The Baby I Hid from My Stepbrother

I ended up pregnant with my stepbrother's baby after one chaotic night. I gave myself two ways out: get an abortion, and leave the country.

Because right before that accident, he'd just admitted there was someone he liked. I didn't want to be the other woman who came between them.

So I told no one and booked the abortion on my own. Just as the nurse was about to call my name, someone caught my wrist.

My stepbrother had my wrist locked in his grip, his eyes full of barely contained obsession. "You'd rather get rid of the baby and leave the country than tell me, is that it, my dear little sister?" Chapter 1 My mom's second marriage was to a big shot at the very top of New York society.

Their romance was a whirlwind, and they walked down the aisle with everyone's blessing. Naturally, I came along to the new home.

I was only three when she remarried, just a little kid who wouldn't remember a thing. I grew up in the Lancaster house.

My stepdad loved my mom, and loving her meant being good to me too. I truly thought of him as my dad, and of his son as my brother.

My brother was good to me when we were little, too, but as I got older, we weren't as close as we used to be. That made me really sad.

Later I found out plenty of real siblings drift apart too. Now and then it still got me down, but hey, that's life. Things can't always go your way.

Just when I'd finally made my peace with it, just when I'd accepted going from his dearest little sister to some relative who didn't matter, the accident happened.

I woke up in Theo's bed, sore all over. I stared at the ceiling for a good while before it sank in. Memories of last night's chaos came rushing back.

I vaguely remembered someone coaxing me, "Don't cry, sweetheart." And a few other words. Really bad ones.

I covered my ears, kidding myself that I could block out the voice in my memory. It didn't work. Worse, the person beside me noticed me move and tightened his arms on instinct.

I was pressed into his chest. The man's voice was heavy with sleep. "You awake, sweetheart?" My breath caught. I didn't dare look up. I was terrified he'd figure out who I was.

Theo had a girlfriend. He'd said so himself.

Last weekend, when we went home for dinner, Mom and Dad were chatting about how the Hoffmans next door had just had a new grandson and thrown a party for the baby.

One thing led to another, and the conversation turned to when we were getting married. Naturally, the nagging started with the older kid.

Mom asked, all concern, "Theo, honey, you're twentyfive this year. Is there a girl you like?" We'd finished eating and were in the living room by then.

I was sprawled across the couch with zero posture, playing my handheld, and Dad had his arm around Mom, an old married couple who didn't bother hiding it in front of the kids.

Theo answered, "Yes." I'd just cleared a level and the results screen was playing. When I heard that, I looked over at Theo, curious.

This brother of mine was goodlooking, eventempered, and his family was as toptier as it got.

Ever since we were kids, there'd been a steady stream of people sending him love letters and chasing after him. He wasn't interested in a single one.

The Lancasters didn't need to marry for strategic alliances, so the heiresses who came around with that in mind all went home emptyhanded. So who had he fallen for?

I blinked. "Theo, who is it? Do I know her?" His gaze swept over me. He didn't answer. Undeterred, I kept pushing. "Who is it, who is it? Who's your girlfriend?

How'd you keep it so quiet?" Theo suddenly got angry. He gave a cold laugh. "Who my girlfriend is has nothing to do with you." I rubbed my nose, sheepish. Seriously.

Mom and Dad nagged him about getting married, and he took it out on me. I was the punching bag. Sure enough, siblings drift apart once they grow up.

He'd gotten a girlfriend and didn't even tell me. But never mind who the girlfriend actually was. The problem right now was that Theo's hands would not behave.

Chapter 2 I stayed buried against him, too scared to move. From this angle, he couldn't see my face.

His voice was lazy with sleep. "Baby, it's still early." What was that supposed to mean, it's still early?! I froze. He seemed to think I was his girlfriend.

Were he and his girlfriend this loveydovey every single day?? If I looked up, I was done for. He hadn't figured it out yet.

Maybe because I didn't say anything, he took it as a yes. He was about to push himself up and see me. I had no other choice.

I rolled over fast and buried my face in the pillow. "Hm?" His puzzled voice came from above me, and he laughed low. "You like it this way?" He leaned down over me. "Baby, call me big brother." AAAHHH, you can't make me call you that!

What is wrong with you two lovebirds?! I refused to lift my face out of the pillow no matter what. Theo probably never imagined the person next to him wasn't his girlfriend.

He stroked my hair. "Feeling shy?" My voice came out muffled. "Go away." He sighed, resigned but fond. "I'll go make lunch. Rest a bit, sweetheart.

I'll come get you up when it's ready." Bang. The bedroom door finally closed. Only then did I crawl out from under the covers and stare blankly at my body. I pinched myself. Ow.

