His Quiet Undoing: TO LOVE THY BROTHER のすべてのチャプター: チャプター 11 - チャプター 20

ZANE POVI could not stay at the Ashford mansion after dinner that night.That house felt too heavy. Too crowded with memories..too filled with people who looked at me like I was a mistake that had walked back into their lives.So instead, I went to the apartment I had bought a month before returning to New York.A quiet penthouse in Manhattan.When I walked in, I dropped my keys on the counter and loosened my tie slowly. My reflection stared back at me from the mirror near the entrance.I looked tired annoyed..restless even.Dinner had been a disaster I wasn't expecting..Seth’s cold stares.Grandfather’s authority..my parents’ disappointment.And her.Aurelia.The way she had looked at me when I spoke.She looked hurt,defensive.Like I had personally destroyed something precious.I had not meant to..I just hated lies.And that family was built on too many of them.I poured myself a glass of water and sat on the couch, leaning back and staring at the ceiling.Why did I even come back

AURELIA POV They pulled away from each other in an instant.Seth’s eyes darted to me immediately, wide with shock. For a moment, he looked like someone who had just been caught doing something he wasn’t supposed to do. Worry flooded his expression, followed closely by something that looked painfully like pity.Our eyes locked.I saw guilt in his.I felt humiliation in mine.Before he could say anything, before he could even make a move toward me, Regina spoke first.“Oh, Aurelia, darling,” she said softly, smiling in a sheepish, almost embarrassed way. “I’m sorry you had to see that.”She slowly stood up from Seth’s lap and walked toward me.Before I could react, before I could move away, she wrapped her arms around me.She hugged me.My body jerked in surprise, stiffening instantly.Why was she hugging me?What was this supposed to mean?Her arms were warm, firm, confident, like she had every right to touch me like this. As if she was the one who belonged here. Like she was the woma

Aurelia POV ~“I’m grateful for me and Seth’s relationship,” I began slowly, forcing my voice to remain calm as I tried to start in the safest way possible.The moment the words left my mouth, I became aware of how quiet the room had grown. Everyone’s attention was fixed on me now. Grandfather had leaned forward slightly in his chair, Mom’s hands were clasped tightly in her lap, and Dad’s eyes never left my face. And Zane had shifted his position, watching me with a focused expression.“I’m grateful for how it has brought all of us closer,” I continued, glancing briefly in Zane’s direction before looking back at Grandfather. “For how it made us feel like a real family, for how it has accommodated me” My throat tightened slightly, but I pushed through it.“But now…”Before I could finish my sentence, a voice cut through the room.“Aurelia!”I froze.My heart jumped violently in my chest as I turned toward the entrance.It was… Seth!He stood there breathing heavily, his tie slightly lo

AURELIA POV~“What…?” I muttered softly, my brows knitting together in confusion as I stared at Zane.He looked at me calmly, as though what he had just said was the most normal thing in the world, while my mind was still trying to catch up with his words.“Yes,” he repeated gently. “You’ve been promoted. You’ll be working as my sign language interpreter as well, not just for Seth.”I stopped walking.For a brief moment, the slight movement of the elevator around us faded into the background as I tried to process what he was telling me. My fingers tightened around the strap of my bag, and I felt my heartbeat pick up slightly.“But… I already work with Seth,” I said slowly. “I’m assigned to his schedule. I already assist with his public meetings, interviews, and media appearances. I don’t understand why I would suddenly be moved to your side too.”“It’s not a transfer,” Zane explained patiently. “It’s an addition. With my new position, I’ll be having more public engagements, more meeti

AURELIA POV♧The hallway leading to the media hall was already crowded by the time Zane and I arrived. Staff members moved back and forth carrying files, cameras were being adjusted, and members of the public relations team stood in small groups, whispering and checking their phones. Everything felt busy and loud, even though most of it blended into the background for me.I walked beside Zane quietly, holding my tablet close to my chest.He didn’t try to start a conversation, and I was grateful for that. My mind was already too full. Between Seth’s sudden appearance in my office, his apology, his hug, and his suggestion of dinner, I felt emotionally drained. It was like being pulled in different directions at the same time, and I didn’t know which feeling to trust anymore.When we reached the entrance to the hall, a member of the media team rushed toward us.“Mr. Ashford, everything is ready,” she said quickly. “We’ll begin in five minutes.”Zane nodded.“Thank you,” he replied.She t