Hazel's POV

"I haven't done anything bad to her," I stated, raising a finger in protest.

"Watch your words, when she's not around too, Hazel," Joshua warned firmly, his expression serious.

"You're asking for too much," I commented, a touch of cockiness in my tone. I added, giving him a wicked smirk, "But I'll see what I can do."

Joshua pushed back his chair with a loud sigh, his coffee cup clutched in his hand. "I'll catch you later," he mumbled, already on his feet.

"But you haven't even touched your food," I protested, puzzled.

"Not hungry," he dismissed with a wave, putting his cup down with a clink. "Got a meeting. It's important," he added, meeting my gaze with a serious expression.

"On Sunday?" I asked, arching an eyebrow in confusion.

"With my lawyer. Important stuff," Joshua explained, checking the time on his Rolex. "Gotta go." With a brisk nod, he strode towards the door.

"Take care," I shouted as he started to leave in a hurry. "Oh, and don't you dare forget to apologize to Celeste," I reminded firmly.

Kayden's POV

As I walked into the living room, I noticed the faint scent of whiskey hung in the air, mingling with the heavy atmosphere in the room. Jayden sat on the couch, staring into space, lost in his thoughts. Worry filled my heart and I carefully walked towards him, trying not to scare him.

"Hey, are you alright?" I asked softly, worry gnawing at me. I was sure that something bad happened.

"You and Clara were right," Jayden's replied mockingly, trying to hide sorrow in his tone, clenching his fists tightly, making his knuckles turn white.

Furrowing my eyebrows, I settled onto the couch beside my twin. "What's wrong?"

My brother let out a heavy sigh, placing his empty glass down with a clink before burying his face in his hands.

"Jay?" Concern laced my voice as I reached out, placing my hand on his back.

"Virginia..." Jayden's voice cracked with frustration as he clenched his fist tightly. "She was playing me, using me for money." His tone grew bitter, resentment simmering beneath the surface. "And to top it off, she had another boyfriend. They played me for a fool," he added, sadness clouding his eyes as he shook his head in disbelief.

I sighed loudly, at a loss for words. Fortunately, Jayden discovered the truth before things escalated further between them.

"I'm sorry, Jay," I said sadly and gave a gentle squeeze to his shoulder.

"I broke Clara's heart for that bitch," Jayden's voice seethed with anger as he ran his hand through his hair, fingers clenching tightly.

"You need to apologize to Clara," I commented, giving him a sympathetic look.

"Yeah, I know I need to talk to her, but I'm not sure how I'll even face her," my brother confessed, his tone desperate.

"Clara's a good friend, Jay. She'll understand," I assured and gave him a reassuring smile.

"I hope you're right." My twin sighed heavily.

"Do..." My words were cut short by the sudden ringing of my phone. I pulled it out of my pocket and glanced at the screen. "Oh, damn it! I completely forgot about my plans with Hazel," I muttered, running a hand through my hair. I was supposed to pick her up from her office. "I'll cancel. I can't just leave you alone like this," I told Jayden.

With our parents overseas for Dad's business trip, leaving Jayden alone in this state was out of the question. The thought of him doing something reckless gnawed at my nerves; I'd never seen him like this before.

"Please, don't change your plans because of me. I need to be alone." Jayden stated, his tone firm. "And I need to talk to Clara. Perhaps she'll keep me company."

"But..."

"Kade, relax. The worst thing on my agenda tonight is to get completely wasted," Jayden reassured me.

I sighed, agreeing. "Okay, but don't hesitate to call me if you need anything."

"Got it. Now go enjoy yourself," Jayden gave me a friendly pat on my back, forcing a slight smile.

***

Coming back to the mansion, I found all the lights were off; Jayden must have fallen asleep. I decided not to disturb him and check on him in the morning.

The sun shone through the windows as I came back from taking a shower, the droplets of water still running down on my skin. Once I got dressed, I went to my twin's room to check on him, hoping he felt better today.

