Loving The Better Brother novel Chapter 58

Chapter 58 What I Feel

WILLOW

Firusnes

He was sitting on my couch with a busted lip, and naturally, I would have helped him with the wound.

However, I was busy pacing in front of him after the revelation I had just uncovered.

Tristan watched me with open amusement, one arm resting lazily along the back of the couch, his jacket discarded beside him as though he planned to stay awhile.

“Calm down, will you?” he said finally, reaching out and catching my hand mid–pace.

The sudden warmth of his touch made me stop involuntarily.

I stared down at our joined hands before yanking mine back.

“Don’t.” I muttered.

He exhaled through his nose, but there was no irritation in it.

“You’ve really known since that time?” I asked, my voice tight.

“Yes,” he answered simply.

The lack of hesitation unsettled me more than anything else.

“Since when exactly?” I pressed.

“Since the night I saw you peeking through that window,” he clarified once more. “Along with that. I saw Rocco pulling up with you. Then you came again with your friend, Kath, the other night.”

My steps halted completely.

I slowly turned to face him fully.

“How much do you know, really?” I demanded.

He studied me for a moment before answering, his voice taking a more serious tone.

“I know that you’re William’s daughter.”

Everything inside me stopped. It felt like the air had been sucked out of the room.

I froze where I stood. The clock on the wall ticked loudly, each second echoing in my ears.

1 looked at him incredulously.

“Since when?” I asked, my voice suddenly stripped of all its earlier annoyance. In my own ears, I sounded. vulnerable.

“Since the moment you walked into that board meeting,” he replied canily. “Twasn’t there personally, but

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Chapter 58 What i Feel

my secretary was. He called me afterward. He recognized you.”

I felt like I was being poured with ice–cold water.

No.

It felt like I was being poured with lava. Molten heat flooded my veins. I bit my lip to stop it from trembling.

“So you’ve known,” I whispered.

“All this time?” 1 added, my voice rising again.

He did not deny it.

He did not look guilty either.

He just watched me.

“Was it fun?” I asked bitterly. “Watching me make a fool of myself?”

His brows drew together slightly. “Wait.”

“No.” I cut him off, shaking my head. “Let me speak.

I began pacing again, but this time my movements were more frantic.

“So you’ve known all this time, but you pretended not to,” I said, laughter slipping out of me.

He stood up slowly, but I still did not stop.

Finished

“You were helping me too, I continued, turning to face him again. “You gave so many tips on how to run a company. It must have been quite the entertainment for you, huh?”

“It wasn’t like that,” he said quietly.

“Oh?” I challenged.

I crossed my arms over my chest.

“Then explain it to me.”

He opened his mouth, but I did not give him time.

“And then tonight.” I continued, my voice trembling despite my efforts to control it. “I hear from your grandfather that whoever signs with Fiorane gets the biggest shares of Hale Enterprises,

His expression shifted slightly at that.

“Is that why you approached me all this time?” I demanded “Is that why you’ve been hovering around met Because I’m the key to your inheritance?”

He looked genuinely confused.

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Chapter 55 What! Fee!

#Finished

That was what made it worse.

Because I did not want him to look confused.

I wanted him to look manipulative.

Anything that would make it easier for me to hate him.

His present expression tugged at something deep inside me that I did not want to acknowledge.

“Now it feels like everything we did.” I said more quietly, “every conversation, every shared glance, every late–night drive… was just because you wanted something from me.”

The silence stretched painfully.

“Get out,” I said suddenly, massaging the bridge of my nose to keep the tears at bay. “Please.”

He did not move.

“Willow,” he said softly. “Let’s talk.”

“I don’t want to talk,” I replied immediately.

I turned away from him, intending to walk toward the hallway, to put distance between us before I cried in front of him.

But he caught my hand.

The pull was gentle, yet firm enough to stop me.

Before I could react, he stepped closer and wrapped his arms around me from behind.

He wrapped me in a back hug, effectively caging me in his arms,

“Tristan,” I breathed.

“You really still don’t get it, huh?” he murmured against my hair.

“Let go,” I whispered, but it lacked conviction.

He sighed softly, sounding impatient.

“I guess I have no choice then.”

Slowly, he turned me around to face him.

When I finally looked up, his face was dangerously close to mine–close enough that I could see the faint bruise forming along his jaw from Marcus’s punch and feel his hot breath against my lips.

My eyes widened, but my feet remained rooted to the floor

His hands were still on my arms, not restraining, just holding. His gaze scathed wine, all of the

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Chapter 58 What I Feel

amusement already gone.

Only sincerity remained.

“I like you.” he said, his eyes never leaving mine.

“I’ve liked you for a long time, Willow.”