Chapter 480: The Henpecked Brother

"But you’re also...young. And when you’re young, it’s easy to think that caring about someone is enough reason to give them your heart."

Nnenna felt a small heat bloom in her cheeks, and she tried to look away, but Carl’s voice continued, low and even.

"Some people..." His gaze flickered almost imperceptibly, and Nnenna’s mind, just for an instant, flashed to Somto’s smile. "...their hearts aren’t free to catch. Maybe they’re already given to someone else. Or maybe they’re just not ready. Or maybe they will never be ready."

He paused to let that sink in.

"And unrequited love—"

Nnenna swallowed, a dull ache forming in her chest she hadn’t expected.

"—is the fastest way to destroy yourself," Carl finished, his tone softer, though no less serious. "It will eat at your confidence, distract you, make you second guess everything good you’ve built for yourself."

He leaned forward a little, emphasizing each word.

"That’s why I’m telling you now: Guard your heart."

Her lips parted, but she didn’t know what to say.

Carl lifted one brow, as if daring her to argue.

"I mean it," he went on, slipping effortlessly into a calm, patient lecture. "You’re in school. This is the time to build yourself, your mind, your resilience, your future. Romance...will come. But it can wait. You don’t need to decide what you feel about anyone until you’ve finished your studies. You can think you feel something now, but you need to be sure it’s not just...gratitude or admiration or loneliness."

Nnenna felt her throat tighten painfully.

What Carl was saying made sense.

Gratitude, admiration, loneliness.... was one of these the reason why she felt differently towards Somto?

everything be completely

doesn’t see me that

her with such clarity she

if...I’m just imagining

her seemed to

going, warm but

will pour everything into someone. And if they can’t, if they won’t, pour it back, you’ll only get hurt. And I won’t sit here watching

waited, letting the weight of the

Until you’re done with school. And until you are absolutely sure it’s

gaze was

stared at her hands instead, a tremor in

"...All right."

a

enough that he believed she had really taken his

now. "That’s all

told himself he had done the right thing. That this was the only way to

might never look at her the way she was starting to look at him, even if she wasn’t ready

wasn’t even sure

neither of them realized just how much

pick you up?" Carl asked, breaking the soft moment that had

no one is," she

Why am I

to come back for you?" he asked again, this time with a little edge

"No."

his expression tightening. He wasn’t hiding it, he

because I knew my henpecked big brother

Carl stared at her silently... then let out a resigned

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