When I found out my online boyfriend was actually my stepbrother, I panicked and posted a frantic listing online. Giving away my online boyfriend for free. He’s clingy and talks constantly. We’ve never met in person. Is anyone willing to take him off my hands and meet up with him? Urgent, urgent, urgent! Just then, my stepbrother walked up, a teasing, dark smirk playing on his lips. "Didn't you say you wanted to bury your face in my chest and kiss me raw the second we met? And now you're just giving me away to someone else?" I trembled violently and bolted. Later, at a family dinner, in a dimly lit corner, my stepbrother slowly unbuttoned his cuffs and backed me against the wall. "Viv, breaking a promise isn't a good habit. Come here." 1 I had spent the last three months dating a guy who was six-foot-two, had an insane six-pack, and possessed the absolute sweetest, most nurturing golden-retriever energy. After three months of heavy flirting, he happened to be in my city on business, so we agreed to finally meet up over the weekend. As I rode the train over, even the breeze outside felt sweet. On a whim, I posted a quick update on a social media app to document the moment. Heading to meet my online boyfriend. If it goes well, I've hit the jackpot. If it doesn't, I'm just a clown. Beneath the text, I attached a photo he'd sent of himself wearing an apron. His massive chest practically strained the fabric, throwing his ridiculously broad shoulders into sharp relief. The comments section instantly went wild. That V-taper is insane. You are eating so good, girl! I could never land a guy like this. Do us a favor and scream for the rest of us! Drop the tutorial, sis! I am literally on my knees! Right then, messages from my online boyfriend started flooding my screen. Where are you, Viv? Just thinking about seeing you today has completely ruined my concentration. I can't even focus on my meetings. My head is entirely filled with you. I'm in my office right now, so nervous and excited. I'm pretty average-looking, though. Are you going to be disappointed when you see me? Maybe I should send you a photo first so you can prepare yourself? I texted back: Of course not, honey. It's your heart I fell for. Looks don't matter to me. In three months of dating, we had exchanged voice notes and teased each other with body shots, but we had never actually shared our faces. But honestly, with a physique like that, I would happily take him with my eyes closed. Then, he sent another photo. My jaw hit the floor. A massive man was sitting in an office chair, thighs spread wide, his suit trousers stretched tight enough to show the faint outlines of shirt-stays. His left arm was slightly bent, hand resting on his thigh, veins bulging across the back of his hand and up his forearm where his sleeve was rolled to the elbow. His other elbow rested on his knee, holding a prop gun I had teased him into buying. He gripped the barrel, pointing the stock toward the camera. He leaned forward slightly, his black vest hugging the prominent chest muscles beneath his white shirt. The sheer power radiating from the image was overwhelming. The posture was pure dominance, dripping with raw tension. I felt hot just looking at it. He was teasing me, plain and simple. Since the train was packed, I couldn't do much, so I quickly typed: Are you going to use that gun stock to tap my backside? He sent a voice note immediately. I scrambled to plug in my earbuds. A smooth, deep voice rumbled in my ears. "One minute you want to bury your face in my chest, and the next you want a spanking. You're getting greedy, sweetheart." I typed: Please? Pretty please? He let out a low, breathless chuckle. "We'll see how well you behave, Viv." That laugh absolutely destroyed me. I wanted nothing more than to tear through the screen and throw myself at him. 2 Finally, the train pulled into the station. I grabbed my suitcase and practically sprinted out. He had told me he would be waiting near the exit. But the moment I stepped onto the platform near the street, I spotted a painfully familiar figure. Slicked-back hair, a perfectly tailored suit, looking utterly severe and strictly business. It was my incredibly intimidating stepbrother, Gideon. We were from a blended family. My mother had married his father, Robert, when we were younger. Although I called him my brother, we weren't close at all. First, he was older than me, deeply traditional, and a man of exceptionally few words. By the time I was in school, he was already working at the family firm. We rarely saw each other, and when we did, it was nothing more than polite, brief pleasantries followed by heavy silence. Second, his features took after his father, only sharper and far more imposing. One look from those cold, dark eyes was enough to make my stomach drop. The only upside was that he occasionally acted as an ATM when I was short on cash. In fact, the money for this trip had come straight from his pocket. He had no idea I was traveling to meet an online lover, and I had absolutely no intention of telling him. So, I lowered my head, avoiding his line of sight, and blended into the crowd. He seemed to be waiting for someone, holding a bouquet of fresh flowers. Ooh, a girl, I thought, a mischievous grin tugging at my lips. If his father knew Gideon was dating, he would probably throw a party. I found a quiet corner far away from Gideon