I’m In Love With My Brother’s Best Friend?! – Episode 42
Ryan hugged Kaitlyn and told her he was proud. She had grown into a kind, honest woman, he said, unaware of the secret she still kept from him.
The praise landed painfully. Kaitlyn had justified silence as protection, but every affectionate word made the lie heavier.
Before the party, she dressed carefully and went to Cole’s room for help with the fastening. He opened the door and immediately misunderstood her intention.
When she asked him to help with the dress, Cole offered to take it off. Kaitlyn reminded him they were supposed to be getting ready, not creating another reason to arrive late.
He fastened the back while his fingers lingered against her skin. Ryan was in the shower nearby, making every breath feel dangerous.
Kaitlyn admitted she needed Cole. The secrecy, the classroom crisis, and Ryan’s pride had left her desperate for reassurance.
Cole kissed her, but caution returned almost immediately. The sound of running water could stop at any moment.
Kaitlyn pulled away first. “I can’t do this anymore,” she said. Cole mistook the words for an end to their relationship.
She clarified that she could not continue lying to Ryan. The day’s lesson had shown how deception bred resentment and allowed enemies to control them.
Ryan had always supported her. Hearing him praise her honesty while she hid the most important truth made Kaitlyn feel fraudulent.
Cole agreed she was right in principle, but panic overwhelmed agreement. Telling Ryan risked forcing an immediate choice between Kaitlyn and his best friend.
Kaitlyn asked whether he would choose her. Cole could not answer quickly enough.
The hesitation cut deeper than a refusal. Kaitlyn ordered him out of her room before Ryan returned.
Cole begged her not to turn fear into proof that he cared less. Kaitlyn said she would see him at the party, where he could keep pretending she was merely his friend’s annoying little sister.
She closed the door behind him. The celebration dress suddenly felt like armor.
Alone in the hallway, Cole realized he could lose her even if Ryan never learned the truth. Protecting one relationship through silence was destroying the other.
He decided he would tell Kaitlyn how much she meant to him at the party. More than desire, more than loyalty, the feeling had become love.
The word frightened him, but it also simplified everything. If he loved her, hiding could not remain permanent.
Ryan emerged ready for the evening, cheerful and oblivious. He called the prospect of partying with his best friend and little sister perfect.
Cole forced a smile. Tonight he would either tell the truth or lose the woman he loved. Before the party ended, pretending had to stop.