Everyone at the table was caught off and when Bryan stormed off. After a stunned silence, Alice napped, “That damn troublemaker Aube
Daston’s face darkened “I never thought you would treat Carmen like this, and now even Emery has changed. Has Aubree put some kind of spell on them both be thought, hustration and suspicion clouding his mind.
Cuimen couldn’t believe Bryan would storm out right in front of their parents. She lowered her eyes, her hand clenched tightly under the table. She thought, I’ve worked so hard for meer a decade, and Aufner’s only been hack for what, three years? In just three years, she’s managed to steal my ce
1 give her any more time, is the going topletely rece me!”
Carmen shuddered as she pictured the Wilson family scoring and loathing her. Her face, lowered to hide her expression, twisted with fear She thought hercely, Tl never let this happen to me!”
rand
“Mom, Dad,” Carmen <b>asked </b>softly, her voice trembling with uncertainty, “does Bryan does he hate me now! And Emeryshe mad at me made hix esports <b>team </b><b>lose</b>?” Since Bryan and Emery had stopped supporting her, she thought to herself, “Time to try a different approach.”
The instant her words left her lips, everyone at the table exchanged nces, their expressions shifting all at once
They thought, “We were so caught up ming Bryan that we nearly let Emery off the hook!
Trevor added fuel to the fire with a smirk. “If it weren’t for Emery, this wouldn’t be getting resolved so soon.”
As soon as these words were spoken, the already heavy atmosphere grew even <b>heavier</b>. Ronald, whose word carried the most weight in the family. frowned so deeply it could have crushed <b>a </b>fly
“What a damn waste of all the kindness Carmen showed him,” Daton sneered. He’d personally witnessed how hard Carmen worked to help Emery win that championship..
Daston thought angrily, ‘Carmen was even med by those guys from Emery’s esports team, doesn’t anyone realize how wronged she must feel?
Emery really sides with Aubree over some damn championship, I’ll make sure the regrets it!”
<b>Daxton </b>gently squeezed Carmen’s han
reassurance and said softly, “Come on, Emery wouldn’t get mad at you over something so <b>trivial</b><b>” </b>
“I think Emery can’t even tell right hom wrong anymore,” Ronald snapped.
He thought, ‘Even if we let it slide that you’re siding with Aubree, what’s truly outrageous is that ever since Carmen was set up by that wretch, you haven’t even bothered to show up or say a single word to help her! Is this really how you treat your own sister?“:
Alice’s heart ached seeing Carmen being viciously cyberbullied online. This time, even though Emery was her own son, she felt he had truly crossed the
She knew Emery was the only one in the family who ever took <b>Aubree’s </b><b>side</b>, but she felt that he couldn’t just <b>brush </b>Carmen aside like that<b>. </b>
“How could a brother act like this?” Alice thought, her heart aching with disappointment.
“Wait til Emery gets back, I’m going to give him a piece of my mind!” With just that one sentence, Carmen immediately turn
against Emery.
At that moment, Emery didn’t even wonder why Bryan had left. All he could think about was Aubree.
Entire Wilson family
He walked down the street, unable to stop smding. He thought, “This time really helped Aubree She’s got <b>to </b><b>see </b>I’m actually changing for the better!
Aube’s starting <b>an </b>esports <b>club</b><b>, </b>she must be inexperienced in so many areas. This is my chance to prove myself!
11 show <b>Aubree </b>my determination, she’ll definitelye back to me
07:12 Mon, 7 Jul
I didn’t he
98%
Last timest time she just didn’t believe in me
Carmen checkedi stime and, seeing it was about right, let her eyes redden sightly, her gass brimming i
grievance, pet forced a magnanimous
smile “It’s nothing really I’m just a little upset. I’m sure Emery had his reasons for acting that way Mom, Dad, please don’t let this ruin the family harmony because of me
Her performance drew even more pity from the family
Carmen was truly bon considerate. Even aber the way her brothers treated her, she still stood op for them
Especially Barton, sitting beside her, gazed at Carmen with eyes so tender they could melt ice. He thought, “My Carmen is always like this, so considerate and caning of everyone’s feelings in the family. Just be back then…
Daston was the most intellectually gifted of all the Wilson <b>siblings</b>. With Bryan overseeing the family business, he was free to pursue his own passions. He chose medicine and found deep fulfillment in theb, solvingplex medical problems and developing groundbreaking new drugs.
