Chapter 2

After we left, the tension between Julian and me was suffocating.

After a long silence, he said coolly.

"Celeste has frail health. She deserves the best accommodations. Damian wasn't wrong about that."

I paused, not bothering to reply.

A long while later, Julian let out a bitter scoff. I looked over at him.

Fatigue and redirected anger swirled in his eyes. "You really are a failure. You can't even handle your own man."

Damian cheats, and somehow it's my fault.

I almost found it funny.

Maybe this was my karma.

Years ago, I knew Julian had trapped a girl.

Our parents spent most of their time abroad, leaving just the two of us in that massive estate.

He kept her locked in his bedroom suite. He didn't even try to hide it from me, showering the villa with luxury gifts just to put a smile on her face.

She refused to touch a single one.

In the end, every single designer bag ended up in my closet.

It was obvious she despised Julian.

Unable to watch, I had tried to talk sense into him:

"You can have any woman you want. Why force someone who doesn't want you?"

Julian had always treated me well.

But that time, his expression turned icy.

Knowing I had crossed a line, I kept my mouth shut.

Later, I even thought about calling the cops and consulted a lawyer.

The lawyer had only chuckled. "He's your brother, and he's the heir to the Vance Empire."

The implication was clear.

I shouldn't be so disloyal. And even if the truth came out, Julian would walk away untouched.

The lawyer was right.

So after thinking it over, I took a quieter route.

I chose to host my birthday party at home that year.

When it was time to blow out the candles, everyone gathered around me, including Julian.

Right then, power to the entire estate was cut.

The security cameras went dark.

I had paid someone to unlock his bedroom door and made sure the back exit was left unguarded.

As for the rest, it was up to Celeste's own luck.

She didn't let me down.

She made a clean break.

Which brought us to today.

Julian pulled a cigarette from his pocket and lit it.

When he spoke, his voice was a mix of sarcasm and probing curiosity:

"Since when did you and Damian turn into this?"

I understood what he was really asking.

If Damian and I were actually in love, none of this would have happened tonight.

He wouldn't be drowning in this miserable frustration right now.

I smiled faintly and threw the question right back at him:

"Julian, since when did you and I turn into this?"

Julian froze for a beat. Without answering, he turned on his heel and walked away.

He didn't even bother to say goodnight.

He couldn't bring himself to be angry with Celeste.

And Damian was hardly someone he could easily push around.

So naturally, I was the designated punching bag for all his toxic emotions.

...

Damian and I grew up together.

As kids, he loved pulling pranks on me, teasing me until I cried, only to flash that grin and coax me back.

Whenever Julian found out, Damian would inevitably get his ass beaten by my brother.

As we grew older, everyone assumed Damian and I were destined for the altar.

Only Julian wasn't sold on it:

"Damian's too reckless. You really think he'll treat my sister right?"

Back then, Damian stopped teasing me.

He'd take me out on dates, holding my hand and flirting effortlessly:

"You're going to call me your husband sooner or later. What's the harm in practicing now?"

I'd bite my lip and glare at him:

"Keep flirting like that and I'm telling Julian."

Damian would pinch my cheek. "Always running to your brother."

I'd laugh sweetly. "Jealous? Too bad you don't have an older brother."

Damian would scoff playfully. "Just wait until Julian gets married. When I tease you then, he won't have time to back you up."

I'd pondered for a second. "Then I'll just get his wife on my side."

At that, Damian had chuckled lazily, brushing a kiss against the corner of my lips:

"I'll be waiting, babe."

Looking back now, it felt like a completely different lifetime.