10| Brother

┏━━━✦❘༻༺❘✦━━━┓ Brother ┗━━━✦❘༻༺❘✦━━━┛ Chapter 10: Brother (Kai's POV) Crickets. Nothing but fucking crickets as Rose and I sat at our table in utter silence. The silence had never been so loud between us. In fact, there was hardly a silent moment between us because we always had something witty or chirpy to say to each other. Not this time. The two of us were simply baffled. "What can I get for you two today?" the waiter asked. Rose took a deep breath as she turned to him. "Whiskey. Neat." He paused. "Ma'am, it's one o'clock in the afternoon." "I'm aware," she nodded before repeating, "I want a whiskey. Neat." He hesitantly scribbled that down before turning to me. "And for you, sir?" "Make that two," I cleared my throat. Without uttering another word, he left to get those. Both of us sat utterly still, staring back at one another like it was a challenge, and we waited to see who would break first. Clearly, her father hadn't told her who her blind date would be today, just as my mother hadn't told me. I couldn't help but wonder if Rose had spent the past week being tortured through one blind date after another, just as I had. "I take it you weren't aware it was me you were coming to see today," she finally said, breaking the silence. "If I was, I wouldn't be here, sweetheart," I replied, loosening my tie when it suddenly felt suffocatingly tight the longer I stared at her. She offered me a fake smile, scrunching up her nose. "How sweet," she muttered, glancing around the restaurant. "I take it this isn't the first blind date you've been on recently," I said instead, lifting a questioning brow at her. After all, I was only aware of the one Marshall crashed. "It is the first one to make me want to gouge my own eyes out," she said sweetly. "How romantic," I scoffed. "Isn't it?" she bit back. "Since you're such a sight for sore eyes." My jaw ticked as our waiter stopped by, placing our glasses in front of us. "Is this what it's come down to for you, Ms. Chen?" I questioned. "An arranged marriage." She lifted a brow. "I take it your situation is no different to mine, Mr. Warner. You never have been very good with women." "Never with women who want to kill me," I said, tipping my head in her direction. "You just make it so tempting," she shrugged. "I can't help it." Her eyes dipped down to where my middle finger repeatedly traced the rim of my glass. "You're aware that our fathers met, aren't you?" I asked, catching her attention. She was clearly unaware until this very moment. A light scoff escaped her. "That's what he meant," she said, mostly to herself, as she turned away. "An alliance." With narrowed eyes, she faced me yet again. "You agreed," she stated, "to blind dates, to an arranged marriage. How could you possibly agree to something? You're a control freak, and in this situation, you don't have an ounce of control." "My mother can be quite persuasive," I replied reluctantly. She bit down a mocking smile and lowered her head. "I assume your father's no better," I said. She took a deep breath, leaning back in her seat. "No, in fact, I can guarantee you, he's far worse. I didn't have another choice." I eyed her for a beat. "My father doesn't like disobedience, Mr. Warner," she added. It was clear to me then that she was just as unwilling as I was to go through this entire ordeal. It was forced upon her just as it was upon me. "What exactly has your mother asked of you?" she demanded. "To go on blind dates, meet some girls of her choice, and select one for marriage?" I tilted my head as my eyes scanned her attire. She certainly was dressed for a date. "Something like that," I answered. "And you, my darling?" She shrugged lightly. "Something like that." I took hold of my glass. "Then we both agree…" I paused, my eyes traveling up to hers. "That this marriage can never happen." "Never," she agreed. "It goes against everything we were ever taught. You can choose another woman to appease your mother." "And you will choose a different man to satisfy your father," I responded. She nodded, and so did I. "For once, we agree," I said. "For once, we do," she confirmed, clinking her glass with mine before we both downed our drinks completely. As tempting as it was to stand up, pay the bill, and leave immediately, something about her intrigued me today. Something kept me there. Sighing softly, she leaned back in her seat with her shoulders dropping. My lips twitched in amusement, and I lifted my thumb to trace my bottom lip, concealing it. "You're disappointed," I stated. She arched a brow at me. "It wasn't a question," I added. "Why wouldn't I be disappointed?" she asked instead. "I was expecting someone who would at least be worth my time, but it's you. You're not even worth ten minutes of it." Nodding in understanding, I glance at the time on my watch. "Yet you've been sitting here for the past twenty minutes, Ms. Chen. Am I missing something?" I watched annoyance flash across her face as she shifted in her seat, staring out the window and clearing her throat. "I can't exactly leave," she mumbled, absentmindedly lifting her fingers to the diamonds in her ears. "No?" I questioned, looking outside. "My father is particular about ensuring I see his demands through," she exhaled, "he'll know it if I walk out." "And? Will you be punished?" I taunted, my leg brushing against hers beneath the table. Her gaze hardened