Chapter 49 Awesome
I thought I'd be alone for the holidays, but as I left the dorm, there was Brad with his backpack. He hadn't been home in almost two years, and his family wanted him back for New Year.
I was thrilled and asked why he hadn't told me. Brad said he wanted to surprise me.
Well, it worked.
With Brad around, the trip home was way more enjoyable. He looked after me like a kid the whole way.
When Helen opened the door and saw us, she was stunned but then greeted us happily.
"Brad's back! So handsome. Jane must've been a handful at school," Helen said, taking my luggage and ushering us in.
"Not at all, Jane's great. I like taking care of her," Brad replied, chatting with Helen before knocking on his own door.
Within seconds, Emma's scream filled the air.
"Look how happy Emma is," Helen said, smiling as she helped with my luggage. She mentioned how Emma pretended not to care but actually missed Brad a lot.
Ronan came home later than usual. I hadn't told him I was coming. When he saw me, his eyes widened, "Oh, my darling daughter is back! Why didn't you tell me? I didn't bring any treats."
Brad's return surprised Emma, Hugh, and even Daniel.
Daniel had started his break earlier but was coming back a day later because Zoe wanted to stay at school a bit longer.
When Daniel returned, Emma and Hugh organized a gathering, saying it had been two years since Brad joined a family dinner, so both families should have a reunion meal. They told Daniel to go straight to the restaurant from the airport, and after dinner, everyone would come back together.
The reunion dinner had everyone there, but it wasn't as perfect as expected.
Zoe came with Daniel, surprising everyone.
With eight people around the table, the atmosphere got awkward.
Seeing Daniel and Zoe, Helen and Ronan's smiles faded. They greeted Daniel politely but didn't say much more.
Emma and Hugh's expressions soured, especially Emma, who kept glancing at me and Helen, clearly embarrassed and irritated.
I thought those bad memories had taken root and couldn't be fixed with forced smiles.
But it was in the past, and Daniel and I had no connection anymore. He was just my neighbor and childhood playmate.
Even now, three years later, seeing Daniel's eyes I once adored stirred some emotions.
But the heartache had faded; he was just part of my past.
Brad, sitting next to me, noticed the change in everyone's mood and my expression.
He quietly held my cold fingertips and squeezed them tightly, bringing me back to reality.
"If you're not happy, don't force it. Wanna go for a walk?" Brad always knew how to comfort me.
I smiled and shook my head, "No, I'm fine."
The dishes came out soon, and Hugh urged everyone to start eating. Everyone responded and began to eat.
The four elders had their own expressions, eating silently. Even Hugh and Ronan, who usually had a drink together, quietly focused on their forks.
"Zoe, the grilled fish here is delicious, you should try it," Daniel broke the silence, offering Zoe a piece of fish.
But the "grilled fish" he offered was actually broccoli.
Guess Daniel wasn't as composed as he seemed.
Zoe didn't eat the food in her bowl but stared at Brad, "Daniel, is this Brad?"
Daniel paused, glanced at Brad, and said, "Yes, this is Brad, a graduate of the Northern Institute of the Arts, the same university Jane attends. How come you don't know Brad? Jane, didn't you introduce Zoe to Brad when she was visited?"
My heart sank, and the food in my mouth felt stuck in my throat.
I thought, 'Here we go again! Why drag me into this, Daniel? Whether Zoe knows Brad is your family's issue. Who said I had to introduce them? Another sudden accusation, Daniel, are you out of your mind!'
I really wondered if I was blind all those years, thinking Daniel was the best guy in the world, that I had to marry him and make him my forever.
Just as I was about to retort, Brad pressed my hand on my lap and said with a stern face, "Who is Zoe? Why should Jane introduce her to me? Sorry, I'm not that free to meet everyone."
What a great response!
Zoe probably intended to strengthen her relationship with the Pitt family, but Brad didn't give her the chance.
Zoe's face flushed with a mix of shame and anger, her hand trembling slightly as she held the fork. Her eyes reddened, looking like she was about to cry, which made her even more pitiful.
Even the thickest-skinned person couldn't stand being ignored like that.
Seeing Zoe's aggrieved look, Daniel felt heartbroken and slammed his cutlery on the table, "Brad, how can you say that? Zoe is my girlfriend, not some random person."
"Really?" Brad slowly raised his eyes, staring at Daniel with a sharp and cold gaze that even made me feel the icy pressure beside him, "Your girlfriend? Why didn't anyone tell me? If she's your girlfriend, she's a junior. Why didn't she greet me when she went to the Northern Institute of the Arts? Is it because she doesn't respect me as her elder brother?"
Such unbeatable eloquence was truly impressive!
I was so happy, Brad was standing up for me! Having Brad was great.
Although it wasn't good to create conflict between Brad and Daniel for my sake, Brad was just stating the facts.
Besides, I never encouraged Brad to do anything for me. In this regard, I was actually innocent.
"You're so busy with your studies, and it's not a big deal, so I didn't tell you. Just focus on your own things and take care of Jane, you don't need to worry about other matters," Emma said as she put a freshly peeled shrimp in my bowl, signaling me to eat.
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