Chapter 224 Mutual Agreemen

Edwin walked away without looking back. He drove his white Lamborghini at a high speed along the twisting mountain road with the trees on both sides flashing through.

The air was moist as if it was crying for someone.

There were two guards in front of the gate. One of them asked Edwin to follow him inside the castle. He seemed to be aware of Edwin’s arrival.

“What’s wrong with my brother?” asked Edwin.

“He is sleeping.”

“I shall wait until he wakes up.”

“No need for that. He asked me to wake him up if you showed up.”

“Fair enough,” said Edwin.

Quentin, who was waiting for Edwin in the main hall, took over from the guard. He asked Edwin to wait a few minutes then he went down the hall. After a few minutes, the elder Edwin appeared on a wheelchair. He looked more like a mummy than a human being. His pale wrinkled skin seemed to be hanging in flaps from his bones. The spectacle was too much for the younger Edwin. He took the zombie-like hand in his palms and burst into tears.

“I don’t understand. Why did you subject yourself to such needless suffering?”

The voice that came out from the old man’s throat seemed as if it was coming from the bottom of a well.

“Steven, I am so sorry. I don’t want you to take it as a sign that I don’t trust you, it’s just that I have no faith in the notion of romantic love. I have seen so many lovers exchange eternal vows and pledges only to break up at the end. As I have already told you, I hope you can take care of Bella as her brother. This relationship can never change. I know how sad you are but I believe you will be able to accept my decision. This way you will never lose her love.”

Edwin was now crying on his knees. His only goal in life was to marry Bella. For this reason alone, he had given up his own identity. How could he live if he was unable to marry Bella?

The old man looked up at the ceiling and sighed heavily. He had no idea what romantic love was, therefore could not understand Steven’s sadness. Shedding tears was a luxury he could not afford. During the period of a decade, he only cried once.

That was when his parents died. To protect him from the impact caused by the car crash they protected them using their bodies. The spectacle of their dead bodies covered in blood made him cry for three days non-stop.

After that day he never cried again, not even when they did experiments to him or when he heard about Bella’s hippocampus being removed. Crying was the most pointless thing someone could choose to do. It only made things more complicated.

“How did you learn that I met Charles?”

“He called earlier and spoke with the butler. I understood that he was the reason you got sicker.”

“I had no other choice but to meet him. I gave him my blood sample and asked him to do a DNA test.”

“You had to do that with my face?”

“Bella is your sister from now on. You must take good care of her.” Then he gestured to his servant to take him away leaving Edwin all alone in the large hall.

He pulled himself together and left the castle smiling. Some sort of vague plan was starting to take form inside his head.

The first thing he did was to call Charles Williams. Without wasting any time on useless greetings, he cut straight to the point.

“I assume that by now you have the results of the DNA test.”

“You’re right,” said Charles.

“I suppose you’re pleased with the results.”

“Bella is so lucky to have a brother like you,” said Charles in a tactful manner.

“Would it be convenient if I met Bella?”

“She is looking forward to meeting you as much as I am.”

“Have you already informed her about her about me?”

“How could I hide such a thing from her? Kinship is the most important thing.”

Of course, that wasn’t the real reason. He just wanted Bella to know that it was impossible for her and Edwin to become lovers.

“Is it okay if I come tonight?”

“Certainly. We can have dinner together.”

“All right. I’ll be seeing you soon.”

He hung up and headed to Bella’s room to tell her the news. He pushed her door open and found her sleeping on her desk. Instead of waking her up, he stood there and looked at her. How could he disturb her when she looked so cute with her mouth slightly open?

He stroked her hair and pulled them behind her ears. This made her open her eyes. She seemed startled by the fact that he was in her room and stared at him with a sense of hostility.

“What are you doing here?” she asked.