“Miss Seri?” The steady knocking on her door gradually woke Seri up, and when she glanced at her bedside clock, she was even more confused. Why was someone trying to wake her up at two in the morning?

Forcing herself to get up, she groggily shrugged into her robe and made her way towards the door.

It was one of the maids working the graveyard shift. “I was told to inform you as soon as Master Vassi came back home, miss.”

Oh.

The mention of Vassi’s name sobered her up, and she thanked the maid before hurrying down the stairs. She had woken up this morning to find Vassi gone, and none of her calls or texts to him had gone answered.

It was almost like he was done with her after what happened, but she didn’t want to believe that of Vassi. He might not be in love with her, but she was sure that he loved her as a sister.

He wouldn’t hurt her like that…right?

Tears pricked her eyes at the thought, and she impatiently wiped them away. If there was one thing she hated about falling in love, then it was how it could turn one’s world upside down. Things she used to be completely certain of now made her insecure, and things she thought she would never have to worry about were keeping her up at night.

It took her a while to find where Vassi had gone, and she might not have been able to locate him readily if not for hearing a crash from the library, followed by a string of Russian curses.

“Vassi?” When she finally made it to the library, she stood shell shocked by the doorway, not expecting to find Vassi completely disheveled…and drunk.

Even this far, she could smell the liquor on him and her nose wrinkled. “Did you have to attend a Hollywood party tonight?” It was the only kind of event that could explain why Vassi came home in this state.

“No.” His voice was slightly slurred, but his body had gone completely still the moment she appeared, and his intense gaze followed her every movement as she came towards him.

“Let’s get you to bed---” She reached for him but Vassi pulled his arm back sharply, acting like just being near to her was contaminating. She blinked up at him. “What’s wrong?” She tried reaching for him again, and this time he took several steps back.

Oh.

He really was avoiding her touch then.

Why?

They stared at each other, his gaze bright but unreadable. It was like a world of emotions glittered in his gaze, but none of it was something he wanted to feel for her.

She asked tentatively, “V-Vassi?” Something wasn’t right. Something had changed. She didn’t know what it was, but all she knew was that it scared her.

“I can get to my room on my own.”

His brusque tone made her flinch, but Seri told herself it was just the liquor talking. “Let me help you---” She reached for him again.

And again, he yanked back, snapping, “Will you quit it?”

She paled. “What’s wrong? Why don’t you want me to touch you---”

He laughed, the sound jeering and cutting her to the quick. “Don’t you think it should be the other way around?” he sneered. “Don’t you think it’s wrong that you keep wanting to touch me, your brother?”

This time, he took a step towards her, saying, “Is it because one night wasn’t enough? You’ve become addicted to how I fuck?”

“Stop it,” she hissed.

“You want more of my dick?”

“Will you keep your voice down? Someone might hear---”

“Tell you what, dear little sister. That Maximilian Rockford can do the same fucking things, take your fucking pussy---”

She slapped him, hard enough for his face to turn sideways, the sound slashing the silence in the library.

Her hand hurt, but not as much as her heart was breaking.

“Why are you being like this?” she whispered. “I don’t know you this way---”

“And I’m thinking,” he snarled down at her, “I never thought you could be who you are now. Maybe I never knew you at all.”

She shook her head. “You’re not making any sense.” She searched his face for any kind of clue to explain why he was acting so strangely, so cruelly, but all she could see---

Oh.

He wasn’t lashing out because he was furious, she realized numbly.

He was acting like this because he was in pain.

Because of her.

She didn’t know how it was that she had been able to hurt him. All she knew was that she had, and she couldn’t bear it. “Vassi---”

He cut her off, asking, “Why did you do it?” His voice was toneless, his gaze bleak. “Why did you tell him about us?”

Seri almost stumbled back as she realized what he was talking about.

“Is this all really just a fucking game to you? Is it because your pride couldn’t take it when I turned you down? And that’s why you’re risking my place in the family?”

Her heart lurched at the pain in his words, and she stammered, “Vassi, it’s not like that---”

“How can it not be?” he asked hoarsely. “You know, given a choice, everyone will turn their backs on me the moment they realize I’m fucking their precious little girl. And who can blame them? I’m the worst reminder of how she made a fool of Papa, while you’re the living reminder of everything that was good---”

“Vassi, please.” Even as tears blurred her gaze, she reached for him, but he pushed her away, and it hurt.

But not as much as knowing that he was hurting, too, and it was all because of her selfish, mindless choices.

“Our family – this family – is everything to me,” Vassi said harshly. “Everything. And all my life, it’s the only thing I’ve asked God for – that our family stay complete, that no one breaks it apart the way my mother did, but goddammit, when I found out you told him about us---” He shook his head. “It’s like you’re setting me up so I lose everything, and what for? What for? All because I didn’t fuck you on your eighteenth---”

“Stop!” She threw herself at him, and even as he tried to push her away, she only tightened her arms around his neck. When he started to speak, she stood on her toes and covered his mouth with hers.

He would only say more hurtful things, and she couldn’t let him do that any longer. The words hurt – but not as much as it was hurting him to say it.

And it was all her fault, she thought painfully. She embraced him more tightly, wishing there was a way to draw his pain into her.

Hadn’t she always known how much family meant to Vassi?

And yet she had still forced him to play her games.

Even knowing how much he had to lose.

And now, she had even driven him to the corner, forcing him to play the villain when all along it was her who was wrong.

“I’m sorry,” she whispered brokenly.

