That was… until his Big brother ca with his girlfriend, Chloe.
She was smart, bubbly, yet attentive and strict when needed. At first, Vernon was hostile toward her because she took his Big brother's attention. Since Vincent was the only one who actually cared for Vernon.
So Vernon pranked her— a lot.
'Yet, she insists on taking care of , giving everything I lacked. She did it continuously until I… I...' Vernon's gaze darkened, thinking it was ridiculous for him to have that feeling for a stupid woman like his sister-in-law.
He wouldn't lie that his anger deflated instantly as he watched Chloe scolding this 'little Vernon' in her head while worrying about unnecessary stuff. It was the shadow of the confident, fussy, and smart woman in the past.
Unlike her current self, which was very quiet, shy, and also with an unreadable expression. Vernon always sensed that sothing was wrong with the current Chloe Gray;
'Maybe that bubbly, smart, confident woman I t as a kid is just a farce to attract my Big brother. That's why he hates you after marriage because you shed all your pretenses,' Vernon thought.
'Which one is the true you, sister-in-law? Why did you change so much after ten years? And why did you say so many hurtful things about back then? Am I that worthless to you?'
Chloe took a picture at the corner of the room and said, "I think there is a tall potted plant here, right? I think it's the Monstera flower. Don't you know that's an expensive plant? Little Vernon, just because you have a lot of money doesn't an you can destroy things! Don't you know that many people out there want things you have? They want it, but they can't afford it. That's why you got to control your anger!"
"Oh, didn't you rember what I told you before? If you get angry daily, your skin will turn permanently red! Do you want to be called tomato boy? No girls will ever date a tomato boy!"
The edge of Vernon's lips twitched. It was the lie that Chloe made when he was a kid, sothing that absolutely fooled and terrified him. Because he kept thinking of himself having a permanent tomato red face that would make him so ugly!
So, Vernon started controlling his anger, at least to a manageable level, because he didn't want to be the tomato boy!
"That's why you need to control yourself, or I will start calling you tomato boy now!"
"So, you're going to call tomato boy now?" Vernon finally opened his mouth and snapped Chloe out of her stupid narration with Little Vernon in her head.
Chloe turned around instantly, and her face paled in less than five seconds. She clutched her phone and took a few steps back with her shaking legs.
"Why are you backing off like a rat? Did I scare you?" Vernon smirked. He walked toward Chloe, who kept taking a step behind her until her back hit the wall.
Chloe almost lost all her strength when Vernon stood one foot away from her. His intimidating figure and hawk-like eyes looked down at her like he was a hawk that would catch a rat as his prey.
Vernon scoffed when he saw his petite sister-in-law almost slumped on the floor. She was shaking heavily. All of her bubbliness and sweet scolding that Vernon heard just now vanished without a trace.
Vernon was disappointed but not mad. At least he saw the old sister-in-law that he fondly rembered, even though it was all fake.
'Everything is fake. She said she cares for a lot, but she also said that I'm disgusting and not worth her ti because I won't be as good as my Big brother.'
'But why can't I be mad at you now? Is it that easy for to forgive you just because you showed a bit of that fake sweetness in front of ?'
Vernon was distraught by his own taught for a few seconds when he noticed a movent of his sister-in-law.
Chloe actually tried to stealthily escape Vernon, but Vernon quickly took a step forward, blocking her escape, and squeezed their bodies together.
Chloe's breath stiffened. She dared not to look up because she was too scared to look at Vernon's face.
Vernon used his finger to lift Chloe's chin up, so their eyes could et. Chloe closed her eyes instantly, terrified of what would co next.
She was ready to be scolded, ridiculed, or maybe beaten if Vernon wanted to. After all, she experienced all of those with Vincent.
Vernon's heart sank when he realized his sister-in-law didn't even want to look at him. Maybe it was because he was too disgusting to look at, just like what she said back then.
"Open your eyes, sister-in-law."
"V—Vernon, I—I—" Chloe stamred as she struggled to say sorry and wanted to beg for Vernon's forgiveness. She was too engrossed with her fantasy of scolding Little Vernon that she held dearly in her heart, so she didn't even realize the honest Vernon was watching her the whole ti.
"Open your eyes, sister-in-law," Vernon repeated his request.
"I—I can't—" Chloe replied with difficulty. "S—Sorry, I'm sorry… I—I can't, Vernon…."
Vernon's lips thinned, and he was very disappointed, but he couldn't do anything since his sister-in-law didn't even want to look at him just because he was disgusting.
Vernon didn't know what part of his body was unattractive or disgusting for his sister-in-law. He was working his body out until he had the body of a greek god and a face that would make every woman he t drown in a pink fantasy.
He had never put his heart to anyone, treating any woman he dated as nothing but a fleeting sensation before he returned to his hotown, the concrete jungle of New York.
But everything was in vain…
'No matter what I'm doing. I am still disgusting for you, huh? You're truly a woman who can't be satisfied. Maybe my big brother is right about that….'
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