Being Dumped by My EX, I Marriied His Older Brother-Chapter 125: Give Me

"Nina Thorne!"

Cole Kane’s voice was hoarse as he raised his arm to pound on the door again.

Suddenly, the door finally opened.

But when Cole saw who came out, his face contorted, a chaotic mess like an overturned painter’s palette.

"Brother!"

It took Cole a long moment of shock to find his voice. "Why are you here? Where’s Nina?"

His gaze shot past him into the room.

The living room was empty.

But a pair of high heels lay scattered on the floor, toppled over haphazardly.

The scene was strangely suggestive.

Justin Kane straightened the wrinkled fabric of his suit, his handsome face impassive. He gave a slight, dismissive arch of his eyebrow. "You have business with her?"

His voice was deep, but his eyes were sharp.

That one question, in particular, sounded as if it came from Nina’s man, asking:

’Who are you?’

’What do you want with her?’

Cole recalled the scene he had witnessed earlier at the Graham family’s home, and alarm bells instantly went off in his head. "Brother, what are you doing here all of a sudden? And in Nina’s room, of all places."

"You have too much time on your hands?" Justin Kane’s gaze was cool, his condescending aura thick with ridicule.

Cole hated it when he put on this air, but he didn’t dare confront him head-on.

His throat tightened, and he gritted his teeth in frustration. "You, of all people, should know exactly why I have so much time on my hands, Brother."

"The position of branch president... you’d rather give it to an outsider, and you’ve already completely sidelined me."

Just thinking about it sent a surge of fury through Cole.

Who had gotten the job at the company?

Some woman, named Wan... Wan something or other.

He had been furious when the company sent out the announcement.

But he couldn’t act out.

His mother had told him their plan had failed.

If he wanted to turn the tables, he couldn’t go up against Justin Kane directly.

Alternatively, he could win over Nina and gain the support of the Thorne Family’s immense financial power. Then, he wouldn’t have to put up with Justin Kane’s attitude anymore.

"You brought this on yourself."

Justin Kane prepared to close the door, his formidable presence making Cole shrink back in fear.

Seeing the door about to shut, Cole couldn’t stop himself from trying to block it. "Brother, I want to see Nina."

"I know you’ve been taking care of Nina because of the relationship between our families."

"I’m asking you for a favor. Let her come out and see me, please?"

Cole begged in a low, humble voice. In front of Justin Kane, his own handsome face seemed almost plain.

And despite being brothers, you could hardly find any resemblance between them.

Nina rose unhurriedly from the bed.

She strolled languidly to the bedroom door and leaned against the frame, silently listening to the brothers’ conversation.

"See you for what?"

Justin Kane’s deep-set eyes stared at him. "As my younger brother, you should know your place and keep your distance from your sister-in-law."

Cole felt a loud BANG go off in his head, as if he’d been struck by lightning.

His whole body went rigid. "What did you say?"

"You don’t understand?"

Justin Kane, in a rare good mood, repeated himself. "Properly fulfill your duty as a younger brother, and keep your distance from your sister-in-law."

His sharp eyes were a clear warning. After one last cold glance at Cole, he shut the door decisively.

Nina had been looking on with a detached expression.

But when she heard Justin’s last words, she couldn’t help but stand up straight and turn to look at him.

She watched as he walked toward her.

Nina’s gaze searched his face. "You just... said it like that?"

"Otherwise?"

Justin Kane unbuttoned his suit jacket with one hand. As he took it off, the corner of his mouth curved into a self-deprecating smile. "I’d rather not have you run off before we’ve even made it public."

Nina’s brow was still furrowed, a hint of frustration in her eyes. "It’s not that I want to run. It’s you..."

"It was me. My ambiguous relationship with April Graham, and my attitude toward her, that made you misunderstand."

Justin Kane tossed his suit jacket onto the sofa without a second glance, his eyes fixed only on Nina.

"Is that it? Hm?"

