Chapter 263
"Dad, I—" Andrew Smith began, only to be cut off by his younger brother.
"Dad! Second Brother has a girlfriend!" The younger Smith slammed his hands on the table, grinning. "Everyone in the neighborhood knows Diana has been waiting for him all these years. Come on, Second Brother, you're the man—why are you dragging your feet when she's too shy to make the first move?"
He was practically gushing. In his eyes, Diana was the perfect woman—gentle, thoughtful, and always bringing him treats whenever she visited. A girl like her deserved better than his cold, stoic brother.
Elizabeth Green's head snapped up. She hadn't put him up to this. That foolish niece of hers had gone behind her back and manipulated the boy? Utterly idiotic.
"Don't talk nonsense," she interrupted sharply. "Your brother isn't that kind of man."
She knew Andrew too well. This clumsy scheme would only backfire. As for that Luna White... Elizabeth's lips curled in disdain. Just some nobody doctor with no connections. Crushing her would be child's play.
But Alan Smith perked up. "Diana's a good girl. Andrew, if you like her, you should settle things sooner rather than later."
"Dad!" The eldest Smith brother scoffed. "You think trash like Diana is worthy? You already married one disaster—now you want to drag Second Brother down too?"
"You insolent—!" Alan slammed his fist on the table. "What's wrong with Diana? How dare you speak like that! And she's your mother!"
"My mother died years ago!" The eldest brother shot to his feet, his chair screeching against the floor. "I lost her when I was eight."
The living room plunged into suffocating silence.
Alan's hands trembled. "You... you're still holding onto that?"
"Holding onto it?" The eldest brother's smile was razor-sharp. "Dad, you made me lie and say I got lost on my own—just to protect her. From that day on, I stopped having a father."
His gaze shifted to Elizabeth, cold as steel. "Listen carefully. Stay away from my brother. You ruined me—but over my dead body will you ruin him too."
Elizabeth gripped Alan's hand so tightly her nails drew blood. She knew better than to doubt his words. The eldest Smith always kept his promises.