Being Dumped by My EX, I Marriied His Older Brother-Chapter 87: Childhood Sweethearts

Suspended in midair, Nina Thorne subconsciously wrapped her arms around his neck.

His words could easily be misinterpreted, and Nina Thorne almost blurted out, "I’m not tired. You don’t need to give me a full-body massage."

"And what if I want to?"

The depths of Justin Kane’s eyes burned with undisguised desire.

Nina Thorne’s heart fluttered. A thought came to her, and she bit her lip in embarrassment.

To Justin Kane, however, the gesture was utterly alluring. Without another word, he lowered his head and captured her lips in a kiss.

He was as gentle as ever, exploring her mouth as he carried her to the bed in the bedroom, kissing her until she was breathless and unable to resist.

Justin Kane was skilled, knowing how to be both gentle and pleasurable.

Just as his body grew feverish and his hands began to roam, Nina Thorne found her last shred of reason. She grabbed his hand, panting, "I... I got my period..."

A vein throbbed on Justin Kane’s temple from the strain of holding back. "When?"

"It started about half an hour before you got back."

"..."

Justin Kane wasn’t frustrated and angry as Nina Thorne had expected. Instead, he placed a gentle kiss on her lips and teased, "I was the one who came back late. I don’t deserve any sympathy."

Nina Thorne hadn’t expected such a reaction from him and couldn’t help but laugh. "Well, you’d better reflect on your actions, then."

"Is my dear Mrs. Kane unhappy that I came home so late?"

Justin Kane affectionately stroked her face, a playful glint in his eyes.

Nina Thorne was at a loss for words.

Justin Kane chuckled and moved to get up.

Nina Thorne grabbed his hand. Staring at him without blinking, she asked hesitantly, "Are you angry?"

Her small face was tilted up, her large, dark eyes clear and limpid, tinged with a hint of worry.

"What do you think?"

A playful smile touched Justin Kane’s lips as he teased her, "Mrs. Kane, we’ve been married for two months. It seems the interest payments are falling a bit short..."

Nina Thorne lowered her gaze, unable to argue.

’When they got married, they had agreed to fulfill their marital duties. But he had been turned away every time, which made her seem...’

’...like she was breaking her promise, using him and then casting him aside.’

Just as Nina Thorne was trying to figure out what to say, Justin Kane chuckled softly and pinched her chin. "I’m just kidding."

He gazed at her intently for a few seconds before saying softly, "As long as you’re happy being Mrs. Kane, I can wait for certain things."

’Those words again.’

’He said he could wait, as if he had no temper at all.’

’Nina Thorne was beginning to wonder if he was just being incredibly patient with her, or... if he simply didn’t care enough.’

’Or maybe, he cared about her so much that he didn’t want to pressure her.’

’But after being with him for two months, Nina Thorne was more inclined to believe the latter—that he didn’t want to make things difficult and was simply giving her time.’

As she was lost in thought, Justin Kane had already left the room.

When Nina Thorne came out of her shower, Justin Kane entered the room, now dressed in a pair of high-quality black pajamas.

He was holding a cup of warm brown sugar water, which he handed to Nina Thorne. "I’ve heard this helps girls feel more comfortable during their time of the month."

Nina Thorne looked at him in surprise. She took the cup and sniffed it. "You know about this?"

She subconsciously thought about the woman he loved and suddenly felt a pang of envy for her.

’He must be madly in love with that girl,’ she thought, ’to be so attentive to these kinds of details.’

She remembered a time when her menstrual cramps were so bad she broke out in a cold sweat, her face pale as she lay in bed, unable to move.

She had called Cole Kane, but he had just called her melodramatic and told her to order some medicine for delivery.

That very night, she saw a social media post from Serena Kane about getting a cut cleaned at the hospital. The man in the photo was Cole Kane.

’As for the wound, if they had gone to the hospital any later, it probably would have healed on its own.’

"The internet is so advanced these days. It’s not hard to learn about anything."

