Chapter 9
When we reached the Rhodes estate, Kieran still wasn’t back.
The others barely acknowledged my presence.
After all, poor people like me were just disposable pawns in their eyes.
After waiting over an hour, Kieran finally showed up.
I heard footsteps approaching from far away, finally stopping about three steps behind me.
Heavy breathing, like he’d been running.
“Sage Campbell.”
His voice was hoarse beyond recognition.
I slowly turned around, lips curving in a polite smile: “Hey there, little brother.”
Kieran’s pupils contracted violently.
He’d gotten so much thinner, that once-confident face now sharp and angular, dark circles under his eyes.
Interesting.
So these three years hadn’t been kind to him either.
‘You’re… not dead.”
His voice was shaking.
I laughed softly: “What, disappointed?”
His Adam’s apple bobbed, and he suddenly stepped forward to grab my wrist:
“How can you SAY that?”
“When Mom told me you were her adopted daughter, I couldn’t believe it.”
“If she hadn’t shown me your photo, I definitely wouldn’t have como ted.
After this rapid-fire questioning, Kieran’s eyes were already red.
I let him hold my wrist, even tilted my head with a confused expression:
“What’s gotten into you, little brother?”
“DON’T call me that!” He was practically shouting. “Do you know what these three years have been like for
me?”
Kieran was like a wild beast losing control, step by step backing me into the shadows.
‘Had enough fun yet?”
‘Is watching me go crazy entertaining?”
reached up to smooth the wrinkles in his collar, just like I used to:
‘But that’s exactly how you played with me before.”
You said it yourself-we’re not from the same world.”
Kieran roughly tore open his collar, revealing a tattoo of “Sage” over his heart:
‘Sage, listen to me-I love you.”
‘It wasn’t until you left that I realized the person I truly loved was you all along.”
‘I was so blind, I couldn’t even recognize my own feelings.”
Thank God it’s not too late. Let’s get back together. I promise I’ll treat you right from now on.”
sneered internally, then slowly leaned closer, my lips almost touching his ear:
‘But now I’m your sister.”
‘You wouldn’t want people saying you’re screwing your own sister, would you?”
Kieran went rigid: “Everyone knows you’re not my real sister.”
I laughed and stepped back: “Still not happening.”
‘I have a date tomorrow with the Henderson Pharma heir. Want to come along, little brother?”
Kieran’s eyes got even redder, like an abandoned dog.
He looked ready to lose it again, but I walked past him toward the approaching Director Rhodes.
I linked arms with her affectionately:
“Mom, I need to see young Mr. Henderson tomorrow, so I’m getting a spa treatment today. Heading out now.”
I knew the Rhodes family had been trying to land a partnership with Henderson Pharma.
Me volunteering to meet that spoiled rich boy-Director Rhodes would definitely play along.
She broke into a smile, whispering: “Playing hard to get?”
I looked surprised: “You really see right through everything.”
Director Rhodes looked smug: “These little games are child’s play to me.”
“Fine, I’ll help you keep my idiot son on the hook for now.”
With her backing me up, I finally escaped Kieran.
As I left, I could feel his gaze burning into my back.
It lingered there for a long, long time.
