Chapter 1

My boyfriend took me to his family's estate. His adopted sister had just climbed out of the pool, and her bikini strap was broken.

The summer fabric was already impossibly thin. She let out a soft gasp, covering her chest with both hands, and ran straight toward my boyfriend. "Ethan! My strap broke! Quick, tie it for me!"

The butler and the maids quickly looked down.

Ethan acted as if this was completely normal. He grabbed her hand, turned her around, and expertly tied it into a neat knot.

His fingers casually slid down her bare, smooth back. He teased, "What kind of cheap trash is this? Next time, I’ll buy you a better one."

My vision went black with rage. I snapped, "Ethan! Are my words just a joke to you?"

His sister looked back at me, playing innocent.

"Hazel, don't overthink it. Ethan basically raised me. This is nothing."

"If there were really anything going on between us, I would have been the mistress of this house a long time ago, wouldn't I?"

……

With that, she turned back to him, her voice dripping with a whiny, spoiled pout.

"Ethan, how many times do I have to tell you? When you tie the strap, you have to push it up from the back to the front to show off my curves!"

"You’re such a blockhead. You ruined the shape."

Lily reached directly into her bikini top, adjusting herself right in front of Ethan, completely ignoring my presence.

Ethan didn't even look away. He stared down, his eyes lingering on her bare chest for a couple of seconds.

Then, he sighed helplessly and actually reached out to help her.

"Lily, do you not have hands?"

I couldn't take it anymore. I marched over and stepped right between them.

"Ethan, are you treating me like I'm dead? Is this something you should be helping her with?"

"Even if you grew up together, there are still boundaries between men and women. Do either of you have any decency?"

The more I thought about it, the angrier I got. I always knew Ethan had an adopted sister.

But I had no idea they were this intimate. It completely crossed the line of a normal sibling relationship.

There were so many people in this estate, and they were doing this right in front of me.

I didn't even want to imagine what they did when they were alone!

My words cut through the air, and the estate went dead silent.

Ethan suddenly burst out laughing. He wrapped his arm around my waist, pulling me close. "Are you jealous, babe?"

He nuzzled his nose against my neck. "You're right, I'll pay attention next time. Don't be mad, okay?"

"Besides, I just see Lily as a kid. To me, she’s no different from my own daughter."

His words only added fuel to the fire. He still didn't see anything wrong with his behavior.

Daughter? What kind of father ties his twenty-year-old daughter's bikini strap and casually caresses her back?

I annoyed-ly pushed his hands away.

Before Ethan could say anything, Lily let out an impatient scoff.

"Oh, come on, Hazel. Ethan humoring you once is cute, but pushing it is just being ungrateful."

Ethan’s mother, my soon-to-be mother-in-law, walked over with a fruit platter, a polite smile plastered on her face.

"Hazel, it's your first time visiting the family estate. Let's not make a scene over such a small thing. Ethan and Lily just have a close bond. You'll get used to it."

She handed me a slice of watermelon. "Lily lost her parents when she was young. We love her like our own, and Ethan treasures her like the apple of his eye. You need to be more understanding."

I was shaking with anger. Everyone around me was looking at me as if I was making a big deal out of nothing.

Even Ethan didn't think his behavior or his family's words were a problem.

I took a deep breath, about to speak, when Lily suddenly whined loudly.

She stomped her foot at Ethan. "Ethan, I'm starving! Didn't you say the private chef was making truffle lobster pasta today? I can't wait!"

Ethan's brow furrowed instantly. He looked at me, his tone turning cold.

"Have you thrown enough of a tantrum? Can we go in and eat now? Lily has a weak stomach. If she starves, she’ll get a stomachache."

In that split second, my heart went completely cold.

*I* was the one throwing a tantrum?

Everything out of his mouth was Lily, Lily, Lily. Just because Lily wanted to eat, I had to swallow my humiliation.

With a "sister" like this, why did he even need a girlfriend?

I closed my eyes, forcing back the tears.

"I’ve thrown enough of a tantrum, and I've had enough of you, Ethan. Let’s break up."

As I turned to leave, I stopped and looked back at Lily.

"By the way, since you two share such a deep bond, sleeping in the same bed would probably bring you even closer."

"I wish you two a lifetime of happiness. Maybe you can even start a family together. You deserve each other."