured, pulling the hood down and running my fingers through my wet hair. "Welcome to Crestwood City, Ivy," Mom said, leaning back in her seat. "I didn't expect it to be raining this much," I told her, looking outside. "Yeah, that's Crestwood for you. It rains a lot. But I'm sure you'll get used to it." "I guess so." Mom had stayed in the city a number of times, and she was familiar with the weather and the traffic. It was a big city. There were no open fields or wide streets. Instead, there were skyscrapers, cars, and people. It was busy, and the roads were packed. The sight of it all was somewhat beautiful and surprising. I had spent my whole life in a town with a population of less than ten thousand, so being here was a completely new experience. I took snapshots of whatever I could before sending them to Eloise. I was sure she would be jealous once she saw them. "Wow, this is crazy," I said, holding onto the armrest as Mom drove through the city. "You get used to it," Mom replied. "The city is always busy, and the traffic is horrible. It's best if you keep a driver with yourself for the time being. I wouldn't want you to get lost in all this chaos." A driver? That must've been one of the perks of being Richard's fiancé. We reached Grayson Tower in thirty minutes, and a man stood outside, waiting for us. He was dressed in a black suit and tie and was holding an umbrella. "Good evening, Ms. Collins," he greeted Mom and looked at me. "I'm assuming that you're Ivy."Trimmed: "That's her," Mom answered, and the man nodded. "Hello," I said with a smile. "Nice to meet you, Ivy. My name is Daniel. Shall we head upstairs to the penthouse?" We entered the elevator, and Daniel pressed the button for the highest floor, the seventy-sixth. I was impressed. The elevator was huge, with a large mirror on the back wall and marble floors. It was straight out of a movie.