Growing up, Daston’s parents were constantly busy, and Bryan was overwhelmed by his studies. In Darton’s world, he always felt utterly alo Carmen came into his life.
Thinking back, a gentle smile spread across his face. In this family, only Carmen ever cared if he was cold or hungry, and as she grow up, she became increasingly considerate,
A few years back, she’d still check th
them to him there,
he was eating on time in theb, going the extra mile to prepare stomach nourishing meals and personally deliver
He thought, “Back then, I made up my mind, even if everyone else in the family doted on Aubree, I’d still protect Carmen and never let her be wronged. At Teat my familysn’t blind. They know who truly deserve our love.
‘Buttely… things just haven’t been the same.
Looks like I have to deal with Aubree once I’m free.
The front door swung open again. Carmen looked up, and just as she’d expected, Emery was
back
Emery was about to ask why Bryan had left when a barrage of disapproving stares shattered the good mood he’d carried all the way home.
Emery looked puzzled, recalling how Bryan had also hurried off earlier, “What’s going on?” he asked.
“How dare you ask what happened? Don’t you damn well know what you’ve done? Ronald mmed his fist on the table, his eyes zing with fury
His <b>usually </b>warm and gracious mother sat rigidly in her seat, her gaze fixed on him with unmistakable disapproval
The remaining two brothers also wore grave expressions, staring?
gat him as if he’dmitted an unforgivable in
ing with shock and bitter disappointment. <b>Now </b>he finally understood what that look from Bryan meant.
Emery’s gaze trembled, his eyes brimming w
They resented him for siding with Aubree, even though <b>all </b>he did was simply tell the truth and give her the fair treatment she deserved.
All traces of his earlier <b>good </b>mood vanished
instantly Unlike Bryan, Emery <b>wasn’t </b>the t type to st
storm off, he wanted to set the <b>card </b>straight.
Trying to keep <b>his </b>voice <b>as </b>calm <b>as </b>possible, Emery said, “Dad, Mom, Carmen, I think there’s been some misunderstanding here.”
Emery wanted his <b>family </b>to see that Aubree wasn’t the person they imagined. But he’d forgotten that they’d never intended to listen. All they cared <b>about </b>was his unconditional loyalty, that he’d always take Carmen’s side, no matter what happened<b>. </b>
<b>Dadon </b>cressed his arms, his eyes filled with scorn. “Misunderstanding? What misunderstanding? That <b>you’d </b>rather side with Aubree against <b>your </b>own family than help Carmen”
Emery bristled at the usation. “I wasn’t taking sides. <b>Just </b>stating the facts.”
07:12 Mon, 7 Jul G
Emery said family, “In esports, losing means losing I don’t care for a title won by shady tactics”
Daston scoffed. “Who cares what you think? if Carmen hadn’t felt gulty about your team losing, I wouldn’t have resorted to this against Autres, <b>only </b>to hand her aeback chance.
“Who’s as self righteous as you, Emery? Sure, you thought you were being ‘Tale, but look what you’ve done, Carmer’s now getting dragged through
y brother” mud because of you. The only reason I didn’t haul you over here to make amends to her is that you’re my!
“Emery, what’s done is done. We won’t dwell on it further,” Alice said easily. “But if something like this happen again, don’t act so rashly, at least discuss it with the family first.” As a mother, she hated seeing this rih grow between her children.
Ronald’s brow furrowed slightly as he delivered his final verdict. “You should be grateful that Carmen forgave you,” he said stely. “Otherwise, I’d make sure you learn what’s eptable and what’s not. We don’t turn against our own family.
“Aubree’s been setting up that sports clubtely. This is your area of expertise, put in some effort and make things tough for her. Think of it at making
amends to Carmen.”
Emery’s mind <b>went </b>utterly nk for a second. It took him a long moment to process what those words actually meant.