Lahat ng Kabanata ng Meet My Overprotective Brothers : Kabanata 31 - Kabanata 40

Cora felt something warm spread through her chest as she looked at her family. The food. The celebration. The genuine joy on their faces just because she was there.She tried to respond to their toast, but her voice caught. So she just raised her own cup of orange juice and nodded, blinking back the tears that threatened to fall.They ate together, and for the first time since this whole nightmare began, Cora felt something close to happiness. Ryan told a story about a disastrous business meeting where everything that could go wrong did. Caleb shared a funny incident from the hospital. Even Ethan cracked a few dry jokes that made everyone laugh.Alexander watched it all with a contentment that made him look years younger. He kept glancing at Cora like he still could not quite believe she was real. That she was here. That his family was finally complete.Cora found herself laughing. Actually laughing. The sound felt strange coming from her throat after so many days of crying and despai

For a few seconds, time stood still. Ryan's arms were wrapped firmly around Cora's waist, holding her suspended above the pool's edge. She could feel the strength in his grip, the solidness of his chest against her back, the warmth of his breath near her ear. Her heart was pounding so hard she could hear it in her ears. Not just from the near-fall, but from something else. Something she could not quite name. The air between them felt charged. Heavy with something unspoken. Ryan did not move. Did not immediately let go. He just held her there, making sure she was stable, making sure she was safe. Cora became acutely aware of how close they were. How his arms felt around her. How her body fit against his. She swallowed hard. This was her brother. This moment should not feel like anything other than a brother saving his sister from falling. "Are you okay?" Ryan asked quietly, his voice close to her ear. The question broke the spell. Cora pulled away quickly, almost stumbling a

Cora forced herself to look away from Vanessa. Forced herself to focus on her father at the podium. Whatever Vanessa was doing there could wait. Right now, she needed to hear what her father was saying.Alexander cleared his throat and continued speaking. The room had quieted somewhat, though the energy remained charged."As I said, twenty-five years ago, my daughter was taken from me," Alexander began. His voice was steady now, though emotion threaded through every word. "She was four years old. Just a baby, really. Full of life and joy and curiosity about the world."He paused, his hands gripping the sides of the podium."The day she was taken was the day my world ended," he continued. "My wife, Cora's mother, never recovered from the loss. The grief consumed her. Six months after our daughter disappeared, my wife passed away. Her heart simply gave out. The doctors said it was a cardiac event, but I knew the truth. She died of a broken heart."On the couch, Cora felt fresh tears sli

The rest of the day passed in a blur. Cora stayed by the pool for hours, ignoring the calls from her brothers. Eventually, Caleb came to find her and gently convinced her to come inside before she caught a chill.Dinner was a quiet affair. Alexander had returned from the press conference looking exhausted. The brothers tried to make conversation, but it all felt forced. Artificial. Everyone was too aware of the elephant in the room.The press knew. Or suspected. And by tomorrow, the entire world would be dissecting every detail of Cora's life.After dinner, Cora retreated to her room. She tried to sleep, but every time she closed her eyes, she saw the reporters. Heard their shouted questions. Felt the weight of their judgment.Finally, around ten at night, she gave up.She needed answers. She needed to understand.Cora slipped out of her room and walked quietly through the darkened hallways of the mansion. Most of the house was asleep. Even the staff had retired for the evening.She f

The tension from the seating argument dissolved quickly. Once everyone was settled—Ryan victorious on Cora's left, Caleb comfortable on her right, Ethan in his claimed side chair, and Alexander presiding from his armchair—the living room felt warm and full."So," Alexander said, leaning back with his drink. "Cora, you have heard plenty about us these past few days. Our businesses, our routines, our habits. But we know very little about you. About your life before all this.""There is not much to tell," Cora said automatically. "It was not very interesting.""I doubt that," Caleb said gently. "Twenty-five years of living? There must be some stories worth sharing."Cora thought about it. Her life had been hard. Painful. Full of struggle and disappointment. But there had been moments of light too. Small, absurd moments that had made her laugh even when everything else was falling apart."Well," she said slowly. "There was this one time at the orphanage. I must have been about ten."All f