In the bathtub, Ashley and Max were wrapped around each other, bodies pressed close as warm water rippled and spilled over the edge onto the floor.

Lost in the heat of the moment, Ashley’s skin flushed. Every place Max had touched were burning with want.

Gripping her waist, he thrust deep, his breath hot against her ear as he murmured, "Ash, you want me too, don’t you?"

Her only response was a breathless whimper, her body trembling beneath him. With a low groan, Max buried himself inside her and together, they came undone.

Steam curled in the air as Max took a quick rinse. Stepping onto the terrace, he lit a cigarette, his gaze fixed on the city skyline.

By then, His phone buzzed against the table.

Ashley reached for her own phone and noticed a missed NosChat call from Lili. Her brows knitted slightly.

When the call finally cut off, she hesitated before tapping into Lili’s social feed. Just like that, it was as if she had opened Pandora’s box. A storm churned inside her.

Her timeline was flooded with Lili’s love-filled posts—And there, staring back at her as a profile banner, was a photo of Max and Lili, locked in an intimate kiss.

A message popped up on the screen. [Bad boy, didn’t you say you’d always pick up my calls right away?]

Ashley barely had time to read more before Max returned, the scent of smoke lingering on him.

She caught his gaze, then tossed the phone back to him, forcing her voice to stay steady. "So, it’s true? You have a new girlfriend?"

Max paused for a beat before narrowing his eyes, lips curving into a lazy smirk. His tone was casual, almost indifferent.

"Yeah."

"Is this just another distraction, or—"

Before she could finish, Max cut her off. "No. This time, it’s real." He shrugged, his voice still rough from their earlier intimacy.

A cold weight settled in her chest, spreading through her limbs. "So that’s it, then."

Max exhaled slowly. "I was hoping we could at least have one last good night together. But since you saw Lili’s message…"

His tone was almost teasing. "Might as well be honest. No point dragging it out."

Ashley’s eyes swept over the lavish suite, roses covering every surface. For a fleeting moment, she had believed—wanted to believe—that on this Valentine’s night, Max had finally chosen her.

To be honest, this moment had been inevitable. Her voice was quiet when she finally spoke.

"After all these years… what am I to you?"

"Was I just a convenient body warmer to you?"

Ashley kept her head down, nails digging into her palm. It took her a moment to force out the words, barely above a whisper.

Max didn’t even look up. He was too busy texting, a lazy smirk tugging at his lips. And maybe that was an answer enough.

After all, how easily he had sentenced their ten years together to death with just a few careless words.

"Did you think I was just looking for a fake girlfriend to fool my grandfather?"

"At first, yeah. But after spending time with Lili, I finally understand what love really is."

"Whatever this was between us... I’m done with it."

"The thought of continuing our secret relationship like this? It’s suffocating. We’re better off as siblings."

A NosChat notification chimed. Max slipped on his shirt, still typing with one hand. His gaze flicked toward Ashley, her face eerily still. His brows knit together for a split second—then smoothed over just as quickly.

"Lili’s waiting. I was going to spend Valentine’s with you, but clearly, you’re not in the mood anymore. I’ll get going."

Ashley barely registered the sound of the door clicking shut.

Her vision blurred, a thin veil of tears forming. She stared at the empty space where he had just stood, the weight in her chest growing heavier.

The Paroxetine pill under her tongue didn’t taste so bitter anymore.

At least this was better. At least she hadn’t cried in front of him. That would have been the final humiliation.

Ashley told herself to let it go—to treat this like any normal breakup, to walk away with dignity. But the more she tried to convince herself, the harder the tears came.

Ashley stumbled into the bathroom, splashing cold water on her face. She forced a smile at her reflection, but all she managed was a bitter, twisted mockery of one.

Siblings. Could they really go back to being siblings?

The thought alone drained the strength from her. She slid to the floor, knees drawn to her chest, as memories came flooding back.

She was sixteen when it all started.

Max had been the one to close the distance, always finding her at school, always pulling her into his orbit until she finally gave in.

They were young. Reckless. In love. And then, just like that, it was over.

