After Divorce, I Married His Half-Brother のすべてのチャプター: チャプター 21 - チャプター 30

“Damn, it’s stunning.” Leah held my hand up, staring at my engagement ring. “ Pure fucking diamond. Girl, you hit the jackpot.” I gave a half-smile and pulled back just enough to reach for my drink—chai latte. I took a slow sip, letting the spice settle on my tongue. “Being home feels…weird. Good weird though.” She said, releasing my hand and reaching for her rosé. “And I finally get to catch up with you.” “It’s really good to see you again,” I muttered. “I mean, if I hadn’t screwed up, maybe you wouldn’t have had to leave in the first place.” Leah waved it off, brushing past my guilt. “Oh no, don’t think about that.” She leaned in, a grin coming to her face like she wanted to share a sweet gossip. “You should ask me what made me hop on the first flight to Brooklyn.” I looked around. The restaurant was cozy and quiet with just a few people here and there. It was private enough for the kind of conversation Leah was clearly building up to. My hand tightened around the mug. “Why

> _ _ "Coffee." Miles, my best friend, announced as he stepped into the living room. He handed me a cup and I took it without a word. I took a slow sip, the heat rolling down my throat. I set the mug down on the table and grabbed my suit. "I'm heading out." I spent the night at Miles's place. Too much was going on. That damn Grant Miller had been stirring up more trouble than I could handle. Miles frowned. "Why? What about our plan? You still wanna deal with that, right?" "I'm not backing down." I pushed off the couch where I'd been sitting all morning. "Just meeting her for breakfast." "Who?" "Vanessa. I called earlier, but she hung up." Miles narrowed his eyes at me, brows creased in confusion. "So you figure if she hangs up, that means she wants to meet?" "That's what it means, right?" He chuckled. "You're taking this relationship thing way too seriously. Damn, man, you've changed. Can't believe you're actually a fiancé now." "Yeah, n

Keep Derek? As if he were a prize to be reclaimed and not the man who'd shattered me. I wasn't sure which stung more—her words, the sincerity behind it, or my own foolish hope that chasing him was smart. Catherine beamed at me, her smile so bright as if she hadn't just suggested I throw away my dignity. "Think about it, Vanessa. Nothing would make me happier than having you on board." She paused, letting the words settle. "The wedding's next month, keep me posted before then." I opened my mouth to speak, but a sharper, more irritated voice cut through first. "Derek's wedding is what's happening next month, if I’m not mistaken." Catherine and I both turned towards the door. Sure enough, Ryker was standing there, his eyes drifting between me and Catherine. "What exactly does my fiancée have to do with that?" he added, stepping into the room. Catherine replied. "Just girl talk. Nothing that concerns you." She turned to me, smiled, and whispered. "I'm sure you'd prefer to keep

I spent hours pretending I wasn’t staring at her. But my gaze never left Vanessa. Red and blue lights flickered over the crowded room. Chattering and laughter blended with the loud music. But amid it all, she stood out. As maddening as she could be, I liked her like this—free. Head thrown back, laughing, arms raised as she moved with the crowd. This Vanessa was different from the one I first met: the sulking lady who was drowning in whiskey all because of a dickhead. Fine. I admit it. I knew who she was before I slid onto that barstool next to her. I wasn’t jovial enough to want to strike up conversations with strangers. Especially not a woman who looked like her soul was stepped on. I recognized her to be Derek’s wife. Though I never attended the wedding, I saw photos of them as a couple because a certain Catherine wouldn't stop rambling on about how beautiful her daughter-in-law was. Ex daughter-in-law. And my father used Derek and Vanessa's photo to preach to me

> — — I don’t know if it was just me, but there was something satisfying about watching my ex settle for trash. It might sound insulting, depending on how you look at it. But from where I stood? It felt good. Derek deserved what he got. The lies. The betrayal. I narrowed my eyes slightly, trying to keep my vision clear. “Let’s go,” I mumbled after a while, already heading to the car. Ryker silently followed behind me, not saying a word. Together, we got to the parking space, entered the car. He threw me a glance, but I acted like I didn’t notice. I fastened my seatbelt and let the silence fill the space between us. Slowly, he pulled out of the parking lot, but I could feel his eyes drift toward me every now and then, like he was waiting for me to talk about what we’d just seen. Honestly, I didn’t know if I wanted to. “What are you thinking about, little lamb?” Ryker broke the silence, his voice soft. I turned my head slightly and gave him a