Loving The Better Brother novel Chapter 37

WILLOW

There was a time when I believed that marriage meant having someone who would instinctively know when you were breaking.

I remember that evening vividly–when my father had just died.

Finished

I had received the call in the afternoon, and the world had gone strangely muted afterward.

I sat on the edge of the bed in the room Marcus and I shared, still in the dress I had worn to the hospital. My hands were clasped tightly in my lap, my eyes dry because I had cried everything out hours ago.

I waited for Marcus. I just wanted him to sit beside me and say he was here for me.

The front door opened with a loud click.

His footsteps were loud against the floor.

He entered the bedroom without knocking with a stormy expression.

“Did you hear?” he demanded immediately.

I looked at him, momentarily confused. All of the words I wanted to say were swallowed back. “Hear what?”

“That bastard,” he snapped, throwing his keys onto the dresser. “Tristan secured the deal with Cairs and expedited the process of a vital part of our cars. Now, everyone’s fucking praising him.”

For a moment, I thought I had misheard him.

I cleared my throat and forced my voice to work. “Isn’t that a good thing for the company? The employees wouldn’t work as hard to secure the deals then.”

I truly meant it. It sounded like a win.

12:41 pm Ppp.

Chapter 3 Day Responsibility

His head snapped toward me.

10

inished

“You should be comforting me right now!” he exclaimed, as though I had committed a grave offense.

He wanted me to comfort him because his brother succeeded at work.

Meanwhile, my father had just died.

I remember the exact sensation of that moment.

I pushed my feelings to the back of my mind. I stood up and walked toward him, wrapping my arms around his waist despite the heaviness in my chest.

“It’s okay,” I said softly. “You’ll secure the next one.”

He relaxed slightly under my touch, accepting the comfort.

He never asked why my eyes were swollen.

He never noticed that my

voice trembled.

He never asked if I was okay.

Which is why it feels so strange for Tristan to be asking me that question now.

I was sitting in an expensive cafe owned by the very man who once made my husband furious, and he was looking at me like he understood my feelings.

“What happened, hmm?” Tristan repeated gently.

I swallowed.

My first instinct was to brush it off.

Instead, I found myself staring at the table, watching the reflection of the warm lights against its surface.

“Come on,” he murmured. “Your eyes are lacking their usual spark.”

I pursed my lips.

12:41 pm

ppp.

Chapter Pop Responsibility

1

.:F

Funshed

I hesitated for a long moment before something inside me loosened.

“Actually,” I began slowly, “it feels like I’m incompetent at work.”

He did not interrupt.

“As the new C-“I stopped abruptly.

I almost said CEO.

That would have been a disaster.

“As a new secretary,” I corrected quickly, “I know that a lot more people are capable. They have years of experience. They know everything by heart. But I hope they would at least be kinder.”

I ran my fingers through my hair, frustrated at myself for sounding so vulnerable.

“Is it really like this in the corporate world?” I asked quietly.

Then I turned to him with a slight glare, because I refused to let him off the hook entirely.

“Along with that,” I added in a whisper, leaning closer so no one else could hear, “the photo of us circulating is adding to my stress too.”

His eyebrows slightly raised.

I leaned back slightly and crossed my arms.

“Why didn’t you deny it to the press?” I demanded.

His hand moved, grabbing a napkin again and wiping the corner of my mouth. This time, I barely reacted because it felt natural.

“There was a bit of cream again,” he murmured, then set the napkin aside. “You really are a messy eater.”

Then, he smirked faintly, going back to the topic.

12:41 pm

ppp.

1240

Chapter 1” Fit Responsibility

Finished

“To answer your question–that’s because I don’t want them pestering me further.”

I stared at him.

“Then you should have denied it outright,” I sighed. “Now everyone is looking for the mystery girl.”

“I’ve never been in a dating scandal,” he said calmly.

“I know that,” I muttered.

“So what’s stopping you from denying it now?” I pressed.

He leaned back in his seat, crossing his arms again.

His

gaze

did not waver from mine.

Then he smiled.

“I don’t mind it when it’s with you.”

“That’s not funny,” I said quickly, even though my voice came out softer than intended.

“I’m not joking”

I clicked my tongue and glared at him again. “Cut it off,” I muttered. “Seriously, Tristan. Deny it when you have another opportunity, okay? I don’t want to be stuck in this rumor. It’s already keeping me up at night, along with the amount of stuff I still have to learn about.”

I ran my fingers through my hair and looked to the side, not wanting to see his expression.

“It feels like such a huge responsibility.”

There was a moment of silence before I heard him let out a small breath.

“Okay,” he muttered, so I turned my attention back to him.