Chapter 46

A while later, they were all gathered at the dinner table waiting for Nicholas.

"Are you sure he's coming?"

His father asked as he shifted uncomfortably in his chair. The table was already set. The maid had brought out the food. Even Stephanie that always managed to be late was already at the table.


Alexander looked at his mother who was on her phone, probably trying to call Nicholas.

"He told me he would.."

She said.

"And you believed him?!"

His father said as he snorted.

Alex couldn't help but agree with his father.

Nicholas was probably not coming.

"I think we should start eating. If he's going to show up he would have."

Alexander said.

At that moment Nicholas appeared, walking across the living room and straight to the dining room.

"Good evening."

He said as he glanced at both their parents.

"Sorry I'm late. Car trouble."

He said as he sat next to Stephanie at the far end of the large table.

His mother beamed.

"I told you he was coming."

She said as she turned to their father who was at the head of the table scowling and Nicholas.

Everyone started dishing their food. It was veal cutlets and a side of vegetables.

"Congratulations on your new appointment Dad."

He said and he turned to his mother.

"You look good mum."

He said again after a while and then started dishing his food.

"Is that all you're going to say?"

His father asked and Nicholas shrugged.

"Is there anything else to say?"

He asked.

"How about apologizing. For the humiliation and pain you put this family through."

He added. Alexander watched the exchange. Nicholas looked calmed, barely bothered, barely ruffled by his father's words. He took a bite out of his food and chewed slowly.

His father on the other hand looked pissed.

"Very well then. I apologize."

He simply said.

"Can we eat now? I'm starving."

His father wasn't satisfied. Or particularly convinced.

"What do you have to say for yourself? How could you involve yourself with that woman, knowing she was getting married to your own brother?"

"Honey, I don't think this is the right place to talk about this."

His mother mumbled as she touched their father's hand gently.

"Where else would we get to talk about it Angela?"

"Where else?!"

"Has he even apologized? To his brother?"

He pointed at Alexander who just shrugged.

Nicholas sighed.

"I'm sorry. Truly, I am. It wasn't in my intention, or Cara's to hurt you or let you find out that way. We take full responsibility for our actions. But that doesn't mean I'll take all the blame."

Everyone turned to Nicholas.

"What do you mean?"

His mother asked. Her keen eyes on him.

"What else do you think I mean? You forced Cara and Alexander to be together. You tried to force them to get married because you helped her father's company. She didn't want to go through with the wedding. But Alex here didn't allow it."

"All this wouldn't have happened if you had called off the wedding like she asked."

Nicholas simply stated.

Alexander had no words for his brother. He was not in any way interested in getting involved, not when he was more interested in what his parents had to say about the whole issue.

"Do you think that's enough reason for you to get with your brother's fiancée?"

"I'm not saying it is."

"Then why did you mention it? You talk about us forcing the marriage when Cara herself was a willing partner. She wanted to get married to your brother. She was going to! That is, until you came along and ruined everything."

"She was only doing it because you saved her family's company. Yes. But then she changed her mind and you wouldn't let her change her mind! Even when Alexander found out that we were together he still didn't call off the wedding!"

The table went silent.

"What?!"

Mr Greene turned to his son Alexander who shifted uncomfortably in his chair.

"Alex is this true? You knew she was cheating on you?"

His mother asked.

Alex nodded slowly.

He glared at Nicholas briefly before turning to his parents.

"I found out not long before the news got out."

"Why didn't you tell us?!"

His father barked at him and Alex shrugged.

"I thought what they had was a fling. I didn't particularly care. I wanted to go through the wedding, especially when I saw how much it hurt them to be apart."

"I did it to hurt them, to hurt him. Besides it was already too late to call of the wedding."

There was an uncomfortable silence in the room. Even from Stephanie who's jaw was hanging.

Even from Nicholas who had never known the real reason why Alexander proceeded with the wedding after he found them cheating until now.

"This family has more drama than I'd ever thought it would."

Stephanie said as she started chuckling.

She turned to Alexander and shook her head.

"I always knew you had a dark side to you."

She said and her mother shot her a glare.

"Stephanie stay out of this please."

"Well... I'm just glad it's all over. And I'm happy you didn't marry her. Trust me she'd have brought you nothing but heartache. Such a woman can never be a good wife."

His mother said to him gently.

She turned to his father for support and his father nodded his head.

"Your mother's right. Cara wasn't the woman we thought she was. She isn't the one for you."

"Or you either."

He added as an afterthought as he looked at Nicholas.

"And who are you to decide that?"

Nicholas retorted.

"I'm your father."

His father said.

Nicholas shrugged.

"Yes. You are. But I love Cara. And if she feels the same way, I'd like to be with her."

Alexander felt his stomach turning.

He had not even had a bite of his food yet he couldn't stomach his brother's words.

His mother's face paled.

"Oh no Nicholas. You can't possibly be in love with that loose woman! After what she did to this family! To your brother!"

"What she did?! If I recall correctly it was both of our faces plastered on those blogs. Both of us!"

"Nicholas!"

"I forbid you. You are not to go to that woman! You are not to see her, you are not to talk to her!! Do you hear me?!"

His mother was practically shrieking.

"You're not going to disgrace this family any further by getting with that whore!"

The silence that followed was deafening.

Alexander shifted in his seat.

Nicholas slowly stood up.

"Don't ever call her that again."

"Ever."

He said.

His voice was low. Vicious. His face was cold and expressionless as he dropped his napkin and looked at everyone on the table again.

He had never really cared. No he had not.
His family never understood him, never really cared about him.
He remembered his childhood. Growing up with the nannies, two absent parents who cared much more about keeping appearances than being in their children's lives.

He remembered them trying to control him, meddling in his affairs, he remembered that big fight he had with them that made him leave. The fight that put a permanent wedge between them.

He remembered them choosing his brother over him.

He remembered the exact reason why he wasn't close with them anymore.

"Thank you for dinner."

He said as he walked out.

"Classic Mum. You ruined dinner."

Stephanie said as she scoffed and walked out too.

Leaving Alexander alone with his parents.

"Don't worry. He'll come around."

His father said to his mother.

"But he's going to that girl! That whore! He's going back to her! Oh I'm going to be sick Thomas!"

His mother said as she started panting.

His father shrugge, patting his wife's back gently.

"So what if?! It's Nicholas we're talking about! Let him go back to her! Let him have his fun and be done with her!"

"I promise you they won't last three months. They never do!"

Alexander didn't tell his parents how wrong they were.

He didn't even correct them.

Because if they knew his brother they would know. But he knew that deep in their hearts they knew the truth. The whole truth.

Nicholas had never felt that way or acted that way with any other woman.

He had never.

They were certainly going to last.

He could feel it, as much as it made him sick to his stomach.

He knew it was the truth.