“A maniptor?” Ethan lets out a chuckle. “Is that truly what you think my girlfriend is?”


    Karl throws his hands up in exasperation. “Really, brother?” he snarls. “Are you that dense?”


    There’s a moment of silence, and | feel caught in the middle. | can’t figure out who''s truly at the root of this; me, or Gianna? Part


    of me wonders if none of this would have happened if | hadn’te tonight, and that hurts more than anything.


    Then, Ethan’s face darkens, and he shoots a warning nce at Karl. “Perhaps this dinner is over before it has even begun,” he


    mutters.


    Karl’s resolve remains unshaken. He turns to Gianna with a stern expression. “I want to have a close rtionship with my


    brother, but not at the cost of enabling this,” he gestures towards Gianna, “deceit and maniption.”


    “I''ve deceived no one,” Gianna hisses. “My emails were tampered with, Karl. You were the one who wouldn''t see reason.”


    “Oh, is that what happened?” Karl asks with an angryugh. “Because if | recall correctly, you were admitting to everything and


    professing your love to me not long ago. But | suppose you never bothered mentioning that to my sick brother, did you?”


    Karl and Gianna re at each other for what feels like an eternity, each of them seething more and more by the moment.


    Realizing that Ethan is going to do nothing to step in, | stand, taking Karl''s arm.


    “Come on, Karl,” | whisper, giving his arm a tug. “Let’s just leave.”


    Karl pulls his gaze away from Gianna, and his brown eyes are full of fury. But they soften ever so slightly when he looks at me,


    and he nods. “You''re right,” he says as he pulls his wallet out of his pocket. “I think it’s best if we do leave.”


    That’s when Ethan finally stands. “Karl, there’s no need for all of this drama,” he says. “Please, stay.”


    But Karl simply shakes his head and withdraws a wad of cash from his wallet, throwing it down on the table.


    “That’s for the food and the wine,” he says, shoving his wallet back into his pocket with force. He then meets his brother’s gaze,


    and it’s then that | can feel his arm trembling with fury as he looks at him. “I''ll be more than happy to speak with you again once


    you''ve learned to see reason, brother,” he says quietly. “But until that happens, then | guess this is goodbye.”


    Ethan stares at Karl for a while, his jaw clenched tightly, his hands gripping the edge of the table. Meanwhile, Gianna continues


    to sit beside him. Her face is twisted into a pout, but | can see right through it. Her eyes meet mine, and there’s a hint of mischief


    there.


    She knows exactly what she’s doing; perhaps this was her n all night. And, well, she’s done exactly what she set out to do.


    “| suppose it is,” Ethan finally says


    with a dismissive waye''af hicKad.


    " edkyé)\Karh y the best man


    win this election.” Please read the


    original content at NovelDrama.Org.


    Karl nods, straightening the bottom of his zer. “Indeed. Goodnight, Ethan. Gianna.”


    Without another word, Karl turns to


    me and takes my hand. He pulls me


    away from the tab waaying O1


    t ahtneothttta les and patrons.


    ith each passing moment, | feel as


    though the two of us have just


    crossed a new line that cannot be


    uncrossed. Please read the original


    content at NovelDrama.Org.


    And as we burst out of the restaurant


    and into the chilly night air, | ‘anal


    help but ond (BREA Wout n''t have


    Racertanie falling out with his


    brother if | hadn''t been here. Please


    read the original content at


    NovelDrama.Org.


    All rights ? N?velDrama.Org.