Chapter 127 Sting
Hugo didn't really know what to expect, Ethan wasn't making it any easier with that unreadable expression of his. The room felt heavier by the second, thick with silence and control. People whispered about who they thought Ethan Sinclair was, spinning rumors and half-truths, but Hugo knew better. He knew the man behind the precision, the quiet ruthlessness. And he wasn't foolish enough to test him.
Still, Hugo didn't flinch. He held Ethan's gaze, his jaw tightening, refusing to be the first to look away. If this was a silent battle of will, he'd prove he was man enough to stand his ground.
Then, unexpectedly, Ethan's lips curved into the faintest smile, a dangerous one. He leaned forward, elbows resting on his knees, and said quietly,
"You greatly underestimate me, Hugo."
The words hit harder than a threat. Hugo's chest tightened. He blinked, breaking eye contact for the first time, because he knew a statement like that coming from Ethan Sinclair meant more than it seemed.
Finally, he looked back up, voice steady but careful.
"What do you mean by that?"
Ethan leaned back in his chair, his gaze steady, voice calm but deliberate.
"You could never imagine how important Sophie is to me, Hugo."
Hugo froze, his mind struggling to connect the statement with Ethan's earlier words. There was something in Ethan's tone, something quiet, possessive, almost dangerous. But he didn't speak; he just listened.
Ethan's eyes drifted for a moment, distant. "When my father died, Sophie was still a child, when I came of age, I took full custody of her." His voice lowered slightly. "Everything she has, every privilege, every peace of mind, was built around keeping her untouched by the chaos I deal with."
He paused, then looked straight at Hugo again. "Tell me, Hugo... have you ever heard of Sophie being involved in any drama?"
Hugo thought about it. He had seen her around for years, always graceful, calm, unbothered by the noise of other people's lives. She was quiet, private, almost sheltered.
He shook his head. "No. Never."
Ethan nodded once, slowly. "That's because I made sure of it. As her guardian, it's my job to protect her, not just from harm, but from anything that could disturb her peace... or distort the life I've tried to give her."
Hugo swallowed, listening carefully. He knew Ethan didn't play about Sophie. Everyone knew that. But hearing him speak about her this way, measured, heavy, and unfiltered, made it hit differently.
Ethan's gaze didn't waver. He leaned back slightly, studying Hugo in silence before asking, almost too calmly,
"What made you think I didn't know about you and Sophie?"
Hugo froze. His breath caught in his throat. For a moment, he couldn't move, couldn't even think. Ethan knew?
A quiet, humorless laugh escaped Ethan's lips.
"I knew from the very first day you met her," he said, his tone measured, almost conversational, but the weight behind it was anything but light. "I must say, I'm greatly disappointed it took you this long to tell me."
Hugo's chest tightened as Ethan went on.
"Considering that we aren't just coworkers or friends, Hugo," Ethan continued, his voice low and deliberate. "We're brothers."
Those last words hit harder than Hugo expected. The sharpness in Ethan's tone wasn't anger, it was something heavier. Disappointment. Maybe even hurt. Hugo felt his throat tighten; he lowered his head, unable to hold Ethan's gaze any longer.
He had prepared himself for Ethan's fury, but not for this.
Ethan's gaze softened just slightly, though the intensity never left his eyes.
"I kept waiting," he said slowly, "waiting for you to finally tell me. I won't lie, Hugo... I was disappointed. Disappointed that you would keep something like this from me, for whatever reason."
Hugo swallowed hard. The lump in his throat felt unbearable, but he finally forced the words out.
"I... I was scared," he admitted, his voice barely above a whisper. "I was scared you might... refuse. That you'd try to stop me from seeing Sophie, and I... I wouldn't be able to bear that. Because I love her... dearly."
Ethan remained silent, his eyes locked on Hugo's lowered head. There was no immediate reaction, just the weight of the truth hanging heavily between them.
Ethan leaned back, his gaze unwavering, his expression calm but firm.
"I don't have the right to stop the two of you from seeing each other," he said, his voice measured. "I've been fighting for Sophie to have a normal life... and instructing her, or picking who she can date, would go completely against that."
Hugo's heart pounded. He hadn't expected this, not from Ethan, not after all the tension and fear he'd carried.
Ethan's eyes softened just enough for Hugo to see the faintest hint of approval.
"So far... she's happy," Ethan continued, his voice steady. "And if she's happy... I don't care who she dates."
For a long moment, Hugo could only stare, stunned by the weight of Ethan's words. Relief, gratitude, and something heavier, something like awe, rushed through him. Ethan Sinclair, the man so many whispered about, the man who commanded fear and respect... had just given him his blessing.
Hugo lowered his head, swallowing hard, almost unable to speak. "Thank you," he murmured, his voice barely audible.
Ethan huffed softly, shaking his head, a faint edge of amusement in his tone.
"Why are you thanking me?" he asked, his eyes locking on Hugo's. "I didn't give you permission, Hugo. I can't control who Sophie falls in love with... but make no mistake, whoever she chooses must understand one thing: she isn't just anybody. She cannot be treated like the average woman."
Hugo's chest tightened at the words. The weight behind Ethan's statement wasn't just protectiveness, it was a warning, a standard that only someone who truly cared could set.
"I... I understand," Hugo said, his voice steady despite the surge of emotion inside him. "I would never... I could never treat her any differently."
Ethan's voice dropped colder, faster now, less patient, more dangerous.
"It won't be an easy fit to date my sister. If you flop even once, your life and your career will be at stake." Ethan said.
The words landed like a physical blow. Hugo felt the air thin around them; Ethan's protectiveness had sharpened into something almost wrathful. He leaned forward, the distance between them gone, and stared Hugo dead in the eye.
"I expect more from you," Ethan continued, each word slow, deliberate. "Because you're my friend. Sophie comes first, always. If you so much as cause a hair from her head to fall off, you will be in serious trouble."
Hugo's hands clenched at his sides. Fear and fierce loyalty warred inside him; he'd imagined scolding, maybe cold distance, but not this raw, territorial fury. It humbled him. He swallowed hard and forced his voice steady.
"I understand," he said, voice hoarse. "I'll protect her. I'll..." He paused, searching for the right words. "I'll make sure she's safe and happy. I swear it."
Ethan watched him for a long beat, the pressure in his eyes softening only a fraction. He didn't smile. He didn't reach out. But the hard line in his jaw eased.
"You'd better mean it," Ethan said finally. "Because I won't warn you twice."
Hugo bowed his head, the weight of the promise settling over him like armor. "I mean it," he whispered.
They sat there, the silence after the vow heavy but not empty, an unspoken truce stitched together by fierce protection and fragile hope.