Chapter 9Jonathan woke up with a pounding headache as the familiar ache of a hangover settled in. His mouth was dry, and his body felt heavy as he groaned, pushing himself up from the bed. Sunlight streamed through the curtains, too bright for his liking, and he squinted against it, shielding his eyes with his hand."Ugh... what time is it?" he muttered, glancing at his phone on the nightstand. The screen lit up with missed calls and messages—none of which he was in the mood to check right now. His head was still spinning, remnants of last night's drinking clinging to his thoughts like cobwebs.He stumbled out of bed, feeling the weight of the previous night bearing down on him. Flashes of Eunice's furious face came to him—her words, her slap, the sound of her heels clacking as she stormed out of the club. He rubbed the side of his face where she had slapped him, still feeling the sting, though it was his pride that hurt more."Why did I mention Laura?" he groaned, realizing that was
Chapter 10His father cleared his throat. "He's in the study if you want to catch up."The idea made Jonathan's stomach turn. The last thing he wanted was to see his brother right now. He could already picture the smug look on his face, the patronizing way he always spoke to him, as if Jonathan were still a kid who needed guidance."I'll see him later," Jonathan said, his tone flat. He didn't give them time to respond as he turned and made his way out of the living room, his fists still clenched tight. He could feel the tension building, the weight of being in his brother's shadow pressing down on him like always.Once outside, he exhaled sharply, his mind racing. No matter how much he tried to escape it, the comparison, the resentment, the feeling of being second best—it always came back, especially whenever his brother reappeared in his life.Great, he thought, running a hand through his hair. Just what I needed.Jonathan forced himself to push the thoughts away, though it was easie
Chapter 11"Ah! I need to go home, Jonathan," Laura blurted out suddenly, her eyes darting to her phone again. She stood up quickly, grabbing her things in a flurry of motion. "I have somewhere to go today."Jonathan blinked, caught off guard. "Wait, already?" he asked, but before he could say much else, Laura was already halfway to the door."See you later!" she called over her shoulder, flashing him a quick smile before rushing outside. Jonathan watched as she waved down a cab, his hand halfway raised in a futile attempt to stop her.As the cab pulled away, Jonathan sat back down, a strange, hollow feeling settling in his chest. The coffee in front of him went untouched, cooling rapidly as he stared at the spot where Laura had been just moments before.~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Jonathan stabbed his fork into the steak on his plate, the sharp clink of metal on ceramic echoing in the otherwise silent dining room. The atmosphere was intense, as usual, during family dinners—his father at the head
Chapter 12When morning came, Jonathan woke up feeling the usual burden of frustration settling in his chest. His thoughts circled back to his brother, Nathaniel—always Nathaniel. Whenever he felt like this, he had one place to go—Laura. She had always been his solace. And so, without thinking too much, Jonathan grabbed his jacket and headed toward the Levines' house, his mind set on finding comfort.He knocked on the door, expecting the usual, a quiet exchange with Mrs. Levine before getting to Laura. But to his surprise, when the door swung open, Mrs. Levine's face broke into a warm smile. "Oh, hello, Jonathan. Come in, come in," she said, her voice filled with a kindness that threw him off balance.Jonathan blinked, confused. Just the other day, she had barely let him in, her manner cool and hesitant. But now, there was no trace of that hesitation—only an open, welcoming gesture that felt strangely... different. He hesitated for a moment, but then stepped inside, feeling a growing
Chapter 13Jonathan's grip tightened around the steering wheel, his knuckles turning white. He felt his heart race, a pit forming in his stomach. "What the hell?" he muttered under his breath, his mind spinning with questions, confusion, and a gnawing sense of jealousy.Who is he? Why didn't she mention anything? The sight of Laura walking away with another man made something snap inside him, something he couldn't quite control.Meanwhile, Laura giggled lightly, her arm still linked with the man beside her. "Congratulations, Mr. Elsher. I bet your wife is pretty much occupied now that you have a baby on the way," she said softly, her tone warm and friendly.Mr. Elsher, her father's secretary, chuckled in response. "Thank you, and yes, she is," he replied with a smile, his voice filled with pride. "We're both adjusting, but it's been an exciting time."Laura smiled genuinely, her mood light and carefree. She continued walking with Mr. Elsher as the conversation flowed easily between th
Chapter 14Jonathan sat on his bed, his elbows resting on his knees, while Tabitha settled just a meter away, watching him closely as she waited for him to talk. He took a deep breath, trying to find the right words."I think Laura has a boyfriend," he finally blurted out, his voice low and uncertain.Tabitha's lips twitched at the admission. "So?"Jonathan frowned, not expecting that response. "What do you mean 'so'? I just said Laura has a boyfriend.""Yeah, I heard you," Tabitha shrugged, almost sounding tired of the subject already. "So what if she has a boyfriend? What's the big deal?""She should've told me! I'm her friend!" Jonathan's voice rose, his frustration clear in every syllable.Tabitha scoffed, shaking her head. "A friend is a friend, Jonathan. It's up to her whether she wanted you to know about certain things or not. That's her personal life."He stared at her in disbelief, unable to accept what she was saying. "But—""No buts," she cut him off, raising her hand as if
Chapter 15The day of Nathaniel's party had finally come. The venue which was a well-known luxury hotel downtown became busy with staff making final preparations for this event. It was the perfect backdrop for his big announcement. Not only was he back home for good, but he was also going to reveal the woman he intended to marry—a woman no one in the family had known yet, maybe...Meanwhile back at home, the energy was electric. Their parents had been up since dawn, making sure everything would go smoothly. Even though the hotel had its own team of event planners, they couldn't help but double-check every detail. Tabitha, as well, was still in her room, struggling with which dress to wear. She rifled through her wardrobe, tossing gowns aside, too excited to settle on anything. Her curiosity was getting the best of her—after her brother's secrecy, today was the day they'd finally meet the mysterious fiancée.But while the rest of the house was feeling excited with anticipation, Jonatha
Chapter 16Jonathan, along with his family, finally arrived at the venue and the moment they walked in, the excitement was evident in the air. As they stepped further inside, they were immediately greeted by Nathaniel's dazzling smile, bright enough to light up the entire room."Mom, dad!" Nathaniel exclaimed, chuckling in happiness as he enveloped them in a warm hug. "You're finally here!"His parents beamed, clearly proud of their eldest son. "We wouldn't miss this for the world," his mother replied while her eyes sparkled with joy.Tabitha bounced beside them, her excitement contagious. "What's the plan? Are we ready for the big reveal?" she asked with her eyes wide in anticipation.Nathaniel grinned, glancing around the bustling venue. "Absolutely! Everything's set," he replied confidently. "Do enjoy the food and some fine wine."Jonathan who was already holding a glass, didn't need to be told twice. He swirled the deep red liquid in his glass and took a slow sip, letting the warm