Scarlette’s current expression was not to be trifled with. Out of the blue, she questioned Deanna, “What are you afraid of? What are you hiding?”


    “Nothing, it’s nothing,” Deanna replied suddenly. Zorion looked down at Deanna. He knew his sister better than anyone else.


    “Deanna, did you use that debt to threaten Raeleigh?” Zorion asked, keeping his head low. Deanna hurriedly shook her head and implored, “I didn’t want to hurt Raeleigh. I just wanted her to spend more time with you.” Deanna’s face was ovee with gloominess. Zorion was dumbfounded for a second, but he did not put the me on Deanna. Instead, he held her in his arms and told her, “It’s okay. I’m not mad. You’re still young, you don’t know enough.”


    “Young? She’s the same age as us. It’s because of a brother like you that…” Scarlette started.N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material.


    Zorion instantly shot Scarlette a re. Scarlette immediately cut herself off.


    Zorion then said, “I apologize on Deanna’s behalf.”


    Raeleigh was smiling as she replied, “I’m fine. You don’t need to apologize. I will think of a way to return the money to you.”


    “I told you, I don’t want that money…”


    “Don’t say that you don’t want it. If that’s really the case, thenit makes me feel like I’ve sold myself for that money. I owe you, so I have to return it to you.”


    “In fact, I did think about returning the money to you. But it’s just thatI never had the means to do so. This house was bought by Jepherson. Although the house is in my name and it’s a reward for my design, I always thought in the back of my mind that my life wouldn’t have soared to these heights without Jepherson. It wouldn’t have gone this smoothly.”


    I don’t have a stable ie of my own yet. Plus, I’ve done the math. Even if I sell this house, it won’t be enough to pay off my debt to you guys. So, I’lle up with a way to pay it off, but it may have to wait a little longer.”


    Raeleigh had nned to get a job so that she would be able to pay off her debtslowly. However, that was beginning to look impossible.


    “You can take your time. I’m not looking down on you.” Zorion was stuck between a rock and a hard ce. He was caught between the beloved sister in his arms and the woman he loved.


    Raeleigh shook her head.“Give me one year. I will pay it all off within one year.”


    Scarlette’s eyes grew wide. She eximed, “Raeleigh, are you being serious?”


    “Do I look like I’m joking?”


    “No.”


    Scarlette thought that it was best if she called Jepherson and told him about the situation.She excusedherself and went to the bathroom. Upon entering, she immediately dialed Jepherson’s number. At that moment, Jepherson was talking to Johan. Hansen and Jenna were abroad. Hence, Jepherson was the one apanying Santiago to make a formal proposal to Cynthia at the Moore family residence.


    After he received the call, Jepherson left the manor. Santiago asked him what the matter was. Jepherson then took out a credit card and handed it to Santiago.He instructed his brother, “Use this to pay off Raeleigh’s debt to Zorion.She won’t ept it if I’m the one giving it to her.Think of a way to get her to ept it.”


    Santiago tookthe card and stowed it away. “How about you head home first? It’ll just be a minute, I haven’t said all I wanted to say yet.”


    Santiago strode back into the manor after saying that, in search of Cynthia. Jepherson made his way back into his car.


    Raeleigh was sitting in the living room, talking to Zorion and Deanna. It did not take long before Jepherson arrived at the house.


    Jepherson alighted and went to the front door. Raeleigh was taken aback for a moment when he made his entrance. She looked at Scarlette, who immediately turned around and hid in the corner.


    When Jepherson came in through the door and saw Zorion and Deanna, he did not show much of a reaction.


    Jepherson walked towards the living room and asked calmly, “Are there no sses today?”


    Serra hurriedly departed for the kitchen. Raeleigh looked over at Serra. She hardly ever saw Serra walk away in terror like that.


    “No, there aren’t. We haven’t seen you two in a few days. Deanna said she wanted to see you two, so here we are,” Zorion replied with a smile.


    Following that, Jepherson sat down on the couch and took Raeleigh’s hand. His gazended on Raeleigh and then shifted to Zorion and Deanna. “You came here to pay us a visit?”


    Terrified, Deannahid herself in Zorion’s arms.


    There was something off about Jepherson that day. Deanna was afraid of him.


    “Of course, that’s not the only reason. I heard some news about Santiago andI wanted to know whether the rumors are true.”


    Since they were already face-to-face with each other,Zorion did not want to obscure the truth.


    “Yes, it is true,” Jepherson replied. Zorion’s expression darkened. Off to the side, Raeleigh frowned. Zorion’s mood changed like the wind, it seemed.


    From Zorion’s perspective,no outsider could have any real say in Santiago’s affairs. Only Jepherson would have the final say.


    However, now that Jepherson had rified it to him, it meant that Jepherson had allowed the proposal to take ce.


    “Are you kidding me?” Zorion wiped Deanna’s tears off her face, but Deanna sat there crying uncontrobly.


    Jepherson paid no mind to it. He remained calm and indifferent. There was not a single trace of warmth in his eyes when he looked at Zorion.


    “I rarely joke with you.It’s always been that way. You should know that,” Jepherson said in reply. Zorion looked away. He gritted his teeth as he was looking off to the side,and he then turned back to meet Jepherson’s gaze. He eximed,“You know that Deanna has feelings for Santiago, yet you still made that decision. What in the world are you thinking?”


    “I wasn’t thinking about anything in particr. I just did what I was supposed to.”


    “You should understand how Santiago is. No one can stop him from doing what he wants to. You want me to interfere in his rtionship?”


    Jepherson’s expression was cold,and his gaze was piercing.


    “Then, you’re just going to allow him to be with a woman who’s older than him? You’re going to let him act that wilfully?” Zorion raised his voice suddenly, unable to keep his emotions in checkanymore.


    Jepherson exhaled and rose to his feet. His gaze turned even icier. “What, do you think that the Richards family is responsible for Deanna?”


    Zorion was dumbfounded for a moment.Then, he said, “That’s not what I meant. Deanna has me. There’s no need for anyone else to take responsibility for her. But to me, you guys have gone too far. Everyone knew that Deanna and you were childhood sweethearts and the envy of many. But you t out rejected her and pretended as if nothing had happened. Deanna fell for Santiago, but just as their rtionship started to bloom, he went off to propose to someone else. You caused Deanna to…”


    Zorion gnashed his teeth in a fierce fury, shooting Jepherson a death re.


    Raeleigh stood up. “I know what’s going on with Santiago, butI would like to remind you that no one can control who they fall in love with. I know that you mean well, as Deanna’s brother. You worry about her and hope to give her hand to a good man whom you’re satisfied with.That being said,has it ever urred to you that you’re not the one in her shoes? You won’t live her life for her.This concerns only Deanna.”


    Zorion was on the verge of flying into a rage. He slowly turned to look at Raeleigh. “Yes, I know, but I can’t leave her be. I don’t believe that there’s anyone other than us who can protect Deanna. No one other than us can tolerate her.”


    Raeleigh froze. Deanna suddenly got up and hurried away.


    Zorion was about to check on her,but shebroke off into a run.


    Raeleigh had learnt her lesson from the past. She immediately chased after Deanna. Bythe time she emerged from the house, Deanna had already got into the car. Anxious, Raeleigh followed her into the car. Jepherson and Zorion also ran out of the house.