Gabriel offered a slight smile. “Mr. Sumner, haven’t you heard the saying that an older brother <b>is </b>like a father? N is quite innocent, so as her older brother, it’s natural for me to <b>look </b>after her.”


    Gabriel and Damon locked eyes, and the atmosphere between them grew lcy. They each understood the other’s unspoken message.


    Damon didn’t believe that a stepbrother would treat his stepsister <b>as </b>well as a real sibling. Furthermore, his investigation had shown that their rtionship was <b>poor</b>.


    Upon recalling the auction where Gabriel had deliberatelypeted with him for The Lone Tear, Damon’s expression darkened.


    “In that case, I should consider you a brother as well,” Damon suggested.


    Gabriel sneered. “I’ve never seen anyone as shameless as you.”


    N frowned at Damon. “Mr. Sumner, what exactly do you want to say? If you’re finished, you can leave.” After a moment of silence, Damon realized it wasn’t the best time to continue the discussion. He said quietly. “We’ll talk about this another time.”


    With that, the door mmed shut.


    Gabriel and Damon exchanged nces at the closed door, both brimming with animosity.


    Gabriel’s smile deepened, clearly pleased that N had shut the door on Damon, “Mr. Sumner<b>, </b>still standing here after being shown the door?” Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g


    “Mr. Hackett, don’t you think you’re overstepping your bounds?” Damon’s eyes were radiating a chilling hostility.


    to enjoy


    Gabriel’s smile widened. “Since you seem lingering. I won’t keep youpany. Goodbye.”


    With that, Gabriel walked toward the elevator.


    After Gabriel left, Damon also turned to leave.


    Late that night, N received a call from Vrie, but it was an unfamiliar male voice on the line. “Hello, is this Ms. N Jayston? The owner of this phone is drunk at our bar. The speed dial is your number. Can youe pick her up?”


    When N arrived at the bar, it was already 2:00 a.m. She navigated through the noisy main area and entered a private room to find Vrle passed out on the sofa.


    Although Vrie often frequented bars, she rarely got this drunk. There must be a reason behind it.


    The Weirs lived over 20 kilometers away, and her parents were likely already asleep. Taking Vrie home would surely wake <b>them</b>.


    CHAD


    After a moment’s consideration, N decided to take Vrie to her ce first and return her home once she sobered up the next day.


    N struggled to get Vrie into the car and fasten her seatbelt. She was about to return to the driver’s seat when Vrie suddenly hugged her neck and started crying. “W–Why did he treat me like this…


    N frowned. Could this be about Tom?


    She intended tofort Vrie but soon realized that drunk people often had irrational reactions.


    While trying to soothe Vrie, she became the target of her distress. Vrie grabbed and scratched her, leaving stinging red marks on N’s arms and face<b>. </b>


    N couldn’t help but think that if Vrie got drunk again, she might nevere to her aid. It was too much of a hassle.


    Seeing that Vrie had finally fallen asleep, N drove off.


    What she didn’t notice was that a ck, unmarked car slowly started and followed her.


    T