Chapter 86

Nadine

She pauses for a moment, clearly hesitant to continue. “I’m thinking of not talking any further,” she says.

I give her a cold glare, which makes me bite my inner cheek. I love a good story.

Zoey finally looks up, “we can’t be together because he’s my stepbrother.”

I’m taken aback. “Oh my goodness, I’m so sorry. That must be incredibly painful.”

Zoey nods. “Yeah, it’s been tough. I didn’t expect things to turn out like this. It’s like every time we get close, reality pulls us apart.”

“I can’t imagine how hard that must be, but it’s clear you both care about each other. Sometimes, life just throws these curveballs.”

“Yes, it is,” Zoey agrees. “I can feel that pull whenever we’re together. There’s something that always draws me to him, but then I remember he’s my stepbrother, and everything just falls apart.”

“Tell me about it,” I say, genuinely interested.

“I’ve consulted books and searched online to see if