Chapter 219

[Hey, loves ❤️ First of all, Happy New Year. I hope this year has started off well for you, and my prayer is that it will be filled with happiness, peace, and abundant blessings.

Secondly, I want to sincerely apologize for going M.I.A. I was going through some things and didn’t quite know how to put them into words. I needed time to sort myself out, and although I’m not fully there yet, I’m in a much better place both mentally and emotionally.

I’m truly sorry that I wasn’t able to communicate my absence. That was never my intention, and I appreciate your patience and understanding more than I can say.

That said, I’m back and to start us off, I wanted to share a free chapter with you. Regular updates will resume tomorrow, and I hope to see you there.

Thank you for sticking with me🥰. Take care, stay safe, and enjoy.]

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Noah.

I stare at Brook and wonder if I missed something all those years ago. If maybe, just maybe, Lilly and Sierra had been right all along, and I’d been too blind to see a fucking thing.

The woman standing in front of me isn’t the girl I thought I knew. Her eyes are red and burning, her mouth twisted into a hard frown, her chest rising and falling like she’s barely holding herself together.

There’s nothing soft about her now. Nothing sweet. What I see instead is anger and something vindictive curling just beneath the surface.

I can’t wrap my head around it. Around her. Around this.

I close my eyes and draw in a slow breath, forcing air into my lungs, trying to steady the rage clawing up my spine. When I open them again, I look straight at her.

My hands settle on my waist, fingers digging into my sides as I search for words.

“Tell me the truth,” I say finally, my voice low and tight. “I want the truth, Brook.”

The evidence is stacked against her. I know that, and I know my cousin. Lilly wouldn’t have stormed into my house throwing accusations if she hadn’t verified every last detail. Our people don’t make mistakes. We don’t hire amateurs. We source the best, and they’re good at what they fucking do.

Still I need to hear it from her mouth.

“I—I—” she starts, but the words die before they even form. Her gaze slips away from mine, like she can’t bear to hold it.

“The fucking truth, Brook.” My voice comes out harsher this time.

She starts wringing her hands, shifting from foot to foot, mouth opening and closing like she’s drowning for air she can’t find.

“Cat got your tongue?” Lilly cuts in with a sneer. “You had so much to say a few minutes ago. Why are you suddenly so quiet now?”

“Shut up!” Brook snaps at her, fury flashing in her eyes.

Lilly only smirks.

I know that smirk. I’ve been on the receiving end of it before. It’s the kind that promises trouble.

“Why should I, Brook?” Lilly asks coolly. She folds her arms across her chest, entirely unbothered. “My dear cousin asked you a question. Why don’t you answer him?”

She tilts her head slightly. “Or are you struggling to come up with a lie convincing enough to manipulate him?”

“The truth, Brook. Now.” I snap the words out, cutting off whatever twisted back-and-forth is about to start between them.

She looks at me again, and this time there’s no mistaking it, she’s trembling.

“I didn’t do it,” she blurts. “I swear, Noah. I didn’t pay anyone to kidnap her.”

My jaw tightens. For a split second, it feels like I’m dealing with one of the twins. You catch them red-handed, proof right there in front of them and they still look you dead in the eye and lie. That’s exactly what this feels like.

“Really?” I ask evenly. “Then how did your number end up on his phone?”

I don’t know why, but part of me wants to see how far she’s willing to take this.

“I—I don’t know,” she stammers. “Lilly probably changed the number to mine. She wanted to frame me.”

Both Lilly and Sierra scoff at the same time.

“And why would she do that?” I ask, my patience thinning by the second.

Brook straightens, desperation sharpening her voice. “Because just like Sierra, she hates me. She wants me out of the way so she can help Sierra get together with you.”

I close my eyes and pinch the bridge of my nose.

This is absurd.

“Do you even hear yourself?” Sierra asks quietly. “That’s the most bullshit answer I’ve ever heard in my life.”

Lilly snorts. “You could’ve at least tried coming up with a better lie, Brook. This one’s just stupid.”

She’s not wrong. It’s true that Lilly has always wanted me to be with Sierra but never once has she schemed, manipulated, or pushed me into it. She spoke her mind a few times, shared her thoughts like the rest of my family did, and then left it alone. She never insisted. Never forced my hand.

That’s the difference.

I never planned to move on. Not really. But what just happened has me thinking, is this how Brook would behave if I did? Would she go to such extremes just to make sure no one ever replaces Chloe? And another thing gnaws at me. Why is she so hellbent on this?

Is she afraid that if I move on, my support for her will end? Does she truly love Chloe so much that she can’t stand the idea of anyone taking her place? Or is there something darker beneath all of this?

“I warned you last time,” I say slowly. “You didn’t fucking listen.”

She swallows hard. “What are you talking about?” Her voice wavers. “What are you going to do? You can’t believe everything they tell you.”

I inhale but the breath catches halfway in. I promised Chloe on her deathbed that I’d watch over Brook. That I’d protect her. Take care of her... But I can’t protect her from the consequences of this.

I’ll provide for her, I’ll make sure she’s okay, but I can’t ignore what she’s done.

“They’re framing me, Noah,” she pleads desperately. “Please believe me.”

“Even now, you’re lying,” I snap. “You’ve had a problem with Sierra since I told you she was pregnant, and since then, you’ve done nothing but cause trouble.”

“Well, technically,” Sierra cuts in, “she’s had a problem with me since we were kids.”

I shoot her a warning look. She winces and shuts up immediately.

