Sienna

I sat frozen beside Jaxon, staring at the family group chat like the words might change if I blinked enough times.

Mom’s cheerful message, Dad’s proud emojis, the triple exclamation marks—they all stared back at us like they belonged in another world. A simpler one.

One where Jaxon wasn’t my stepbrother. One where this secret between us wasn’t twisting everything into knots.

Jaxon dropped his phone onto the couch cushion, rubbing his face hard. “Well,” he said finally, voice tired, “I guess the news travels fast.”

I tried to laugh, but it came out shaky. “At least they don’t know everything.”

He gave me a small sideways look, eyes...