Ashley never imagined that her mother’s new husband would turn out to be Juan Laguna, Max’s father.

Overnight, they went from lovers to something they weren’t allowed to be. And in the aftermath, nothing between them felt the same.

Then came the accident. A skiing trip gone wrong. A ruptured kidney. A coma. Suddenly, the boy she had been forcing herself to forget was slipping away entirely.

The doctors told her to prepare for the worst—to accept that Max might never wake up. That was the moment she stopped pretending.

She loved him. She had always loved him. But all she could do was sit by his bedside, day after day, holding his hand—nothing more than the devoted little sister she was supposed to be.

Back then, she visited the hospital every day, telling Max about school, about the world outside—anything to fill the silence, anything to make it feel like he was still with her.

Then one night, when the adults had all left, she finally broke down.

Staring at his motionless body, her chest tightened with helplessness. No matter how much she talked, he never stirred. The weight of it all crashed down on her and she couldn’t hold back her tears any longer.

That was when she felt it.

A faint twitch of his fingers. Then, slowly, weakly, he curled them around hers.

Max was waking up.

“…So loud, Ash.” His voice was hoarse, barely above a whisper. “I thought I was gonna die.”

Her breath caught. She jerked back, trying to pull her hand free to call for help, but Max tightened his grip, holding on with what little strength he had.

“Ash… just for a little while, stay with me.”

His eyes—still heavy with exhaustion—held something raw, something vulnerable.

She should have said no. But she didn’t want to let go either.

So she stayed.

That night changed everything. Facing death made them realize just how much they meant to each other. Their love burned even brighter, even hotter.

But they were young. Too young to know how to tell their parents. Afraid of being torn apart, they kept their relationship a secret.

By nineteen, they were siblings in name—lovers in the dark.

By twenty, Max promised that once he had the power to stand on his own, he would make their love known.

But by twenty-seven, when he had finally made it, when nothing stood in his way anymore—he gave her nothing but indifference.

All these years, she had followed in his footsteps, hoping that when the day finally came—when they could be together openly—the world would look at them and say, they were meant to be.

But now, none of it mattered. She couldn’t pretend to be his sister. And she never wanted to see him again.

Without hesitation, Ashley opened her laptop, pulled up her email and filled out the application for a transfer to the overseas branch.

Putting an ocean between them was the only choice she had left.

A few days later, Ashley stepped into Mr. Woodman’s office for a casual chat.

“I have to admit, I’m curious—what made you decide to take the overseas position?”

“You’re already a private banking president and at your age, that’s almost unheard of. Young people these days… your ambition is something else. Seems like even this level of success isn’t enough for you.”

“Your boyfriend’s okay with long distance? No plans to settle down?”

“I’m at a turning point in my career. That’s not something I want to think about right now.”

Ashley dodged the question with an easy excuse, taking a slow sip of coffee to mask the turbulence inside her.

Mr. Woodman, having spent years in the industry, had always admired women who fought their way to the top. She had seen too many give up their careers to focus on family and every time, it felt like a waste.

Ashley saw the pride and admiration in her former boss’s eyes and for a brief moment, guilt flickered through her. She lowered her gaze, pushing down the emotions threatening to surface.

“When will your transfer be finalized?”

“In about twenty days.” She forced a small smile, but behind her back, her fingers trembled.

Twenty more days. Then she’d be in Puerto Vendaval, far away from Max.

He wanted to play the big brother—so why would he care where she went?

As she waited for the elevator, her eyes unintentionally caught a glimpse of Max. Her breath hitched. Without hesitation, she stepped inside, pressing the button, willing the doors to close faster.

Just as they were about to shut, a strong, veined hand slid between them.

Max stepped in, his expression cold, his voice even colder. “You see me and don’t even say hello?” She kept her face unreadable. “Is this how your bank treats high-net-worth clients?”

It was just the two of them. She glanced at the security camera in the corner, then spoke evenly.

“Mr. Laguna.”

Max stilled for half a second before a slow, mocking smile tugged at his lips. “Ash, shouldn’t you be calling me 'big brother'?”