Seeing her lost in thought, Justin Kane gently flicked her forehead. "Drink up. It won’t be as effective if it gets cold."

Nina Thorne winced. She frowned and shot him a resentful look but still murmured an obedient "Oh," and dutifully drank the entire cup of brown sugar water.

When she finished, he took the empty cup from her. "Get some sleep. You need to rest more at a time like this."

"You’re really experienced at taking care of people."

Nina Thorne’s words were pointed, with a hint of jealousy if one listened closely.

Justin Kane’s deep gaze settled on her, his lips curving into an ambiguous smile. "I can use all this experience on you. I can take very good care of you."

Nina Thorne’s eyes gradually widened.

Then she heard him add, "Satisfaction guaranteed, my lady."

’He’s teasing me again,’ Nina Thorne knew.

’Treating me like a child.’

Still, after drinking the brown sugar water, Nina Thorne felt a warmth spread through her body, and she saw Justin Kane’s thoughtfulness in a new light.

’This kind of marriage—peaceful and warm—it really felt like home.’

’It had been so long... ’

’...since she’d felt what a home was truly like.’

-

On the tenth of the month, a highly anticipated new energy vehicle business seminar was scheduled to be held.

It was to be held at the Trident International Tower in Downtown Sylport.

All the major players in the industry were in attendance, causing a city-wide sensation.

News outlets reported on it extensively, with all eyes on Albert Locke, a top engineer who had recently returned from abroad.

In the study, Nina Thorne sat at her computer, watching the live news broadcast as she picked up her phone and switched its operating system.

A message notification popped up.

Mr. Locke: [Have you decided on a specific time to meet?]

The message had been sent an hour ago.

TN: [I’ll be at the banquet tonight.]

After sending the message, Nina Thorne logged out of the system.

She opened WeChat and tapped on her chat with Justin Kane.

Ten minutes earlier, Justin Kane had asked if she wanted to attend the banquet with him that evening. She still hadn’t replied.

Without further thought, Nina Thorne replied, "Sure."

According to reports, even Jason Graham, the head of the Grahams from Vistara, was attending the seminar.

The Grahams and the Kane Group had always been competitors, and both were vying for the technology that Albert Locke controlled.

Nina Thorne didn’t dwell on it and sent the rest of the script to her producer.

Just then, a call came in from Felicia Yates. Nina hesitated for a few seconds before answering. "Miss Yates, is there something I can help you with?" 𝒻𝓇𝑒𝘦𝘸𝑒𝒷𝓃ℴ𝑣𝘦𝑙.𝒸ℴ𝘮

Her voice was cool and detached, which only served to inexplicably anger Felicia Yates.

But she restrained herself and got straight to the point. "Regarding Cole Kane being kicked out of the branch office, you bear some of the responsibility. I think you need to do something about it."

Hearing her entitled tone, Nina Thorne found it laughable and let out a faint chuckle. "That’s quite a heavy accusation you’re leveling at me, Miss Yates. I’m not sure I can bear the weight of it."

"Justin punished him specifically to stand up for you. Now that you’ve broken off the engagement, it’s only right that you plead his case."

Felicia Yates snorted. "Besides, those earlier rumors about you and Justin are still affecting Cole Kane. You should take responsibility for his reputation."

’In her previous interactions with Felicia Yates, Nina Thorne had always found her to be a poised, elegant woman who treated her with cordiality and politeness.’

This time, Nina Thorne was stunned. To hear Felicia Yates speak this way... and yet, it somehow felt all too typical.

’In the end, people are driven by self-interest.’

"I’m afraid I’m powerless to help."

Nina Thorne’s voice was firm, neither servile nor overbearing. "This is a matter for the Kane Family. What right do I have to interfere?"

"You overestimate me, Miss Yates. If there’s nothing else, I’ll hang up now."

"You—"

Giving Felicia Yates almost no chance to speak, Nina Thorne hung up the phone.

But as soon as she hung up, Felicia Yates called again.

