My stepmother's son ran away from home. No one could find him. So, I catfished him. When we finally met in person, he thought I was there to blackmail his online girlfriend. I calmly pulled out my phone and dialed his number using my burner account. "Babe, you've been a bad boy..." The voice on the other end was the sultry, seductive tone he’d fallen in love with online. His world shattered. I continued, "So, babe... how should I punish you?" He clutched his head, looking like he was in physical pain. "Please! Stop talking!" I smirked. "Playing you was easier than training a dog." 1 My stepmother's son had been missing for two weeks. No one in the family could reach him. My stepmother, desperate, finally came to beg me for help. Considering she had only been passively aggressive toward me for the past decade and never actually hit me, I decided to throw her a bone. "I might have a way..." "I'll give you anything!" she interrupted. "New clothes? I'll buy them! Any food you want? I'll cook it! Oh, here—take my black card. No limit. Buy whatever you want!" My stepmother, Sharon, was truly frantic. She handed over her precious black card without hesitation. At dinner, my dad chimed in. "Honey, you know Tyler is Sharon's only son..." I'm your only daughter, Dad. He was so anxious, you'd think Tyler was his biological son, not just a stepson. If I hadn't seen the DNA test myself, I would have doubted it. Seeing my silence, Dad panicked. "You've always wanted a car, right? I'll buy it for you! Any car!" Wow. They were really going all out. Dad was willing to bleed cash for his stepson. Is this the power of "first love"? My dad and Sharon were high school sweethearts. My grandparents broke them up because Sharon was poor. Dad married my mom, had me, and lived a normal life. But when my mom died of illness, Dad found out Sharon was a widowed single mom. Less than a year after my mom's funeral, he married Sharon and moved her and Tyler into our house. He treated Tyler like gold for over ten years. Truly "devoted." I, on the other hand, was treated like the unwanted stepchild in my own home. But now that they knew I had a way to find their precious boy, I was suddenly royalty. After three days of being waited on hand and foot by Sharon, she couldn't hold back anymore. "So, how exactly are you going to find Tyler?" Evil methods for evil people. I looked mysterious. "Don't worry. I have connections on the dark web." "I guarantee he'll come back in one piece." Sharon looked at me with awe and fear. Tyler had just finished high school. He ran away because Sharon secretly changed his college applications. He wanted to study Computer Science far away from home. Sharon wanted him to study Business Management at a local university so he could eventually take over my dad's company. She changed his major and university behind his back. Anyone would lose their mind over that. Tyler, already rebellious, snapped and vanished. I didn't actually have "dark web connections." The connection was me. Since Tyler loved gaming, I decided to start there. I logged into a game I knew he played. Sure enough, he was online. Obviously, I couldn't use my main account. He hated my guts. He thought I was an obstacle to his inheritance. He wouldn't listen to a word I said. So, I created a smurf account. ID: [BadBitchEnergy]. I sent him a friend request. Tyler: [?] BadBitchEnergy: [Saw you in the lobby. Wanna play?] Tyler didn't think twice. He walked right into my trap. Once we were in a team, I turned on my mic. I lowered my voice, adding a sultry, lazy rasp. "Can you hear me?" Tyler: "Yeah." At first, he was cold. But after a few days of carrying him in games, his attitude shifted. He started calling me "Sis" (not in a sibling way, more like a 'mommy' way). His voice was magnetic and gentle, completely different from the barking I was used to at home. It took me a few days online to achieve what I couldn't do in ten years at home. Men. I switched to WeChat using my burner account and added him. One late night, I started the deep talks. [How old are you? Your skills are insane. Are you a pro?] Men love flattery. Tyler: [Just turned 18.] I feigned shock. [So young! And you play like that? Amazing~] Tyler: [You're too kind, Sis. I'm not even amateur level. If my mom hadn't messed with my college apps, maybe I could have gone pro...] I switched to "Intellectual Big Sister" mode. [Don't listen to them. It's your life. You're the boss.] Tyler: [You support me?] Me: [Of course. I feel like I know you. You have your own mind. You want to be understood, but you're lonely. You crave excitement, danger, maybe even a little pain. You want a love that consumes you.] I copied and pasted a bunch of pseudo-philosophical nonsense I found online. Tyler: [Am I really like that?] [I didn't think I was that complex...] Five minutes later. Tyler: [Okay, I admit it. I didn't expect anyone to truly understand me.] [And you appeared when I was at my weakest.] After that night, he changed his gaming ID to [GoodBoy]. I smirked at my screen. My research on "How to Manipulate Men" was paying off. 2 I catfished him for another two weeks. I figured he was ripe for the picking. I asked to meet up. Tyler: [Babe, what kind of boys do you like?] My patience was thinning. [I like you, silly.] Tyler: [I'm nervous. What if you don't like me in person?] Me: [Impossible.] Tyler: [Do you like the number 8?] Me: [8 inches?] Tyler: [NO! I mean 8-pack abs! And I'm 6'2". Does that make you feel safe?] Me: [Sure, sure.] Stop talking. Any more and you'll jump off a building tomorrow. Is this what they mean when they say arrogant men become insecure in front of their crushes? The next day. The meet-up. Me: [I'm wearing a purple top, grey skirt, and black stockings.] Tyler: [I'm in a white T-shirt and black pants. Do you see me?] I looked up. I saw him. Hard to miss a giant like him. I had rented out the entire café. It was just us. As soon as Tyler walked in, I signaled the waiter to lock the door. Tyler saw me and immediately turned to run. I stood up, heels clicking on the floor. "Running away?" Tyler frantically tried the door. Locked. Me: "It's useless. Give up." He spun around, eyes full of rage. "You? Did you kidnap my girlfriend? Are you blackmailing her?" Still a hopeless romantic. Me: "Look at me again." Purple top. Grey skirt. Black stockings. His eyes widened. The realization hit him like a truck. The body matched the description... but the face was his worst nightmare. "No... Impossible!" I calmly took out my phone and video called him on my burner account. "Babe, you've been a bad boy~" The voice. That sultry, mature voice he loved. His world collapsed. I continued, "So, babe... how should I punish you?" He grabbed his head, agonizing. "Stop! Please, just stop!" Me: "Playing you was easier than training a dog." Five minutes later, Tyler posted on his WeChat Moment: [Online dating is risky. But the risk was calculated, and man, am I bad at math.] The comments section exploded. Friend A: What happened bro? Catfished? Friend B: Did they not feed you dinner? Friend C: Was it a dude? Tyler: Worse. His phone wouldn't stop buzzing. I sat there, relaxed. "What do you want to drink? My treat." Tyler shuddered at my voice. "If you have phlegm, cough it up. Don't do that voice." I covered my mouth, acting hurt. "Brother, how can you speak to your Sis like that~" Tyler looked like he wanted to cry. If he hadn't surrendered so quickly, I would have played with him more. Tyler: "Claire, does anyone else know about this?" Me: "Excuse me? What did you call me?" Tyler gritted his teeth. "Sister." The "Sister" lacked the romantic tenderness from our chats. Shame. Me: "Don't worry. Your mom doesn't know." "But if you want, I can tell the whole world." Tyler: "Don't! Please! Keep it a secret!" "Sister!" Me: "What's in it for me?" Tyler: "I'll be your slave! I'll do anything!" I tapped my fingers on the table. Tyler: "And half my allowance!" He transferred $1,500 to me immediately. Success. I tried not to laugh. "Deal." "You better keep your word. Or I might accidentally slip up." I stood up. He immediately jumped up and followed me, looking like a subservient eunuch. "Let's go home." 3 I told my dad earlier that I'd bring Tyler back. Sharon was waiting at the gate. When she saw Tyler, she rushed over. "Tyler! Where have you been? I was so worried!" Dad relaxed visibly. "Good job, Claire." I didn't care about