Smoke rose into the air as Orlando took another drag from his cigarette. Leaning against his car, he gazed toward the hospital from the parking lot. Though it was still quite early, the hospital was already bustling with people coming and going. Cars moved in and out of the lot constantly.
"You sll like alcohol and perfu."
Orlando glanced at his friend, who had just approached him. Dressed in his casual outfit, Jas looked impeccable as always. The man always managed to appear polished no matter the occasion—whether after a long shift or a late-night party.
It was as if God had a special fondness for him, creating a specin who would look good at all tis, regardless of what he wore.
And then there was Orlando, looking disheveled and utterly drained, with dark circles under his eyes after just one night of partying. He hadn’t even been drunk—at most, slightly tipsy. No hangover or morning lightheadedness, yet he still looked like shit. At least, that’s what Oliver had told him.
He should’ve taken a shower, but if he had, he probably would’ve fallen asleep in the tub and ended up late to their princess’ discharge celebration. Well, at least he did brush his teeth and wash his face.
In the end, Orlando said nothing in response to Jas’s remark. Instead of feeling offended, the Casanova chuckled and offered his cigarette to Jas.
"Want a smoke?" he asked casually.
Jas rolled his eyes lazily. "I’d take it, but it would definitely upset our princess, so no thanks."
Hearing how Jas still referred to Kyra as "our princess" amused Orlando slightly. "I thought you’d start getting possessive and call her my girlfriend, but it turns out you’re pretty fair."
He gave Jas a light pat on the shoulder and continued, "Rember, buddy, you may be her boyfriend, but that doesn’t erase the fact that we’re her brothers. So don’t you dare monopolize your girlfriend or get weirdly jealous of us."
Jas snorted, shoving his friend roughly. "I wouldn’t complain if you guys knew your place and boundaries! After all, you’re still n and not Kyra’s biological siblings."
Orlando raised an eyebrow. "Hey, we grew up with her and played together all the ti! We clearly have a bond with her. You don’t need to share blood to consider soone your sibling. Besides, you know what our intentions are. None of us sees Kyra that way."
"Maybe not now, but no one knows what the future holds," Jas replied with a distant gaze.
The reason for his words was obvious. He didn’t have to look far for proof, just look at himself. He had talked big in the beginning about being her uncle, but in the end, he fell into Kyra’s embrace.
At first, he denied it because the thought of her as a girlfriend had never crossed his mind, but Kyra had a way of shaking his principles. He let his guard down for just a mont, and the young woman had already changed his mind.
Yes, he admitted she had that much in her. Her stubbornness and determination to fight for what she wanted, even when the odds were slim to none, were the most captivating things about her.
She was a master at the art of push and pull, whether intentionally or not. She knew when to press forward and when to step back to gain more leverage. Sotis, a little indifference or minor rejection was enough to unsettle a man.
The idea that she was always there and then suddenly wasn’t was the trigger. It was as simple as "habit." Disrupt soone’s routine and watch how much it affects them.
Orlando raised an eyebrow and nodded. He understood exactly what Jas ant. "Fair enough."
He himself didn’t doubt the little girl’s charm. In his daily life, he had seen plenty of beautiful, fashionable won—those with hourglass figures or slim, model-like bodies—but none could compare to Kyra’s beauty.
She wasn’t flashy or striking. Her beauty was simple, perhaps even plain, yet you couldn’t stop looking at her. It was hard to explain, but it boiled down to the unique allure she carried, making her more beautiful the longer you looked at her.
Her beauty was like a calm ocean, srizing when its surface rippled, and once you were caught in it, you could see its underwater wonders—vivid coral reefs and teeming life.
Jas glanced at his friend with a displeased look. That wasn’t the response he wanted from Orlando. He had hoped Orlando would continue to deny it, but instead, his friend had agreed!
Annoyed, Jas grabbed Orlando’s cigarette, tossed it onto the ground, and stomped it out.
"Are you serious?" Orlando asked, incredulous, his brows furrowing. He chuckled lightly before walking off, leaving Jas with a single word.
"Childish."
Jas didn’t respond and rely snorted. Then, he followed his friend toward the hospital.
"Do you think this dinner will go well?" Orlando suddenly blurted. He had been reluctant to join because of Creighton and Jane. If it had just been Jane, he wouldn’t have minded, but with that old man present...
Their group had agreed to help Jas, automatically placing them on the opposite side of the old man. Orlando himself was familiar with Creighton’s legendary story.
His father, who was from the sa generation as Jas’s father, often spoke of how Creighton had been highly respected in his day. His na alone carried weight and served as a layer of protection for his descendants.
His father once told him that whenever he went out with Victor, people’s attitudes would imdiately change the mont Victor ntioned his last na. There was only one family with the na Synders in the capital, and that was Creighton’s family. It felt like walking with royalty when he went out with Victor, as if the world belonged to them.
"I suddenly feel like smoking," Jas muttered.
