Being Dumped by My EX, I Marriied His Older Brother-Chapter 85: Very Soft, Well-developed

"Why do you keep staring at me?"

Justin Kane noticed her gaze. After drying his hair, he looked at her with a smile playing on his lips, his dark eyes twinkling.

Nina Thorne had been so captivated that she hadn’t even realized he’d finished.

His voice startled her, and she quickly looked at Justin Kane, her expression flustered as she averted her eyes. "N-Nothing."

Justin Kane put away the hairdryer, a smirk tugging at his lips. "I wonder if Mrs. Kane is satisfied with my humble appearance?"

His tone was teasing. Under the light, the features of his handsome face appeared more defined, and his deep-set eyes seemed even more unfathomable.

His thoughts were something Nina Thorne found even harder to decipher.

Fortunately, she knew her place and didn’t overthink it. Playing along with his lighthearted joke, she said, "It’s a fact. Justin has always been famous for his good looks. He’s the type of guy every girl likes."

Justin Kane was a Sylport U alumnus.

During Nina Thorne’s freshman year, he had returned to campus for a speech, causing a frenzy among the female students who talked about him for the next four years.

Even though he had graduated several years before them, legends about him were still told all over campus.

"The dream of every girl, huh?"

Justin Kane suddenly leaned in, bracing his arms on either side of her and lowering his body slightly. "Then why wasn’t I your dream guy?"

Nina Thorne’s breath hitched.

Her body was forced back, trapped between him and the sofa. The space grew cramped, thick with an ambiguous intimacy.

For a moment, she was at a loss for words.

’Should I tell him that back then, my heart and eyes were only for Cole Kane? That I was even a little afraid of him?’

"Why so quiet?"

Justin Kane’s warm breath washed over her cheek. "Is it that hard to answer?"

Nina Thorne realized he was doing it on purpose.

"You already know the answer."

She frowned in displeasure and pushed against his chest. "Go take your shower. I want to sleep."

Justin Kane glanced down at her, at the blush creeping up her fair cheeks and the faint hint of anger in her expression.

Her long, wavy hair, now dry, fell softly over her shoulders. Her skin seemed to glow under the light, reflecting in his dark brown pupils.

"Alright, I’ll stop teasing you."

Justin Kane ruffled her hair, his gaze capturing hers. "I don’t mind who was in your heart in the past, as long as your future belongs to me."

After speaking in his low, husky voice, he straightened up and went into the bathroom.

Nina Thorne’s heart pounded like a drum, as if someone had struck her chest. She suddenly couldn’t quite grasp what he meant by that.

But she didn’t dare to overthink it, afraid that reading too much into it would just be wishful thinking.

At the very least, a marriage like theirs was already perfect for her.

No cheating, no fighting.

And certainly none of the days and nights of being ignored, or the agony of waiting all night for a phone call that never came.

She was afraid that if she wanted more, she’d be called greedy, dramatic, and spoiled again.

She was scared.

-

Fortunately, the explosive popularity of the short drama series gave Nina Thorne a much-needed confidence boost in her writing.

For several days, from the end of the month to the beginning of the next, she stayed home writing, occasionally video-calling Macy Lynch.

Macy was busy too, with more and more fashion shows booking her.

Every time, the two could only steal a few moments to chat before diving back into their respective piles of work.

One day, while Nina Thorne was writing a script, Jessica Jenkins suddenly transferred two hundred thousand yuan to her via Alipay. Just as she saw the notification, a call came in.

"Nina Thorne, did you get the transfer?"

"I did."

Nina Thorne was concerned about her. "You don’t have to rush to pay me back. You can use the money for now and pay me back when you’re more comfortable."

"I have the money. The short drama got really popular, so I’ve landed a lot of commercial work. Once I get my next payment, I’ll transfer you the remaining three hundred thousand."

Jessica Jenkins was deeply moved, her eyes turning red. "Nina Thorne, thank you. We haven’t known each other long, yet you were willing to lend me so much money."

Nina Thorne felt a pang of guilt. "I’m not as good as you say. If I were, I would have just given you the money."

