As soon as Felix Shaw opened his mouth, both Nicholas Croft and Nathan Moore looked up, the only exception being Evander Lancaster, who kept his head down fiddling with his hand of cards.
This morning he had gone over to lend a hand, his sister-in-law had already told him about his third brother’s romantic troubles.
"Does Mia know?" Nicholas Croft asked worriedly, wondering what the consequences would be if Mia Foster found out, especially since they had just gotten engaged and now this had happened.
Compared to Nicholas Croft’s anxiety, Felix played a card nonchalantly, "How could she not know, she was the one who answered your call at the time."
...
Nathan Moore and Nicholas Croft exchanged glances, then turned to look at Felix Shaw, "So what did Mia say? Did she make a scene or ask to call off the engagement?"
As the eldest brother, Nicholas Croft cared about his siblings, unlike Nathan Moore, who ever since Olivia Zane’s accident had a sullen expression, devoid of the rich emotions humans should have.
"Heh, call off the engagement?" Felix scoffed in disdain, lighting up a cigarette for himself, "Big bro, second bro, you have no idea how cold-blooded that woman Mia is. When she heard Frances was pregnant with my child, she actually had the nerve to calmly negotiate conditions..."
"What? You’re saying Mia handled it?" Nicholas Croft asked incredulously, thinking he had heard wrong.
"Of course," Felix took a drag from his cigarette and leisurely exhaled, his half-squinted peach blossom eyes couldn’t hide his pride, "You don’t know, I couldn’t have pulled her back if I tried."
"Brag all you want," Evander Lancaster lit a cigarette too, honestly speaking, if he were to compare the second and third brothers, he found the third brother less respectable than the second. Even though the second brother kept his sister-in-law by his side, at least he was responsible. Unlike the third brother, who only thinks with his loins and whenever he screws up, expects his sister-in-law to take the front line.
"Little fourth, what are you talking about!" Felix glared at Evander Lancaster disapprovingly, the latter leaned back in his chair, blowing smoke rings towards him unapologetically, saying, "I mean, if you’re man enough to sow your oats, then you should be man enough to deal with it properly, hiding behind a woman’s skirts, aren’t you ashamed."
"Little fourth, don’t be so disrespectful!" Annoyed by Evander Lancaster’s words, Felix’s peach blossom eyes noticeably chilled, Evander Lancaster curled his lip, "Only imposing in front of me, when that woman cornered you, why didn’t you step up yourself?"
Although Mia Foster appeared to handle things gracefully today, when he left Frances’ residence, he clearly heard Mia let out a deep sigh, a sigh of helplessness and despair.
Business may be going smoothly for Evander Lancaster, but every family has its troubles. Once upon a time, he too had lived through days filled with sighs and despair.
As someone who has also gone through helplessness, he understood Mia Foster’s feelings even better.
It’s like the relationship he had with his mother... wanting to cut ties but finding them inseparable, not cutting them brings bitterness, that feeling of helplessness, struggle, and despair is something no one can understand unless they’ve personally experienced it.
These men had grown up together as brothers, and because they had always been rough and tumble with one another, they didn’t need to be overly courteous when speaking, and no one really harbored any ill will towards anyone else.
Facing Evander Lancaster’s sarcasm, Felix sneered unconcernedly, "Who told me to find such a thoughtful, generous woman with strong abilities to be my fiancée, so I really don’t need to handle such trivial matters myself."
Felix’s shameless comments drew Evander Lancaster’s ridicule who clicked his tongue disapprovingly twice and said, "I say, second brother, spring isn’t over yet, and it’s too chilly today for us to be wearing so little. Don’t blow smoke across the table, leave your brother some breathing space, will you?"