Hearing Max emphasizing their sibling-relationship, a tightness clenched in Ashley’s chest, the dull ache spreading through her like a slow-burning ember.

Her body trembled slightly, but she still gave him what he wanted.

“…Big brother.”

The moment the word left her lips, Max’s expression shifted—his brows drew together, the coldness in his eyes intensifying.

She didn’t understand what had set him off this time, but she had always been good at reading him. And right now, in her own workplace, she had no intention of letting things escalate. So, she took a steady breath and softened her tone.

“Are you here to discuss a corporate loan?”

Before he could answer, the elevator doors slid open on the fifth floor. Without warning, Max grabbed her wrist and pulled her out.

“What are you doing?” she asked, startled.

“Liliana has an interview here today,” he said, voice calm and casual. “She’s young, it’s her first time—she’s a little nervous.”

“I was in the area, so I came to pick her up.”

Then, with effortless ease, he added, “Since you’re here too, why not say hello to your future sister-in-law?”

At the mention of Liliana, the tension in his face eased, his brow no longer furrowed.

Ashley’s lashes flickered.

In the area?

Max’s company was based in the high-tech district and right now, they were in the middle of a critical development phase for their enterprise AI model. Yet instead of staying on-site to oversee operations, he had crossed two districts just to pick someone up—dismissing it casually as on the way.

For a brief moment, Ashley felt lost.

What was I to him?

She had worked tirelessly for years, rising through the ranks. Even last year, when she was promoted to Private Banking Director—a rare achievement for someone in their twenties—Max had been too busy with work to celebrate with her in private.

A wry smile tugged at her lips.

Looking back, maybe he had stopped loving her long before now.

And yet, she had still been foolish enough to hold on, to believe there was still a future for them.

What an idiot.

Her thoughts scattered as the door to the interview room swung open.

A young woman stepped out, her head hanging low. But the second she spotted Max, her entire demeanor shifted—her posture straightened, her eyes lit up and a radiant smile spread across her face.

Ashley recognized her instantly.

Liliana Palacio.

She had seen this girl’s face just the other night—on Max’s social media. In person, she was exactly as she appeared in the photos: fresh-faced, charming and effortlessly sweet.

With a few quick steps, Liliana crossed the room and slipped into Max’s embrace, her voice tinged with frustration as she complained about her interview.

“I totally bombed it. There’s no way I got the job.”

Max's lips curved into a soft smile as he leaned down, wrapping an arm around Liliana. His voice was low and reassuring as he murmured in her ear, "Oh yeah? Funny, I had a completely different feeling."

The tenderness in his tone sent a sharp pang through Ashley’s chest. So this was how gentle he could be—with someone else.

Ashley thought back to their school days. Back then, Max had never spared other girls a second glance. Even after they started working, when he pretended to date other women just to keep his family off his back, he had always kept his distance.

But now… now that it was truly over, everything was different.

For the first time, Ashley saw it clearly—there was no going back.

She turned to leave, but a sudden wave of dizziness hit her and before she could steady herself, her body instinctively leaned toward Max.

He stepped away.

She fell hard onto the floor.

Stunned, she looked up—just in time to catch the fleeting flicker of displeasure on Liliana’s face and the unmistakable irritation in Max’s eyes.

And in that instant, she understood.

He thought she did it on purpose.

“Oops, my bad, little sister. Didn’t see that coming." Max crouched down as if to help her up—only for a smirk to tug at his lips.

“What’s this? A few days apart and you've already picked up new tricks to throw yourself at me?”

Max’s grip tightened around Ashley’s arm as he yanked her to her feet, his gaze sharp with warning. Meanwhile, the moment Liliana heard Ashley was his sister, the wariness in her eyes faded.

With the interview over, Max wasted no time leaving with Liliana.

Minutes later, Ashley’s phone buzzed with two notifications.

One was a friend request from Liliana.

The other—a message from Max.

[Get a grip. Stop crossing the line.]

[If you pull another stunt like that in front of Liana, it won’t just be a simple fall next time.]