Justin Kane lowered his face, getting closer. He tilted his head up to look at her, studying her expression as he asked.

But he was almost certain of the answer.

The events of the night were like a massive stone pressing down on her chest.

Since he had asked, she certainly wasn’t going to be too proud to answer. "Yes, that’s exactly it."

She had to get it off her chest.

"Justin Kane, why did you acknowledge my status tonight, only to turn me into a laughingstock?"

"You say over and over again that April Graham isn’t the one you love, so tell me, why were you so indulgent with her tonight?"

He had even let April push her luck, not caring in the slightest.

She had thought she was finally the one who had been definitively chosen.

But she was so close, only to be made a fool of again.

It was too suffocating.

He was the one who had taught her to speak up when she was unhappy, to love herself, to trust that she was right.

To always put her own feelings first, no matter what.

He had also promised he would protect her.

So why did all that change when it came to April Graham?

"I’m sorry..."

Seeing her dejected face, so hurt yet so gentle, not crying or making a scene, Justin Kane felt his heart clench painfully. He reached out and pulled her into a tight embrace.

"I’m sorry, Nina."

"I’m sorry."

He apologized over and over, his voice deep and raspy. His grip tightened slightly, his eyes filled with guilt and affection.

A sting of bitterness pricked Nina’s nose.

When you’ve been wronged, gentle words can be the very thing that breaks you.

Tears nearly fell, but she held them back, shaking her head in his embrace. Her voice was thin and choked with emotion as she asked, "I don’t want your apologies. I want you to tell me why you did it."

She paused. "Why did you protect her?"

"Alright, I’ll tell you."

Justin Kane rested his chin on the top of her head, placing a gentle kiss there before leading her to the sofa to sit down.

He then gave her a concise summary of his past with April Graham.

It turned out that April Graham had helped him once, taking a knife for him.

But because of that, she had been targeted for revenge, losing so much blood that she couldn’t save the child in her womb.

The father of that child, however, was someone who couldn’t be brought into the light.

When April Graham was sent to the hospital, someone needed to sign the forms urgently.

Justin Kane signed them.

From then on, rumors spread that it was their child.

"..."

Nina was both surprised and stunned. "So, because you were grateful to her, you never explained it all these years?"

A shadow of darkness passed through Justin Kane’s eyes. He chuckled humorlessly. "Do you think something like this was even worth explaining for someone like me, on my own?"

Nina thought about it. That seemed to make sense.

Whether in Vistara or Sylport, who would dare to provoke Justin Kane?

’But he’s explaining it now, which must mean he cares about me, right?’

More than half of her pent-up resentment vanished in an instant. She spoke as if it were the most obvious thing in the world, "In that case, you should have told me sooner."

"I spoke with her last time, and she promised she wouldn’t target you. That’s why I never brought up this past with you."

From that sentence alone, Nina understood.

He wanted to protect April Graham’s reputation.

"I’m sorry, I didn’t realize it was like that." Nina lowered her head, her voice soft and her posture demure.

She felt a little bad for misunderstanding him.

"There you go again, being silly."

Justin Kane ruffled her hair, a fond smile on his face. "It’s perfectly normal for you to be unhappy about this. You’ve done nothing wrong. You don’t need to apologize."

"Mrs. Kane, I’ve told you before, always think of yourself first. If someone makes you uncomfortable again and again, don’t worry about who’s right or wrong. Just stay away from them."

"Never doubt yourself or torture yourself with overthinking."

"You are Nina Thorne, the proud princess of the Thorne Family."

Justin Kane’s voice was clear, gentle, and guiding.

When he finished, he asked with a smile, "So now, can Mrs. Kane forgive me?"

A warmth flowed through Nina’s heart. She smiled and nodded.

A man so meticulous and considerate of others... there seemed to be nothing she couldn’t forgive.

It was just...

’If April Graham really isn’t the one he loves, then who is?’

"Mrs. Kane..."

