SWNOVELS Chapter 874
For several days, Aveline had heard nothing from Lucas, and an unsettling feeling began to grow inside her. "Knock knock!"
The sound of knocking pulled her attention away from her phone, and she looked toward the door.
"Come in."
The door opened, and Gernard stepped inside, a soft smile on his face.
In his hand, he carried a delicate box.
"Ave, I saw this while I was on a business trip to Shenton, and I thought it would suit you perfectly. Try it on and see if you like it."
He placed the box in front of her, his eyes filled with anticipation.
It had been a month since Aveline returned to the Cooper family, and they had all been doing their best to make up for lost time, showering her with love and attention. Whatever she liked, they gave her. And seeing her smile brought immense satisfaction to the three men of the Cooper family.
Gernard, in particular, was weighed down by guilt. After everything he had done, especially in the beginning, he could barely face her. He had tried to avoid her at all costs.
It was Gavin who finally noticed something was off and asked what had happened.
But how could Gernard confess?
If he admitted to all the times he had urged Aveline to divorce Lucas, both Gavin and Wilfried would have surely teamed up against him—and it wouldn't have been pretty.
So, he kept his mouth shut and focused on making it up to Aveline in any way he could.
Aveline looked at his nervous, expectant expression and smiled gently. "You don't need to do this, Brother. I never blamed you for anything."
Gernard, seeing her serene and graceful smile, suddenly recalled how different Juliet had been-spoiled and self-centered.
Both of them were so different.
There was something so calming about Aveline's demeanor, a quiet confidence that made everyone feel at ease. When she called him "brother" in that soft, warm voice, it melted his heart.
"I know," Gernard said, meeting her eyes. "But I let Juliet get away with too much. I didn't realize the things she was doing. If only I had seen it sooner..."
"Brother," Aveline interrupted softly.
Aveline looked at Gernard intently, her voice serious. "You were so close with Juliet. Now that I've come back and she's in prison, are you upset?"
Gernard was quick to respond, "No, I'm not..."
"You don't have to say something just to make me feel better," Aveline interrupted. "I want to hear the truth. I could tell by everything you did for her that you genuinely cared about her. And now, with her in prison..."
Aveline's gaze remained fixed on
him, stubbornly seeking an honest answer. She didn't want any unresolved feelings lingering between them. If Gernard truly had any resentment, she preferred to deal with it head-on rather than allow it to fester and disrupt the peace she had only recently found.
Gernard met her eyes, his expression deepening. "I am upset."
Aveline felt her breath hitch. Was she about to lose her newly reunited brother over this?
The thought of losing him hurt more than she cared to admit, but there wasn't anything she could do to change the past.
Gernard continued, "What upsets me
is that the sister I raised and spoiled turned out to be so malicious. When she was younger, I could make excuses for her immaturity, but as she grew up, she didn't change. She was so terrified of her secret being exposed that she even tried to hurt you. That's what hurts the most."
His face reflected a deep sorrow, his gaze drifting to the window as memories of the past flooded his mind.
Aveline watched him in silence, her emotions swirling. After a moment, she spoke, her tone calm but firm. If you feel that my return caused you to lose her, you don't have to force yourself to be kind to me. We can go back to being strangers."