Ashley’s fingers trembled as she stared at the screen.

So this was how little he thought of her. She wanted to tell him he was wrong, that she wasn’t putting on an act, that she had already given up on him.

But Ashley hesitated.

Would he even believe her? Or would he see it as yet another attempt to hold onto something that was already gone?

Her grip on the phone tightened before she finally turned off the screen.

There was nothing left to say. Her actions would speak for themselves. She would be gone soon—out of his sight, out of his life.

Slipping a hand into her pocket, Ashley pulled out a familiar bottle of paroxetine, rolling it absently between her fingers.

She let out a quiet, bitter laugh. "Guess quitting was never an option."

Unspoken emotions, the weight of passing years and Max’s constant ambiguity had slowly chipped away at Ashley’s confidence in their relationship. Yet, despite everything, she couldn’t bring herself to let go.

The emotions she buried kept piling up, suffocating her, until the anxiety she once dismissed turned into something far worse.

At first, it was just heart palpitations and dizziness. Then, it escalated—shortness of breath, an invisible weight pressing down on her chest, making it harder and harder to breathe.

She never told Max. She didn’t want his concern. And now, nothing he did would matter anymore.

She had waited—from seventeen to twenty-seven—only to arrive at the inevitable ending.

Stripped of love’s illusions, she saw Max for who he truly was—cold, detached, unmovable. She refused to use her illness to earn even a shred of pity.

After finishing up her work at the branch, Ashley picked up her newly issued passport and work visa before heading back to The Laguna Family Estate. She wanted to spend some time with her mother before she left.

Once she explained her decision, she quietly went upstairs to pack.

She didn’t expect to find Max there.

Leaning against the doorframe, he watched her, his expression unreadable. "Why are you back?"

"Let me guess—you only came back tonight because you knew Liliana would be here." Max’s voice was calm, but there was a sharp edge to it. "What’s wrong? Still not over me, little sister?"

Ashley’s hands paused mid-fold, but she kept her composure and replied evenly.

"I took some time off. I’ll be staying here for a few days. Just so you know, I had no idea Liliana was coming. But don’t worry—I won’t be in your way."

Max loosened his tie, irritation flickering in his gaze.

"You’d better not." He was about to say more when his phone rang.

"You’re here? I’ll come down and get you." His voice softened instantly, warm and gentle—a stark contrast to how he had spoken just moments ago.

Not that it mattered anymore.

Ashley watched him disappear down the hall before quietly closing her door. She picked up her phone, idly scrolling through company messages when a notification from Liliana’s social feed caught her eye.

[Question: What should I bring when meeting my boyfriend’s parents for the first time?]

Attached was a photo—two silhouettes leaning close together, radiating warmth and intimacy.

What really caught Ashley’s attention was Max’s comment beneath it.

[Just bring yourself and be good.]

Ashley smirked to herself. No wonder Max had said those things earlier. Without much more thought, she tapped the like button on Liliana’s post and returned to packing.

When Juan arrived, the family gathered for dinner. Liliana, visibly tense, sat stiffly in her chair. She clearly hadn’t expected Max’s father to be such a towering political figure.

Noticing her nerves, Max took control of the conversation, effortlessly easing the tension. His teasing remarks made Liliana giggle and soon enough, she relaxed, slipping her hand into the crook of his arm with a bright smile.

With Max leading the way, no one questioned their relationship or made things difficult. The meal went on smoothly.

Across from them, Ashley remained quiet, idly picking at her food, her long lashes casting delicate shadows over her cheeks.

This—this was how a normal couple acted. Comfortable. Natural. Unlike her and Max, who had spent years in this house carefully minding their every move, terrified of crossing an invisible line.

She lifted her gaze slightly, a faint smile tugging at her lips. Maybe this twisted love ending was a relief.

Juan, in rare high spirits, suggested a toast.

Ashley offered to grab the wine and to her surprise, Liliana quickly volunteered to go with her. Unable to refuse, she led the way.

The moment they were alone, Liliana’s cheerful mask slipped.

"So… dating your stepbrother—was it exciting?"