She was sorry for being arrogant, sorry for thinking that Vassi was wrong and that she was right. She was sorry for thinking that she knew what the future held and that she was the only one who could make him happy.

She closed her eyes.

“I’m sorry.”

Because now she realized that all along she had believed she was the special girl who deserved to love Vassi and be loved by him because she had wanted, needed, to believe it.

But the truth was, no one really could predict love.

One could only take the risk and fall, and when they did---

Someone either caught them.

Or they kept falling.

When Vassi made a move to push her away, she knew she was going to take one last chance to convey her feelings to him.

Rising on her toes, she kissed him one last time.

I love you, she told him with that kiss.

She gave everything with that kiss, her heart, her mind, her body, her soul.

Everything.

She was his, and maybe this time it would be enough for Vassi to take the risk with her.

Maybe this time, she would no longer need to blackmail him into staying with her.

Maybe this time, he would choose her.

But it was too late.

Because at that moment, someone else had walked into the library, and it was the last person who should have seen them together.

“Vassi? Seri?”

Papa.

His tone was incredulous and strained, and when Vassi stiffened in the circle of her arms, Seri knew at that moment there was only one thing to do.

Pulling away, she turned towards Fyodor, lips curling in a mocking smile. “Oops. You found us out, Papa.”

Vassi caught her arm from behind. “Seri, let me---”

“Oh, no need,” she said airily. She touched his fingers, which were still curled around her arm. “Let go, Vassi.”

His arms tightened. “No. I don’t like the look in your eyes---”

“Will either of you explain what’s going on?” Fyodor grated out.

Seri sighed. “It’s very simple, Papa.” She smiled up at Vassi. “I’m not the girl either of you think I am.” She reached up to caress Vassi’s cheek, murmuring, “You see, I’ve been busy trying to seduce your youngest son, but he keeps refusing me. I’ve even let him accidentally watch me shower---”

Vassi whitened. “What the hell are you talking about?” But this time, she felt it, his fingers loosening its hold, and she knew then that she had succeeded.

Because that was how love was.

It made fools out of them, and only when it was too late did she realize that Vassi loved her, too.

He loved her, and she loved him.

So, so much that she would rather leave than see him forced out of their family.

She pouted up at him. “Don’t look at me like that. I made sure you enjoyed the show---”

“Stop it,” Vassi snarled.

“Aww…why so serious? I’m just telling the truth.” She turned her back on him and faced Fyodor. “You see, Papa, ever since I learned that you would never be able to adopt me, I realized then how easily the life I’ve gotten used to could be taken away from me. I got scared, and so I got smart.”

“I thought that if I can’t be your daughter…” Seri inclined her head towards Vassi, murmuring, “Then the next best thing is to be your daughter-in-law.” She released a sigh. “But Vassi was impossible to seduce.”

She walked towards Fyodor. “How about you, Papa?” Her skin started to crawl at what she was about to do, her stomach turning over, but she forced herself to finish what she had started.

Reaching up to trace his lips, she whispered coyly, “How about making me Wife #3?”

Fyodor shoved her away, hard enough to cause her to fall to the floor.

“Get out!” He was shouting, his face white with rage. “Get the hell out of here and never come back!”

The revulsion in Fyodor’s face tore her apart, but she forced herself to pout as she pushed herself up and got back to her feet. “It was just a suggestion, you know.” She shrugged. “But if it’s not to your liking, it’s okay. I’ve got Plan B covered.”

She blew the two men a kiss. “Mata ne.”

Chin up, back straight, she walked out of the library, her hips gently swaying with each step.

Vassi caught her just as she made it out of the front door, cupping her elbow as he spun her around to face him. “What the hell were you saying in there?” Vassi asked sickly.

She sighed. “It’s the truth.”

He shook his head. “I know you, Seri---”

“Do you?” she asked him levelly. “Do you really? Then if you do, you shouldn’t be surprised to know that I’m heading to Maximilian Rockford because he’s my Plan B.” She paused. “And I guess I should take this opportunity to thank you.” She patted his cheek, murmuring, “Thanks for the initiation into sex. I’m more confident now about pleasing Max---”

He recoiled from her, and her hand fell to her side.

He was gazing at her with distaste now, and it hurt.

It hurt, but it was the right thing to do.

“No goodbye kiss?” she asked mockingly.

Seri expected him to refuse, but instead he fisted her hair, drawing her close, and when his mouth lowered to hers, she stiffened, expecting it to be a punishingly hard kiss.

But it wasn’t.

It wasn’t even a kiss, no tongue even.

It was just his lips brushing against hers---

And his beautiful dark voice wrapping around her heart as Vassi whispered dully, “I actually thought I loved you.”

She froze, stricken, and before she could think of what to say, Vassi had already released her, turning around to walk away, and not once did he look back.

Tears streamed down her cheeks as she stared at his retreating form.

He was so, so unfair.

She could have continued to be strong, damn him, if he hadn’t---

If he hadn’t said he loved her.

Seri turned around clumsily and walked towards the gates, uncaring that she was still in her robe. Security was nice enough to call a cab for her, their curious, puzzled gazes averted as they waited with Seri for her ride.

When her cab arrived, she told the driver to take her to Akari Studio.

She stared sightlessly at the window.

Fyodor appeared in her mind, a sick look of revulsion on his face.

Get out! Get the hell out!

Vassi kissing her, so gently, like she hadn’t just broken his heart with all the things she had said.

I actually thought I loved you.

She slowly covered her face with trembling hands and wept.

What used to be beautiful could be made sordid---

What used to be the truth could be turned into lies---

Because love could make the world upside down.