Orlando burst into laughter. He understood—Jas, who was Creighton’s grandson, often clashed with his grandfather as well.
"I just hope he can control himself today, at least for Kyra’s sake."
Orlando glanced at him. As they entered the hospital lobby, Orlando lowered his voice. "The real question is, does the old man know about you stealing docunts from his house?"
Jas furrowed his brows. Honestly, he hadn’t expected to be able to take the docunts without Creighton finding out from the start. Whether it was him or Killian who took them, the old man was bound to find out eventually—thanks to Harry or Hestia spilling the beans.
After the phone call from Killian yesterday, Jas was now 100% certain his grandfather knew everything. But did he care? Absolutely not!
If his grandfather asked him directly, he’d answer honestly. From the mont Jas decided to date Kyra, a clash with Creighton was inevitable. The only thing Jas hoped for was that it would all happen behind the scenes, far from Kyra’s attention.
"I’m sure he knows," Jas admitted. Orlando was left speechless by his friend’s nonchalant response.
So, this isn’t just a dinner. It’s a freaking trial, Orlando thought to himself.
And sure enough, the mont they entered Kyra’s room, Orlando imdiately felt the tension in the air. On one side of the room sat their three other friends, all silent with serious expressions on their faces.
anwhile, Kyra was happily chatting with Jane. Then there was Creighton, seated facing the sofa, his gaze now fixed on the doorway—or more specifically, on Jas. However, Jas simply ignored him and walked toward the bed where Kyra was.
"Jas!" Kyra exclaid excitedly, jumping off her bed and rushing into Jas’s arms. At that mont, Anthony and Harvey visibly tensed but quickly composed themselves so Creighton wouldn’t notice.
"Hey, my beautiful niece! How are you feeling today?" Jas asked without a hint of awkwardness, casually calling his girlfriend "niece."
And his girlfriend casually played along with Jas’s ga. "Good morning, Uncle! I’d be feeling great if we could leave this place already. I’m so tired of staring at these four walls!"
Oliver and the others were left speechless, watching the couple nonchalantly play the uncle-and-niece act as if there was nothing unusual about it.
Orlando glanced at Anthony and flashed a mischievous smile. Harvey, who accidentally caught Orlando’s expression, burst out in laughter, barely able to stifle it. He knew exactly what that smile ant.
’Could it be that our friend is into roleplay?’
Anthony glared at Orlando, signaling him to stop joking. But Orlando just shrugged nonchalantly. Whether it was the lingering effect of alcohol or just his fearless nature, he seed completely unbothered by Creighton’s sharp gaze.
In the end, it was Jane who broke the tension. "Well then, let’s go. My granddaughter must be hungry, right? Kyra suggested dim sum earlier. Does anyone have any objections?" Jane asked the n.
"Nope. Dim sum it is," Anthony quipped quickly, then stood up before pulling Harvey along with him. "We’ll go get our car. Just text us the restaurant you’re heading to, Kyra."
"Okay!" Kyra replied with a bright smile.
Shortly after Anthony and Harvey left the room, the remaining group followed suit. When they reached the main lobby, Orlando subtly signaled to Kyra, suggesting she ride in his car.
She raised an eyebrow at him, and Orlando responded by glancing toward Creighton. However, Kyra, oblivious to the situation, simply furrowed her brow in confusion.
At that mont, Orlando realized neither Oliver nor Jas had told Kyra anything about what was going on. No wonder she seed so fearless.
Orlando could only pinch the bridge of his nose in frustration, but he avoided looking at Kyra again. Instead, he headed straight to the parking lot. But, he had just opened the door when soone tapped his shoulder.
Frowning, Orlando turned around to find Kyra standing behind him, her expression serious. "I’m riding with you," she declared.
Orlando instinctively scanned his surroundings and locked eyes with Jas from across the lot. Jas’s expression was not exactly good as he subtly shook his head. That was all Orlando needed to realize Creighton and Jane were riding in his car. Left with no choice, Orlando opened the car door for Kyra.
It wasn’t that he didn’t want her in his car, but the fact that Kyra seed completely unaware of the situation was problematic for Orlando, who might have unintentionally spilled sothing just now.
And sure enough, as soon as the car hit the highway, Kyra asked directly, "What did you an earlier?"
Orlando forced himself to stay calm as much as possible. "What do you an by that?"
"I saw it, Brother Orlando. You glanced at Grandpa earlier."
Orlando instantly fell silent, his mind racing to co up with a reasonable excuse. "Hmm... What I ant was it would be better if you rode with since it seems like your grandparents will be riding with Jas. Jas didn’t bring a large car."
Unfortunately, he chose the wrong excuse. "Grandpa and Grandma only decided to ride with Jas after you left. Grandpa’s driver called and said there was an issue with their car."
Orlando: "...."
Damn it!
Kyra stared at him intensely. "So, what did you an earlier, Brother? Don’t dodge the question anymore! Does Grandpa know about my relationship with Jas?"
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