Chapter 163 CAUGHT RED–HANDED

Chapter 163 CAUGHT RED–HANDED
lSIENNA

My heart skipped.

The smile on my face disappeared immediately.

Alex sat on my bed, my phone in his hand. His jaw was clenched tightly while his eyes remained fixed on the screen.

The look on his face was enough to tell me something was terribly wrong.

I stood rooted to the spot.

"Alex?" My voice cracked. "What are you doing?"

Slowly, he lifted his head, and the fury in his eyes made my stomach twist.

I swallowed.

He stood up without answering, then raised my phone.

"What is this, Sienna?"

My heart dropped as I stared at all the chats I had been having with Leo, displayed right before me.

Immediately, I knew what he had seen—that I had been chatting with none other than Leo instead of Lana, as the phone displayed.

How do I explain this now?

I had forgotten to lock the door before going to take a shower. It never occurred to me that Alex would be back so soon.

"Give me my phone."

Those words slipped calmly from my lips.

Alex scoffed.

"Your phone?"

He took a step closer, his face hard.

"So it's never Lana you've been speaking to on the phone? How smart."

"Alex, you have to believe me—"

"Believe you for what exactly? Answer me!"

His voice echoed through the room.

Fear gripped me. What if Dad came in and heard this discussion? That would be grave.

"Stop shouting, please. I never meant to—"

I ran out of words to say.

"You never meant what? The lies? The deceit?" he stared at me.

For a few seconds, neither of us spoke.

Alex shook his head repeatedly, disappointed in me.

"I can't believe this," he said. "That you've thrown away everything your dad and I said just to be with the man who destroyed your life."

I tried to defend myself. I thought I could.

But I failed.

"Leo's my life... I—I..."

Words failed me again for the second time.

The moment I defended Leo, Alex's face darkened further.

"So you admit it? That you love him and that he's a good person?"

I lifted my chin, taking two cold steps closer to Alex.

"Yes, he's a good person."

The answer came out before I could stop it.

Alex looked stunned.

For a moment, he simply stared at me, unable to speak.

Then he laughed.

Not because it was funny.

It was the kind of laugh people make when they're disappointed.

That was how Alex felt at that moment.

"And you really love him?"

"Yes," I said, not struggling this time.

"What happened to Jason?" he asked, surprised at what I had turned into because of Leo.

"Jason and I ended," I said quietly.

"You ended because of Leo."

"That's not the reason, Alex."

Slowly, I became bold enough to face my brother.

"Then why?"

"Because I stopped loving Jason the way I used to."

The room became quiet, almost as if my last words ought not to have been uttered.

Alex looked at me as if I had spoken a foreign language.

"What are you saying?"

"I'm telling the truth, Alex. I don't know how to explain it... but I love Leo more."

"You loved Jason."

"I did. Before," I said, looking softly into my brother's eyes.

"Then what changed between you two?" Alex demanded.

This fight was becoming more centered on Jason rather than my true feelings.

I looked away.

Thinking about Jason still made me feel guilty.

Not because I wanted him back.

But because I never wanted to hurt him.

"I grew up, Alex. That's it."

His eyebrows furrowed.

"What does that even mean?"

I couldn't reply, just glaring at Alex.

Alex scoffed.

"You don't know what you want. How can you choose a monster over a good man, Sienna?" he said angrily.

"Leo isn't a monster. Try to get to know him better."

Alex snapped.

"I'm your brother. I know better."

"Exactly. My brother. But I'm telling the truth here. Why are you controlling my relationship?"

I tried to keep my voice calm so Dad wouldn't hear us.

I knew Alex was doing the same too because of the love we shared.

He froze.

The words hit him hard.

I could see it in his eyes.

For years, Alex had always been protective.

Sometimes too protective.

He always wanted what was best for me.

But lately, he has been trying to control my relationship.

"I'm only trying to protect you, Sienna. Think," he barked.

"From what?"

"From getting hurt," he replied.

"Alex, getting hurt is part of life. And Leo didn't hurt me."

His jaw tightened.

"Leo didn't hurt you. That's true. But what about your future that was ruined because of the clip?"

I shook my head.

"Can we just stop now? I'm tired already."

I walked toward the bed.

Alex looked frustrated.

He sat down heavily on my bed and rubbed his forehead.

For the first time, he looked exhausted.

"You have no idea what Dad and I went through during that time. It was shameful... that's all I could say. But it's all in the past now."

Guilt flashed through me.

Honestly, I knew how difficult it had been, bringing me back to life after I went into depression because of that ugly incident.

My condition almost drained Alex.

Dad only cared from afar.

He never wanted to see my face.

"I know, Alex. Trust me."

My voice broke.

"No, you don't."

"I do. And I've been very grateful to you and Dad."

His expression softened slightly.

"If you do, like you have admitted, then you shouldn't have been making these calls again. Why are you doing this?

You're about to step into a very important stage of your life—to head the family company. And how could you reach out to the same man your family is against?"

"But I love him. Why is this so hard—"

"Shut your mouth!" he stood up angrily from the bed.

Then he raised the phone toward me, his fingers gripping it tightly.

"You see this?"His voice rose angrily. "This will be the last time you'd ever hear from that monster.
And if you love him as you claim, you had better end things with him.
Because if you don't, then I'd be forced to kill him."
He threatened and walked away.