<h4>Chapter 79: 79-He Thinks I Am Sleeping With His Brother</h4>


    <strong>Hnie:</strong>


    "That’s his stuff," I stepped aside to show him Norman’s coat. I didn’t know what it was, but the way Kaye was reacting seemed a little off.


    "Oh, so he came here and..." Kaye narrowed his eyes at the coat, "...got a bit toofortable?" It seemed like he was talking more to himself now.


    "What did hee for?" he asked again. I nced around and spotted the papers on the table.


    "He came for a signature," I replied, pointing at the documents.


    Kaye walked over to the table, picked up the papers, then slowly turned back to look at me.


    "He came here to ask for your signature personally and then just left his coat behind? Since when did he get sofortable—," he paused, as if he were unraveling some hidden conspiracy.


    "I don’t know. He was refusing to leave until I had signed," I responded, still holding the robe in my hands.


    It didn’t strike me at first, but I noticed the way Kaye was examining me before he turned away to pick up his brother’s coat.


    I was trying my best to understand what was going through his mind, but his behavior was odd.


    "Hmmm," Kaye muttered, pulling his brother’s phone out. His expression grew even more tense as he looked at it. He was probably reading an open chat.


    He scrolled through it, then let out a grunt.


    "Did he ask you for anything?" His tone was cryptic, but I quickly shook my head, hoping to dismiss any bizarre thoughts he might be having.


    "Do you think he came here to try to threaten me into backing down?" I asked, and he sighed.


    "I’m certain he didn’te here to make you back down, especially since he brought the papers. Did he propose some kind of deal? Was there any chance he thought that if he somehow made Maximus lose—" he trailed off when he saw my frown.


    "You think—I won because I offered your brother something?" I finally understood what he was insinuating.


    He gave my robe a quick nce, almost as if to confirm my question, then adjusted his shirt and responded, "It wouldn’t be your fault. You didn’t have a choice. I’m not ming you—"


    "Oh heavens! You think I slept with your brother to win this round of the test? You actually think I would sleep with my stepbrother and then ept the card to officially be called his stepsister?" I covered my face in frustration, realizing just how far Kaye was taking this.


    "Then exin how you could have beaten Maximus! And then—Normaning here after hours with these papers for a signature? And he leaves his coat...his phone with your chat open, and he was looking into your background—" Kaye couldn’t seem to finish a single thought, jumping from one point to the next.


    "Oh no! That’s why his girlfriend thought—" Kaye frowned, pacing anxiously as he muttered, "Norman and you—"


    At that, I felt a surge of anger. I couldn’t hold it in anymore.


    "Your brother and I hate each other. Do you want to know why he came here?" I was done ying along. I could piece things together just as well, and I was ready to prove I had no interest in that jerk of a man he calls his brother.


    Kaye turned to face me, his eyes sharp and demanding answers.


    "He came here because he wanted me to sign Emmet’s card quickly and officially be your stepsister. He hates that you and Emmet care about me and probably thinks I’ll end up sleeping with one of you—just like you thought I slept with him to get admitted in the first ce. Norman wasn’t even close to Maximus in the ground. I won because I used my brain, not my body. And your brother left in such a hurry because he found it inappropriate to be here with me in a bathrobe," I snapped, watching his expression soften slightly.


    "That makes sense, too," he muttered under his breath.


    "He’d want you as our stepsister rather than..." Kaye stopped mid-sentence, lost in thought. I didn’t know what was going on between him and his brother, but I hated even the thought of being in a situation where I’d have to deal with Norman in that way.


    Now that his suspicions seemed to settle, Kaye turned to me, and his eyes widened slightly when he saw the anger still lingering in my gaze.


    "I am—I don’t know. I just saw you in a robe, then my brother’s coat, and it’s... unlike him to visit someone so...," he grimaced, and I noticed how anxious he looked. He could barely get his words out. He was all over the ce, stuttering and fidgety.


    "It’s okay. It’s not like you really know me, or I know you. I just hope you’ll ask me directly next time instead of jumping to conclusions. I’m not perfect, Kaye, but I know my boundaries. My stepbrothers are where I draw the line." The moment I said that, his face went pale.


    I don’t know much about men or how they react to certain things, but his expression was so conflicted.


    "So, you’ve epted us as your brothers?" There was a hint of sadness in his voice.


    But I was sure of my answer. "I have."


    He gave a slight nod, stepping back. "Alright then, sis! Congrattions."


    His tone was dripping with sarcasm, and I couldn’t understand why he’d be upset that I epted him as my stepbrother. Was he doing all this for some other reason? Did he not want me to see him as a sibling?


    "Kaye—the thing is—" I felt an urge to exin why I had to ept him as my stepbrother, but why did I feel that way? It wasn’t like any other rtionship could happen between us.


    "No! I understand. Thank you for clearing things up. I’ll be on my way, and I’ll leave these here. Just sign them." He wouldn’t even look me in the eye as he turned, grabbed his brother’s belongings, and dashed out of the room.


    The moment he was out of sight, I felt a wave of nausea. I barely made it to the bathroom before I started throwing up.