FULL NOVELXO Chapter 1898
"What's that supposed to mean, Hunter? Don't tell me you're..." Caleb pointed an accusing finger at Hunter, his voice laced with disbelief.
Over the years, Caleb had always treated Hunter as a brother. Their banter, even the occasional rumors, had never made him think twice. But now, with Hunter's words and demeanor, Caleb couldn't help but feel a hint of suspicion.
Before he could finish his thought, Hunter slapped Caleb's hand away, rolling his eyes. "What kind of nonsense are you spouting now?"
Caleb's frustration boiled over. "What nonsense? I already told you, I don't want my dad meddling in my life any more than he already has. And here you are, making things worse! Do you have a death wish or something?"
Hunter smirked, unbothered. "What's the big deal? If the situation escalates, then nobody's going to try setting you up anymore. Problem solved. If we go down, I'll go down with you. That's what brothers are for, right?"
Caleb's glare darkened, his patience wearing thin. "You're really starting to sound like you have feelings for me. Do you even hear yourself?"
Caleb's expression darkened further. He hadn't considered this possibility before, but Hunter's current demeanor, combined with his suggestive comments, painted a picture Caleb couldn't ignore. Could it be? Did Hunter actually...?
The thought sent a chill down his spine, and goosebumps erupted across his skin. His mind raced, but one thing was clear-his own orientation was as straightforward as it could be. Yet now, faced with this unsettling notion about Hunter, he couldn't help but feel utterly thrown off.
This realization truly shocked him to his core!
Hunter scoffed, utterly exasperated. "Caleb, I swear, if you don't shut up, I'll kick you out of here myself. Do you seriously think I'm into you? You're out of your mind."
Before Caleb could retort, a confident female voice cut through the air. "Sorry, but Caleb is my fiancé." Both Caleb and Hunter turned toward the source of the voice. A woman hurried over, latching onto Caleb's arm before either of them could react.
Caleb narrowed his eyes at the woman, barely recognizing her. It took him a moment to connect the dots -this was the woman his father had dragged to the hospital.
"What are you doing?" Caleb snapped, his brows furrowed in annoyance as he instinctively moved to push the woman away.
He barely remembered her face her voice and silhouette were vaguely familiar, but that was it. And now?
Hunter smirked, his lips curling into a teasing grin. "This has got to be your dad's doing. He's gone full throttle to make sure there's no question about your orientation, huh?"
Vera, however, stood firm at Caleb's side, her expression unwavering. "I'm sorry to break it to you, but he's my fiancé. If you're questioning his orientation, maybe you should take your speculation somewhere else. Keep bothering him, and I won't hesitate to file harassment charges.
Caleb's patience finally snapped. "Who are you, and why do you think I'd ever agree to be your fiancé? You're making wild claims, damaging my reputation-you realize that, don't you?"
His annoyance at Hunter's teasing paled in comparison to the frustration he felt toward this stranger, who had suddenly barged into his life.
Lowering her gaze slightly, Vera responded, "Your father arranged this. He said he's already approved of the two of us. Since you're my fiancé, it's my responsibility to stick and make sure things move
by you
forward. I don't see anything wrong With that."
"Well, there's nothing wrong with it, then," Hunter chimed in with mock
seriousness. "Now that your fiancée's here, I'll leave you two lovebirds to it." He gave an exaggerated nod, spinning on his
heet to leave.
But Caleb wasn't fooled for a second. He knew Hunter's tone was steeped in sarcasm, a playful jab to stir things up even further.
Caleb shot Vera a cold glare. "Listen carefully. Go back to my father and sort this out with him. Stop following me around, or you'll regret it. Got it?"