Chapter 17

Chapter 17

The event staff moved quickly, almost seamlessly, to clean up the shattered glass at Jonathan's feet. But Jonathan didn't notice any of it. His eyes were glued to Laura who was standing there on the stage. She looked radiant while her hand remained entwined with Nathaniel's. And when her gaze landed on him, she gave a casual wave, as if nothing in the world was wrong, as if everything was completely normal.

Jonathan's heart twisted painfully in his chest.

Meanwhile, Nathaniel continued his speech, his voice filled with warmth and pride. "We are planning to get married soon," he announced, his arm slipping around Laura's bare back in a gesture that felt far too intimate for Jonathan to handle. "The sooner, the better. Right, honey?" Nathaniel chuckled, leaning in to plant a tender kiss on Laura's forehead. She responded with an adorable smile, a look Jonathan had seen countless times, but never like this—not directed at his brother.

"I love you," Nathaniel mouthed softly, just for her.

Laura, still smiling, mouthed back, "I love you too."

The crowd erupted in applause as their cheers filled the grand room. Everyone celebrated the newly engaged couple. But Jonathan's stomach churned with a sickening mix of disbelief and anger. The sight of Nathaniel and Laura, so close and so affectionate, made his blood boil. He grimaced, swallowing hard, feeling his chest tighten as he watched the moment play out in front of him like a slow-motion car crash.

His eyes darted towards his family, desperate for some kind of anchor, but what he saw only confused him further. His parents exchanged glances—expressions that were unreadable, but filled with concern.

Tabitha who was standing a few feet away, watched him nervously, biting her lip. She started to walk toward him, her eyes flickering between Jonathan and the stage, as if she was expecting him to explode at any moment.

Jonathan turned to her sharply, his voice low but filled with tension. "Did you know?" he asked, almost accusingly.

Tabitha's eyes widened, and she shook her head vigorously. "No!" she whispered defensively, her voice rising in panic. "I didn't know, Jonathan, I swear! Brother kept his fiancée's identity a secret from all of us until today."

Jonathan clenched his jaw, trying to keep his emotions in check, but it felt impossible. His mind was reeling, trying to process everything. Laura. His best friend. The woman who, just weeks ago, had confided in him—had confessed that she loved him.

And now, standing there, she was Nathaniel's fiancée?

Tabitha could see the anger building in her brother, the tension in his shoulders and the way his hand was clenched into a fist at his side. She knew he was fighting to keep it together, but she also knew how much this moment was tearing him apart.

"Jonathan, please," she whispered urgently, stepping closer, "don't do anything stupid." Her voice was soft, pleading. She knew how fragile this situation was, how volatile Jonathan could be when provoked.

Jonathan didn't respond right away. He just stared at the stage, watching Nathaniel bask in the attention, with Laura at his side. His mind raced, memories of Laura's confession and the night they spent together came crashing against the reality in front of him. Everything was too sudden, too surreal.

How could she have gone from confessing her love to him, to this? A marriage announcement with Nathaniel? How could she have not told him?

Tabitha's voice cut through his haze. "I didn't know," she repeated softly, her voice trembling slightly. "I promise, Jonathan. I wouldn't have kept this from you. But... this is so sudden. I don't understand it either."

Jonathan's breath came in short, shallow bursts, the walls of the room closing in on him as the weight of betrayal settled heavily on his chest. His brother's laughter rang in his ears, Laura's smile stung like salt in a wound, and the applause felt like a cruel joke.

All he could do was stand there, trying to find his footing in a world that suddenly felt like it had been turned upside down.

And so as the event unfolded, Jonathan managed to hold himself together, though it took every ounce of restraint he had. His eyes never left Laura. He watched her every movement—the way she laughed, the way she smiled, the way she seemed so effortlessly at ease in the role of Nathaniel's fiancée. It felt like a punch to the gut each time she looked at Nathaniel with that affectionate gaze.

Every time Nathaniel's hand brushed against her bare skin, Jonathan's fists clenched involuntarily. And when Nathaniel, in his usual affectionate manner, kissed her cheek or forehead as though it were the most natural thing in the world, Jonathan felt a wave of anger rise in his chest. His brother was so comfortable with her, so free in the way he touched her, and it only served to deepen the bitter knot forming inside him.

He barely paid attention to the conversations around him. The laughter, the toasts—it all faded into the background, muted and distant. His focus was locked entirely on Laura, as if she were the only person in the room.

Jonathan's thoughts raced. How did this happen?

He couldn't shake the image of her confessing her love to him not too long ago. And now, here she was, becoming Nathaniel's fiancée and soon-to-be wife, wrapped up in his brother's arms, looking so... happy.

The more he watched, the more the anger simmered, but he kept it contained.

Barely.

Then, finally, his opportunity came.

Nathaniel was dragged away by a group of friends eager to congratulate him, and for the first time that evening, Laura stood alone. She sipped from her glass while her eyes scanned the room, oblivious to the storm brewing behind her. Jonathan's heart pounded in his chest, adrenaline coursing through him as he seized the moment.

Without hesitating, he crossed the room, cutting through the crowd with purpose. His mind buzzed with a thousand questions, but none of them mattered right now. He needed to talk to her—really talk to her.

Reaching her side, Jonathan's voice came out low but firm. "Laura."

She immediately turned hearing his voice and smiled sincerely.

"Jonathan," she greeted him, her voice soft, as if nothing had changed between them.

But everything had changed.

"I need to talk to you," he said, trying to keep the tension out of his voice, though it was impossible to mask completely. He was barely holding it together, but now, with her standing in front of him felt like he was unraveling.

Laura glanced around comfortably. "Of course, let's go somewhere quiet." she suggested.