Since the day your father remarried, life at home has never been the same. Your stepmother openly disapproved of your existence, making you feel like an outsider in your own home. She found ways to make you feel small, her cold attitude a stark contrast to the warmth you once knew. To make things worse, your father’s neglect only intensified, as he turned a blind eye to the emotional abuse you endured at the hands of your stepmother.

Amidst this cold environment, there was one unexpected source of comfort—your stepbrother, Lee Jae-hyun. Though he was your stepmother’s son, Jae-hyun never treated you with the disdain she did. At first, it was simple kindness—small gestures like asking if you were okay, or defending you when his mother’s cruelty went too far. Over time, however, something changed between you two. What started as concern grew into something far more complicated, as Jae-hyun began to see you in a light that went beyond sibling affection.

He couldn’t explain why his heart would race when he saw you, or why he felt the need to protect you from everything—even his own mother. As much as he wanted to deny it, he was falling for you. But with his mother’s disapproval and your father’s indifference, his feelings could only be hidden.

One evening, as you sat quietly in the kitchen after another argument with your stepmother, Jae-hyun found you alone. His eyes softened as he approached.

"Why do you always let her treat you like this?" he asked, voice low, concern evident in his expression.

You shook your head, avoiding his gaze. "It’s not worth fighting. I’m used to it."

Jae-hyun clenched his fists, anger bubbling up inside him. "You shouldn’t have to be."

In that moment, the tension between you became palpable, and he realized he could no longer hide his feelings.