When the Family Ch 2
Chapter 2 The Tragedy Behind the Perfect Brother
 
Dominc’s face didn’t give anything away. He just looked at her, with eyes that seemed to shift and darken like deep water.
 
Then Dominic said absolutely nothing.
 
Cool as ever, he glanced away like the moment never happened and turned toward the stairs.
 
Jean stared at his retreating back, her thoughts going wild.
 
Seriously? That’s it? He’s just gonna walk off? I thought for sure he was gearing up to say something else…
 
Dominic stopped mid-step.
 
And then—
 
Jean blinked as he doubled back out of nowhere. Same calm, quiet voice. Same distant tone.
 
“Do you… want to eat dinner with me?”
 
……
 
In the big, stylish dining room, Jean found herself sitting face-to-face with Dominic.
 
He ate like he was in a commercial. Totally silent, perfectly poised, his lips barely moved, and not a single sound came from his utensils.
 
Jean glanced down at her plate.
 
Broccoli. Corn. Salad. And a rare steak that was still bleeding.
 
This must be what rich people think healthy looks like…
 
She screamed inside.
 
This dinner is straight-up punishment!
 
Dominic’s fingers holding the utensils slowed for just a beat.
 
Jean kept slicing into her steak while her mind wandered off.
 
Buffalo wings. Chili dogs. Loaded nachos. That’s real food. Who wants to gnaw on a half-raw steak when you could be tearing into something crispy and greasy… melt some cheese, add a little jalapeño and hot sauce… mm, now that’s flavor…
 
Across the table, Dominic suddenly set down his fork and knife. His face stayed unreadable.
 
“You’re not into this kind of meal?”
 
 yanked Jean right out of her
 
 startled, then
 
 wanted to seem sweet, polite, easy to
 
 lips into
 
 not picky at all,
 
 of that bloody steak and shoved it in her mouth, chewing and
 
“Really… it’s not bad…”
 
 brain was screaming
 
 butt. I’m acting.
 
 quiet for a second,
 
 don’t want
 
 to be considerate, but his stiff, no-nonsense delivery made it
 
Jean’s eyes widened.
 
Inside, she was panicking.
 
 He just
 
 tightened at
 
 eyes went wide, and
 
 were super mean
 
“I wasn’t.”
 
 did something rare—he softened his tone a little, kept
 
Jean wasn’t buying it.
 
 were. You looked right at
 
 her cheeks and pulled a mock-serious face, copying his
 
 you don’t want to eat
 
Dominic looked down.
 
 little outburst didn’t annoy
 
 truth was, he and
 
 ever said a word to
 
 call close. If anything, they were strangers with matching last
 
 her thoughts—something shifted. Jean didn’t feel like a blurry figure in the
 
She felt real.
 
 about tomorrow
 
 stepped into the dining room but trailed off the second he saw Dominic and Jean having dinner together. A quick flicker of
 
 was clearly not something
 
 gave a slight nod, signaling him to
 
 against her
 
 Bryson, Dominic’s assistant? Why does he look kinda…
 
 family’s
 
 town. Mr. Thomas mentioned a few times that he wants to introduce you two. He was wondering if tomorrow
 
Jean’s brows pinched together.
 
 As in the Selena Lawson? The one who’s supposedly the most beautiful woman in Blairford? That’s not just any pretty face.
 
 his attention
 
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