Being Dumped by My EX, I Marriied His Older Brother-Chapter 123: In What Way?

Nina Thorne felt weak and limp.

Suddenly, a sturdy figure swept her up into his arms, grabbed her phone, rounded a nearby corner, and sped away.

Outside, Justin Kane heard the noise. He walked over to the terrace and looked in, but saw no one.

The next second,

April Graham wrapped her arms around him from behind, burying her head in his back.

"Justin, I don’t care if your marriage is real or fake. I have to be with you."

"Please, don’t push me away, okay...?"

A cold tear slid from the corner of her eye, soaking into his suit.

In her humble pleading, all her earlier arrogance and aggression had vanished.

Nina Thorne was carried to a third-floor lounge, far from the clamor downstairs.

After drinking half a glass of warm water, some warmth finally returned to her chilled body.

Nina’s emotions settled a bit. She looked up at Jason Graham, who sat opposite her. "You heard all of that just now?"

’He must have heard what I heard on the terrace.’

’Otherwise, he wouldn’t have carried me away so quickly.’

Although she’d been in shock when he swept her up, she had clearly seen Justin Kane walk onto the terrace and look inside as they rounded the corner.

’Was he afraid someone would overhear them?’

’Or had he spotted me?’

A prickly numbness ached in Nina’s chest. The feeling was so unbearable that she refused to think about it any further.

’It’s just a marriage with no emotional foundation.’

’I can just walk away.’

’I’m Nina Thorne, the pampered heiress of the Thorne Family, the sole successor.’

’I’m the apple of my grandparents’ and parents’ eyes, their most precious treasure.’

’How could I let myself live such a pathetic life, getting hurt by one man after another?’

’I’m tired. I don’t want this anymore.’

"Does it matter?"

Jason Graham watched her leisurely, one leg crossed over the other. He leaned his tall frame back, his presence sharp yet tinged with a casual air.

Nina lowered her gaze. "You already knew about all this?"

Jason scoffed, a light laugh escaping him. He ran a hand with well-defined knuckles over his chin. "Does it matter?"

That was the second time he had asked that. 𝓯𝓻𝓮𝙚𝙬𝓮𝙗𝒏𝙤𝒗𝙚𝙡.𝒄𝒐𝓶

Nina gave a bitter smile.

’Right, does it matter?’

’That’s their past. What does it have to do with me?’

But the sharp, stabbing pain in her heart felt like something was blocking her chest, making it hard to breathe.

Unable to sort out her thoughts, she walked to the window for some air.

Looking down from the third floor, she saw the lights dotting the estate, making it look both grand and cozy.

A faint commotion could be heard from the entrance.

It sounded like someone was causing a scene.

But it was too far away for her to see clearly.

A gentle breeze brushed against Nina’s cheeks. She closed her eyes to feel it, and for a moment, she felt much more clear-headed.

"It does matter."

Hearing his footsteps approach from behind, Nina affirmed her inner conviction. "If it’s going to be a constant entanglement, I’d rather not have it at all."

Jason Graham came to a stop beside her and raised a surprised eyebrow. "Quite the personality you’ve got there."

The curve of Nina’s profile was smooth and graceful, her features perfectly proportioned.

Her high nose cast a shadow on her face, and her expression was placid and calm, yet like the starry night sky—lonely but proud.

Nina turned and tilted her head up to look at him. "I don’t think you’re complimenting me."

’All those years, everyone said I was love-struck.’

’Whether it was in the Sylport scene or among the Veridian elite.’

’The wealthy, old-money families were always the same few.’

’Anytime something happened in one of the families, it was no secret, even overseas.’

Jason Graham let out a soft, mocking laugh, followed by a noncommittal "Mm."

Few words, but infuriating enough.

Nina’s lovely brows furrowed slightly.

He had a ruggedly handsome face, with sharp, piercing eyes and a well-defined jawline. He gave off an air that was a mix of righteous and wicked.

Below his prominent Adam’s apple, she could faintly see a metal chain around his neck.

Nina’s gaze lingered for a few seconds.

Suddenly, the sky exploded with brilliant fireworks.

Nina started, then looked up in pleasant surprise.

The fireworks reflected on her fair face, flashes of brilliant sparks dancing in her pupils, making her look all the more radiant and captivating.

Jason Graham leaned his back against the railing and turned his head, his gaze falling, almost imperceptibly, on her face.

His thin lips, sensuously shaped yet sharp as a blade, curved into a smile. A hint of amusement flickered in his sharp eyes, gone in an instant.

Nina sensed his gaze and looked back at him.

Jason Graham raised an eyebrow and gave an ambiguous smile. "Beautiful."

Although the fireworks were loud,

Nina heard him perfectly clearly in a brief lull between explosions.

She frowned and gave him a strange look.

But she didn’t say anything.

Downstairs, guests poured out of the main hall and into the courtyard to watch the fireworks filling the sky.

Justin Kane repeatedly tried to call Nina on his phone.

But with so many people, the signal was too weak, and the call wouldn’t go through.

He happened to look up and saw a figure standing on the third-floor balcony.

Jason Graham was standing beside her. They occasionally looked at each other, seeming quite close.

Justin Kane’s expression darkened.

’Are they that close?’

April Graham’s eyes were red, as if she had been crying.

She came out of the house in a huff to find him. Seeing his dark expression, she followed his gaze upward and immediately understood.

The fireworks were too loud, so April Graham unconsciously raised her voice, saying deliberately, "There aren’t many women in this world who can escape my brother’s grasp."

