Chapter 194: Philosophy
At this point, there was no turning back.
'Why do you put yourself through this crap?' I cried out in my mind.
"Jane, chill out. Get it together. I miss the fearless you." Louis stood in front of me, his tall frame casting a shadow over me.
I looked up and saw something in his eyes—hope, affection, concern, and a bit of helplessness.
With all his help, all I could do was say thanks.
He raised his hand like he was gonna pat my head, but seeing Brad's dark look, he switched it up and patted his own neck before shoving his hand in his pocket. "No need to thank me. If you ever need anything, hit me up. Timothy's got something to handle, so we gotta bounce."
After saying goodbye, Timothy and Louis turned around and walked into the sunlight.
"Thanks, man," Brad called out loudly.
Louis paused, turned to Brad for a sec, and smiled, "I'm doing this for her, not you. No need to thank me. Brad, treat her right. If she suffers even a bit, I'll take her away without a second thought. You know I can."
Brad stepped forward, put his hand on my shoulder, pulled me close, and kissed my forehead with a confident, cool smile. "You won't get that chance."
"Let's hope so," Louis said, turning around and walking away, soon disappearing from my sight.
"Still watching?" Brad muttered, moving his hand from my shoulder to my waist and giving a gentle squeeze.
I chuckled to myself; Brad was kinda cute when he was jealous.
"Brad, are you jealous? Don't be like that. You gotta have confidence in yourself and in me." I said, shaking his arm and acting all spoiled.
The heavy feeling brought by Daniel was like a dark cloud, blown away by Louis and Timothy, leaving a clear sky.
Brad's eyes, under his thick eyebrows, softened with a gentle smile. His big hand slowly rubbed my waist. "Where do you wanna go? Want me to take you?"
"I just need to clear my head. Brad, aren't you pissed that Daniel tricked us like that? He pretended to be sick when he was fine. I don't know who he learned that from. It's so annoying. I'm so mad."
His face darkened again. He rubbed my head and sighed, "He wanted to keep you. I think Daniel might really be in love with you."
"But if you love someone, shouldn't you make them happy? Just like you and me, everything we do is for each other's good, right? What he did only made me feel disgusted and hateful. I really hate him! And I don't care about his love."
"Jane, you're right. He doesn't get that, which is why he screwed everything up. But he's paid the price."
"He deserved it. I don't feel sorry for him at all. Brad, I never want to deal with him again. I never want to see him."
"You can avoid dealing with him, but you can't avoid seeing him. When you marry me, he'll still be your brother, and you'll run into him at home. So, babe, you'll have to deal with it. But then, you can handle him however you want, no need to consider my feelings. Do whatever makes you feel better."
"Who said I'm marrying you? Don't forget, you're still on probation."
Brad looked at me with that indulgent smile, saying he could wait until I willingly gave myself to him, and then he'd declare his claim over me to the world.
The whole car accident drama finally wrapped up after months of chaos that drove everyone nuts.
Luckily, it all turned out the way we wanted.
Brad spilled the beans to Hugh and Emma about Daniel faking his illness. They decided to come over on a weekend, and Brad went to the Daniel's place, saying he wanted to clear everything up with Daniel in front of them.
It rained a bit that day. After Brad and I picked them up from the airport, I headed back to my school apartment.
Brad wanted me to stay at his palce, but I wasn't having it. Since Brad didn't know how long the talk would take, it would be too tiring for him to come back if it dragged on. Plus, if he was worried about me, he wouldn't be able to focus, making Hugh and Emma's trip pointless.
Daniel pulled some serious crap; he deserved some punishment. The only ones who could really lay down the law were Hugh and Emma.
I hoped that after this, Daniel would grow up a bit and stop being so selfish and terrifying.
After grabbing a bite in the cafeteria, I went back to the apartment. To my surprise, Mindy was there. She saw me and happily hugged me, spinning me around twice.
"Looks like Brad's taking good care of you. You've put on some weight, looking great and eyes sparkling. So, how's it feel?"
She nudged me with her shoulder, winking with a clear implication.
I was still trying to figure out what she meant, but seeing her mischievous look, I blushed and slapped her arm. "You fool! What nonsense are you talking about?"
"Feeling embarrassed? Your face is as red as a tomato."
"I'm not like you. Those who claim not to like you still wrap around you. You're the one with the charm, truly admirable."
"Come on, I'm not like you. An adult over twenty being pampered like a child, oblivious to the hardships of the world. If anyone has charm, it's you. No one would dare claim to be first if you're second."
'That was too much, Mindy. You needed to stay humble.' I thought.
"I'm younger than Brad. He said he would always pamper me. Isn't it said that the one being pampered has the right to remain forever innocent and cute? That's me."
"Come on, Brad's looking for a girlfriend, a future wife, someone to spend his life with, not a daughter. While enjoying his care, you also need to know how to warm his heart, okay? Men get tired too."
It was just playful banter between friends, but I found her words quite deep. I was about to ponder whether her advice applied to Brad and me when my phone rang. It was Mia.
I answered the video call, and Mia's thin and haggard face appeared on the screen, making my eyes sting.
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