and sent a text to my guy. I'm here, babe. My phone rang almost instantly. "I'm right by the main exit," his deep voice said, a trace of nervous anticipation bleeding through the speaker. "You should see me the moment you walk out." I scanned the crowd, my brow furrowing. There was absolutely no one around who matched his description. "I don't see you. I'm right outside the main gates." The line went quiet for a second before he suggested, "Do you want to FaceTime?" "Sure, let's do it." We had to face each other eventually, and with a body like that, there was no way he could be hard on the eyes. As the call connected, I quickly patted down my hair, checked my makeup in the reflection, angled myself toward the best light, and hit accept. It took exactly one second. I slammed my hand over the camera lens. My smile froze instantly. "Viv?" That single word sent a violent shiver down my spine. I turned around slowly, my heart hammering against my ribs. Sure enough, not far away, Gideon was holding his phone up, staring intensely at the screen. "Viv, what's wrong?" My mind raced as I came to a terrifying, impossible realization. My online boyfriend was Gideon. My online boyfriend was my own stepbrother. 3 It took me several agonizing moments to find my voice. "Um, so... what did you say your name was again?" Gideon's deep voice drifted through the speaker. "Gideon. I told you before." Refusing to accept reality, I stammered, "Right, but... how do you spell it? Is it G-I-D-E-O-N?" "Yes, Vivian. Gideon Cross. I've never lied to you about that." I closed my eyes and took a deep, shaky breath. My entire world was collapsing. When we first started talking, we had exchanged names. He had sent me a brief, one-second voice note. I remembered feeling a brief flicker of familiarity back then, but the slight unease had been quickly swept away by the gorgeous fitness photos he posted on his feed. To flirt with him and bridge the gap between us, I had given him my nickname. Viv. It was a name my mother had given me when I was a child, though she rarely used it these days. I had never in a million years imagined that the man on the other end of the line was Gideon. Gideon was always so cold, so distant. My online boyfriend, on the other hand, was incredibly suggestive, clingy, and had an insane physique. Sure, the name Gideon wasn't incredibly common, but I figured it was just a coincidence. But of all the people in the world, it had to be him. If only I had insisted on seeing his face while I was still on the train. Regret washed over me in suffocating waves. As I stood there utterly paralyzed, Gideon's voice came through the phone again, sounding uncharacteristically vulnerable. "Viv? Did you change your mind after seeing my face? I told you I wasn't much to look at. I'm sorry. I should have sent you a photo sooner." The raw disappointment in his tone made my chest ache. "No, it's not that. I was just... really surprised. You just look a little intimidating." Gideon wasn't unattractive by any means. He had sharp, striking features with a dangerous, dark edge. But those intense, heavy-lidded eyes could look incredibly fierce when he stared at you without expression, often sending a chill straight down your spine. The very first time my mother brought me to the family home, I had burst into tears out of sheer terror just looking at him. Hearing my response, Gideon softened his voice. "I'm sorry, Viv. I was afraid of scaring you off, which is why I waited so long to show you. Most people around me... they're terrified of me. If you don't like what you see, I won't bother you. But could you give me a chance? Let's just sit down, have a quiet dinner, and then I'll make sure you get home safely. After that, you can decide whether you want to keep talking to me." My heart melted a little at his gentleness. But... he was my stepbrother. "I need to use the restroom. Can you wait for me for a minute?" "Of course." I ended the call, but the panic in my chest didn't subside. I peered out from behind the corner to steal a glance at him. Gideon was looking down at his phone, his face unreadable, completely lost in thought. A dull ache settled deep in my chest. I had genuinely fallen for my online boyfriend. Why did it have to be Gideon? Ever since my mother married into his family, she had constantly pressured me to please both Gideon and his father. I had done my best to follow her instructions, but the pressure was agonizing. I crouched down, burying my face in my hands. Suddenly, my phone buzzed, reminding me of the post I had made earlier. In just two hours, the update had garnered over ten thousand likes, and the comments were blowing up with people begging for an update. I quietly changed my username to: Holy crap, he's my stepbrother. Then I drafted a new post: Giving away my online boyfriend for free. He's clingy and talks constantly. We've never met in person. Are there any girls near Riverport Central Station who want to take my place? Urgent, urgent, urgent! I'm sorry, Gideon, but I don't see any other way out of this. Just as my thumb hovered over the publish button, a deep voice shattered the silence behind me. "Vivian?" I gasped, leaping to my feet. Gideon was standing right there, towering over me, his face carved from ice. "G-Gideon!" My tongue felt like lead as I frantically locked my screen. Gideon studied me, his sharp gaze scanning me