his praise. I held out my hand. "Car keys." Dad looked at Sharon, then at Tyler. Tyler didn't object. Dad handed over the keys. Sharon muttered, "That car was supposed to be your graduation gift, Tyler..." Too bad. I'm taking back everything that belongs to me. Tyler went to shower. He hadn't suffered much on the streets; Dad's allowance was generous. But Sharon insisted on cooking a feast for her "starving" son. I chimed in. "Make me sweet and sour ribs. And braised beef with potatoes." Sharon ignored me. Dad said, "Claire, your brother just got back. Don't be demanding." Demanding? Did they forget begging me three days ago? Tyler walked downstairs, fresh from his shower. I cleared my throat. "Do you know what I had to do to bring him back..." Tyler jumped the last three steps. "Mom! Cook it!" Sharon: "?" Dad: "?" Tyler: "Make the ribs and the beef!" Sharon: "But you're allergic to beef..." Tyler: "Sister wants it! Make it!" Sharon looked at her son in shock. He used to hate me. Now he was calling me "Sister" and demanding food for me? Dad looked pleased. A happy family at last. I walked away satisfied. I lay on the sofa. "Man, I want watermelon." Tyler appeared. "I'll cut it." Me: "Small cubes, please~" Tyler, through gritted teeth: "Got it." For twenty years, I was oppressed. Now? The stepmom is cooking for me, and the stepbrother is serving me fruit. As for Dad? "Hey, old man. Order me a bubble tea." Dad: "...Okay." This is the life. I ruled the house that summer. Sharon cooked, Tyler cleaned. Sharon tried to ask Tyler, "Did she blackmail you? Did she hire thugs? Tell Mommy, I'll handle her!" Tyler snapped, "If you hadn't changed my major, would I be in this mess? Stay out of it. This is between me and her." Sharon shut up. Tyler got used to serving me. He even peeled my grapes. Except when he called me "Sister," he sometimes choked on the word. One night, I caught him staring at his phone, looking sad. I peeked. He was reading our old chat logs. Is he... missing our "love"? "Tyler, what are you doing?" He jumped, hiding the phone behind his back. His eyes were red. "Why are you in my room?" Me: "This is my house. You are my servant." He blushed. His ears turned pink. Me: "Go pack my luggage." School was starting soon. I needed to exploit him while I could. Tyler packed my clothes perfectly. He was well-trained. "Hey," he said quietly. "Can you... delete that account?" Me: "Why? It's a good reminder not to online date. Next time it might be your aunt." Tyler didn't speak. Five minutes later, he posted: [Used to miss you like crazy. Now trying to forget like crazy.] Cringe. The comments were ruthless. Bro is in his emo phase. Who hurt you? Was it the dude from the cafe? Tyler kept the secret well. It was too embarrassing. 4 Because Sharon changed his major, Tyler and I were now attending the same university, in the same major. He was a freshman; I was a junior. I started school two weeks later than him. I drove to his dorm and called him. "Where are you?" Tyler: "Cafeteria." Me: "Pack me some fish noodles and come help me move my stuff." Tyler: "..." His roommates were loud in the background. "Girlfriend?" "No." "You're running so fast, though!" Ten minutes later, a sweaty Tyler appeared with noodles. "I owe you in a past life or something," he muttered, handing me the food. Me: "Glad you know." I ate in the car while he hauled my boxes up to the second floor. My roommates were shocked. "Claire, who is this hunk? Boyfriend?" Tyler turned red. "This is my brother, Tyler. Freshman." "Oh! The new campus hottie! I remember his picture from the orientation page!" Tyler finished making my bed. I pulled him aside and gave him a bottle of expensive sunscreen. "Take it. You're getting dark. Ugly." Tyler scowled. "I don't want it. Men shouldn't be pale." Me: "Suit yourself. Don't cry when you can't get a girlfriend." Tyler: "The girl I like won't be that superficial." Me: "Right. She likes your lonely soul." He stared at me weirdly. Back at his dorm, his roommates caught him applying the sunscreen. "Yo! Mr. Manly Man is using skincare?" "Must be seeing a girl. Skipped nap time to see her, huh?" Tyler stayed silent.
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