Loving The Better Brother novel Chapter 53

Loving The Better Brother

Chapter 53 Connect With Fiorane

WILLOW

My eyes widened.

Tristan’s wife?

Frushed

How did the old man even come to that conclusion? I haven’t met him before, and definitely not with Tristan, so it was plain ridiculous to think about it.

“Right?” Edmud Hale said, smiling at Tristan as though he had just uncovered a delightful secret. “Isn’t she the one you-”

Tristan cleared his throat loudly enough to cut through whatever sentence was about to follow.

Meanwhile, Marcus looked livid.

“She’s my wife,” he said instead, his voice tight and annoyed.

“Oh,” Edmund said, blinking once before leaning back in his chair. Disappointment crossed his features in the most unfiltered way possible. “That’s why.”

That’s why?

What did that even mean?

He shook his head, still appearing disappointed but not surprised by what had just been confirmed. “Well then,” he added, waving a dismissive hand. “Let’s start eating. I am hungry from my trip.”

“Right, Dad,” Theodore said immediately, his posture straightening.

I had never seen Theodore Hale try to impress anyone before. He had always carried himself like a man who did not need validation, but right now, there was something eager in the way he leaned forward. My brows went up slightly. So, it seemed Theodore Hale still had someone he bowed to.

“How was your trip?” he asked.

“Nothing you would like,” Edmund replied dryly as he picked up his cutlery. “You do not like hardships anyway, so that is that. I’m guessing you don’t want to hear about how I lived in a tent for three days in the deep parts of Central Asia. That’s not your cup of tea.”

A faint cough escaped Sara, but she disguised it quickly by reaching for her wine,

“I like getting to know other cultures, Theodore insisted, his jaw tightening just slightly.

Edmund gave him a look that said he disagreed but did not care enough to argue.

I pursed my lips to keep my smile from forming too obviously.

I actually liked Edmund from what I was seeing.

1:01 pm PMM

Chapter 53 Connect With Fiorane

जात

He was blunt, unfiltered, and entirely unimpressed by his son. It was refreshing in a room that often felt like a performance.

The food began circulating slowly. Platters of steak, roasted vegetables, and carefully plated sides moved across the long, polished table.

I was about to reach for the steak because, frankly, if I was going to be ambushed at a so–called family dinner. I might as well eat something good.

The platter was just slightly out of my reach.

I stretched my arm discreetly, trying not to draw attention to myself.

However, I still couldn’t reach it.

I was about to stand when two hands landed on the same plate at the same time.

Marcus’s hand.

And, Tristan’s.

The sound of the utensils across the space stopped at that instant. They all watched the scene before them.

The two brothers froze, fingers curled around opposite edges of the platter, neither willing to let go first. Then they looked at each other. Theodore inhaled slowly through his nose and was about to speak, but Edmund cleared his throat, successfully cutting him off.

“Just give it to her,” he said flatly, although he didn’t mention who should give the plate to me.

Marcus was distracted by his grandfather’s statement. While he was distracted, Tristan smoothly pulled the platter toward himself with an ease that suggested he had anticipated this exact moment. He carved a portion of steak and placed it onto my plate before sliding it gently toward me.

“There you go,” he said calmly.

Marcus’s hand remained hovering over empty space for half a second too long.

He looked annoyed. No, that was too mild. He looked enraged.

I stared at the steak on my plate, wondering if I could even swallow this with all the tension in the room.

“Thank you,” I said carefully, refusing to look at either of them.

Marcus withdrew his hand slowly and leaned back in his chair, but his gaze did not leave Tristan.

Before the silence could harden into something uglier, Edmund spoke again.

“How are things going with Fiorane?” he asked.

I paused mid–cut, not even getting the scrumptious bite of the steak into my inouth.

Did I hear that correctly?

1:02 pm PMM

Chapter 53 Criviect With Fiolane

“Did any of you manage to sign a deal with them already?” Edmund continued, looking between Marcus and Tristan.

My fork hovered in the air.

Fiorane?

He wanted to sign with Fiorane?

“I’m curious about this, too,” Cara exclaimed. “I wanted to get a Dahlia bag from them, but the waitlist is too long already. I even told them I was a Hale, but they told me it was subject to the decision of the

owner.”

“I’ve heard they have a new owner now,” Sara continued. “I wonder if any of you could pull some strings. I really want a Dahlia bag,” she began to whine.

I couldn’t believe they were talking about the new owner when I was right here. And to think that they had just insulted me a while ago. How would they even react if they found out I could hand them the bag if I

wanted to?

“Well, no strings can’t be pulled,” Edmund said with a disappointed sigh. “You have your father to thank for that,” he continued, gesturing to Theodore, who quickly cast his gaze to the ground.

“If it weren’t for the blatant disrespect he showed William, then we still would have some kind of connection with the company.”

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