Bully stepbrother

13. Offer

CADEN

Right after Mad disappeared into her bedroom, I shifted my attention to the redheaded domestic ass. He exuded a pathetic vigor as I boldly questioned him about his connection with my stepsister. "What's your deal with Mad?"

A forgery smile was plastered on his face, along with a fake sense of innocence that was all too apparent as he responded, "I thought I made it clear; we're dating."

Clearly, he had no clue who I really am. Anyone who knew me wouldn't dare to approach me that way.

I rested my fingers under my chin and casually observed him. "I guess I wasn't clear enough. You need to end whatever you call this 'dating' and keep your distance from my sister," I commanded, temporarily setting aside my usual cocky attitude to deliver a stern ultimatum.

He deliberately pulled up the corner of his upper lip, hesitating for a moment before muttering, "You can't seriously expect me to follow your orders."

Sure, you might have heard unfavorable things about me, and I won't deny them. I'm not proud of all aspects of myself, but my behavior is not something I'll apologize for. But let me clarify, I'm not overly controlling. Mad might argue, but I always offer options before taking action. Unfortunately, she tends to choose conflict over my straightforward approach.

Let's see if her male friend is as obstinate as she is.

So, I presented him with a simple way out - an act of peace, really. "You will, because nobody turns down fifty thousand dollars."

"What?" He gasped.

Just as I suspected.

I raised an eyebrow at him, implying my meaning. "I assume you have functioning ears. I don't repeat myself."

"You're offering that much money just to break up with your sister? You have no idea what this will do to her," he lectured, as if that wasn't the primary reason for my generous offer.

Call me devilish, but Mad hasn't exactly made things easy for me. She constantly backs me into a corner, invading every inch of personal space I manage to find. She sneaks into my room every other second and scrutinizes my every move. She's the epitome of clingy, like an awkward little stepsister would be. Can you really blame me for fighting back? Despite all that, she's somehow become the favorite child.

Ever since she entered my life, my dad has been smitten with her and distant from me. Nowadays, all we share are heated arguments, threats, and what some might call outright animosity.

"This is an offer. Take it or leave it. I have numerous ways to end your relationship. We can do this the easy way or the hard way," I assured, shooting him a sardonic smile from across the coffee table.

This should be interesting. Truth be told, this isn't the first time I've made deals like this when it comes to Mad. It's either cooperation or conflict. And I've never lost, thanks to my popularity and charm.

"I'll take it," he blurted out, uneasily adjusting his buttoned collar with his right hand.

Remarkably straightforward. I knew he wouldn't put up much resistance; I just didn't expect it to be this easy. Mad would never understand, but despite our complicated relationship, I always shield her from situations like this Chloe.

And besides, he's not even good for her health; he tends to make her sick. Look, she's been sneezing for a while. As much as she hides it, she only gets this infected next to an actual animal. And I don't have problems with animals, just this one in my living room, so I think kicking him out of Mad's life is a blessing in many ways for her.