Married To My Billionaire Stepbrother

Chapter 18: She Is My Step-Sister

"It’s nothing, Ivan," Briena said softly, lowering her teary eyes as if trying to hide her tears.

Ivan turned to Natalie, who was still glaring at Briena as if slapping her once was not enough. "Why did you slap her?"

"I don’t need to answer that to you," Natalie shot back, her anger now directed at him as well.

"Don’t be angry at him," Briena interjected weakly, playing the victim. "You’ve already slapped me, and I forgive you for that."

"Do I need your forgiveness?" Natalie retorted angrily, her icy voice full of warning, "If something happened to grandpa, I will make sure to dig a grave next to his and bury you there so you could continue to apologize to him even after you die."

Briena visibly shivered at Natalie’s threat, clutching Ivan’s hand as if seeking protection from her sister’s wrath. "I... I’m sorry..."

"You better be," Natalie snapped before turning to leave.

"Who do you think you are to walk away like this after hurting others for no reason?" Ivan’s voice was filled with anger.

Natalie turned back to him, her gaze sharp. "So, do you want me to slap your fiancée a few more times instead of slapping her just once and leave?"

Ivan frowned at her stubbornness and then looked to Briena for an explanation. "What happened?"

Briena sniffled, her voice trembling as she spoke. "It’s because of her scandal that Grandpa went into shock, and now she blames me for it. She thinks I told Grandpa, but I didn’t. He had already heard about it, and when he asked me to confirm, I couldn’t lie. But I didn’t know it would... I didn’t mean to..."

Ivan gently hugged Briena, comforting her as she played the pitiful role. "It’s not your fault. Don’t cry."

Ivan gently wiped away the tears from Briena’s cheek. As he did, Briena turned her gaze to offer a smug look in the direction where Natalie had been standing, but Natalie was already gone. "Where is my sister?" Briena asked, feigning concern.

Ivan looked around, realizing that Natalie had vanished. His eyes scanned the long corridor, but there was no sign of her.

on the car but she realized they were shaking. She leaned back in the chair and closed her eyes. The tears she was stubbornly holding back till now, started rolling down

had thought she was immune to the bitter treatment from her family, that it no longer had the power to hurt her.

cast aside. What had she done wrong? Why couldn’t

lose the only person who held fond memories of her childhood. She remembered how he used to dote on her, how she would act spoiled in front of him, sitting on his shoulders, flying kites, catching fish together, and even the way he braided her hair—clumsy and imperfect, but she still loved

inside the car for a while. That calmness she felt was suddenly disturbed by a call.

it and closed her eyes again. But the cellphone rang again. Frustrated,

the other end seemed startled by her anger, but she didn’t

you were scheduled to meet Mr. Harper half an hour

fault that her grandpa had to hear the

my husband,

Mr. Harper is not Aiden Handrix. He

to hell and never bother me again. If

Natalie, your

she interrupted,

to continue, but she had

-----

acting pitiful in front of Ivan, and then her lonely time in the car. Though

leaned back

looked at Justin, the usual gaze where he wished to ask something but couldn’t

Justin. Noah hesitated

Harper is so interested in knowing about this woman. You’ve never

question, you have

will," Noah agreed,

your opinion

considered his words