Chapter 218: Chapter: 218 Brother is angry.

In the afternoon, the Zenithara estate was very quiet.

All the chores were finished, so the servants were resting in their rooms.

Only a few people were moving around.

Sometimes, you could hear the soft clinking of armour when a knight walked past on his rounds.

Inside the big hall, the family members were relaxed.

Everyone looked calm and happy, everyone except one person.

Edward was pacing back and forth in front of the main gate.

He kept biting his nails. His boots made small sounds on the stone path. He looked worried.

“Damn it,” he murmured to himself. “I should not have been so careless.”

He stopped and stared down the long road that led away from the estate.

His face was full of anxiety. His hands felt cold even though the sun was warm.

After he ended things with Salena, he had felt pain in his chest.

But at the same time, he also felt a little proud.

He had not bent or changed his mind.

He had spoken the hard truth to her face, and that gave him a strange sense of strength.

Salena, though, was heartbroken. She started sending him letters. In every letter she said sorry.

She explained that it was not her choice, her father had forced her to do it. She begged him to understand.

She wrote that she still loved him.

Edward read the first few letters.

Then he burned them in the fireplace. He did not want to keep them. He wanted to forget.

But he did not know that his sister-in-law had secretly taken some of the letters before he could burn them all.

She read them. Then she told his brother everything.

Edward whispered again, “I hope she does not tell him the whole story…”

His heart started beating faster. He wiped his sweaty hands on his shirt.

It was not that he felt bad about his brother going to meet Salena.

No. In fact, a small part of him felt happy. He still liked her a lot, even after everything.

Deep inside, he felt glad that his brother was there with her now. Maybe it would make things easier for her.

So if everything seemed to be going fine, why was Edward so nervous? Why was he walking in circles like this?

The answer was simple. He felt embarrassed.

Very embarrassed.

He kept thinking about the sharp words he had said to Salena that day.

The cold way he had looked at her. The way he had turned and walked away without looking back.

Now that some time had passed, those memories made his face hot. He felt stupid. He felt small.

What if Salena told his brother about what he said that day?

What if she tells him everything like how she tried to convince him? Or worse, what if she made up some stories?

The problem was that he didn’t want anyone to know what he had done.

He only wanted to be seen as a good younger brother. Calm. Reliable. Someone his brother could trust.

But if everything he had done was told in front of him, he didn’t know how to even look at everyone, he felt very embarrassed.

Edward stopped pacing. He leaned against the gate post and closed his eyes.

“I acted so tough,” he said quietly. “But now I just feel… cringed.”

He rubbed his face with both hands and let out a long, tired sigh.

“I shouldn’t have done that…” he murmured.

There was real regret in his eyes now.

If he had only stayed calm that day, if he had spoken softly instead of shouting, none of this would have happened.

Salena would not have suffered for the last two years.

She would not have cried alone, writing letter after letter that he burned.

And most of all, he would not be standing here feeling so stupid and embarrassed about everything he said.

Edward pushed his back away from the gate post.

He was just about to turn and walk back inside when he heard it, the steady clip-clop of horses coming closer.

He spun around fast.

Two beautiful white horses appeared on the road, pulling a big, shiny carriage.

On the side of the carriage was the family emblem: two swords crossed over each other.

Edward’s heart jumped.

He quickly opened the heavy iron gate all the way and stepped to the side.

He stood straight and respectful, hands behind his back, head slightly lowered.

“He’s here…” he whispered.

The carriage rolled slowly past him. As it went by, a loud, happy laugh came from inside.

Edward knew that laugh right away.

It was Vivian.

His brother’s laugh.

When the laughter reached his ears, Edward’s eyes became soft for a second.

“Brother…” he said under his breath.

He felt nervous, yes, but there was something else too. It had been five full years since he last saw his older brother.

Now the moment was here, and suddenly Edward felt shy. Almost like a little boy again. No, he felt small.

He shook his head hard.

Then he slapped both cheeks with his hands, slap, slap, to wake himself up.

“No,” he told himself firmly. “It would be best if I behave normally. Don’t act strange. Don’t give her any chance to tease me or ask questions.”

He took a deep breath, squared his shoulders, and hurried after the carriage.

The wheels rolled over the stone path toward the main house.

The white horses lifted their heads proudly. Inside the carriage, the laughter continued, bright and warm.

Edward walked faster to keep up. His boots clicked on the ground. His hands were still a little shaky.

He told himself again: Just act normal. Just act normal.

But deep inside, his stomach was full of butterflies.

