Married To My Ex's Brother, Reborn Miraculously-Chapter 227: A hidden enemy in the family

The silence that followed was deafening. Anne sat frozen, her thoughts reeling. The hope of finally reconnecting with her biological family now mingled with unease. Doubts crept in, clouding the excitement that had sparkled in her just moments ago.

"So... you think I shouldn’t trust them?"

Paule shook his head. "That’s not what I’m saying. I saw the tears in that woman’s eyes. They weren’t fake. She truly missed her daughter. And Nathan...his desperation to find his sister didn’t feel like an act. I don’t think they are lying."

He paused, hesitating. "But something still feels off. There might be someone else in that family, a hidden enemy, maybe I’m not sure. Maybe I’m just being paranoid."

A heavy breath escaped his lips, his shoulders sagging. "It’s just... you’ve been through so much since you were a child. Patricia and Lorie treated you poorly, and I failed to protect you the way I should have.

Anne opened her mouth to speak, but he raised a hand to stop her.

"No—let me finish. Patricia and Lorie made your life miserable, and while I never treated you badly, I also didn’t protect you properly. I let too many things slide, and I’ve carried that guilt for years."

His eyes shimmered with emotion as he looked at her. "All I want is to see you happy. You deserve peace, love, and a good life. And if anything or anyone threatens that, I can’t help but be cautious. I just don’t want you to fall into trouble."

Anne’s heart ached at his words. She could feel his love for her.

"I have Augustine with me now," she said with quiet assurance. "He’ll always protect me. And as for my family, Papa, you are my family. You’ve always been, and that will never change, even if I find out who my biological parents are."

Paule’s eyes grew misty, emotion tightening in his chest.

A wry smile tugged at Anne’s lips. "And Patricia and Lorie..." she rolled her eyes playfully, "they are awful. But they’ve contributed to the person I am today. I won’t pretend I don’t resent them, but they are a part of my life. And as for this ’real family’... It’s still uncertain. I’ll be careful, I promise. You don’t have to worry."

She leaned forward and wrapped her arms around him. "Thank you, Papa," she whispered with love and gratitude. "For everything."

Paule’s arms closed around her, the words he wanted to say caught in his throat.

She pulled back gently. "Okay, Papa. I’ll go talk to the doctor and finish the discharge procedure. Then I’ll drop you home."

With that, she walked out of the room.

~~~~~~~~~~~

After a grueling series of meetings, Augustine finally returned to his office and sank into the chair, shoulders stiff, head slightly tipped back. He let out a long breath, relaxing his muscles. But his moment of relief was short-lived.

The door creaked open, and Gustave walked in, arms burdened with a thick stack of files.

"These require your review and signatures," he said briskly, placing the files on the desk.

Augustine sat up straighter, already reaching for the top file. freewebnσvel.cѳm

"There is one more thing," Gustave added. "Nathan Granet has been trying to get an appointment with you for the past week. He called again this morning... and now, he is actually here. Down at the reception."

Augustine’s eyes lifted sharply, a flicker of intrigue surfacing.

"We’ve informed him several times that your schedule is full for the next few months," Gustave continued. "But he is still here and refused to leave. Says he’ll wait until you meet him. What would you like me to do? Should I bring him in?"

Augustine’s gaze shifted to the stack of paperwork on his desk. He had planned to wrap up soon and head home. Anne might be waiting for him, and he didn’t want to miss dinner with her.

"Not today," he said firmly. "I still have a lot to finish. Tell him to come tomorrow. Check for an available slot."

Gustave gave a short nod. "Understood. I’ll handle it," he replied, then quietly left the room.

Left alone, Augustine leaned back, his mind churning. It wasn’t unusual for high-profile executives to chase after a meeting with him. Many wanted to work with the Sphere Group. But such desperation, showing up in person and waiting to meet him, was a rare incident.

"Why is he so insistent?" Augustine murmured curiously. "Is it really about business... or is there something more?"

When Megan learned that Nathan had been waiting for hours in the reception area to meet Augustine, her anger flared instantly. She knew exactly why he was so persistent. He wanted to talk about Anne.

Though Megan had accepted her father’s claim that Raya was long dead, a sliver of doubt still gnawed at her. What if Raya had survived? What if Anne was actually Raya?

’No,’ she told herself, ’I can’t afford to take that chance. I won’t let Nathan get anywhere near Anne.’

Without wasting another second, she stormed out of her office, her expression dark and resolute, and marched straight toward the reception area. There she spotted Nathan, sitting patiently in the waiting lounge.

"Nathan!" She called out with a tight voice as she approached him with a dark face.

He looked up, visibly stiffening at the sight of her.

"What are you doing humiliating yourself like this?" she hissed, leaning closer so no one else would hear. "If you wanted an appointment with Augustine, you should’ve come to me. I could’ve spoken to him myself. Sitting here like this while he ignores you—do you know how that looks?"

But Nathan didn’t care. "I need to see him," he replied firmly. "I won’t leave until I get his appointment."

Megan seethed, her fingers curling into balls at her sides. She could feel the curious stares of employees. Some even murmured among each other. The sight of it made her skin crawl.

"This is embarrassing," she said through gritted teeth. "Get up. Come to my office. I’ll see what I can do."

Without waiting for his answer, she reached down and grabbed his arm, urging him to follow her.

Nathan paused for a moment, considering Megan’s offer. Then he gave a small nod. "Alright. I’ll go with you." He rose from his seat just as the receptionist called out his name.

"Mr. Nathan Granet?"

He turned and quickly walked over, a flicker of anticipation on his face. "Yes?"

"The CEO has agreed to meet you," she said with a polite smile. "But not today. You are scheduled for tomorrow, after lunch."

Relief swept over Nathan’s face, and a broad smile broke out. "Thank you, thank you very much." His chest swelled with gratitude, and a renewed spark of hope lit up his eyes. He believed that this meeting with Augustine could finally bring answers.

But standing behind him, Megan’s face darkened. A storm of resentment stirred in her chest. Her fingers curled into fists at her sides.

’Why does Anne keep drawing everyone in? Why is she always the center of everything?’ she seethed inwardly.