My Sister's Forbidden Beauty Secret

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My sister, Scarlett, had been glowing ever since her divorce.

She was radiating beauty.

Despite being in her early thirties, she looked like a twenty-year-old college girl.

Even I, in my prime college years, felt completely eclipsed by her.

Many times late at night, I would sneak into her room only to find her panting and drenched in sweat.

I was utterly baffled. I asked her over and over what her anti-aging secret was.

But she refused to tell me.

Because of this, I gave her the cold shoulder for an entire week. "We are sisters, Scarlett. Why keep secrets from me?"

Eventually, unable to withstand my constant begging, Scarlett finally agreed to take me to her secret spot.

But looking at the VIP entrance of the private exotic beast sanctuary, I blinked in confusion. "A sanctuary? Scarlett, what does a zoo have to do with getting pretty?"

Scarlett's face suddenly flushed, her eyes turning dreamy.

She seemed to be remembering something, wearing a look of pure ecstasy.

"Once you go in, you'll realize how incredible it is. I promise you, it will make you irresistible. You'll never want to leave."

I was madly in love with Julian Brooks, the golden boy of our university's dance department.

I had been chasing him for two years, but my feelings remained unrequited.

Scarlett, on the other hand, was a divorce who only seemed to get younger and more radiant by the day, with a never-ending line of suitors.

I was incredibly envious. We had the exact same genes, yet we were treated like day and night.

To become as popular as Scarlett and finally win Julian over, I kept nagging her to share her beauty secret.

But every time I asked, she would stutter and change the subject.

Finally, today, I snapped. "I'm your sister, Scarlett! Why are you gatekeeping something this good?"

"Do you want me to be the laughingstock of the whole campus?"

After I threw a massive tantrum in her bedroom, Scarlett finally relented and agreed to take me.

But standing at the VIP entrance of the beast sanctuary, I was completely lost.

Without a word, Scarlett grabbed my hand and pulled me inside.

When the ticket agent saw Scarlett, his eyes crinkled into a knowing smile, and he greeted her like an old friend. "Back again, Scarlett? Are we riding the wild tiger today?"

Hearing the agent's words, my jaw dropped.

A tiger is the king of the jungle. They are fierce predators. What kind of tiger could be so tame that people could ride it?

Instantly, curiosity consumed my mind.

Scarlett smiled. "Yes. That's my absolute favorite. It's incredibly comfortable to ride."

The agent's gaze swept over Scarlett's hourglass figure. "I can tell. The transformation is unreal. I've already had them bring him out. Go on in."

Scarlett nodded and walked ahead. I went to follow her, but the moment I took a step, the agent reached out and blocked me.

"Apologies, miss. You look new. Do you have a VIP membership?"

I shook my head.

Scarlett walked back. "She's my sister. I'm bringing her here to experience it today. Just charge ten thousand dollars to my card."

My eyes widened in sheer disbelief. Ten thousand dollars just to see some animals? That was insane!

I tugged at Scarlett's sleeve. "Scarlett, is this a scam? What kind of sanctuary charges ten grand for a ticket?"

"Miss, watch your tongue," the agent interrupted, his voice dropping. "Ask your sister if that ten grand is worth it."

Scarlett's face flushed red. "My sister is still in college. She's young. It's her first time."

I immediately fired back, "It's not my first time! I've seen tigers plenty of times!"

My outburst made everyone at the front desk burst into laughter.

"Look at that innocent face. Definitely a first-timer. Tell you what, I'll pick a gentle tiger for her."

Scarlett got the fiercest one, while I was stuck with the gentlest.

But since we were already here and the money was spent, I wanted the best!

"No! I want the same one as Scarlett!"

The agent tried to persuade me, "Sweetheart, since it's your first time, I don't think you can handle the fierce one."

It was just looking at a tiger. How could I not handle it?

But the way they spoke made me feel like "looking at a tiger" meant something entirely different. My curiosity burned even hotter.

Could merely seeing a tiger really make me as breathtakingly beautiful as Scarlett?

"Let her be," Scarlett said. "Hazel has always had good stamina. She'll be fine. I'm going in first. Please help her choose slowly."

With that, Scarlett walked toward the VIP rooms in the back.

A moment later, a deep, wild tiger roar echoed from the hallway.

Driven by curiosity, I pressed my ear against the door of the room Scarlett had just entered. The agent chuckled and patted my shoulder. "Don't worry. The one we choose for you won't be any worse than your sister's."

I stood up straight, nodding, my heart pounding with anticipation.