The carriage door opened with a soft click.

A young man stepped out first. He had short black hair and bright blue eyes.

He wore a plain black shirt and black pants, simple but sharp. He looked tall and calm.

Edward knew him at once. It was Vivian. Even after five long years, Edward could recognize his older brother right away.

They had the same eyes, the same straight nose. They came from the same mother, after all. Some things never change.

Edward took slow steps forward. He stopped a few feet away.

Vivian did not look at him. He just held the carriage door open with one hand, standing politely like a proper gentleman.

Then, from inside the carriage, a girl stepped out.

She had long blonde hair that fell like soft gold over her shoulders.

Her blue eyes were clear and bright. She wore a beautiful white wedding dress, simple yet elegant, with lace on the sleeves and a long flowing skirt.

She looked like something from a dream.

Edward’s eyes locked on her.

“Salena…” he murmured.

His heart twisted. Happiness, pain, surprise, shame, all of it hit him at once.

He felt very complicated.

His throat went dry. His hands felt heavy at his sides.

Salena stepped down quietly onto the stone path. She did not look at Edward. Not even once.

Vivian spoke to her in a gentle voice. “Come.”

Salena turned to him and gave a small, happy smile. “Yes, big brother.”

’Big brother.’

The words felt like a soft punch to Edward’s chest.

Vivian offered his arm. Salena placed her hand lightly on it.

Together, they started walking toward the main palace doors.

Their steps were slow and steady. They talked quietly to each other, smiling. They did not glance back. Not even once.

Edward just stood there.

In front of the empty carriage.

With his mouth half-open.

“Eh…?”

He stared at their backs as they walked away.

The white dress glowed in the afternoon sun. Vivian’s black clothes looked dark next to her.

They disappeared through the big wooden doors of the palace.

Edward blinked hard.

’What just happened?’

His mind was spinning.

’Salena… ..Calling my brother “big brother”?’

And neither of them even looked at him?

He felt frozen. His face grew hot. His ears rang a little.

’Did I just get… ignored?’

He looked down at his own boots. Then back at the palace doors that had already closed behind them.

“No, no, this can’t be,” Edward told himself quickly.

“They must not have seen me. It’s so hot right now, the sun is bright, maybe they were looking down or something.”

He made up the excuse in his head to feel better.

Then he hurried after them, almost running. His boots made loud steps on the stone path as he rushed toward the palace doors.

He pushed the big doors open and stepped inside.

The cool air from the hall hit his warm face.

He walked fast through the long corridor. Soft voices floated toward him from the main hall ahead.

“Ah, so you are Salena?” That warm, happy voice belonged to Elena, his mother.

“I’m your mother-in-law from now on.” She sounded so pleased, like she had waited for this day for a long time.

Another voice came, Charlotte’s this time.

“Salena, although you are still my sister, it’s not the same way it used to be. Now I’m your sister because of my husband. Do you understand?”

“Yes, sister,” Salena answered softly. Her voice was calm and sweet.

Edward smiled a little as he walked closer. He listened to every word.

His heart felt lighter for a second. Everyone sounded so happy.

“Elder brother…?” That was Aaron’s voice now. He was there too, with the others.

Edward finally reached the open doorway of the main hall. He stopped and looked inside.

Everyone was gathered in a loose circle around Salena.

His mother Elena stood closest, holding both of Salena’s hands and smiling wide.

Charlotte stood beside her, touching Salena’s arm gently.

Aaron leaned against a chair, grinning.

Salena stood in the middle in her white wedding dress. She looked shy but happy, her cheeks a soft pink.

Edward took one step forward. He opened his mouth to say something, maybe “Welcome” or “Salena…”

But before he could speak, Vivian turned around.

His older brother’s blue eyes locked straight on him.

Vivian’s face was calm, but there was no smile. No warmth.

“Come with me,” Vivian said.

His voice was cold. Flat. Like ice.

The happy chatter in the hall stopped for a second. Everyone turned to look at Edward.

Edward froze. His smile faded. His stomach dropped.

He felt small again, very small.

Vivian did not wait. He started walking toward a side door that led to the private study.

He did not look back to see if Edward followed.

Edward swallowed hard. His hands felt cold now.

He glanced once more at Salena. She was looking down at the floor. She did not meet his eyes.

Slowly, Edward turned and followed his brother.

The happy voices started again behind him, soft and cheerful.

But Edward’s steps felt heavy.

He had no idea what was coming next.

Only one thing was clear: Vivian was angry.

Very angry.

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