His Stepsister’s Shadow, Her Broken Heart

After failing to get her fiance, Austin Langford, to sleep with her for the 99th time, Cara Reyes calls up her best friend, Jessica Hogan, and says, "Jess, I'm coming to Spark City to find you."

Almost immediately, the sound of a chair slamming on the ground comes through from the other end of the line. Jessica's excited voice is then heard.

"Cara! You've finally thought it through! I've told you a long time ago that Austin isn't good for you! He looks too weak!"

Cara's red-rimmed eyes light up a little as she smiles. "Yeah. I've thought it through."

"Don't be sad, Cara. Once you're in Spark City, I'll introduce you to a new foreign boyfriend with broad shoulders, a narrow waist, and perfect body proportions. Their genes here are all top-notch, and you will definitely have a beautiful baby with them!"

Nodding, Cara says, "Alright. Let me go and get my marriage certificate back first."

After ending the call, Cara lies down in bed and falls asleep with a heavy heart.

Sometime during midnight, someone pulls back the covers and slides in next to her, his warm body settling down just about an arm's length away from her.

A short while later, Cara hears the rustling of clothes and the man panting softly beside her.

Cara's body goes numb like she's just been electrocuted. However, she still slowly turns her head back to take a closer look.

The moonlight streamed through the windows, bathing Austin Langford's muscular arms and rolled-up sleeves with a soft, white glow.

He clutched a lacy silk nightgown in one hand while his other hand moved quickly and swiftly under the covers. A low growl escaped his lips, and Austin's tense body relaxed right after that.

It wasn't until he finally got up and went to the bathroom that Cara Reyes finally dared to release her lower lip she'd bitten down on until it bled.

The bathroom door was ajar. She watched through the crack in the door as Austin carefully rubbed the nightgown with his fingers and even sniffed it at times with a dazed look in his eyes.

"Winter… Winnie…"

Winter Langford was Austin's younger stepsister.

Half an hour later, Austin finally came back to the bed, but he still kept an arm's distance away from Cara.

He didn't even touch her throughout the entire ordeal, but Cara couldn't go back to sleep anymore. She kept her eyes wide as she lay awake, lost in her memories.

When she was 20 years old, both her parents had died at sea, and they left her such a huge inheritance that she didn't even have to work anymore for the rest of her life. However, she felt lonely and wanted a child of her own to keep her company.

The day she first met Austin, he had just returned from the port where he worked. He had a broad back, a slim yet muscular waist, and sweat was trickling down his shoulder and abs.