"You know, he and I are practically telepathic. I can tell my brother is interested in her."

Justin Kane’s dark pupils constricted. He turned and strode back into the house.

April Graham hurried after him. "Justin, she’s not right for you at all! Why are you getting angry over her?"

"Besides, that’s my brother’s room."

"My brother never takes the initiative with women. It’s almost certain that Nina seduced him..."

"Shut up!"

Justin Kane shot her a furious glare but didn’t slow his pace. He threw the words at her coldly, "Remember what I told you. Don’t let what happened tonight happen a second time."

He walked swiftly and got into the elevator.

April Graham squeezed in at the last second.

She said belligerently, "I don’t care. My heart tells me that I love you, and I’ll never give up."

"Besides, you clearly promised..."

"Enough."

A cold impatience crept onto Justin Kane’s face. "Don’t bring up the past again. Whatever I owed you, I’ve already paid it back."

April Graham was left speechless.

She knew Justin’s temperament, so she fell silent.

The twenty-minute-long firework display finally ended.

Nina’s mood had mostly recovered. She turned to walk back into the room. "Thanks for tonight. Goodbye."

’I’m thanking him for stepping in so I wouldn’t be humiliated on the first floor.’

’It would have been too mortifying.’

"I’ll see you downstairs."

Jason Graham’s lips curved, and the sharp edge in his eyes seemed to have softened.

Without that aggressive air, he didn’t seem so intimidating.

Nina politely declined. "No, that’s not appropriate."

’A man and a woman, coming downstairs together... People would definitely start gossiping. There were enough nasty rumors about me already; I didn’t want to add another one.’

Nina turned away and reached for the door.

A strand of her soft hair brushed against the metal bracelet on Jason Graham’s wrist and unexpectedly snagged on it.

As Nina stepped forward, she felt her hair being pulled. She stumbled backward a few steps and landed squarely in his arms.

"Careful."

Jason Graham steadied her by the shoulders from behind.

Although Nina’s back was pressed against him, her hair was tugging at her scalp.

Her head was pulled down uncontrollably, forcing her face upward.

The position looked inexplicably intimate.

"Nina Thorne, you really are something. Seducing men wherever you go." April Graham’s sarcastic voice rang out, laced with a hint of satisfaction.

She turned her head to check Justin Kane’s expression.

’Even the heavens are on my side.’

’No matter what Justin feels for Nina... seeing her shamelessly throw herself into another man’s arms should make him despise her.’

Sure enough, Justin Kane’s face was grim.

A frosty aura emanated from him, and his gaze was sharp, fixed intently on Nina being held in the other man’s arms.

Nina turned her head to look, and her heart skipped a beat.

’How did they get here?’

Seeing Justin’s ugly expression, as if he’d misunderstood something, she started to explain, "It’s not as sordid as you think. My hair got caught on his bracelet."

"You can come up with such a pathetic excuse? Nina Thorne, you truly live up to your reputation as a third-rate screenwriter. You can’t even find a more original reason."

April Graham mocked her relentlessly.

Nina steadied herself, but her head was still pulled down slightly as she tried to untangle her hair from his bracelet.

Who knew, the moment she moved,

the hair tangled in his bracelet came free.

Jason Graham’s tone was lazy as he said, meaningfully, "Sorry, can’t help you there."

’He did it on purpose.’

’The two of them, brother and sister... neither one is a simple character.’

"Since it’s untangled, let’s go home." Justin Kane grabbed Nina’s wrist, his gaze sweeping over to Jason Graham.

He stood tall and slender. Facing Jason Graham, they were about the same height, though the other man was sturdier and broader-shouldered.

But the cold pressure emanating from him, his very aura, was intensely oppressive.

For a moment, it was impossible to tell who had the upper hand.

Nina stood quietly to the side, vaguely sensing the hidden animosity between the two men.

"President Graham, you really never change. You love to fight for everything."

Justin Kane tossed out the cold remark and pulled Nina away.

"Justin!"

April Graham blocked the doorway. "You want a woman this indiscreet?"

"Get out of my way!"

Justin Kane suddenly barked, his face flushing with obvious anger.

That one command was filled with extreme fury.

It wasn’t just April Graham who was scared; even Nina was thoroughly shocked and quite frightened.

It was clear he was truly angry.

April Graham’s red eyes grew even redder as she slowly moved aside.

Nina was practically dragged away by Justin Kane. His large hand wrapped around her shoulder as he swiftly led her out of the Graham family’s estate.

Inside the car, the atmosphere was heavy.

Nina could clearly feel his anger.

After a long time, the tense, explosive pressure in the air eased considerably.

She didn’t speak. She didn’t know what to say.

’Does he believe April’s words? Does he think I seduced Jason Graham?’

’Fine, let him misunderstand.’

’Anyway, I’m tired of guessing what’s on his mind. I don’t want to guess anymore.’

’Besides, I’ve only liked him for a short time. I should just cut my losses.’

"Nina,"

Justin Kane’s husky voice suddenly broke the silence. He turned his head to look at her. "What happened tonight?"

Nina looked at him, surprised by his gentle tone.

She took a deep breath and asked faintly, "What are you referring to?"

Justin Kane suddenly reached his hand toward her, palm up, as if asking for her hand.

Nina looked at his palm, imagining its warmth if he were to hold her hand, and the sense of security he had given her time and time again.

But she hesitated, sitting there without reaching out.

Her heart felt like it was stuffed with waterlogged cotton—swollen and heavy. The discomfort was so great she didn’t want to move at all.

Not in any way.