This was not a dream!! Theo was right outside. And I, his sister, had actually… All I remembered was that he and I went to a party last night, and there was something in the drinks.

We'd both had some. I felt awful all over and lost all reason, and Theo just took me for his girlfriend, calling me sweetheart with every other breath. And then it turned into this.

I covered my face. What was I supposed to do?! I had to find a way to escape. The kitchen at Theo's place was openplan. If I just walked out, he'd see me.

I was still agonizing over it when Theo came back. I heard the door open and hurriedly yanked the covers up.

He patted my head through the blanket. "Baby, still feeling shy?" His voice was so, so gentle. Oh my God, was this how he always talked to his girlfriend? "We're out of Coke.

I'm running out to grab a bottle so I can make you CocaCola wings. Don't panic if you can't find me, sweetheart. I'll be right back." Did his girlfriend love CocaCola wings too?

Who wouldn't love something that delicious? Wait. Forget the wings for a second. He was about to leave. Sure enough, there's always a way out. Thank you, universe.

You still love me after all. As soon as I heard Theo leave, I scrambled out of bed. My clothes had been torn.

I opened his closet, planning to borrow something of his girlfriend's, only to find the entire closet was nothing but men's clothes. Huh? Not one piece of women's clothing?

Was there a separate walkin closet or something? I didn't have time to look, so I had to settle for throwing on his shirt, jacket, and pants.

Theo was tall, sixtwo, almost eight inches taller than me. I looked like a kid sneaking into grownup clothes, swallowed up in menswear.

I rolled up the sleeves and pant legs, grabbed the shreds of my dress, and all but tumbled out of there. Once I was out of his apartment building, I let out a long breath.

I was finally out. Even if Theo figured out it hadn't been his girlfriend last night, he'd never guess it was me. Then I'd be safe.

Our brothersister relationship could still be saved. On the way, I ducked into a women's clothing store to change into something normal before going home.

Back in my own room, I rolled around on my soft bed. I'd been up until the small hours last night, and then this morning I'd woken up to more physical exertion.

My frayed nerves finally let go. Chapter 3 I told the house manager not to wake me, and I slept straight through until the afternoon.

Luckily, Mom and Dad were traveling abroad, so no one called me down for meals. Rubbing my eyes, I headed downstairs, planning to have the cook make me something.

I looked down and saw Theo standing at the foot of the stairs.

He tipped his head up, his gaze sweeping lightly over me. "You awake?" I remembered him asking me "You awake, sweetheart?" that morning.

What followed that line was two straight hours of physical labor. I stepped back on reflex. "Theo?" His eyes were dark and unreadable.

I faked surprise. "What are you doing home today?" He tapped his knuckles against the wooden railing. "What do you think?" How would I know? I changed the subject. "Have you eaten?

I'm starving. If you haven't, I'll have the kitchen make extra." He asked me, "You're only eating now?" I lied through my teeth without batting an eye. "Yep.

When I got home yesterday, I realized I'd missed an assignment.

I was up all night finishing it, and I slept all day." He looked like he was almost smiling, but not quite. "Doing homework at home last night?" I nodded. "Yep!" "Okay." Theo's tone was impossible to read. "Let's eat.

My dear little sister wore herself out all night.

She really should eat properly." Theo didn't spend much time at his apartment to begin with, and these past couple of days he'd moved back home.

My guess was he and his girlfriend had a fight. After all, cheating on that scale was hard not to notice. I chewed on my pen cap and sighed.

I didn't know who my future sisterinlaw was, but I was so sorry. I really didn't mean to. Ugh. I glanced at my unfinished homework. I was a college senior now anyway.

Maybe I should go abroad. Living under the same roof, Theo and I were bound to keep running into each other. If I were his girlfriend, I'd never put up with that.

Even if Theo didn't know about it for now. I picked out a few universities overseas and applied to grad school. My applications hadn't come through yet.

Then something unexpected happened. Today the kitchen had made steamed fish. I'd always loved it. But today, for some reason, the fishy smell made me want to throw up.

Theo forked a piece onto my plate for me. I meant to eat it just to keep up appearances. But the moment the fish was in my mouth, I couldn't hold it back and threw up.

Something seemed off. It hit me all at once: it had been a month and a half since the accident. And in that month and a half, my very regular period hadn't come.

I looked up and suddenly met Theo's eyes.

He was watching me thoughtfully. "You threw up?" I hurried to cover. "The fish is way too fishy today." He forked a piece and tasted it. "Seems fine to me." I made something up. "Your taste buds are broken." Theo set down his fork, pulled out a napkin, and wiped the corners of my mouth clean, far too intimately. "Is that so?

So it's my taste buds that are broken. "And here I thought… "My little sister had morning sickness." My eyes went wide