Share

Better Brother, Better Life
Better Brother, Better Life
Author: River Fish

Chapter 1

Author: River Fish
Phoebe Stanton had never considered getting a divorce since marrying Connor Russell. After all, she loved him deeply. She loved him so much that she would have died for him.

Then, his first love returned.

Phoebe was at the hospital when it happened.

The doctor's voice was detached as she said, "Ms. Stanton, this miscarriage has caused irreparable damage to your body, and your chances of conceiving again are low. You'll have to prepare yourself for that."

Phoebe's mind went blank, and her ears rang. She'd spent the past three years preparing for the conception of this child, and it had only happened two months ago.

That afternoon, when she'd been out and about, a car had suddenly hurtled toward her, making her lose her balance and fall.

The doctor frowned. "Ms. Stanton?"

"I understand. Thanks, doctor." Phoebe didn't like being vulnerable in front of others. She blinked rapidly and forced her tears back before getting up and turning to leave.

Behind her, the nurses whispered among themselves.

"This is such a big deal, and her husband's nowhere to be seen?"

"Don't even get me started. Before the uterine evacuation procedure, she was bawling her eyes out as she called him and begged him to come to the hospital. Yet, there's no sign of him anywhere."

"God. It's clear as day that he doesn't love her, isn't it? Why aren't they getting divorced? What's the point of keeping him around?"

Phoebe walked away, not hearing the words that followed. Connor hadn't just refused to come to the hospital. He'd even said over the phone, "If the baby's gone, it's gone. What's the point of crying? I'm busy now, so stop disturbing me!"

She had called him a few more times after that, but he hadn't answered even once.

For the past three years, Connor had been this cold toward her. In all honesty, she was used to it by now.

Three years ago, Phoebe had saved Connor's grandfather, Philip Russell, by accident. Philip adored her, so he had arranged for her and Connor to get married. Otherwise, with her identity and background, she would never have gotten the chance to marry him.

That was why Connor had objected to the marriage in the first place.

In truth, Phoebe had only insisted on contacting him that day because she thought he would relent for the sake of their unborn child. But she shouldn't have expected anything.

She pulled herself out of her reverie, wanting to get an Uber so she could go home. However, as soon as she looked at her phone, she received a message.

It was from Evan Grant, Connor's friend. He had sent her a video.

She tapped the screen to play it. The video opened with a massive bouquet of roses. There had to be at least a thousand stems. In fact, there were so many that the camera couldn't even fit them all.

The image panned left, revealing Connor with a woman beside him. Her name was Vanessa Somner.

Phoebe's eyes widened, and she clenched a fist around her phone.

Someone in the video said excitedly, "Vanessa, Connor knew that you were returning to Dalea today and started preparing for this welcome-back party ages ago! He poured his heart and soul into this!"

Another said, "Come on, you must give him a hug for his effort. Thank him!"

"A hug? Just kiss him! It's not like they haven't done it before! I still haven't deleted that video of you guys making out for three full minutes!"

Vanessa shook her head. "Things are complicated now…"

Before she could continue speaking, Connor wrapped his arms around her. "Welcome back, Vanessa."

His voice and movements were tender and natural.

Everyone in the video cheered.

"Look! Connor doesn't mind, does he?"

"Kiss him! Kiss him!"

The video abruptly ended there because Evan deleted the message. His following message read, "Sorry. I sent it to the wrong person."

The message had been deleted so quickly that he probably thought that Phoebe hadn't seen anything, so he didn't bother explaining.

Phoebe stared at the chat log for a long time. Then, a bitter smile spread across her face. So, this was what Connor had been busy with.

She had spent three whole years trying to win his heart, but instead of that happening, all she'd gotten was the return of his first love. That meant that it was even less possible for him to fall for her.

It was time for this greedy dream to come to an end.

Phoebe packed her things when she got home. Over the years, she'd led a simple life and worked a simple job. She rarely bought things for herself. So aside from essentials like clothes and identification, she had little to take with her. A 26-inch suitcase was enough to hold everything.

It only took her less than half an hour to collect all her things. After that, she took a seat and waited for Connor to come home.

It wasn't until 2:00 am that the front door opened. Connor passed through the living room and locked eyes with Phoebe. He wasn't surprised to see her there. After all, she'd waited for him like this on many late nights after his social engagements.

"You had surgery. Why aren't you resting?" he asked, his tone cold and devoid of emotion.

"I was waiting for you."

Phoebe's gaze landed on Connor's lips the moment he stepped into the house. They had a beautiful curve, but the corners were chapped. The collar of his white shirt was dotted with amorous lipstick marks, which also trailed onto his neck.

