Chapter 302
Chapter 302
Grayson moved his lips but couldn't utter a word for a long time.
He didn't want to lie to his brothers, nor would lying help him, for they knew each other best when they had grown up together. As if any of them would be able to fool the other!
At last, after a long while, Grayson shied away from Lucas' gaze and nodded slightly.
"No offense, Grayson, but you have horrible taste!" Lucas thought his brother could've done way better. "Of all the women in the world, why Ann? Just what she did to Seb last night is more than enough to show she's far from decent!"
At that, he sized Grayson up with a frown. "No, Grayson—don't tell me you still like her after what she did to Seb."
"I can't help it, Lucas…" Grayson shook his head in distress. "I know it was wrong of her to drug Seb, but it pains me to know that the cops will take her away and she'd be disgraced. I wish I wouldn't like her anymore as much as you do, but my heart's not listening to my head…"
"You—" Lucas glared daggers at him, so livid that he couldn't finish his words.
Lucas was playful and loved idling his life away in pleasure-seeking. Since he barely had any interest in women, he had never been in a romantic relationship even until this day. Thus, he didn't understand the concept of how love could make death a beauty as long as a person was with someone they liked.
He couldn't understand Grayson's feelings for Ann, for he thought love shouldn't be something that would blind an individual and make them go insane.
A woman who could drug a married and fathered man was certainly no decent woman. Since that was the case, Grayson should despise her and stay far away from her. How could he still love Ann?!
Isn't this just a stupid thing to do?!
If it were someone else, he'd just call the man a nutjob, snort at him, and walk away. However, they were talking about his brother here. In actuality, he was more worried than angry.
After all, he couldn't just sit back and watch Grayson jump into a fire pit when it was no secret that Ann was no decent woman.
No way would he want Grayson to have any sort of relationship with Ann, but would the man listen?
There was a saying that anyone who had fallen in love would become fools and madmen. They'd become unreasonable, unwilling to listen to others, and wouldn't turn around even if they hit a dead end. Would Grayson end up like this? Either way, I'm going to make my stance!
At that, he looked Grayson dead in the eye and said, "Grayson, I'm going to make this clear. I refuse to let Ann become my sister-in-law! I will not acknowledge her, nor the children she bears in the future if you do marry her. That's all I'm saying. You figure it out yourself. Don't go around saying I'm heartless and disrespectful when I don't give her any respect after you actually marry that woman."
To that, Grayson smiled wryly. "She won't marry me…"
Since they were now talking things out, there wasn't anything that couldn't be said anymore.
He drooped his eyelids and stared at the ground, speaking with desolation, "The person she likes is Seb, not me. She won't marry me. What you're worried about will never happen."
"I beg to differ." Lucas snorted. "Who can say for sure what will happen in the future? I need to think ahead and make it clear to you here and now, lest you say I'm heartless and a person who turns their back on family."
"Lucas is right." Sebastian looked at Grayson, still pulling that half-smile. "Grayson, don't you know that things don't stay the same forever? Ann might not be willing to marry you now, but who's to say she wouldn't change her mind after she leaves the detention center?"
Grayson was rendered stumped. "Seb…"
Sebastian continued, "In the past, she took a fancy to me but despised you, so she wasn't willing to marry you. However, by the time she leaves the detention center—discredited aside—she'd be exiled from the family, and news of her no longer being a cousin to our family will get out. By then, she might be willing to marry you."
"Seb, you…" Grayson's mind was in utter chaos, unsure of what he could or should say.
"Grayson, if Ann is willing to marry you after she leaves the detention center, do you still want to marry her?" asked Sebastian as he fixed his gaze on his brother.
"I…" Grayson couldn't answer him.
"How are you still hesitating, Grayson?!" Lucas couldn't help feeling anxious. "If Ann is finally willing to marry you after she leaves the detention center, that means she just sees you as a waste center. Since she can't find someone better, she can only do second-best and settle with you! You might treat her wholeheartedly, but she'll only use you. She's phony as hell! Don't tell me you think a woman like that is worthy of your consideration?! You should shove her away and stay far away from her!"
"No… She won't… Ann doesn't like me. She loves Seb, and she'll never marry me…" Grayson mumbled with a ghastly countenance.
"I'm only saying if it happens." Sebastian put it bluntly. "Grayson, don't evade my question and answer me. If Ann changes her mind and wants to marry you after she leaves the detention center, do you still want to marry her?"
"I…" Grayson choked on his words, unable to answer his brother.
"Forget it." Sebastian snorted and said plainly, "I'll answer it for you, then. If that day comes, I hope you'll turn her down."
"Damn right about that!" Lucas bellowed. "Grayson, I'd rather you stay single forever like our uncles than to see you marry Ann! She drugged Seb, for f*ck's sake! I don't care how benign the drug is; I won't forgive her for plotting against Seb. I can't accept a woman like her into my family either. I strongly oppose letting her become my sister-in-law!"
In response, Grayson looked at Sebastian before shifting his gaze to Lucas, still unable to utter a word.
At that, Sebastian shook his head. "Since you're so indecisive about this, I'll tell you my decision first. If you really marry Ann in the future, you'll have to return everything our family has given to you and leave
this family with Ann."
"Seb!" Grayson was shocked by Sebastian's decision.
Sebastian waved his hand. "Don't get worked up just yet. I'm not severing our brotherhood. Though I'm upset that you've disappointed me, you're still my brother. The four of us grew up together, and this twenty-plus-year relationship isn't going to break just because of a woman. I just want to help you see the true colors of the woman you love so much."
"Seb…" Grayson gawked at his brother, unable to think straight.
"Grayson, if Ann changes her mind in the future and wants to marry you, she'll certainly tell you that after all she has been through, she still thinks you treat her the best. You're the one that genuinely loves and cherishes her, so she's touched and has fallen in love with you. With that, she wants to marry you…" Sebastian looked into Grayson's eyes and asked, "If she puts it like that, will you believe her?"