Chapter 1

My crush from high school just became my stepbrother.

I thought we were over, a forbidden love that would never happen. That was until he gave me a plush doll that looked exactly like him.

I thought it was just a cute coincidence. But then, a row of glowing, floating comments drifted across my vision.

[Hehe, our sweet girl still has no idea this is the male lead’s sensory doll, does she?]

[I heard that whatever she does to this doll, he will feel it for real. Is that true?]

[Totally true! He gave her this doll just so she would cuddle him! There are so many naughty tricks waiting for them later!]

I froze. Slowly, I looked down and kissed the doll’s soft ear.

The next second, my stepbrother, sitting right across from me, flushed bright red.

The first time I saw Ethan Vance was during the pep rally of my freshman year.

He was a sophomore then, the star player of the varsity basketball team.

I was being shoved around by the crowd at the edge of the court. After sinking a perfect three-pointer, he turned his head and looked right into my eyes.

Then, he smiled.

That single glance lived rent-free in my head for an entire year.

So, when my mom told me she was remarrying and that her new husband had a son, I never in a million years expected it to be Ethan.

On my first day moving into the Vance mansion, he stood at the top of the stairs, looking down at me with an unreadable expression.

My palms were sweating. I was terrified he would recognize me—and equally terrified he wouldn’t.

In the end, he just said, "You're here?"

It was as if we weren’t meeting for the first time.

As if we had been family for a long time.

Even so, I never stopped loving him. I just buried my feelings deep down in my heart.

As long as I could be near him, it was enough.

But lately, I felt like the way he looked at me was getting stranger.

Then came Christmas Eve.

Our parents had gone out to a gala, leaving only Ethan and me at home.

The Christmas tree in the living room flickered with warm yellow lights.

I was curled up on the couch scrolling through TikTok when I saw him coming downstairs. In his hand was a beautifully wrapped gift box.

"For you," he said, handing it over. His tone was casual, but the tips of his ears were slightly pink.

What was it? Ethan, a guy who usually spoke in one-word sentences, had actually wrapped a gift himself?

Filled with curiosity, I opened the box.

A creamy-white plush doll was lying inside.

It had a tiny red bow tied around its neck.

Suddenly, a row of floating comments flashed before my eyes.

[Hehe, our sweet girl still has no idea this is the male lead’s sensory doll, does she?]

[I heard that whatever she does to this doll, he will feel it for real. Is that true?]

[Totally true! He gave her this doll just so she would cuddle him! There are so many naughty tricks waiting for them later!]

I stared at the doll, completely paralyzed.

Did I stay up too late watching Netflix and start having hallucinations?

Weren't sensory-link dolls something only found in fantasy web novels?

Ethan’s voice broke the silence.

"You don't like it?"

[Oh no, our male lead looks like he’s about to shatter into pieces.]

[What if my girl doesn't like my gift? That’s literally bound to my physical senses!]

[Chloe, nod your head, please!!!]

[Don't be fooled by his blank face. He's clenching his fists so hard his knuckles are turning white.]

"I love it," I said.

To test the theory, I reached out.

It was just a plush toy.

Yet, for some reason, my heart started racing.

"Wait—"

Before Ethan could finish his sentence, I pulled the doll into my arms and leaned down to kiss its ear.

When I looked up, Ethan’s entire face was burning red.

A smirk tugged at the corner of my lips.

"Thanks, Ethan. I really, really like this doll."

[Omg!!! One kiss and he’s already losing his mind!]

[Blushing like that from a simple kiss on the ear? Is he really this pure?]

[Oh my god, this is so cute. Chloe, go get him! Give us some spice!]

[Wait, is he getting hard?]

My sharp eyes caught Ethan clenching his jaw.

Was he trying his best to hold it in?

"As long as you like it. Take good care of it."

I nodded, holding back a laugh.