from head to toe before he spoke. "What are you doing here?" His voice was cool and distant. Those piercing eyes pinned me to the spot, making it impossible to lie. "I... I came to meet someone I met online..." I swallowed hard, looking at the floor. "I'm sorry, Gideon, I..." The words caught in my throat. My palms were slick with sweat. Gideon adopted his usual authoritative stance. "An online boyfriend? Who is he? What's his name? How long have you been together?" Every single question made me want to curl up and disappear. I looked away, forcing myself to spin a lie. "We broke up just now. He didn't think I was good enough for him." A ghost of a smirk played on Gideon's lips, sending a shiver down my spine. His light voice drifted down over me. "What a coincidence. I was just dumped, too." 4 My heart skipped a violent beat. A terrible suspicion crept into my mind that he already knew everything. But Gideon merely stared at me, keeping perfectly silent, his overwhelming presence wrapping around me like a tight coil. I clutched at the hem of my shirt, fighting back tears. "I'm... I'm sorry, Gideon. She must have been blind to let you go. You're the best brother in the world." The lie nearly choked me. Gideon didn't look particularly pleased by the compliment, but he let out a noncommittal grunt and turned on his heel. I let out a silent breath of relief, only for him to stop and look back over his shoulder. "Aren't you coming? Or are you planning to go search for that online boyfriend who didn't think you were good enough?" He placed a heavy, deliberate emphasis on those last few words. Before my brain could process the situation, my hands had already grabbed the handle of my suitcase, and my feet were moving to keep pace with him. When we reached his car, I noticed the beautiful bouquet of flowers sitting sadly inside a trash bin. I bit my lower lip and quietly opened the passenger door. Gideon placed my suitcase in the trunk before sliding into the driver's seat. Once the doors closed, a heavy, tense silence filled the cabin. Desperate for a distraction, I pulled out my phone. Ensuring Gideon was focused on the road, I quickly swiped away from the social media app. My finger accidentally swiped down the notification shade, revealing two unread alerts from our dating app. 12 minutes ago: Your partner has started sharing their location. 7 minutes ago: Your partner has stopped sharing their location. I froze entirely. He had been right there, but he had already turned it off several minutes ago. I was so dazed that I barely registered Gideon speaking to me. It wasn't until his voice cut through the fog that I blinked. "Vivian." I snapped out of it, my face pale as I turned to him. His brow furrowed. "You look like you've seen a ghost. What's wrong? Still missing that online guy?" I parted my lips but found nothing to say, swallowed by intense awkwardness. I couldn't tell if he knew the truth. If he did, he shouldn't be acting this calm. But if he didn't, why would he say he had been dumped? Perhaps noticing how shaken and miserable I looked, Gideon sighed, his tone softening slightly. "I asked you what you wanted to eat. Let's get some food, and then I'll drop you off at a hotel so you can rest. I'll drive you back home tomorrow." The gentle cadence of his voice sounded remarkably like my online boyfriend now. If we hadn't been so distant at home, I probably would have recognized his voice the moment we first spoke. I mumbled, "Whatever you think is best, Gideon. I don't mind." "Alright." He spared me a brief glance before focusing on the road. The silence stretched all the way to the restaurant. My mind was a chaotic mess, and I could barely taste the food. Gideon remained as quiet and aloof as ever. As we neared the end of the meal, he spoke up again. "I don't have any work left for today. Is there anywhere you'd like to visit?" He had told me online that he had cleared his entire schedule for the next few days just so we could spend uninterrupted time together during our meeting. Guilt and anxiety gnawed at my conscience. I shook my head slowly. Gideon's expression didn't change. "Then I'll take you to your hotel." "Okay." 5 When we arrived at the hotel room, Gideon lingered at the doorway. "Stay safe. Call me if you need anything." He paused, shifting his weight. "You've been messaging me on my work profile. It gets cluttered with business inquiries, so it's not very practical. Let's exchange personal accounts." He retrieved his phone and brought up a QR code. Looking at the familiar profile picture, my stomach did a slow flip. I was currently logged into my secret dating profile on my messaging app, and there was no way I could switch accounts right in front of him. I scrambled for a terrible excuse. "Give me a second, Gideon. I really need to use the restroom. I can't hold it." I rushed inside, shut the door, and frantically switched back to my primary messaging profile. Over the past two years, my mother's desire for control had become suffocating. She micromanaged everything from the clothes I wore to the posts I shared and the people I spoke with. Once I started college, she demanded daily updates on my schedule down to the smallest detail. She was obsessed with grooming me into a perfect, flawless, and utterly submissive socialite. The sheer pressure had driven me to create a secret account where I could let off steam