She wasn’t an overly benevolent person. It was just that they were acquaintances, and Jessica had not only helped her but had also gotten into trouble because of her.

This loan was, in a way, compensation for her own unease.

"Given it? No way! Even if you’re rich, nobody’s money just grows on trees. A loan has to be repaid."

"Besides, no matter how poor I am, I can’t be poor in character."

No matter what Nina said, Jessica Jenkins was grateful and invited her out for dinner and shopping the next day.

Since Nina Thorne had to go to the office tomorrow anyway, she agreed.

The next morning, Nina Thorne was getting ready to leave.

She was dressed in her usual gentle and elegant style. The slim-cut, pink and white floral slip dress accentuated her slender and graceful figure.

Her skin was very fair, and her features were gentle yet bright. The delicate features on her small face made her look both beautiful and dazzling.

Justin Kane, who was sitting in the dining room, watched her with a slight frown. "Going to the office this early?"

Nina Thorne stood at the top of the stairs and turned to look at him, her voice soft and clear. "Mhm, I have a meeting. This afternoon, I’m having dinner and going shopping with Jessica."

"Come here."

Justin Kane curled his fingers and tapped the table. "Have breakfast before you go. I’ll drive you."

Don’t let his usual gentleness fool you; his words never left any room for refusal.

And since it was always for her own good, it was hard to say no.

Nina Thorne had just walked over and sat down when Miss King brought out a bowl of bird’s nest soup with a beaming smile. "The CEO is worried about you, Madam. He insists you have this every day, hoping to help you build up your strength."

"You can get tired of eating the same thing all the time."

Nina Thorne didn’t deny his good intentions. She looked up at Justin Kane across the table. "Justin, are you trying to nurse me back to health like I’m a child?"

Lately, their interactions had become more and more natural.

Nina Thorne often had moments where it felt like they had been a married couple for a very long time.

"I am indeed trying to nurse you back to health,"

Justin Kane’s gaze traveled down her neck, flicking almost imperceptibly toward her chest. "But not a child’s body. I’ve seen that much."

Miss King was still there.

Nina Thorne’s face flushed crimson. His words made it all too easy for someone to assume they had... done it.

But they hadn’t.

It was just that lately, her sleeping posture had become increasingly unrestrained.

Every time she woke up, she’d find herself either hugging him or lying on top of him.

Once, her chest was pressing against his hand, and he had even teased her deliberately: "Very soft. You developed well."

"Justin Kane,"

Nina Thorne feigned anger, glaring at him huffily. "You pervert."

"I was talking about how tall you are."

A smirk played on Justin Kane’s lips as he looked at her. "Where did your mind wander?"

Watching their playful banter, Miss King couldn’t help but chuckle.

Nina Thorne’s face instantly turned as red as a ripened tomato. Mortified, she quickly lowered her head and silently drank her milk.

Across from her, the man let out a low chuckle, seemingly in a very good mood.

"..."

Nina Thorne’s toes curled in embarrassment. ’He’s doing this on purpose, he must be.’

-

Justin Kane drove Nina Thorne to her office building. Before she got out, he handed her a card. "Have fun this afternoon. Buy whatever you want."

"I have money. Grandpa gave me a lot last time." Nina Thorne had no intention of taking it and reached for the door handle.

"What Grandpa gave you is from him. This is from me."

Justin Kane pressed it into her hand, his dark eyes gentle yet profound. "I’m your husband. You should be spending my money."

Finding it hard to refuse his insistent generosity, Nina Thorne accepted the card with a smile. "Alright then. As your wife, I’ll reluctantly help you spend a little more."

"I might be a bit busy today. Call me when you’re done shopping so I don’t worry," Justin Kane said in his magnetic voice, as if coaxing a child.

Nina Thorne felt a daze come over her.

’Am I his wife or a little sister he’s raising?’

"I know."

Feeling a strange sense of disappointment, Nina Thorne pushed open the door and got out.

She watched Justin Kane’s car drive away before turning to enter the office building.

"Nina Thorne."