“So what?” Brook snaps, turning viciously toward her. “You’re a goody-goody, two-shoes little saint who thinks she’s better than everyone else. It makes me sick.” Her eyes blaze. “You’re nothing. You can’t compare to me or Chloe. You’ll never measure up.”

I stare at her, and the woman in front of me looks nothing like the girl I thought I knew.

Where is the sweet, kind Brook I believed in for years? Was it all an illusion? An act so well-performed I never questioned it? Because people don’t just change overnight.

“And there she is,” Lilly says, clapping slowly, a sharp smile on her lips. “The real Brook. Tired of playing the good girl, huh?”

Brook whips around, fury etched into every line of her face.

“You’re not much better,” she snarls. “You and your holier-than-thou attitude. You were always jealous of Chloe.”

“What was there to be jealous about?” Lilly asks coolly. “She was shallow. Just like you.”

Brook scoffs. “You’re just angry Noah never married Sierra like you wanted him to.”

Lilly’s smile turns sharp. “I would’ve been happy if he married anyone else except your sister.”

“Enough!” I snap, the word cracking through the room. I’m already exhausted by the circular venom, the same accusations repackaged again and again.

Brook turns to me, tears springing to her eyes on cue.

“You see?” she says, voice trembling. “This is what I mean. They want me gone. They’ll do anything to make sure I’m out of the way.”

I shake my head, bone-deep tired of this bullshit.

She’s acting innocent. Like she didn’t provoke this. Like she didn’t throw shade at both Lilly and Sierra the moment she felt threatened. Like she’s the victim and they’re the villains.

“Please, Noah,” she cries. “Believe me.”

Once those tears would have tugged at something in my chest. Not today. After everything she’s done since learning about Sierra’s pregnancy, that part of me is dead and buried.

“I’ve heard and seen enough, Brook,” I say evenly. “I’ll have the maids pack your bags. The driver will take you to one of the penthouses of your choosing.”

Her tears stop instantly. She stares at me, eyes wide. “You’re… you’re kicking me out?”

“Isn’t it obvious?” Lilly asks before she lets out a short, satisfied laugh. “Took him long enough.”

Brook’s mouth opens, then closes. She looks genuinely stunned,

Her eyes stay locks on me.

“You’re kicking me out for her?” she demands, voice shrill. “You’re choosing her over me?”

Am I? I don’t know. I can’t honestly answer that. What I do know is that she cannot stay here.

“You’ll continue receiving your monthly allowance,” I say flatly, sidestepping her question. “You don’t have to worry about anything.”

Her face goes slack with shock. “Y-you...”

She doesn’t finish. Instead, she whirls toward Sierra, fury distorting her features.

“This is all your fucking fault!” she screeches.

It happens too fast.

Before anyone can react, Brook lunges. She slams into Sierra, tackling her to the floor. Sierra grunts on impact, the sound knocked from her lungs as they hit hard. Brook’s hand comes down, slapping Sierra across the face.

Sierra reacts instantly. She blocks the hand reaching for her throat and snaps her palm upward, striking Brook square on the nose.

Brook screams. Blood spills immediately. She rears back and swings again but Sierra surges upward, driving her forehead into Brook’s chin.

Brook cries out in pain and for a moment, Sierra goes still, her eyes crossing slightly as she wobbles, dazed, probably from the headbutt.

“Do something!” someone shouts.

The sound snaps me out of it. I rush forward and haul Brook off Sierra, dragging her back as she thrashes wildly.

“What the fuck was that?” I roar.

“She fucking deserves it!” Brook screams back, struggling against my grip.

Lilly is already kneeling beside Sierra, helping her sit up then she’s on her feet in a flash. She doesn’t hesitate. She punches Brook square in the face. The impact makes Brook groan as her head snaps to the side.

“You come near Sierra again and I’ll fucking kill you myself, bitch!” Lilly screeches, and Brook’s eyes widen in pure shock.

No wonder those two are best friends. They’re both violent as fuck and knowing my cousin, I’m absolutely sure some of that violence rubbed off on Sierra.

“Noah…” Brook starts.

I’m done.

“Enough,” I snap, and she freezes. “I think you’ve done enough.”

“She attacked me too,” Brook whines.

I ignore her completely and turn toward the hallway and call one of the drivers. “Take her wherever it is she wants to go.”

“Noah, please,” she begs.

“I’ll send your belongings once you decide which penthouse you want,” I add flatly.

“Noah, don’t do this to me, please.”

I don’t look at her. “Take her.”

“Noah—”

“Leave!” I bark.

That finally shuts her up.

She stares at me for a long moment, disbelief and fury warring on her face. Then she glares at Lilly and Sierra. Finally, her shoulders slump as she follows the driver out.

The door closes behind her and silence settles over the room.

Then Sierra coughs, cutting through the silence.

“You okay?” Lilly asks, immediately at her side.

Sierra coughs again and grimaces. “That headbutt thing looked a lot easier in the movies.”

Lilly groans. “Seriously, Si?”

“The palm strike worked, though,” Sierra continues thoughtfully. “ Thanks for teaching me that, by the way.”

Lilly rubs her face. “I swear to God—”

“I’ve been dying to teach her a lesson,” Sierra shrugs. “The fact that I pissed her off in the process?” She smirks. “Chef’s kiss.”

“You do realize I’m still standing here?” I say dryly.

“Yes,” she drags out. “So?”

…You know what? Never mind.

I turn and walk away before I say something I’ll regret, my head pounding, and my life officially upside down.