Bullied By My Alpha Stepbrother novel Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Jasmine's POV

"He didn't come down today either?" Russo, Hardin's father asked as we sat down to have dinner in the dining hall.

I saw my mother shrug but knew that she would be upset the most because she was trying her hardest to reach out to Hardin and I hated Hardin even more.

Today at school, he had publicly embarrassed me after one of his friends had lied and said I could sit with them at their table since I was Hardin's family.

Well, I couldn't blame them. I blamed myself for being naive and thinking that the order had come from him directly when he didn't even want to go to school or come back with me.

I shivered as I remembered the confused look in his eyes when he saw me there before it turned to rage. Pure unadulterated rage.

"What is this thing doing here?" He had asked and no one, not even Alex, his friend who had invited me to the table could stand up for me and explain to them that I was not there of my own accord.

But then again, Hardin was the king of the school. Everyone was scared of him.

"Perhaps he will join us another time then." Russo said, giving my mother a sympathetic smile that held so much love, I was jealous.

I wanted to experience a love like the one they had. And I wished Hardin could see how sincere they were and just stop with all of the theatrics.

"Thank you my love. Let's eat." My mum replied, kissing his cheek and squeezing his hand which caused his smile to widen.

What was there to not like about them?

I wanted to be loved like that. I wanted to be serenaded and have my happily ever after just like my mother had.

"So, tell me. How is school? Hope Hardin is not giving you so much trouble?" Russo asked and I choked on the water that I was drinking.

How was I going to answer this without lying? Because I was a terrible liar.

And there was no way I could tell him about what Hardin had really been up to.

About how he had vowed to make my life a living hell despite his father's warning.

About how he brought girls home to have sex with them.

About how I had seen his son's penis.

My face turned red as I remembered how he had held Dahlia down with so much control, it was obvious that he had done it a million times before.

Rubbing my back, my mum looked at me with concern and I cleared my throat and feigned a smile.

"Are you okay?" She asked and I quickly nodded.

"I'm sorry. Did the question upset you that much?" Russo asked and I shook my head so fast, I hoped he didn't see through my lie.

"He isn't bothering me." I answered, biting the inside of my cheek to stop myself from adding the 'yet'

Because the truth was that I knew Hardin had plans for me. And none of it was good.

"He isn't particularly welcoming yet, but with time, I'm hoping he is." I added and Russo smiled.

"I'm sure he will. He has always been a hard headed kid but he'll come around. I'm positive he will."

I wasn't positive one bit but I smiled and nodded.

The proof that Hardin wasn't anywhere close to welcoming me into the family was waiting for me on my bed as I came out of the shower later at night.

I screamed so loud, running to the door and panting until I realized that if I didn't stop shouting, my mother would hear and come over to find out what was wrong.

Looking at the lock on the door, I wondered how he had gotten in because I was sure that I had locked it.

Or had I not?

The dead rat on the bed with a note written in blood of what was possibly the rat's, that said 'Welcome to the family' was more than enough evidence that Hardin had been in my room.

It hadn't been there when I got back from the dining hall, so it had to be when I was in the bathroom.

Had he entered the bathroom?

Had he seen me naked?

No, I couldn't afford to think that he did. Hardin hated me. He wouldn't want to see someone that he hated naked, would he?

Shaking my head, I took deep breaths, counting backwards from ten to one continuously, all in an attempt to calm down before I started to think of what to do.