?


    Just as Oliver was thinking Joe would finally help him seek justice, Joepletely bypassed hisining brother, practically skipping over to Yvette with the most groveling smile of his life.


    Joe said, "Yvette, you''re here already? I was just about to pick you up! Grandpa is waiting for you inside. Let''s head over."


    Oliver stood there in disbelief, frozen by what he was witnessing. He wondered, ''Is this really my older brother-the guy who never even nced at a woman? Who on earth is this man with that fawning smile?"


    Oliver shouted at Joe, "Joe, what the heck is wrong with you? This woman nearly killed me! Are you out of your mind? Are you even my brother?" Feeling the weight of Yvette''s almost dangerous expression, Joe wished he could kick his oblivious brother right now. He thought. This idiot-can''t he see I''m trying to save him here? And he has the nerve to yell at me?"


    Joe looked up, and the faint smile on Yvette''s face sent a chill down his spine, nearly bringing him to his knees.Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org.


    That smile was legendary. In their training days, whenever Yvette had that look, it always meant someone was about to suffer. Joe remembered the first time: twenty recruits thrown into a no-rules fight arena. Only three made it out, and those three spent the next three months recovering.


    Then there was the second trial. One hundred people were tossed into the Amazon rainforest. Ny tapped out before things even got intense, barely escaping with their lives. The ten who remained were in for it, though. Nine didn''t make it back, and the lone survivor who walked out of that rainforest without a scratch? Charles.


    The only reason Charles survived was because he''d endured three months of Yvette''s brutal training beforehand.


    Joe stole a nervous ice at Yvette and, without hesitation, put on the most pained grin and swiftly denied, "Yvette, I swear I don''t know this guy. You believe me, right? Who is this anyway: Going around calling me ''brother? Definitely mistaken me for someone else.


    Emmett watched Joe''s poorly executed fib with raised eyebrows. Joe forgot that they were literally on the path to Yoder Manor and that all thend around here was famously Yoder property.


    Oliver''s face fell, utterly heartbroken. His brother had just denied him in front of this woman.


    Yvette''s gaze flicked over to Joe, her expression both amused and intimidating. With a mischievous smile, she asked. "Your brother? Biological?" Hearing that, Oliver suddenly found a bit of confidence. After all, he and Joe were family. You can''t just break blood ties.


    Standing there with a pout, Oliver grumbled, "He''s my brother, all right? My real brother. He''s Joe Yoder, and I''m Oliver Yoder."


    Emmett nced between the two brothers, noticing the resemnce. "Oh, so you two really are rted huh?"


    That one remark hit Joe like a punch, and he shot a re at Emmett. ''Great, thanks for that Emmett, Joe thought, I''ll remember this.


    Having no other choice, Joe forced a strained smile as he looked over at Yvette. He exined, "Oh, look at that-my memory must be slipping. Now that I think about it, he''s my little brother, sure... but it''s been ages since we''ve really gotten along.


    Oliver''s eyes went wide with disbelief. He thought, Wait a minute... wasn''t I just ying video games with Joe yesterday?"


    He couldn''t help but blurt out, "Joe, you''re lying! Yesterday we were...


    1/3


    ??


    62%


    Joe cut him off with a fierce re. "What? What about yesterday Shut it before I kick you from here to the Manor.


    Seeing his brother''s scowl, Oliver reluctantly mped his mouth shut, looking as hurt as a scolded puppy. Joe was ready to throttle him.


    Joe turned back to Yvette, still shing that sunny grin. "Yvette, really don''t know him that well. Actually, I was considering severing our rtionship altogether. I officially dere that I have nothing to do with his nonsense. If you''d rather not get your hands dirty, I''d be happy to tie him up for you- nice and secure,"


    At that, Oliver''s jaw dropped. His own brother, willing to tie him up just to impress some woman their grandpa had introduced: Everyone''s gone nuts,pletely nuts


    Yvette looked over at Oliver, who was on the verge of tears, and foe, who seemed so eager to please. Her lips quirked up slightly, her cold gaze steady and piercing


    Yvette said, "Oh, well then, go ahead. You tie him up."


    Now, it was Joe''s turn to be stunned. He thought, ''Why couldn''t Yvette stick to the usual way? Isn''t she supposed to say "don''t bother at times like this?''


    Yvette didn''t wait for a response. She turned and returned to the car while Emmett followed with a smirk.


    As Emmett passed Joe, he patted him on the shoulder and said, Tie him tight. Thanks."


    With that, the car pulled away toward Yoder Manor, leaving behind a trail of exhaust and a scene of groaning bodies, while Joe and Oliver stood in stunned silence, processing the absurdity of it all.


    Joe finally snapped out of it. Turning to his stunned little brother, hended a hard kick right on the spot where Oliver had been hit by the rock earlier. Oliver yelped in pain. Joel What are you doing? First, you pretend not to know me in front of that woman, then you say you''d tie me up for her, and now you''re kicking me? Have you lost your mind?"


    Grinding his teeth, Joe red at Oliver. "You absolute moron. You actually dared to mess with Yvette! If you have a death wish, fine-but don''t drag me down with you! I swear, I must have the worst luck in the world to end up with a brother like


    you.


    Oliver watched Joe and muttered defiantly, "Is it really that big of a deal? She''s just some girl Grandpa set me up with, right? Who in Mysonna would ever dare mess with the Yoder family


    Joe looked at his brother''s cocky, clueless face and felt the urge to smack him into next week. ''Does he even hear himself? A blind date?'' Joe thought bitterly. "What kind of cosmic favor would it take to get Yvette on a blind date with this fool?"


    "Oliver," Joe said slowly, restraining himself, "you think Yvette is your blind date? Are you out of your mind? Listen, not in this life, the next, or ever. Even I wouldn''t dare to think that far, but here you are, saying it out loud like it''s even possible"


    Realizing he might have misunderstood the situation, Oliver hesitated. "So... she''s not Grandpa''s choice forme! Then who is she, anyway? What''s got you so scared of her? Sure, she''s good-looking and can throw a punch, so what?"


    Joe could barely contain his frustration, watching Oliver, who still hadn''t grasped the gravity of the situation. He took a long, deep breath. And yet another, willing himself to remember-This is my brother. My flesh and blood. I can''t just.....


    Then, he muttered under his breath, "Or can I? Oh, screw it."