"It hurts! It hurts!"


    Ryan clutched his head, wailing in pain, feeling like his brain was on fire. He muttered under his breath, "I really don''t want you..." referring to his brother, who seemed more adept at giving him a hard time than anything else.


    Before he could finish his thought, he caught a glimpse of his brother''s mischievous grin and quickly shut up.


    "Don''t want what?"


    Ryan''s eyes darted away. Despite his tall frame, he was hunched up in the passenger seat, too intimidated to speak up. "N-nothing, Rnd. You''re the best."


    "d you know it."


    When Rnd reached over, Ryan instinctively flinched, expecting another p. Instead, his brother fastened his seatbelt and gently patted his cheek.


    "Next time you see M, at least be polite. You don''t have to smile like an idiot, but don''t let that open book of a face give you away."


    Rnd withdrew his hand and buckled his own seatbelt. "And about Giselle-stay away from her. If I catch you hanging around her again, you might find yourself in the hospital with a broken leg. You think she cares about you at all, you fool?"


    Ryan wanted to argue but bit his tongue.


    He had nned to visit Giselle at the Harveys'' today. Just as he was about to leave, his brother caught him and dragged him along for some holiday shopping instead.


    Rnd had said that with their parents away this year, the two brothers should celebrate New Year''s properly.


    What a load of nonsense. It''s not like Rnd had ever shown much brotherly love; he was always keeping him in check, and Ryan was lucky to have survived all that.


    Ryan was convinced Rnd just wanted to keep him under surveince.


    He couldn''t understand why his brother disliked Giselle so much, especially since they had practically grown up together and their families were close. Yet, Rnd seemed to favor M, someone Ryan considered insignificant.


    Rnd, as if reading his thoughts, nced over while starting the car.


    "You idiot, you''re no match for her. That mess with the Harveys will only drag you down. If you get into trouble and expect me to bail you out, you''ll be in for a rude awakening."


    But why?


    Ryan felt wronged.


    ...


    M was carrying the holiday groceries when her phone rang. It was her mother- inw.


    "M, with the New Yearing up, the family dinner menu is almost ready. Come by the house tonight and take a look. Make sure we have plenty of your favorites."


    Hearing the warmth and anticipation in her mother-inw''s voice, M felt a mix of emotions.


    In previous years, she and her mother-inw had always prepared the New Year''s family dinner together, nning everything ording to her tastes. She had declined this year, using her busy schedule as an excuse, but her mother-inw still remembered her preferences.


    Despite the rocky rtionship with her husband, M felt fortunate for the kindness her mother-inw showed her, treating her like her own daughter.


    She often wondered why she was so fond of her. What did her mother-inw see in her?


    Grateful, she nheless resolved not to spend New Year''s with the Montgomerys anymore.


    M hesitated before gently declining, "Why don''t you go ahead with your ns, Mother? Do whatever you think is best."


    "Oh, that''s not right!" Felicity protested immediately, but her husband Conrad''s calming voice cut in from the background.


    "She''s an adult, Felicity. She has her own things to handle. Let her be..."


    This was the understanding M shared with her father-inw. Since the divorce was inevitable, they agreed it was best to ease her mother-inw into the idea of M not being around, hoping the eventual news of their separation would be less shocking.


    M tightened her grip on her phone, her eyshes casting a small shadow in the warm glow of the streetlights. She smiled softly.


    ...It was a good n.