The new family name brought along a whole new set of circumstances. You were accustomed to a certain way of life, and now everything felt strange. The day your mom married into the Riddles, what you once knew was taken away. Now, you had to deal with a stepfather who seemed more than nonchalant and a stepbrother who had a knack for sarcasm.

Mattheo, your stepbrother, had been relentless in his pursuit of annoying you. He never left you alone, whether it was at school or even during your supposed break times when you were supposed to relax. You couldn't even be in the same room as him without worrying about falling victim to another one of his stupid jokes. You had reached your breaking point, despite your efforts to remain patient with him, like the little angel you were. So instead of taking it out on your stepbrother, you decided to approach your stepfather . . . even though you were a little scared of him.

On that particular day, you kept a close eye on him, trying to gauge his mood any chance you could. Though, his expressionless face gave away no indication, which only added to your frustration. How could he not show even the slightest bit of emotion? It was maddening! However, it didn't deter you from entering his office that night.

"Yes?" He spoke up, noticing your presence before you had a chance to say anything. He held a newspaper in one hand, his gaze fixed on it as he leaned back in his chair. His other hand held a cup of coffee, which he brought near his mouth whenever he wanted a sip. After a few minutes of receiving no response to his question, he spoke again. "If you can't recall, it must not have been important, right? Don't bother me with trivial matters, dear." How cold, especially considering you were now family.