I knocked on the door lightly and opened the door ajar. Shock jolted through me as I saw my brother and Clara in each other's arms, naked, their clothes scattered all over the floor.

"Kade?" Jayden mumbled in panic as he travelled his gaze from Clara to me and vice versa, his expression bewildered. Meanwhile, Clara let out a sleepy yawn without noticing me.

The moment Clara noticed me in the room, she pulled the cover around her in panic, sitting up on the bed, cheeks ablaze like ripe tomatoes.

"I... I'm sorry," I muttered, suppressing a wicked smile as I hurriedly left the room, shutting the door behind me.

Well... I thought my brother was drowning in sorrow over his breakup. However, he had fun last night.

I shook my head, a smirk playing on my lips, before heading downstairs. I decided to go the company early, leaving Jayden with his so-called 'best friend' alone. I had no doubt Clara could heal his wounds better than I ever could.

***

I was focused on examining a contract in my office when a knock interrupted me.

"Come in," I shouted, leaning back against my seat.

The door creaked open, and my twin stepped inside, shutting it behind him.

"Are you alright?" I asked, noticing the troubled expression on his face. Despite the passing of six weeks since his breakup, he was still depressed because of her betrayal. I understood him very well; discovering that the woman you loved so much was a gold digger and used you for money wasn't a pleasant feeling.

"Not bad," he muttered and heaved a loud sigh. "Grandpa asked me to visit him this morning," he paused, sighing.

I leaned in and rested my forearms on the desk, giving him a curious look.

"And he started asking about Hazel and me. When I mentioned things were going well between us, he suggested inviting her to the mansion to meet my parents. And then, he asked when I'll propose her."

"Oh..." I mumbled, feeling a nervous tension creeping up my spine as I anxiously rubbed the back of my neck.

"I told him it was too soon, but he was stubborn. I told me that I propose to her and begin wedding preparations as soon as possible."

"Shall I start the second part?" I choked out the words, a lump forming in my throat. The idea of ending things with Hazel felt like swallowing glass. Too painful. She was different; for the first time, I didn't tire of spending time with a woman. The ache of her absence gnawed at me when she wasn't around. Despite my efforts to maintain composure, I found myself falling in love with her uncontrollably.

"No need."

"Why?" I asked, confusion clouding my thoughts.

"I've made up my mind to give Hazel a shot. You don't need to play along anymore. I'll take her out myself, and if things go well, I'll marry her. And don't worry, the yacht is still yours, just as I promised."

"What?" I mumbled, barely audible, as a wave of numbness washed over me. His declaration felt like a stab to my heart. "And Clara?" I forced the question out, trying to hide my sorrow as best as I could.

Jayden let out a heavy sigh. "We're just friends. That night was a mistake. We were both drunk."

I struggled to find my voice, my mouth opening and closing soundlessly. Eventually, I managed a nod, giving him a forced smile before rising abruptly from my seat. "I... I have to go. I've got a meeting outside," I lied, hastily leaving my office.

***

Sipping my whiskey in the penthouse, memories of Hazel flooded my mind. Tonight, my brother was out on a date with her, a thought that haunted me like a nightmare.

I leaned back against the couch and closed my eyes, my memories with Hazel flashed in my mind with each sip of whiskey. Probably , it had been a few hours since I started drinking. Unable to focus at work after Jayden's big surprise about his dinner plans with Hazel, I had left the office early.

The elevator doors opened, revealing my brother strolling in, his hand casually slipping in his pocket.

"Why are you here? Weren't you with Hazel?" I asked, furrowing my eyebrows in confusion.

"Yeah, I dropped her home after dinner," he confirmed, settling into the armchair and looking at the empty whiskey bottle. "Did you finish this all by yourself?" my twin asked, concerned, furrowing his eyebrows.

"Yeah," I nodded, sighing, running my fingers through my hair in frustration.

"Are you okay?" My brother asked, worried.

"Yeah, everything's fine," I lied, letting out a heavy sigh. "Um... How was dinner?" I muttered, forcing a smile.