But when the agent finally led me into my designated room, the sight inside made my blood run cold. I bolted out, collapsed next to a trash can, and threw up until my stomach was completely empty.

The agent rushed out after me, handed me a bottle of water, and patted my back.

"If you can't handle it, you can wait for Scarlett in the lounge. I'll refund the money to her card."

I clutched my chest, taking a massive gulp of water to wash down the lingering disgust.

Just then, Scarlett walked out of her room.

She looked even more radiant than before she went in. Her skin was translucent, glowing with a rosy flush. I was completely mesmerized.

As Scarlett walked out, she whispered with the agent for a while.

He was probably telling her about my pathetic reaction.

I braced myself for Scarlett to scold me for wasting her money and dragging her here.

But she didn't say a word on the way back. After dropping me off at my dorm, she simply gave me a cold warning: "Don't you dare tell anyone about the animals you saw today."

"I... I know."

I got out of the car and practically ran toward my dorm.

My heart was still racing.

But as I rounded the corner of the hallway, I froze. There, in the shadows, were my best friend, Chloe, and my crush, Julian. They were locked in a passionate, breathless kiss.

They were so wrapped up in each other that they didn't even notice me standing right behind them.

Chloe had told me a thousand times that she had no interest in Julian. I was the one who introduced them. I shared all his likes and dislikes with her.

I shared everything with her.

And this was how she repaid me!

Rage flared up inside me. I stormed forward and shoved them apart. They stumbled and fell to the floor. When Chloe looked up and saw me, panic flashed across her face.

"Hazel? Why are you back so early?"

"Let me explain..."

"Explain what? I saw the whole thing!" I screamed, my voice cracking. "Chloe, I treated you like my sister! What did you treat me as? A joke?"

Seeing that the cat was out of the bag, Chloe stopped pretending. She got up, brushed off her clothes, and slapped me right across the face.

"Fine! Since you saw it, I won't bother hiding it anymore."

"Julian and I are together!"

"So what? He was never your boyfriend anyway. He's free to be with whoever he wants. Besides, look at your dry skin. You're not half as pretty as me. Any man with eyes knows who to choose!"

I wasn't angry just because they were together.

I was angry because I had given her my pure, honest friendship, and she had played me like a fool.

If she had just told me she liked him from the start, I would have stepped back!

"Is that really how you see me?"

"Obviously. A loser trying to outclass herself. You should look in the mirror before you try to match him."

Her words cut me to the bone. Tears blurred my vision.

My best friend had not only betrayed me, but she also looked down on me with utter contempt.

It felt like my whole world was crashing down.

I blocked Chloe on everything.

That night, I tossed and turned in bed, Chloe's harsh words echoing in my head.

I made a vow. I would become more beautiful than her. I would make Julian regret his choice.

And then, I thought of Scarlett.

The next morning, I took a cab home and begged Scarlett to take me back to the sanctuary.

She immediately refused, telling me not to force myself.

I broke down and told her everything that had happened at school. "Scarlett, I promise you, I won't run away this time!"

Unable to withstand my tears, Scarlett finally agreed to take me back a week later.

The moment we walked in, the agent recognized me.

"Well, if it isn't the girl who threw up last time. Just accompanying your sister today?"

I shook my head, my voice firm. "No. I'm going in."

The agent smirked. "Sweetheart, don't force yourself."

I looked at my reflection in the glass door. My skin was dull and lifeless, lacking the vibrant glow a twenty-something girl should have.

Thinking of Chloe's mocking face, I clenched my fists. "I won't run away this time."

I had to see what kind of wild beast could make a woman so irresistible and desperate for more.

Seeing my absolute determination, the agent smiled and turned to Scarlett. "What got into your little sister?"

Scarlett merely smiled and handed over her black card. "Just swipe it."

Once the payment cleared, Scarlett asked, "The delicate one I brought in last time... has he been prepped?"

"Let my sister try that one today."

The agent's smile widened. "Of course, Scarlett. The one you brought in hasn't been put on the market yet. We were waiting for you."

I was taken aback. Since when did Scarlett have business dealings with an exotic beast sanctuary?

Before I could ask, the agent grabbed my hand and led me down the corridor.

"Is Scarlett a business partner here?" I couldn't help but ask.

"You'll have to ask her that yourself, miss."

I felt like Scarlett was harboring a massive web of secrets. But I decided I would get my answers after I got my beauty treatment.

Suddenly, the agent stopped in front of a heavy door. "This is the one Scarlett handpicked for you. Go on in."