He really had kissed Vanessa. Maybe they'd even done more.

A sharp pain stabbed Phoebe's heart. She could count on one hand the number of times Connor had touched her over the past three years. He'd only ever done it reluctantly because his family's elders kept urging them to have children.

He never kissed her willingly. Each time, he would get straight to the point, and he never showed her any tenderness. Phoebe would always have a horrible experience. Afterward, when she longed for a hug, he would turn and head to the bathroom without giving her a second look.

All she ever saw was his cold, distant back.

Connor noticed the suitcase beside her and understood what this was about. "You saw Evan's video?"

"Yeah." Now that he was closer, she could smell the alcohol on him mixed with the nauseating scent of perfume. "Let's get—"

Connor cut her off before she could finish speaking. "Since you know what happened, let's call it quits. You knew from the very beginning that I would never have married you if Vanessa hadn't gone abroad."

Since he'd made his stance clear, Phoebe had nothing to say in objection. "Okay."

"It's late now, so you should rest. You can move out tomorrow…"

"It's fine. I've already signed the divorce agreement." She pointed at the coffee table.

Connor had given her the agreement on their wedding night, but it was only on this night that she'd made up her mind to sign it.

Connor was surprised. He furrowed his brows, seemingly trying to figure out whether she was being serious or putting on an act.

After briefly hesitating, Phoebe said, "I knew you would drink, so I made you a hangover cure. It's in the kitchen."

Perhaps it was just out of habit. To make Connor fall for her, she'd personally handled his meals and daily needs. She'd gone from being unfamiliar in the kitchen to an accomplished cook, and the process had been tormenting.

Every meal she made for him, from purchasing the ingredients to serving it, took several hours. Over the years, her fingers had been left with scars from cuts and burns.

But Connor was picky. No matter how delicious the meal was, he had never complimented her on it despite clearly enjoying the food. He knew very well that a single word of praise from him would be enough to keep her happy for a long time. He just didn't want to give her the satisfaction.

"I'm leaving," Phoebe said. Their three-year marriage was coming to an end, and there was nothing left for her to say.

Connor frowned. "You can stay the night."

"No, it's fine." She then left, dragging her suitcase behind her.

Connor didn't like it when Phoebe defied him. His expression darkened. Just as the door swung shut, Evan called him. "Hey, Connor. Are you home yet? Did you ask Phoebe if she saw the video? Sorry, man. I swear I didn't do it on purpose. But I guess it doesn't matter if she did see it. You two are always fighting anyway…"

Connor said, "She divorced me."

"What? Divorced?" Evan was shocked. "Just because of that video? No way! She'd never leave you! I'll livestream myself doing a stupid dance if she does that!"

Connor added, "I asked for it."

Evan was rendered speechless. Connor suggesting divorce meant nothing. After all, Phoebe was notorious for her clinginess and refusal to let go.

"I think it hasn't even been a month since you last asked for a divorce. You're like a monthly period now," Evan teased. "Last time, we bet that she'd return in half a day, and I won. This time, I bet that it will be one day. If I win again, you're treating me to another meal!"

Connor glanced at the door and listened as a car revved to life outside. He was surprised by how resolute Phoebe had been. However, he didn't even bat an eye as he said uncaringly, "She won't take that long. She'll be back tomorrow morning."
Continue to read this book for free
Scan code to download App

Latest chapter

  • Better Brother, Better Life   Chapter 100

    "Well, I wish them happiness," Phoebe told Alexandra over the phone. Online chatter was just an extension of real-world drama, so Phoebe wasn't all that surprised.Alexandra was speechless for a moment. On one hand, she was thrilled that Phoebe didn't care much anymore. On the other hand, she was grossed out by what a scumbag Connor was.Either way, Phoebe was her priority. If Phoebe didn't want to deal with it, so be it. Alexandra would swallow her disgust for Connor and drop the subject.They chatted for a while longer before ending the call.Phoebe genuinely had no interest in Connor and Vanessa anymore, but she still checked the trending searches. She skipped their names entirely, though. She scrolled from top to bottom, but there was not a single mention of Gideon.The bigger the exposure for the charity project, the better. She was sure that the Salazar family would push for publicity. With Gideon's looks, even one leaked photo would've made him shoot to the top of the trend

  • Better Brother, Better Life   Chapter 99

    "This is purely hypothetical, and it's completely impossible in reality. Don't hit me with real-world arguments. I just want to know what you think," Alexandra said. "Also, let's say Gideon has no relation to Connor and that he has feelings for you. What would you do?"Imagining things detached from reality felt like baseless fantasies, and Phoebe wasn't a fan of hypotheticals. Still, this was just a casual conversation with her best friend, so she was fine with it. She gave it some serious thought."First, we hypothesize that Gideon likes me. Second, we hypothesize that he has nothing to do with Connor. Under these two conditions, I bet few women would refuse. He's handsome, rich, and has a great body. Those qualities alone are enough to please us women," Phoebe said."So, what's your answer?" Alexandra asked."A person's views change with their experiences, Alexandra. After my failed marriage with Connor, do you know what's changed the most for me?""Your view on love?""Bingo.

