Chapter 62 It Should End Now

Chapter 62 It Should End Now

Rebecca's POV

I admit I kind of lost it earlier. I couldn't control my emotions, and the tears just kept coming.

Steven pulled me out of the car and shut the door, trapping me between the door and him. His hand pressed against my waist, his palm warm against me.

His fingers brushed past the corner of my eye. "Rebecca, I won't leave you behind."

"Don't feel bad about what just happened. It was just a misunderstanding. I don't mind. I'll always be by your side."

"Little crybaby, stop crying, okay?"

I looked up at him, my eyes still wet. I held out the arm I'd bumped while struggling earlier—a large red mark on it.

My voice was tight. "But my arm still hurts. I really can't stop."

He held my arm gently. "Then let me rub it for you. If it doesn't hurt as much, you can try to stop crying, okay?"

Watching Steven bend down to rub my arm, my heart hammered in my chest.

I knew I was starting to fall for him, but I also knew this shouldn't happen.

He had someone he loved. I shouldn't be heading down this path.

I tapped his shoulder, my voice nasal. "Okay, it doesn't hurt anymore. Let's go home."

Steven pulled his hand back and deliberately slowed his pace, staying beside me the whole way.

When we walked through the front door, the room was pitch black. I felt for the switch and flipped it. The moment the light came on, I saw Everett sitting on the sofa, watching me.

My heart seized. I hadn't expected to see Everett at this hour—he rarely came home this early.

My feet seemed rooted to the spot. Everett stood and took the bag from my hand.

Steven, standing behind me, saw him too, his tone cold. "You're home pretty early today."

Everett pointed at the clock on the wall. "Not that early. It's almost ten."

I didn't bother with slippers and walked barefoot toward the room. Everett followed.

He tossed my bag onto the sofa and pulled me into his arms. He brushed the hair from my forehead but didn't notice my still-swollen eyes.

"You must be exhausted, right? Want me to carry you upstairs?"

I'd just been crying, and I was still wound tight inside. I didn't really want Everett touching me.

I pushed him away and nodded. "Yeah, a bit tired. You don't need to worry. I can go upstairs myself."

The bedroom was already filled with their things. I grabbed a towel from the rack and headed straight to the bathroom.

Warm water ran down my body, washing away some of the exhaustion.

I didn't dare close my eyes. Every time I did, my mind filled with images of Steven, and my body remembered how that moment felt.

I let the water wash away the chaos, telling myself I needed to calm down. I shouldn't have such big emotional swings in front of Steven.

I knew Everett was really trying now. He loved me.

I was Everett's girlfriend, and Steven was Everett's brother. How could I use Steven as an outlet for my emotions?

Things between Steven and me shouldn't be like this. I needed to pull everything back to how it was at the start.

I'd been too greedy at first, wanting that sense of protection Steven gave me, but I couldn't keep making this mistake.

Everett had realized his problems and was working hard to fix our relationship. I couldn't pretend not to see it. I needed to respond somehow too.

Steven had a girl he'd liked since childhood. I should draw clear boundaries with him and stop taking that kind of tenderness from him.

I knew I'd developed feelings, but this was wrong. I needed to sort out my emotions and stop depending on Steven so much.

The following days were packed—classes and practice, nothing else. I deliberately spent less time at home.

Everett often kept me company. Even in the teaching building and practice rooms he usually hated, he was willing to sit there with me for hours.

During this time, his focus revolved almost entirely around me. Everything he did was related to me.

Now everything seemed to have returned to where it should be. I could almost be certain that Everett was back to that state of "having eyes only for me."

Everett had made big changes, and I tried my best to avoid being alone with Steven.

But we still lived under the same roof. It was impossible not to run into each other.

When we occasionally met at the dinner table, we both acted like nothing had happened. Neither of us would bring up what happened that day.

Actually, this wasn't bad. I liked this surface calm. As long as no one mentioned it, I wouldn't feel so awkward. I could pretend nothing had crossed the line.

But at home, my eyes would still search for him without thinking.

I'd always catch him making breakfast in the kitchen, pulling weeds in the garden, fixing the birdhouse in the yard.

I kept running into him in different corners, then deliberately pretending not to see him.

The intense practice during this period left my arms and fingers almost too stiff to move. I knew I needed to stop and rest.

Luckily, today was probably going to be my time alone.

Everett went camping and probably wouldn't be home tonight. When I came in, I called Steven's name. He didn't answer, so he didn't seem to be home either.

Since no one was home, I'd have to figure out dinner myself. No big deal—just cook some instant food. Besides, my stomach was already reminding me I needed to eat.

I'd just taken eggs from the fridge when a familiar voice came from behind me. "Rebecca, what are you doing?"

The sudden voice made me jump. The familiar scent reached me, slowly relaxing me.

I turned around to see Steven standing in the doorway with just a towel wrapped around him, his upper body bare, water droplets still on his skin, the towel hanging low at his waist.

I nodded, suddenly understanding why he hadn't answered when I called earlier—he'd been in the shower.

He took the eggs from my hand. "Hungry? I'll make you noodles."

Soon, a steaming bowl of instant noodles sat in front of me, instantly making my mouth water.

I was eating with focus when he suddenly asked, "Why, Rebecca?"

My movements paused. The noodles that had smelled so good suddenly tasted like nothing.

I knew what he was asking but didn't know how to answer.

He stared at me like he had to get an answer. "Rebecca, why are you deliberately avoiding me?"