6
–
”
When I was little, she had been good to all of us. She played the part of the loving mother perfectly, showering us with affection. But that same
person had been deceiving us for over a decade. The realization filled me not just with pain, but with a chilling fear.
“And Dad,” Isabelle continued, “you said he was an oblivious workaholic. I’ve been working my tail off at the company, but he hasn’t warmed up to
me at all.”
My mother was also perplexed. My father really didn’t care about trivial matters. After they married, he had always deferred to her, giving her alm-
ost anything she wanted. He never had an affair, letting her live a life as a wealthy matriarch. She couldn’t figure out what had gone
wrong, why he had suddenly changed.
My mother stroked Isabelle’s head. “Don’t worry. Your older brother will be back soon. He’s doing great things at the overseas
might even promote him to VP. If David Crestwood won’t have you, then we’ll switch to your brother.”
branch. The board
We were three children in the Sterling family. Two sons and one daughter. I was the one pampered by everyone. My two older brothers were sent
abroad by my father to gain experience at the company’s international branches.
My eldest brother, Arthur, was now the Director of Overseas Operations. My second brother, Andrew, hadn’t accomplished much of anything.
In my past life, after killing me and David, Isabelle had seduced my brother Arthur. Arthur was straightforward like my father, completely clueless
about the manipulative games women could play. He fell for her fast. She ended up drugging him, leaving him with a chronic illness that made
him unable to handle high–pressure work ever again.
As for my second brother, Andrew, he was smitten with Isabelle from the moment he saw her. He sided with her in everything, even helping to
push his own family into the abyss.
And then there was the other secret i discovered.
Andrew was Isabelle’s full–blooded brother.
No wonder he was never close to us. He was always sneaking off with spoiled rich kids to bully me behind our parents‘ backs.
This time, I would not let them succeed.
Just before the new year Arthur and Andrew returned from abroad. My father had arranged for them to come home early for a family reunion
dinner
After years away, Arthur was as charismatic as ever, Andrew, on the other hand, was still the same smooth–talking sycophant. I heard that the
success of the overseas branch was all thanks to Arthur. Andrew was just there to get a fancy title on his resume.
Isabelle greeted them with a radiant smile. “Arthur, Andrew, you’re back.”
Isabelle was smart, Knowing the path to David was blocked, she had decisively switched her target to my older brother. In her mind, the Sterling
Group was already hers for the taking anyway,
She served thern soup, every movement exuding a fragile, pitiable grace. The chef had been simmering the chicken soup for hours, but in her
hands, it was as if she had made it herself,
Tve heard so much about your capabilities, Arthur, and your charm, Andrew. It’s wonderful to finally meet you both.”
A small smile played on my lips as my thoughts rang out at the perfect moment,
It’s so good to see Arthur again. In my past life, Isabelle drugged him, leaving him wracked with pain until he died. I can’t imagine how much he
suffered.
Arthur choked, spraying a mouthful of soup directly onto Isabelle.
She was caught completely off guard but forced a smile to maintain her image. 1s is the soup too hot?”
Andrew asked with concern, “What’s wrong, bro?”
11.48.0
Chapter 2
Andrew asked with concern, “What’s wrong, bro?”
I had made sure only Arthur heard my thought. He looked around, his eyes finally settling on me.
“Claire? Was that you?”
#
I shook my head innocently, but I was thinking: How can I warn him? But he’d never believe me so easily, would he?
Arthur’s face turned grim.
Isabelle just stood there awkwardly, like a dethroned princess. A princess drenched in chicken soup.
Andrew immediately stood up, taking off his suit jacket and draping it over her shoulders. You would have thought she’d been doused with water,
not soup.
Isabelle blushed, flattered, playing the part of the gentle, damsel in distress to perfection. “Thank you, Andrew.” She lifted her damp eyes to him, and Andrew’s ears instantly turned red.
I watched them exchange lovelorn glances. Andrew, you look very dashing draping your jacket on her, but you look pretty puke from the smell.
Well, it’s no surprise Andrew prefers Isabelle. But… it’s strange… don’t Andrew and Isabelle look a little bit alike?
Arthur looked at me again, his eyes filled with shock.
I pretended not to notice and blinked at him. “Brother?”
pathetic trying not to
Arthur just shook his head and said nothing more. But from that day on, whenever Isabelle appeared, he would retreat three steps, as if afraid of
touching something unclean.
Andrew, on the other hand, became her shadow. Even when Isabelle didn’t seek him out, he would follow her around like a lovesick puppy. It see-
med that, with Arthur a lost cause, isabelle had switched targets again and was now fully engaged in a romance with Andrew.
