Zoe was smiling.
No—he was smiling.
He could feel it in every muscle, every step, every sharp line of the perfectly tailored suit hugging his new frame. Broad shoulders. Strong jaw. Crisp black slacks. A navy tie tight against his collar. Hair sharp and stylish, not a strand out of place. He looked—and felt—like a man who had just walked off a high-end cologne billboard.
A man. That word sent a thrill down his spine.
Zoe had always hated how people looked at him. Or rather, her. How they dismissed her, made assumptions, laughed, ogled, underestimated. How being a girl came with expectations she had no interest in fulfilling. The makeup. The dresses. The roles.
But that was over now.
Now, he stood tall—six foot two, by his estimate—and his reflection in the darkened hotel windows wasn’t something to critique.
It was something to admire.
Powerful. Controlled. Confident.
Handsome.
He ran a strong hand over the nametag on his chest, still covering it from view. Twice now, people had tried to snatch it from him—likely realizing what a prime form he’d been gifted. But he’d shoved them off without hesitation. One had even hit the floor.
He hadn’t felt an ounce of guilt.
This body, this face, this new life—it was his now. The maniac running around switching tags had made a mess of things, but for Zoe? That madman had done him a favor. Maybe the biggest favor anyone had ever done for him.
Zoe finally pushed through the hotel’s main doors, stepping out into the cool night air. The world felt different from up here. People moved differently around him—respectfully. No sideways glances. No judgment. Just space. Deference.
Control.
He rolled his shoulders and smiled again, just enjoying the feeling of his own strength, the way his muscles responded, the sheer presence he carried now. No tits. No skirts. No fragile image to uphold. Just him—Zach now, maybe. He hadn’t decided. But whoever he was, he wasn’t Zoe anymore.
And that made him feel free.
As he walked confidently down the quiet sidewalk, hands in his pockets, expensive shoes clicking cleanly against the concrete, he let his mind wander to his family.
What had they ended up with?
He didn’t know, but he was curious. Curious to see who they were now—and what role he might play in the family dynamic. Big brother? Father figure? Maybe even head of the house.
He had no intention of being the little sister anymore.
With that thought burning in his mind, he turned the corner and made his way toward the rented flat they were all supposed to meet at.
The night was quiet. The streetlights flickered overhead. Somewhere behind him, distant echoes of hotel chaos still played out.
But for him?
Everything was just beginning.
