Irene forcefully pushed me away, stepping between me and Chester with her stunning eyes full of pure hatred. It was as if we had never loved each other, as if we were locked in an old, lasting feud.
My heart felt like it was being ripped apart.
One was my half-brother, who always showed me respect; the same brother who used to trail after me everywhere when we were kids.
The other was my fiancée, the woman I’d pursued relentlessly for three years and loved deeply for five.
Both of them had been the people I trusted the most in the world.
But now, they stood together with their fangs bared, exposing the betrayal they had been hiding.
“What’s going on here?”
At that moment, my father and stepmother, Rowena, slowly made their way down the stairs.
“Please don’t blame Gregory,” Chester hurriedly spoke up, his voice choked with emotion.
His act was so convincing that Irene immediately rushed to his defense.
“Uncle David, Auntie Rowena, it’s Gregory who’s been holding a grudge," she said. "He came home and forced Chester to kneel.”
But I hadn’t done a damn thing!
“Gregory, you bastard!”
Rowena burst into tears at the accusation.
She hurried over to help Chester to his feet, then turned around to scold me, “How can you bully someone younger than you like this? Are you trying to drive us to our graves?”
I looked at my father, silently hoping he would step in and bring some sense of justice. But to my shock, he walked over to me, his face stern, and slapped me hard across the cheek.
The blow left me dazed.
“Father...” I said hoarsely. “Aren’t you even going to ask what actually happened? Did you forget what Mom asked of you before she died?”
But he glared at me. “Shut up! Don’t you dare use your mother’s memory to guilt me, Gregory!”
Then, in a cold, steady voice, he continued, “Chester just graduated. As the eldest, do you really have the heart to ruin his future? Even Irene is willing to help Chester. Is it so hard for you to make a sacrifice for him? What’s the worst that could happen? Will it kill you?”
Three sentences, each like a sharp blade stabbing into my heart, twisting and turning, causing me to tremble with pain.
Irene nodded in agreement, making matters worse.
“As his older brother, Gregory, shouldn't you be more responsible? Besides, Chester is so kind. He risked his life to save me. Can’t you stop being unreasonable?”
Why should I be the one to repay her debts?
When have I ever caused trouble?
My father always emphasized the importance of family staying united and encouraged me to be more considerate towards Chester. Therefore, during times when my father was working hard to grow his business and our family faced financial difficulties, I consistently gave Chester the better share.
I wore the same clothes for years while Chester got new ones every year.
When we both liked the same phone, I gave it to him without hesitation.
There were countless situations just like that.
Even when Rowena showed blatant favoritism, I never complained to my father. I didn’t want to increase his stress.
Irene knew all of this. She used to say she felt heartbroken for me and promised to take care of me.
But now, everything had changed.
"Even though I'm marrying Chester," Irene said, her tone calm and decisive, "and you're marrying into the rich woman's family, we can still have a close connection."
A non-romantic love?
Separate body and soul?
Irene really had a talent for cruelty.
She was practically grinding my face into the dirt.
Did they really take me for a fool?
I could only laugh bitterly in my rage, my body tense with anger.
Speechless, I felt a lump form in my throat. The longer I stayed, the more disgusted I grew.
So, I turned and walked away, leaving them behind.
Behind me, I heard Chester’s feigned, sympathetic voice. "Aren't we being too harsh on Gregory?"
Irene sighed, her voice dripping with false sincerity. “We’ll figure out a way to make it up to him later.”
Make it up to me?
Forget it.
I don’t want this pity!
