bChapter /bb226 /b

    Alex pushed his back against his chair, letting out a heavy sigh. The kind of sigh that wasn’t just about being tired, but about being tired of everything at once…..people, feelings, conversations he didn’t want to have.

    He knew exactly what Zoe was doing. She didn’t even have to say it out loud. The way she lingered, the way her eyes searched his, the way her voice softened whenever she said his name.

    He just hoped, truly hoped, that being civil and kind for the sake of the fact they used to be best friends wouldn’t turn into something else.

    He hoped she could move on. Move on from what they had, from what she thought they could still have.

    He sighed again, rubbing his jaw as if to shake the thoughts off, and leaned forward toward hisptop to work. Work was safe, Work didn’t bring back old memories or push him into conversations he didn’t want to have. He had a meeting in a few hours, deadlines to meet, calls to return. Numbers never failed him.

    But just as his fingers started moving across the keyboard again, another knock came from the door.

    Alex nced at it, irritation flickering in his eyes. Couldn’t he get one quiet hour in his own office? He was about to call out when the door opened without waiting for his response.

    His older brother strolled in

    “Sup,” Jullian said casually, pulling a chair and dropping into it without asking.

    Alex leaned back slightly, his brows pulling together. “Hectic day,” he muttered, not even looking up fully as he turned back to hisptop.

    Jullian snorted. “Every day is hectic for you. You work like you want to kill yourself.”

    Alex didn’t answer. He typed, his eyes glued to the glowing screen, as if the conversation wasn’t happening.

    With Jullian silence was sometimes the best way to keep him from pushing further.

    But Jullian didn’t stay quiet.

    “Zoe was here?” his brother said; his tone light

    Alex’s fingers froze for a fraction of a second before moving again. He paused briefly, then gave a short nod. “Came to thank me.”

    Jullian smirked. “Is that all she came to do?”

    Alex’s head turned slowly toward him, his eyes narrowing just slightly. He didn’t answer. His silence was its own statement.

    “You do iknow /ishe wants you back, right?” Jullian pressed, leaning back in his chair with his arms crossed. “There’s no way she flew all the way here because iyou’re /ithe only person she could turn to. And she wants to keep it… friendship?” He lifted his hands, making air quotes around the word.

    Alex’s jaw clenched. “What’s iyour /ipoint?” he asked tly, his attention sliding right back to hisptop.

    Jullian shrugged, though his smirk didn’t leave. “I’m just saying, be careful. I don’t trust Willowcrest people.”

    Alex let out a sharp snort. “You were once part of those people.”

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    “Past tense, Alex,” Jullian shot back, his voice quiet but firm.

    The room fell into silence for a moment, the only sound being the steady clicking of Alex’s keyboard.

    “Anyway, I came to discuss the party with you,” Jullian said after a beat.

    Alex’s fingers halted mid–keystroke. His eyes liftedzily. “What party?”

    “You’re kidding, right?” Jullian let out in disbelief.

    Alex finally stopped working, his gaze pulling away from theptop to settle on his brother.

    “We have three huge asions this month,” Jullian exined. “All organized by us. Twopany events, and my birthday.”

    “Oh,” Alex muttered, almost like it was news to him.

    Jullian rolled his eyes. “The anniversary of your first game, and the new gameunch at the end of the month.”

    Alex gave a slow nod. “Right.”

    “Yup. And please,” Jullian leaned forward now, his voice earnest, “you have to be there for the Pocho anniversary.”

    Alex leaned back in his chair, his eyes narrowing with suspicion. “Why? It’s just going to be children having fun. There’s absolutely no need for me to be there, Jullian.”

    “I say there’s a need,” Jullian pushed. “We have to do things different from other years. You have to be there, y with the children, ask them questions about the games, take pictures with them.”

    Alex shook his head slowly, already turning back to hisptop. “I believe you can handle that, Jullian.”

    “I didn’t build that game, you didi,/ii” /iJullian insisted. “And there shouldn’t be any big deal about you showing your face there.”

    Alex paused, his eyes lifting from the screen to stare at his brother again. His gaze was sharp, calcting.

    “What is it to you?” Alex asked quietly, squinting his eyes at him.

    “Nothing,” Jullian said quickly, too quickly. “Don’t make me think you hate kids, Alex.”

    That actually made Alex chuckle. He leaned back in his chair again, his lips curling into a small smirk as he stared at his brother.

    “Why would I hate kids?” he asked, amused.

    But Jullian chuckled too, and Alex noticed it instantly, he looked nervous as hell. Nervous in a way Alex could see right through. His brother’sugh didn’t reach his eyes, his posture was too stiff. Something was off.

    Alex narrowed his eyes further. Something was definitely eating him alive.

    “I’m just saying,” Jullian muttered, clearing his throat. “You’ll be a father one day. Or… might even be a father now. Who knows?”

    Alex blinked, confused. His smirk faded as his brows pulled together. He leaned forward, resting his elbows on the desk.

    “What are you talking about?” he asked slowly, his tone bsharp/b, demanding.

    Jullian’s eyes flickered to him, his nervousness practically leaking out of him. He stared at Alex, then away, then back again, like he

    15:30 Tue, 2 Sept W

    was torn about whether to say something or not.

    Alex watched him closely, his mind already racing, trying to figure out what his brother wasn’t saying.

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    “Alex…” Jullian started, then paused. His Adam’s apple bobbed as he swallowed hard. “What if iyou /ihave a child somewhere?”

    Alex stared at him, his face nk but his eyes piercing.

    “I know it sounds stupid and crazyi,/ii” /iJullian rushed on, words tumbling nervously, “but hey, it happens all the time. Maybe someone you dated back in Willowcrest, a one–night stand, I don’t know…got pregnant, hid it from you, and you wouldn’t even know you had a child.” Jullianughed nervously at his own words, but it was hollow, shaky.

    Alex didn’t move. He just stared at his brother, letting the silence stretch.

    Finally, he leaned back again, his eyes narrowing further.

    “I think you saw Zoe,” Alex said slowly, suspicioncing his tone. “I’m pretty sure she doesn’t have a child hidden somewhere. Where is all thising from?”

    The whole conversation felt… off. Too strange. Too forced…

    Jullian sat still, his posture stiff, his nervousness more obvious by the second.

    “Zoe’s not the only girl iyou /idated in Willowcrest,” Jullian muttered quickly, already pushing himself up from the chair.

    Alex’s eyes followed him, his frown deepening as he watched his brother walk toward the door.

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