Loving The Better Brother novel Chapter 33

Chapter 33 Red–faced

WILLOW

I had underestimated Tristan’s popularity in the most foolish way possible. I had thought that because the photo was dark and because the internet was flooded with scandals every single hour, this issue would pass. I was hoping it would dissolve into the endless stream of celebrity gossip and rumor.

1 was wrong.

It became the topic of the entire weekend. Not just on social media, not just in tabloids, not just in group chats filled with heart emojis and zoomed–in screenshots. It was everywhere!

It was dissected frame by frame. People tried to adjust the brightness and contrast. They compared silhouettes. They speculated about height differences and shoulder lines.

And nearly everyone was trying to look for the woman.

I was lucky that the lighting had been poor and that my face had been turned slightly away. My hair had covered part of my cheek. To the public, I was just a figure in a suit. A mystery.

A shadow next to Hale Corporation’s golden heir.

Even now, at university, where the semester had resumed with its usual chaos, the students were still talking about him as though he were a campus celebrity instead of a man who signed billion–dollar contracts.

I stood at the front of the lecture hall, marker in hand, staring at a diagram of the human heart projected onto the screen. The words “Left Ventricle” glowed behind me while I attempted to maintain my composure despite the

Ongoing rumor.

“All right,” I said. “You will be working in pairs. Identify the labeled structures and write down their functions. You have fifteen minutes.”

While it was nearing the end of the period, the educational whispers began to turn to gossip.

12:40 per

Dolaplar 31 Red dek

“I can’t believe Tristan Hale is really dating someone.”

Istiffened.

“He didn’t confirm it,” another voice countered from the front row, the one closest to me. “He also didn’t deny it.”

I inhaled slowly and forced my gaze onto the table instead of their conversation.

“Focus on the activity, everyone,” I said lightly, tapping the board.

They nodded obediently. However, they only obeyed for approximately four seconds.

“I’m so sad,” one of them whispered dramatically,

“Dude,” her friend hissed, “he’s like twice our age.”

“It doesn’t take away the fact that he’s hot as hell,” the first replied.

A few boys snickered.

“But I’m rooting for them,” someone else added. “Tristan Hale needs someone by his side with all the money he has.”

“I agree,” another chimed in. “I wonder who the woman is.”

My fingers tightened around the marker.

“Yeah,” someone continued thoughtfully, “now that I’m thinking about it… doesn’t he look good with Miss Hale?”

12

My heart stopped.

“They even have the same last name.”

I felt hear flood my face instantly,

[“What if they’re secretly married?”

12:40 pm

ppp.

The bell rang. It was the most merciful sound I had ever heard in my life,

“Pass your papers,” I said quickly, turning around before they could see the panic

in my eyes.

They did as told, shuffling forward with their worksheets. I collected them, stacking them against my chest like armor.

I returned to my desk, setting the papers down carefully, when one of them lingered.

“Miss?” she asked.

“Yes?” I responded, already bracing myself.

“Why is your face so red?”

A few of them laughed.

“You have a lover now?” another teased.

I sighed, pinching the bridge of my nose.

“Students.” I said, trying to sound exasperated rather than mortified.

“Maybe it’s an office romance,” someone suggested. “I heard you’re working at an office now, too.”

I frowned in confusion. “Where did you even hear that from?”

“My mom,” she answered brightly.

It didn’t make sense how her mom even knew of such information… unless she was also working as a faculty member. However, I did not question it further.

1 shook my head. “Everyone, office romance is merely fictional.”

“But why is your face so red?” they pressed.

“You’re dismissed now,” I said firmly, though not unkindly. “You’re free to ga

12.40pm

PPP

They gathered their bags, still giggling to themselves. A few of them gave me exaggerated winks as they walked out. One even hummed a wedding march under her breath.

When the door finally closed, and silence settled into the lecture hall, I exhaled.

Goodness, the generation today was getting too brave.

1 fanned myself with one of the worksheets and then grabbed my phone to open the ramera.

Crap.

My face was undeniably red.

No wonder they were teasing me.

I splashed water onto my wrists from my bottle and pressed them against my cheeks, hoping the coolness would bring down the color in them,

That was when my phone vibrated.

My heart leaped into my throat as I stared at the screen. For a split second, I thought it might be Kath sending another screenshot.

However, it was from Mr. Fawn instead, making me frown. Then, my eyes widened again when I saw I had incurred a lot of missed calls from him.

Eight missed calls, in fact.

“My eyes widened, and a cold wave of realization washed over me. I had silenced

my phone during class and had not checked it until now.

The phone began ringing again.

His name lit up my screen.

For a moment, I simply stared at it, already dreading his voice. We had only been acquianted last week, but I could already tell he wasn’t fond of my presence.

Still, I swiped.

12:40 pm Ppp·