Loving The Better Brother novel Chapter 233

Chapter 233 After All

TESSA

It had been a week since Arden last stepped foot on campus, and I could feel her absence settling into every corner of the Academy. Things felt quieter without her. However, while I missed her, the others seemed largely unaffected. If anything, the Academy had only grown more intense in her absence.

Ever since the first poll was released, and Cade’s name appeared right beneath Winters’, boasting a shocking 35%, it felt like someone had poured gasoline on a fire. Winters’ supporters doubled down. His campaign banners grew larger, his speeches louder, and the pressure more suffocating.

Still, no one questioned anything.

I couldn’t shake the feeling that something was off. The sudden push and the unspoken curfews placed or North-aligned students-it all felt well-planned. From my years of observing this school, I had learned that power never moves without hands discreetly guiding it from beneath the table.

That morning, I left my dorm early. The sun had barely risen, and most students were still in bed or shuffling half-awake toward the dining hall.

As I rounded a corner near the administrative wing, my fingers wrapped tightly around the strap of bag, I saw them. Kieran and Mr. Winters.

They stood too close to be casual-positioned just at the side of the building, behind the ivy wall. I stopped. Winters clapped Kieran’s shoulder with a knowing smile.

“Good job,” I heard him say. “Keep this up, and you’ll be number two soon. I’ll ensure you get a good position at the United Factions once you graduate.”

My breath caught. Kieran’s shoulders relaxed, mirroring Winters’ smile as he nodded once. “Yes, sir.”

I turned on my heel and walked away, faster than I should have.

Crap. Crap. Crap.

my

So it was true. There was no need for guessing now. Winters was using the students again for his own gain. I needed to talk to someone- someone who could take action about this.

And no matter how hard I tried to consider another option, I could only think of Rowan.

Rowan, who hated me. Or, at the very least, acted like he did. I pushed aside my feelings for Arden and found him by the east arch, hunched over a tablet and scrolling through with his usual furrowed brow, Fortunately, he didn’t have any ladies by his side today.

That would have broken me even more.

I hesitated for a moment but stepped forward anyway. “Rowan.”

He froze for an instant before letting out a sigh. He didn’t look up as he spoke. “Busy”

I know.”

Chapter 232 After All

“I don’t have time, Tessa.”

I moved in front of him, forcing him to pause. “Please.”

He narrowed his eyes. “What is it?”

I reached out and touched his shoulders to steady myself. The moment my fingers made contact, a jolt surged through me-sparks leaping from my fingertips to my skin, trailing down my arms and right int my chest.

I stiffened, and he did too. “Talk to me,” I whispered.

He pulled back slightly. “Tessa-”

&

“I know you’re busy. I know there’s a lot to figure out, but I have a feeling this is something you’ll want to hear.”

His eyes searched mine, cautious yet still distant.

“Please,” I added softly this time. “Just for a second… can we forget what happened back then and just talk? Just about this?”

He didn’t respond, but he didn’t walk away, either. I looked down, my voice trembling even as I forced it t stay firm. “If you really care about Arden…” I muttered, “…then you’ll want to know what I just saw.”

Even if it hurt to say. Even if it ached in a place I kept buried. Because this wasn’t about me. It never was.

Rowan narrowed his eyes. “Speak,” he said flatly.

I clenched my jaw, holding back a sigh that threatened to rise. Of course. He only listened when there was another reason. I shook my head slightly, pushing that sting down.

“I think Mr. Winters is using the point system,” I said carefully, “as a way to control votes. He’s wagering them.”

Rowan raised a brow. “What do you mean?”

Γ

I glanced down the corridor to ensure we were still alone. “Points, Rowan. He’s rewarding students with rankings and special access-if they show public support for him, if they campaign for him. He’s buying loyalty in the only way he knows how-through the system he created.”

A slow breath escaped him, but he didn’t look surprised.

“You already knew,” I said quietly.

“I suspected,” he admitted. “But I didn’t think it would be that blatant.”

I stepped closer. “It is. And I don’t believe he just wants to win. His reason for running is personal and goes well beyond Elite. But only Arden and Cade know what that reason truly is.”

Rowan’s eyes narrowed for a moment, but he remained silent.

Chapter 235 Pull Over

My face flushed. “What?”

Cade leaned closer, a gris breaking out across his lips. “Seriously. You get this wide-eyed look when yo brain starts spinning. It’s adorable.”

I stared at him, completely off guard, heart thudding. “You-what-why did you pull over? This is a serious conversation, Cade.”

“I had to,” he said with a laugh. “You’re too distracting. I might crash the car.”

I blushed and turned to the side, scratching the back of my neck. “We should go then. The roads will ge dark soon.”

However, instead of starting the engine again, he reached across the console and tugged at the lever on side of my seat. My chair reclined with a soft click, tilting me back before I could process what was happening.

“Cade, what are you-

But I didn’t get to finish my sentence.

Because his lips were suddenly on mine.

His mouth pressed against mine with hunger and heat, catching me off guard. I gasped, and that was all the invitation he needed. He deepened the kiss instantly-his hand cupping the side of my face as he leaned in, tilting his head to taste me fully.

It wasn’t slow or teasing.

It was urgent.

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