Justin Kane’s lips drew near, his warm breath ghosting over her mouth and nose. "What about you, then? What’s going on with you and Jason Graham?" 𝙛𝒓𝓮𝙚𝔀𝒆𝒃𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝓵.𝙘𝒐𝒎

Nina’s heart began to pound. The intense proximity made her hold her breath. "There’s nothing between us. I’ve only met him once or twice."

"You’re sure?"

Justin Kane gave her lips a light, tantalizing peck.

Nina’s heart beat faster and faster. Feeling the heat radiating from his body, she had just managed a soft "Mhm" when he captured her lips, kissing her so intensely she kept trying to pull away.

She wasn’t in the mood tonight. It took a great deal of effort to fend him off. Her breathing was slightly heavy. "Next time."

Justin Kane looked into her eyes, not annoyed at all. He pinched her nose affectionately. "I’ll let you off the hook tonight."

He then sat up properly, pulling her into his arms.

They rarely sat together like this.

The tightness in Nina’s chest eased in a way it never had before.

She rested against him, soft and obedient, and they held each other in quiet intimacy.

Her phone, left in the bedroom, buzzed continuously with incoming text notifications.

She heard it but had no interest in looking.

Besides Cole Kane, who else would be texting her?

「—」

Cole Kane left the hotel, dejected and lost. The shock had been too great, and he went to a bar to drown his sorrows.

He sat alone in a booth, downing glass after glass of liquor.

He drank while texting Nina.

After sending countless messages with no reply, he tried calling.

But she didn’t pick up.

How could Nina be so heartless as to not even take a short call, or reply to a single text?

He was furious, filled with both anger and resentment.

His mind raced, imagining what would happen between Nina and Justin Kane tonight.

’How long have they been together? When did it start?’

"Damn it!"

Frustration gnawed at Cole, and he furiously smashed a liquor bottle.

A startled scream.

Serena Kane had found his booth and was shocked by the state he was in.

"Cole, how did you get so drunk?" Serena rushed to his side, her face a mask of astonishment.

Cole’s face was flushed red.

The moment she got close, she was hit by the strong smell of alcohol.

He was so drunk he was swaying uncontrollably. Where was the handsome, charming, and confident man of the past?

"Cole, be careful, don’t fall..."

Seeing him lurch forward, Serena quickly steadied him.

He squinted, trying to recognize her. When he finally did, he shoved her away in a sudden fit of anger. "Stay away from me! It’s all your fault! I lost everything because of you!"

"Nina... she’s really leaving me. She’s with..."

"With my brother... at... at a hotel..."

He mumbled the words and then his head slumped onto Serena’s shoulder, dead drunk and passed out cold.

His words were slurred and indistinct, but Serena managed to catch the key points, guessing he was talking about Nina and Justin Kane.

She paid it no mind. She immediately called a waiter to help her get Cole out of the bar and to a nearby hotel.

The staff left only after they were in the hotel room.

Serena came out with a damp towel and began to carefully wipe Cole’s face, his neck...

Suddenly, Cole grabbed her hand. His drunken, hazy eyes stared at her, making her blush. "Cole, why are you looking at me like that?"

She had barely finished speaking.

Suddenly, he yanked her into his arms, flipped them over, and pinned her beneath him, his kisses falling on her like rain.

He kissed her while tearing at her clothes.

"Cole..."

Serena let out a soft moan and responded with equal fervor.

As Cole kissed her neck, his voice, hoarse and thick with alcohol, called out passionately, "Give yourself to me, please? I want you..."

Serena was thrilled and ecstatic.

’I knew it. Cole likes me, he loves me.’

She responded with even more passion, nibbling on his shoulder. "Cole, I’m yours... I’m all yours..."

The words had just left her lips.

At the same moment, Cole’s voice rang out again, filled with longing. "Give yourself to me, Nina."

Serena’s face went deathly pale in an instant, utterly drained of color.

Shame and fury surged through her, threatening to tear her apart.