Chapter 536
Twenty minutes later, Zach pulled into the location Mirabella had sent him–a quaint little coffee shop nestled on the corner of a bustling street.
After parking, Zach’s eyes immediately caught sight of his sister standing by the sidewalk. Her head bowed as she sipped from a steaming cup of latté. He gave the horn a short toot.
At the sound, Mirabella looked up. Her latte was only half–finished as she made her way over. As she approached, the passenger window slid down, and she paused before asking with a hint of jest, “Hey Zach, want a latté?”
Zach glanced at the coffee shop and noticed a rather long line outside. He flashed a smile and began to decline, “No, I-”
Before he could even finish, Mirabella swung open the passenger door, slid into the seat with an elegant twist, and clicked her seatbelt into place.
Zach was left with his smile frozen on his face, baffled. Wasn’t she just asking if he wanted a latté?
“You don’t seem like the sweet tooth type, plus we shouldn’t waste money,” Mirabella said, making the decision for him as she took another sip of her latté.
Zach was left speechless. He shot her a look of wounded betrayal and restarted the car’s engine.
Every day, she’d bring Leo cakes, and now, she wouldn’t even spare him, her own brother, a latté?
Mirabella pretended not to notice Zach’s look, and after a while, she inquired, “By the way, Zach, what did you mean on the phone earlier?”
With his hands firmly on the wheel and eyes on the road, Zach replied, “Dad me about it.”
Mirabella raised an eyebrow. “Why do I get the feeling that’s not the whole story?”
get through to you on the phone, so he came to ask
“You must be mistaken,” Zach retorted with conviction, clearing his throat before adding you should crash there tonight?”
“Safer than going home right now,” he thought.
“You haven’t been over to my place yet. Maybe
As Mirabella opened her mouth to reply, her phone buzzed in her pocket. She fished it out to see Shawn calling.
Pressing the answer button, she spoke while casting a glance at Zach, who was focused on driving, “…Yeah, Zach’s with me. Sure, I’ll tell
him.”
Although Mirabella didn’t put the call on speaker, Shawn’s voice still carried enough for Zach to catch snippets of the conversation. Once the call ended, Mirabella pocketed her phone and turned to Zach with a composed expression. “Dad wants you to come home tonight.”
Zach’s grip on the steering wheel tightened slightly, but he kept his composure. “Oh? Did he say why?”
A AE & OP N G U N Z Ø I 5
She shook her head, “No, he didn’t.” After a pause, she added, “But Dad’s been mentioning you quite a bit since you left.” Each mention carried a barely concealed undertone of irritation.
Zach’s suspicions rose. Wasn’t his father the type who’d rather drive his sons out than have them home?
Nevertheless, he decided to trust his sister’s words. After all, Mirabella was so sweet and kind; she wouldn’t lead him astray.
So, with no real anxiety, Zach agreed to head back home with Mirabella.
Half an hour later, Zach, who found himself embroiled in a two–hour chewing–out upon arriving home, could only wish to cry.
So much for a sweet and kind sister–it was all a façade!
The betrayal was downright heart–wrenching!
