Contract Marriage: The Replacement Groom

421 Convincing her brother

The next day, Jeslyn returned to the Hwang Residence without giving anyone prior notice. When she appeared as Jeslyn, none of the guards stopped her.

When she entered the huge compound, she made her way straight to the main house and asked for Brian. A guard took her to Brian's room but instead of going in, she changed her mind and asked for Nancy. The guard was a bit skeptical. Although they all received an order to Allow Jeslyn or Rossa in whenever she came around, they didn't receive any order to allow her into Madam Nancy's quarters.

After deliberating for a while, the guard bowed and apologized, "I'm sorry, miss, I can't help you with

that."

Jeslyn gave a small nod, "I understand. You may leave."

After the guard left her in front of Brian's room, she knocked on the door a couple of times before Brian answered the door. The young man was surprised to see his sister standing before him. "You're here?"

"Won't you offer me a seat?" she rather asked.

"Oh...please," he stepped out of the way for her to enter.

Brian's exceptionally neat and clean cream-coloured bedroom that is decorated with blue lights, gives a homely vibe, unlike the plain white walls and boring white chairs in the sitting room. The neatly arranged king-sized bed with blue and white bedding, told Leslyn that Brian didn't sleep on the bed. She roamed her gaze around the room and noticed a blue duvet on the long couch that was placed beside the floor to ceiling window that separated the room from the balcony where a sparkling blue swimming pool was located.

In another space in the excessively large room, was a studio that was separated from the bedroom with a transparent glass wall. The music instrument in the studio could be seen from where Jesyn was standing.

"Your room is very luxurious and beautiful.you must have spent a fortune on it."

"Not really. My mu... She did it last year."

"You don't have to force it. It's not easy to stop calling her 'mom' just like that. You've called her that for 26 years, so... don't worry, Pink is understanding." she smiled and walked towards his studio. Passing her fingers through the high end musical instrument, Jeslyn voiced her thoughts. "She is willing to give you a great deal of luxury, yet causes you so much heartache. I can't understand that woman no matter how hard I try... tell me honestly, brother." she paused her fingers on the guitar and

turned around to look at him.

"What do you think about your father?"

Brian moved forward and grabbed the guitar, then sat on one of the two sofas. He slid a finger across the strings and asked, "What do you feel about your grandfather?" She then looked up at her. "That's how much he means to me."

"Even if he is the cause of our problems, you'll still stick to that?" she asked.

"I can't hate him, I'm sorry."

"What if he's after my husband and son? Will you still take his side?"

"Bu..." Brian couldn't speak and swallowed. After a long time, he said, "It hasn't been proven that he is a bad person. It's only your assumptions and-"

"He is the leader of the Dark Age organization. Do you know what that means?" seeing him keep silence, Jeslyn's eye turned colder and a smile that unsettled Brianb crept into her lips. "Dear brother, I'll give you today to think about your stance. Whatever decision you make, you don't need to tell me. If you're on my side, take Pink and return to the Capital and wait for me. But if you're against me, send my mother to the airport and never show your face to me ever again." (1

Brian bolted to his feet. "Jeslyn, does it have to get to this?"

Jeslyn held his hand and massaged it gently for a while, "Do you think these hands can console me if your father kills my husband or son? Brother," her voice softened and tears welled up in her eyes. "You knew my journey. You knew who was there for me. You don't love Piper like I do my husband and son... Brian, I'd go crazy if anything happens to them, and I'll be worse than Nancy if my own father is the cause."

Brian could feel the pain his sister was going through. He knows she deserves the happiness her husband and son gives her. He is aware that she deserves his support and protection in these hard times that enemies are lurking around. But...

He held her hands and said, hoping she'd buy the idea, "I can speak to dad to let brother-in-law and my Nephew go. I'm sure he'd listen."

Jeslyn slowly pulled her hands away and shook her head, "Do you know what power and fame do to people?... Do you think that he doesn't know that Maverick, the Holy son as they call him, is his son-in- law? Or do you think he isn't aware that Valen is his grandson?"

"Sister-"

"That man doesn't consider me his daughter, nor does he see you as his son, Believe it or not, he has a use for you..."

"Jeslyn, please!"

"Rex told me that when you and Piper were kidnapped, it was done by the Oldest son of the Feng family. He also told me that the Feng family is a core member of the Dark Age organization and they needed to sacrifice you to Zucchini. I also didn't know who Zucchini was until Rex told me it is the gods worshiped by the Half-hearts.

"What?"

"Do you know that your father knew about it but did nothing to the Fengs? Your uncle, the President, feared that he'd get in trouble with your mother, so he had the Oldest son of the Feng family arrested. You should know by now why your father did nothing... if you don't, then it's because..."

"He cares more about the organization and doesn't want to punish the family that carries out the most important task for them."

Hearing that, Jeslyn nodded, "Yes. if you are important to him, he won't treat you the way he did.

Brian, don't be stupid. But if you want to, I won't stop you, but don't get in the way." She looked at his unfocused gaze that was telling of the struggles he was passing through in his head. She sighed and hugged him before she left him alone to mull over it.