and speak my mind. When I first added Gideon on his personal account, he had seen my erratic posts and probably thought I was losing my mind. Honestly, I probably was. Once the account was switched, I stepped back out and scanned his QR code. "There we go. Thanks, Gideon." He looked as if he wanted to say more, but seeing my eager dismissal, he simply nodded and turned to leave. I watched him walk down the hallway, closed the door, and slumped against it, completely drained of energy. Crawling onto the bed, I reopened the social media app. The draft of my giveaway post was still sitting there. After a moment of hesitation, I deleted it. Since my username change, the post about meeting my online boyfriend had gained even more traction, and the comments were getting wilder. Oh my god, a forbidden stepbrother romance in real life? This is too wild! I demand a daily log of this! I need to know every single detail! Naturally, some accused me of baiting for engagement. People will really invent anything for clout these days. Totally fake. How do you not recognize your own brother's body? A few users even sent nasty direct messages, accusing me of promoting something sick. Feeling incredibly hurt, I pinned a comment to clarify: We aren't biologically related. We're a blended family, and he's five years older than me. We barely know each other and only see each other once a year during the holidays. I created a secret account to vent because of extreme personal stress, and by some insane stroke of luck, I ended up adding his private profile without realizing it. It's not what you think. Please stop the hateful comments; I'm incredibly sensitive and this is really stressing me out. Shortly after pinning the comment, an anonymous user with a default avatar messaged me: Don't cry, sweetheart. It's not your fault at all. But I have to ask, do you actually have feelings for your online guy, or was he just a distraction for you? Assuming the user was a supportive girl, I replied: I genuinely fell for him. His voice, his look, his sweet personality, everything about him is absolutely perfect. I'm completely head over heels. But he's my stepbrother. Even if we don't share any blood, my family would absolutely destroy me if they found out, especially my mother. The moment I pressed send, a text from Gideon flashed across my screen: Open the door. 6 I frantically exited the app, setting my phone to Do Not Disturb to keep any incoming notifications hidden. When I opened the door, Gideon was standing in the hallway, holding the handle of my suitcase. A rare, gentle smile touched his lips. "You left your bag in my car," he said. I had never seen him smile like that before, and it felt almost surreal. He walked past me into the room, the wheels of the suitcase clicking softly against the floor. I stood there, utterly bewildered. "Gideon?" "Yeah?" His phone was unlocked in his hand, hanging loosely at his side. I couldn't see the text clearly, but I caught a glimpse of that familiar default avatar on his screen. An epiphany hit me like a physical blow. He knew. He had known the entire time. He had likely stumbled across my post, turned on his location sharing to confirm it, and tracked me down. Every single word he had said since then, every action, had been a deliberate test. And that anonymous user asking if I genuinely liked him? That was him. It made perfect sense why he was standing at my door the exact second I replied. Panic seized me. "Gideon, listen, I can explain..." Gideon sat down on the edge of the bed, watching me with a calm, intensely tender gaze that made my throat close up. "Take your time, Viv," he said softly. The moment he called me by my nickname, all pretense evaporated. The fragile string keeping my composure together snapped completely. My knees buckled, and I nearly fell to the floor. "I'm so sorry," I whispered, tears welling in my eyes. Gideon immediately stood up, looking alarmed. "I'm not angry with you, sweetheart. Please don't be afraid." He took a step toward me, but my instinct made me flinch back. His hand froze in midair, a look of profound regret crossing his face as he slowly lowered his arm. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to scare you." Those fierce eyes were suddenly filled with deep affection and sorrow. "When I first realized you were my online girl, I was completely stunned. I felt anxious, conflicted, and confused. But it took me only five minutes to make peace with it. I love you, Viv. No matter who you are, I love the real, unfiltered version of you that you shared with me." His absolute certainty left me speechless. "But... I'm your stepsister." He let out a soft chuckle. "I know. But it doesn't change how I feel. If anything, it makes me understand why you were always so emotional when we talked, and why you would cling to me and say the wildest things. It just makes me ache for you even more." His gaze was incredibly tender. "At home, you always walked on eggshells, hiding your true self. I never understood why you were so terrified of me. Every time I tried to reach out or show you kindness, you seemed to interpret it as... a threat?" He sighed deeply. "So, I stopped trying. I figured keeping my distance was the only way to make things easier for you." I looked away, biting my lip as memories from years ago flooded my mind.
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