They Hated Me in My First Life, But Now I Have the Love System

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?

be completely one

see me

struck her with such clarity she

just imagining

her

voice kept going, warm

know you. You have the kind of heart that 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 that happen. So please, promise

waited, letting the weight of the moment

done with school. And

gaze was gentle but

She stared at her hands instead, a tremor in her voice when

"...All right."

felt a

sad enough that he believed she had really taken his

he said, softer now. "That’s

thing. That this was the only way

own mind, Nnenna was simply mourning the possibility that Somto might never look at her the way she was starting to look at him, even

wasn’t even sure

the quiet that followed, neither of them realized just how much they had both

Carl asked, breaking the soft moment that had settled

no one

not. Why am I

you?" he asked again, this time

"No."

tell him to wait?" he repeated, a subtle beat between his words, his expression tightening. He wasn’t hiding it, he was clearly displeased she had ignored her own

didn’t ask him to wait because I knew my henpecked big brother would take me home," she answered with a mischievous

her silently... then let out