ETHAN
She remained silent, her gaze locked on mine as her breathing quickened. Then the doorbell rang. *The damn Anthony.*
“In your dreams,” she muttered through clenched teeth before turning away and heading toward the kitchen.
I followed her, running into Jack along the way. He walked past me with a suggestive smile, making it clear he was going to greet his guest.
When I entered the kitchen, everyone seemed busy with something.
“You owe me a new painting, Ethan,” Zara said when she saw me, holding Sophia in her arms.
“I think we should all go greet Anthony,” Zoe said, slipping out of my brother’s embrace and heading toward the living room.
She shot me a teasing smile as she passed. Will and Anna followed her. Zara approached me, handing over Sophia, who was still engrossed in the lollipop I had brought her.
“Your turn to hold her for a bit. Meanwhile, Ellie and I are going to touch up our makeup.”
They both left, leaving me alone with Sophia and my brother. I set Sophia down on the kitchen counter, feeling the tension in my shoulders ease slightly.
“You can try to hide it, but I can see the tension in your shoulders,” my brother said, making me sigh.
“Unfortunately, because of you, I can’t tell Uncle Bennett to go screw himself,” I smiled at Sophia, wiping a little sticky spot from her cheek.
She ignored me completely, too focused on her task of licking the lollipop.
“Need I remind you that I warned you? Now deal with it while I have some fun.” He walked past me, still smiling.
Bastard. Who needs enemies with a brother like that?
“Looks like it’s just you and me,” I said to Sophia.
After playing with her for a bit, I felt a little more relaxed, so I reluctantly made my way to the living room. There was no escape.
Everyone was sitting on the couches, chatting. And since the situation required some politeness, I approached Anthony to greet him, handing Sophia back to Jack first.
“Ethan Morgan,” I extended my hand, aware that everyone’s eyes were on us.
“Anthony Harrison. You must be Bennett’s brother, just back from England,” he said as he shook my hand.
I nodded. His grip was firm, and he was only slightly shorter than me. Dark hair, blue eyes. Fine. He was decent enough, dressed well, and seemed in shape, but he had a bland air about him.
I hoped Miss Brown thought the same. It might be petty of me, but I couldn’t help but feel a deep dislike for him. He wanted something that was mine, and that made me want to kick him out.
I sat on the couch next to Jack, and Sophia wanted to climb back onto my lap. At least she was distracting me a bit, making the situation feel slightly less unbearable. I played with her in my lap while the others chatted, keeping a close eye on every move and word Anthony made.
As much as I didn’t want to admit it, he seemed like a decent guy, which meant there was a chance he and Ellie would hit it off. The thought of that made my throat tighten with an uncomfortable knot that kept growing.
Eventually, Miss Brown entered the room alongside Zara, who was the first to approach Anthony to greet him. My body tensed as Ellie’s turn came, and I held my breath when he got close enough to kiss her cheek.
She smiled genuinely, giving him a loud, cheerful greeting. For a moment, I was amused, knowing she’d done it just to spite me after I’d called her impolite.
But when I noticed the way he looked at her, from head to toe while she was distracted, the anger I’d been trying to keep in check flared up. If Sophia hadn’t been on my lap, I probably would have gotten up to punch the guy in the face.
Soon after, Zara led us to the dining room, where the table was already set. I didn’t take my eyes off Miss Brown as she and Anthony walked ahead of me. I hated seeing how interested she seemed in every word he said.
When I reached the table, there were only three empty seats left. One at the head of the table, which belonged to Jack, who had just stopped Anthony to chat, giving me an opportunity. The other two seats were one to Ellie’s right and one directly in front of her.
I needed to act fast. I looked at Sophia in my arms and had an idea.
“Do you want to sit next to Aunt Ellie?” I whispered.
She nodded.
“Then if Mommy asks, just say you want to sit with Uncle Ethan.” She nodded again, satisfied.
Perfect. At least I’d have an excuse. I moved toward Miss Brown and sat down beside her. She shot me a frown before smiling at Sophia.
“Sophia wanted to sit next to you,” I shrugged.
My little partner in crime nodded in my lap.
“It’s time for you to sit with Mommy,” Zara said from my right, catching Sophia’s attention as she tried to pull her away.
“I want to sit with Uncle Ethan.”
“Uncle Ethan needs to eat now, sweetheart.”
“It’s fine,” I reassured Zara.
For the next ten minutes, I felt a mix of emotions—rage, frustration, regret, and pure hatred. I kept fantasizing about punching Anthony as I watched him flirt and talk with Miss Brown.
Sophia had already left my lap to sit with her mother, and the conversation had moved through topics like Anthony’s career, his failed marriage, his travels, and even his childhood.
My patience was wearing thin. Watching Miss Brown engage so easily in every question he asked about her life only irritated me more.
She seemed genuinely interested in him, and it was driving me insane, especially seeing how kind and polite she was being. It was as if she wasn’t being herself—her usual teasing, bold nature had vanished, and I wanted it back.
I was discreetly watching as she brought her glass to her lips, licking them afterward when I thought I heard Anthony invite her to lunch the next day.
I stared at him, trying to confirm if I had heard correctly.
“Of course, if you’re free,” he said with a smile, making me want to smash his teeth in.
“Well, I think I...” she started to respond but suddenly gasped when I placed my hand on her thigh, sliding it under the table. I felt her whole body tense.
*Say no.*