Chapter 4

Over the past few months, my younger brother Nathan Reed had been acting strangely.

Nathan, who usually didn't like going out, started frequently attending various parties and gatherings.

When he returned, he always looked pleased with himself, his face glowing.

When he saw me, he was no longer timid. Unusually, he'd gained some confidence.

"Ethan, I heard your engagement is about to be finalized? Who is it? After all this, did they still arrange for you to marry Shane?"

"It's a marriage arranged by the family, but I want to sincerely ask you---do you really like Shane?"

"You just think she grew up with you from childhood, you're familiar with each other, and her family background is compatible, right?"

"Do you really understand what love is? Do you understand what it means to date freely?"

"Do you know how happy and joyful it is to be with someone you truly love?"

Looking at his baseless smugness and his act of being the only sober one in a drunk world, I felt impatient.

"Has your brain short-circuited?"

Nathan's face darkened at these words. He pointed at me and shouted:

"I'm kindly reminding you to fight for true love, yet you're so ungrateful!"

"Fine, fine. I have no standing in this family anyway. I won't say anything more. Do as you please!"

He turned and left in a huff. I frowned in confusion.

He was the son from Father's youthful mistake, so naturally he didn't have as much standing in the family as I did.

However, though Father didn't favor him, he never lacked for food, clothing, or material needs.

Nathan was well aware of this, so he'd always been content and well-behaved.

Forget raising his voice at me---he'd never even spoken this many words at once before.

What had gotten into him? Or had someone manipulated him?

I quietly instructed Mason, who left to carry out my orders.

Unexpectedly, before long, Mason brought me shocking news.

"Mr. Reed, the your younger brother has been frequently visiting private hospitals and asking people about going abroad for surgery."

"I checked---the department he's asking about is plastic surgery."

"Do you think something happened?"

I shot to my feet and strode toward Father's room.

Halfway there, I saw Nathan wearing cleaning staff clothes, sneaking out furtively.

After thinking for a moment, I changed direction and followed him.

In a secluded corner behind the Reed family mansion's back door, Nathan's worried voice drifted over.

"Laura, I've done everything you asked. Now you have all the dirt on me. When will you fulfill your promise?"

"You said you'd be with me. You can't go back on your word!"

Hearing the name "Laura," my eyelid twitched sharply. I leaned forward and indeed saw Laura.

She smiled, her eyes constantly darting around, looking cunningly calculating yet unable to calculate clearly.