  • Better Brother, Better Life   Chapter 98

    Phoebe relaxed, thinking that Gideon was a man of principle. He wouldn't take a single dime that wasn't his. But whatever was his, he would definitely claim.Phoebe cleared the table when supper was over.Gideon said, "Leave it. That's not your job, and someone else will handle it."She knew that he was a germaphobe, so she'd already started cleaning up. She was halfway done, so she quickly wrapped up. Then, she grabbed the trash bag and his suit jacket, said goodnight, and left.Gideon sat on the couch and checked a message from Simon. "Earlier, when I said I'd drive Phoebe home, you suddenly got 'bored' after already ordering all that food. That was a little too sudden, don't you think? Fess up—you wanted to drive her home, didn't you?""Yeah."Simon exclaimed, "You sly fox! I knew it! What's the deal with you? Phoebe thanked you in front of everyone, yet you didn't even respond. I had to answer for you! With your aloof attitude, it's no wonder you're single! But then, you go p

  • Better Brother, Better Life   Chapter 97

    Gideon didn't change his shoes, so Phoebe scrapped the idea of grabbing shoe covers from her place. She'd been in his apartment twice before, and each time, it was spotless. She figured that someone probably cleaned it thoroughly every day.But both those times, she'd been alone. That night, Gideon was there, too. It felt a bit strange, but it wasn't anything she couldn't handle.Phoebe set down the bag with Gideon's suit jacket and brought the takeout to the dining table. She unpacked and opened everything naturally, like she had done it a hundred times.Gideon sat at the table after washing his hands.Phoebe said, "Enjoy your meal, Mr. Blackwood. Good night."She turned to leave but stopped when his cool voice rang out. "There's too much. I can't finish all of this."Phoebe had halved the portion when placing the order, but Gideon had earlier gotten enough food for four people. She supposed it made sense that he couldn't finish portions for two.She just wanted to go home and

  • Better Brother, Better Life   Chapter 96

    Gideon's gaze had already shifted away from Phoebe. He pointed at the table laden with food and said, "Let's eat."Simon asked Phoebe to join them. She was studying Gideon's expression, but his face gave nothing away. She couldn't guess what he was thinking. Still, since he didn't say anything, she figured that she had passed the test.She looked at the spread of food and said, "I should get going. You guys enjoy the food."Simon was taken aback. "Wait, are you in a rush? Do you have plans?"She nodded."Make her stay." Simon nudged Gideon. He had figured it out now—Phoebe only listened to what Gideon said because he was her boss. She would only submit to his intimidating authority.However, Gideon looked utterly indifferent.Phoebe stood, looking polite but distant. "Mr. Blackwood, you guys carry on. I'll get going. Thanks for tonight."Simon stood with her. "Why are you being so formal? It's not like it was a big deal. If not for Gideon's status, making him the better fit to

  • Better Brother, Better Life   Chapter 95

    "It's true. The last time we played, Gideon actually won a bit. But then each of us snagged a big hand and took back everything he'd scraped together. He ended up losing money anyway," Simon said, grinning mischievously.Phoebe scrutinized Gideon. He didn't deny it, so it had to be true. She said, "Let's keep going."Ian said, "We won't go easy on you."Jeremy nodded. "None of us is going to be gentlemen today."Simon, always eager for chaos, saw a rare chance with Gideon setting Phoebe a goal. If she won, the fun would end too soon. He figured that she needed to keep losing to keep the game going.Phoebe merely smiled at their "taunts". She said, "No problem. Bring it on."Simon grew excited. "Well, well, well! Gideon, your secretary is challenging us! Are you going to bet on us winning or her?"Gideon still looked like he couldn't be bothered to respond. The fact that Phoebe, who was usually as cool as a machine, had risen to the challenge with conviction, sparked Ian's comp

More Chapters
Explore and read good novels for free
Free access to a vast number of good novels on GoodNovel app. Download the books you like and read anywhere & anytime.
Read books for free on the app
SCAN CODE TO READ ON APP
DMCA.com Protection Status