Nina Thorne ignored the call. A moment later, a WeChat message from Felicia Yates came through: "Don’t forget, you still owe Cole Kane your life!"

"If it weren’t for Cole Kane, you would have died ten years ago and been reunited with your dead parents!"

Just reading the words was painful for Nina Thorne.

She had never denied that Cole Kane had saved her life, but that didn’t mean she had to tolerate Felicia Yates’s cruelty.

The mention of her deceased parents, in particular, sent a pang of grief through her, and her eyes quickly reddened.

Stiffening her neck, she typed back: "Miss Yates, since you love bringing up my dead parents so much, why don’t you go join them?"

After sending it, she didn’t feel any satisfaction. Instead, she just missed her parents even more.

This gloomy mood lasted for the better part of the day.

That evening, Justin Kane returned to pick her up for the banquet.

In the car, he noticed she was out of sorts and asked gently, "Are you in a bad mood?"

Nina Thorne met his deep gaze but decided against telling him about Felicia Yates contacting her that afternoon. She just shook her head softly. "It’s nothing."

"If you don’t enjoy the event, just tell me, and we can leave early." Justin Kane’s expression was as gentle as ever, as if anger could never touch those eyes.

Nina Thorne managed a slight smile. "Okay."

-

「The banquet began at nine.」

When they arrived, the hall was already bustling, filled with influential figures.

Nina Thorne had fair skin, and her features were strikingly delicate and radiant on her small face. She wore a deep blue, star-spangled evening gown that further accentuated her noble and elegant aura.

Beside her, Justin Kane was strikingly handsome. Standing at six-foot-three with broad shoulders and a narrow waist, his custom-tailored suit emphasized his powerful build and sophisticated air, making it impossible for people to look away.

The stunning couple instantly became the center of attention.

The gazes they drew were filled with admiration, envy, and speculation.

Although everyone in their social circle knew that Nina Thorne had broken off her engagement with Cole Kane.

Seeing her appear with Justin Kane now, people couldn’t help but wonder about their relationship.

"Nervous?"

Justin Kane looked at her, his deep gaze clear and gentle, as if constantly gauging her reaction.

"Not at all."

Nina Thorne met his gaze, her eyes clear and limpid, showing not a trace of unease.

On the contrary, she was poised, graceful, and radiant.

Justin Kane’s lips curved in satisfaction. "Good. This is how our Nina Thorne should be."

Nina Thorne saw the affection in his eyes, seemingly accustomed to him treating her like a child. She glanced away, her gaze sweeping over the crowd.

She was looking for someone.

But there were too many people, and she couldn’t find him.

Just then, several older men gathered around Justin Kane, offering polite and flattering remarks.

Then, someone asked, "Mr. Kane, is this Elder Thorne’s granddaughter?"

Most of the older generation didn’t recognize Nina Thorne.

For one, Nina Thorne rarely attended these kinds of events.

For another, after getting together with Cole Kane, her world had revolved around him, and she rarely accompanied her grandfather to banquets.

Cole Kane rarely brought her to such gatherings, so over time, few people in their circle could recognize her.

Justin Kane glanced up and said warmly, "That’s right. The young lady of the Thorne Family, Nina Thorne."

Suddenly, someone else piped up, "Oh, I remember now. I saw her at Mrs. Lawson’s birthday banquet. Isn’t she the one who broke off her engagement with Second Young Master Kane?"

The words hung in the air.

Nina Thorne frowned, looking toward the speaker.

He was a pot-bellied, middle-aged man who, despite being from an established family, had the distinct air of the nouveau riche.

Justin Kane’s thick brows furrowed almost imperceptibly, but before he could speak,

...a voice suddenly cut in. "It was just a misunderstanding."

As the voice faded,

...everyone turned toward the sound.

Cole Kane, dressed in a suit, walked over. His handsome face was illuminated by the lights as he gave the crowd a refined, elegant smile.

"Nina Thorne and I are practically childhood sweethearts. Although we broke off the engagement, we still truly love each other. There’s no need for any of you to worry about us."