into a glare. "If this is how you behave on a blind date, I'm afraid June will be waiting for a daughter-in-law a lot longer than she'd like," she scoffed lightly, folding her arms across her chest. "And you?" I mused, adjusting my tie. "What about me?" she asked, giving me yet another dirty look. "Were you just as viciously delightful with all the other men you've been dining with, or is it just me? Am I the special one?" She rolled her eyes at me. God, it drove me insane when she did that, I fucking hated it. "My other dates have been wonderful; thank you for your concern. But with you here, that's just impossible, isn't it?" she bit out. Spotting a waiter behind her, I beckoned him over and slid my wallet out. "I'll tell you what, my love," I said, pausing to request our bill and slip my black Amex out to pay it. "Let me make this easier for you," I said, meeting her gaze again. "Tell your father something came up at work, and we had to wrap things up a little early. Tell him we tried our best, but it just won't work. This marriage will never happen. Am I clear?" "Crystal," she agreed, "we will never work." "Never," I nodded sharply before rising to my feet. "Shall we?" I extended a hand to her. She stared at me quizzically. "The least I can do is see you out," I explained. When she didn't move, I added, "I believe this is called rejection, Ms. Chen." She scoffed, standing up. "You'd know, wouldn't you?" she mocked, brushing past me and heading to the exit. I bit back a chuckle and trailed behind her, pocketing my hands. Following her to her car, I opened the door as she unlocked the car, waiting until she was seated. "Goodbye, Ms. Chen," I said. "Goodbye, Warner," she exhaled roughly, pulling the door shut, buckling up, and then driving off. I waved her goodbye, and she flipped me off in return. "Charming," I muttered under my breath sarcastically before heading to my car. For once, I was willingly driving to my parents' condo and this time, with a clear purpose, because what. The. Fuck? Rose Chen? Setting me up for blind dates, forcing an arranged marriage onto me, making alliances with the Chens? Fucking impossible. I had about a hundred questions and not one answer in sight until I confronted my parents. That was precisely what I planned to do next. "Kai?" My mother's surprise was evident when she answered the door for me. "What are you doing here?" Forcing my way past her, I walked into the house, spinning around to face her as I felt her firmly grab my shirt. "Kai," she warned. I couldn't remember the last time I'd felt such rage course through my veins when it came to my parents, and I couldn't remember a single time I'd truly taken it out on them. I threw her arm off with greater force than I'd intended. "We have guests," she rushed out, her eyes blazing with warning. Taking a breath to calm myself, I took a step forward and lowered my voice, "You set me up with Rose Chen?" I demanded. Her expression remained blank and stoic. "I take it your date didn't go well," she replied dryly. "Didn't go well?" I echoed incredulously. "Is this a joke to you, Mother? I'm supposed to meet the woman I will spend the rest of my life with. Do you understand what that means?" "Don't be so dramatic, Kai," she scoffed, brushing me off yet again. I'll fucking show her dramatic. "If you so much as dare to pull a stunt like that again, our deal is off," I warned. I caught the slight twitch in her left eye. "Is that a threat, son?" "It's a warning, Mother. I'd highly suggest you take it." I took in a breath and barely managed to step back just as I heard footsteps approaching. "Kai," Aunt Jenny greeted, stepping out into the foyer. She was my mother's real sister and only family now left. Despite that, we rarely ever saw them. My mother made sure of that when she married my father; she practically abandoned her only family the first chance she got. I ran a hand through my hair, turning away from my mother. "Aunt Jenny," I greeted curtly. "Your brother is here," my mother announced, walking past me and toward the living room. "Cousin brother," I corrected before turning to Aunt Jenny again. "Nick is here?" I asked. On cue, Nick appeared, standing firmly beside his mother. "Kai," he said. "Nick," I replied. "What brings you here today, Aunt Jenny?" I questioned, trailing behind them and into the living room. "Haven't you heard?" she laughed, linking her arm with mine as I fell into step beside her, Nick walking ahead of us. "Nick's getting engaged!" she beamed. "Not exactly," he chuckled, glancing at us over his shoulder. "Not yet, anyway." "Engaged?" I questioned. "Your mother suggested someone, and God, what a beautiful girl she is. I sent him off on a blind date the moment I saw her pictures, no questions asked." My gaze drifted to Nick's as he settled in a seat across from me, and I couldn't help but lift a brow. "Does this beautiful girl have a name?" I asked. "You must know her. Your families run in the same social circles," he said instead, adjusting his glasses. "It's Rose Chen." "Rose…" I said slowly, "Chen." What. The. Fuck? The first blind date. The one that Marshall crashed. Possibly the only one she truly enjoyed. That blind date was… Nick. And his potential future fiancée was… Rose. You've got to be kidding me. . . . . . Chapter 10 DAILY UPDATES ARE SLOWLY COMING BACK AS PROMISED Don't forget to comment! next ch: family