Standing outside the door, the gruesome memory of my first visit flashed in my mind. My hand hovered over the brass doorknob, trembling.

Just then, Scarlett walked up beside me. She assured me that this beast was handpicked for me and that I had nothing to fear.

Every woman has to go through this transition sooner or later.

It was only a matter of time.

I was thoroughly confused. "Really? But back at campus, plenty of girls have never been to a place like this."

Scarlett giggled at my innocence. She leaned in and whispered something in my ear.

My face instantly flushed a burning crimson.

Now I remembered the muffled, rhythmic groans I had heard outside Scarlett's room that night. I hadn't thought much of it then.

But now... it all made sense.

No wonder Scarlett said every woman goes through this eventually. But I was still a virgin. Was I really going to do this?

Scarlett noticed my hesitation. "I told you, if you aren't truly ready, don't ask me to bring you here."

"You look perfectly fine the way you are now."

I closed my eyes, taking a deep, shuddering breath. "No, Scarlett. I've made up my mind."

"I want everyone who hurt me to look at me with envy!"

I gripped the doorknob and turned it.

As the door cracked open, a low, guttural roar echoed from within. I cast one last look at Scarlett.

She offered a reassuring smile. "Don't be scared, Hazel. I'll be right out here waiting for you."

I nodded, stepped into the room, and shut the door behind me.

My heart was hammering against my ribs. My first visit was just a fleeting glance, but being inside this enclosed space was entirely different.

I took deep breaths. To get Scarlett's flawless skin and jaw-dropping curves, I forced myself to be brave. I took bold steps forward.

But as the figure came into view, my instincts screamed at me to run.

He was so massive. Could I really handle this?

The beast growled the moment he saw me, lunging forward with terrifying speed.

I braced for impact, expecting to be brutally pinned to the ground. But he stopped abruptly, exactly three feet away from me.

He gently swept his tail against my leg, as if inviting me to step closer.

At that moment, the beast didn't seem so terrifying after all.

*As expected of the one Scarlett picked for me,* I thought.

Recalling the instructions Scarlett had given me at home, I began to slip off my clothes, preparing to climb onto the beast's back.

Suddenly, the beast's gaze grew sharp and hostile.

The night before we came, Scarlett had told me that no matter how ferocious a beast was, once you mounted it, it would become completely submissive. It would obey your every whim.

They knew how to pleasure a woman far better than any human man could.

But this beast seemed different from what Scarlett had described.

Was I not giving him the right signals?

With that thought, I shifted my position. Perhaps he preferred a different angle.

Since he was a new arrival, maybe his preferences were unique.

But no matter how I adjusted, he remained completely still, shaking his head aggressively at me. I was starting to lose my patience. If he refused to cooperate, how was I supposed to get beautiful?

Frustrated, I stood up and kicked the beast's side in a fit of anger.

Yet, he just lay there, refusing to budge.

That was when I noticed a whip-like training toy resting in the corner of the room.

I recalled Scarlett's words.

She said that if the beast was unresponsive, I could use the props in the room to stimulate it.

These beasts were highly trained.

The moment they saw certain props, they would go wild and become fiercely active.

But she also warned me to use them sparingly, because if they went too wild, I would be the one getting hurt.

I picked up the toy. The beast immediately leapt to his feet. I thought he was finally going to cooperate, but before I could mount him, he slumped back down into his passive state.

I regretted not choosing an experienced beast.

"Listen here! My sister paid ten thousand dollars for this! If you don't cooperate, don't blame me for getting rough!"

I marched over, knelt in front of him, and smacked his head. "I know you're newly trained. I won't hurt you, just play along."

He shook his head again.

That was the last straw.

I kicked him hard, sending him rolling onto his side. This time, his belly and limbs were fully exposed.

I frowned. As I looked closer, my brows furrowed deeper.

I reached out and parted the thick, coarse fur on his chest. I gasped, stumbling backward in horror.

Why did the skin beneath the beast's fur look exactly like human flesh?

I crept forward again, checking several times. There was no mistake. It was smooth, hairless human skin beneath a grafted coat of fur.

A chilling, horrific realization began to bloom in my chest.

I pulled him up, forcing him to sit against the wall. No animal could have joints this flexible. No matter how well-trained, their anatomy shouldn't be human.

Trembling, I reached for the fur around his head and neck.

I pulled back the heavy mane.

And a human face was revealed.

The next second, my vision blurred. A cold dread washed over me, my heart stopped, and I nearly fainted on the spot.