Suddenly, a black Maybach pulled up beside her. Cole Kane quickly got out of the driver’s seat, holding a bouquet of red roses, and approached her.

"These are for you. You once said you liked red roses, so I bought them."

Cole Kane’s expression was full of devotion as he offered her the flowers with both hands. His handsome face attracted the attention of many office workers passing by.

It was early, just after nine in the morning.

’His being here can’t be a coincidence.’

Nina Thorne’s face hardened as she looked at him coldly. "How did you know I was coming to the office this morning?"

It wasn’t strange that Cole Kane knew she worked here as a screenwriter. What was strange was that she didn’t come in for meetings every day.

And even if she did come today, very few people knew about it.

"That’s not important, Nina Thorne."

Cole Kane said with a look of deep affection, "What’s important is that I love you. I want to pursue you again. I hope you can give me another chance."

Looking at his devoted gaze, Nina Thorne felt a pang of bitterness.

This was the look she had once longed to see from him, a look she never received back then, but was finally seeing now.

But she no longer needed it.

Nina Thorne reached out and took the flowers. Cole Kane was overjoyed. "Nina Thorne, does this mean you’ll forgive—"

Before he could finish, Nina Thorne dropped the bouquet on the ground and crushed it under her foot.

The brilliantly blooming roses scattered across the pavement.

"Don’t come looking for me again."

Nina Thorne looked at him with a cold gaze. She wasn’t angry, just indifferent and merciless. "My only wish is that you never appear before me again."

With that, she turned and walked away.

Watching her retreating back, Cole Kane frowned.

-

Nina Thorne’s good mood wasn’t ruined by Cole Kane.

In the morning, she showed the middle dozens of episodes to the producer and director. They were very satisfied with the plot and had no revisions.

After the meeting, Nina Thorne went to the breakroom to make a cup of coffee.

Jessica Jenkins came in as well. While making her own coffee, she said, "I saw you with Cole Kane this morning. He even brought you flowers..."

Hearing this, Nina Thorne looked up. "You saw all that."

Jessica Jenkins brought her coffee over and sat down beside her. "Justin Kane came to the last meeting and said those things..."

"I mean, you and those two brothers... are you... with both of them?"

Jessica Jenkins touched her two thumbs together and bent them, her expression suggestive.

Nina Thorne understood what she meant and denied it flatly. "I have nothing to do with Cole Kane."

"So that means you *do* have something going on with Justin Kane."

Jessica Jenkins’s inner gossip was burning bright. She nudged Nina’s arm with her elbow. "Come on, tell me! Are you two dating, or are you actually Mrs. Kane, like Justin Kane said?"

Nina Thorne suddenly thought about Cole Kane’s unexpected appearance at the office building.

She gave a slight, wry smile. "Which do you think it is?"

"Dating."

Jessica Jenkins eagerly pressed for an answer. "Am I right?"

Nina Thorne gave a half-truthful smile. "Mhm, you’re right. You’re the smartest."

Jessica Jenkins let out an excited "Wow!" "Quick, tell me! What’s it like dating a guy that handsome? How long have you been together?"

"Alright, enough gossip. Didn’t you say you wanted to go shopping? Let’s go."

Nina Thorne stood up with a smile, washed her cup, placed it back in the sterilizer, and headed out.

Jessica Jenkins chased after her to the elevators.

After they both got in, she sighed again. "I really thought you liked Cole Kane. After all, you two dated for five years..."

Jessica Jenkins abruptly stopped talking.

Nina Thorne’s breath caught. She turned to look at Jessica, her gaze turning chilly. "How did you know Cole Kane and I dated for five years?"

Jessica Jenkins’s expression froze, and for a moment, she was at a loss.

Just then, the elevator reached the first floor, and the doors opened.

Out of the corner of her eye, Nina Thorne caught sight of a figure standing outside. Her gaze shifted from Jessica Jenkins as she turned to look.

When she saw Cole Kane standing by the doors, Nina Thorne’s heart sank. It felt as if everything suddenly made sense. Her brow furrowed deeply, her face turned cold, and she strode out of the elevator.