After the Deception: I Wanted to Break Up, But She Cried with Red Eyes

I'd been dating my best friend's sister for a year, and just when I was trying to figure out how to explain things, he dragged me to a café to air everything out.

"My sister's been seeing other guys without telling me!

"I don't want a brotherinlaw; we need to settle this ourselves!"

Before I could even react, he pulled me into the café.

Seeing the couple cozying up together, my heart sank, but I tried to keep my composure.

"Hey, sis."

She looked visibly flustered.

——

My gaze fell on the couple cuddling together in the café, and I felt a lump in my chest.

Beside me, Sean Harvey was fuming.

"My sister has been seeing other guys without telling me!

"Are we just not charming enough, or does she prefer someone else's leftovers? No way, I'm going to make a scene…"

Without another word, he grabbed my phone and dialed the number of the woman inside. I didn't resist; I just watched her reaction.

She picked up the phone, hesitated for a second, then answered.

"Hey, little brother. I'm a bit busy right now. Is there something you need?"

Her voice was impeccably professional, not a hint of casualness.

Before I could say anything, she added, "If it's nothing urgent, I'm going to hang up now. I'll call you back when I'm done."

And with that, she hung up decisively.

Sean was grinding his teeth in frustration. Without saying a word, he dragged me into the café and made me sit down right across from them.

My heart was heavy with bitterness. I forced myself to speak up, "Sis, are you busy...?"

She looked startled and flustered.

Julia Harvey and I exchanged glances, and for a moment, the air was thick with awkwardness.

The silence was broken when Sean spoke up passionately.

"Seriously, sis? This is what you call being busy?

"Busy with that pretty boy you're hanging out with, right?

"Tell me, sis, what do you think would happen if I told Mom and Dad about this..."

Julia was so frustrated she actually laughed, then raised her hand and slapped him on the head.

"Honestly, sit down. Your new brotherinlaw is treating us to dinner today. Try not to make a scene when you go home." She glanced at me with a polite but distant tone. "Leon can join us as well."

I gave a small smirk and countered, "Just Leon?"

The atmosphere instantly became a bit awkward, and the young man next to Julia started eyeing me with a hint of scrutiny.

I smiled back at him, trying to keep my tone light, "Just kidding, Julia. I'm looking forward to the big dinner you and your boyfriend are treating us to."

Julia's eyes met mine with a clear sign of panic.

But I decided not to push it any further.

After finishing our coffee, Sean insisted on digging into the background of the new brotherinlaw and followed him to get the car.

Julia got up to leave, but I pulled her into an embrace.

"Why?"

I asked her, my voice trembling more than I realized.

Julia and I, along with Sean, had grown up together. Julia was a few years older, having started school much earlier than us.

Since we were kids, Sean and I had followed her around. It wasn't an exaggeration to say we grew up together.

I had been pursuing her for over a decade. After finally getting her to agree to be my girlfriend, it had only been a year. How could she just change her mind so easily?

Weren't we supposed to announce our relationship soon?

I had even prepared a bribe for Sean. And yet...

I couldn't understand it.

She looked at me with a smirk and asked, "Do you have money?

"Can you make over ten thousand a month just after graduating?"

"Do you have a family business?"

My throat felt parched, and I could only shake my head. "I don't have any of those things.

"But I'm working hard to achieve them. Even if I can't get to ten out of ten, I can at least make it to eight."

She coldly laughed, "But he can.

"Some people are born into luxury, while we spend our entire lives just trying to touch a piece of that luxury.

"I've had enough of that kind of life, so I chose him."

Julia seemed like a completely different person now.

She was no longer the sister I used to know, the one who would say things like: "Money is just a means to an end. As long as you have enough, that's what matters. Wealthy people have their own way of living, and we ordinary folks have ours." Or: "Leon, don't let money blind you. Love and life are what truly inspire us to create something beautiful."

After my parents fell ill, I sank into a deep depression. I worked tirelessly, trying every possible way to raise money and bring them back from the brink of death.

Every day, I prayed for just a little more time to earn enough to keep my family with me.

But in the end, I was beaten by time.

They were gone, and the pain of losing them nearly crushed me. I was overwhelmed by loneliness, blaming myself for being so powerless, unable to even afford their treatment. At one point, I was so desperate that I even considered ending my own life.

Julia was the one who pulled me out of that dark place.

She slapped me hard, crying and shouting.

"You're not just living for yourself anymore. You're living for your parents who are gone.

"Haven't you heard? We're the living legacy of our parents' love. True death isn't just about the physical body; it's when we forget them.

"As long as you remember them, they're still alive.

"Leon, if you don't have anyone to rely on, find someone else to lean on. Look at me—I'm here for you too."

Her steadfastness was like a beacon of light in my darkness.

But today, I suddenly realized that the Julia of my memories was beginning to fade.

She avoided my gaze, pulled away from my embrace, and straightened her slightly wrinkled clothes before looking toward the door.

It wasn't until a car approached from the distance that she spoke again, her voice cold and distant. "If you still remember the times I helped you, don't let anyone know about our relationship.

"This way, it's better for both of us."

Sean leaned out of the car window, waving enthusiastically at me. "Leon! Leon! My brotherinlaw's taking us out for king crab! It'll be my first time trying it!

"Come on, get in! Don't just stand there!"

I slid into the backseat while Sean, ever the chatterbox, kept up a steady stream of conversation the entire ride.

I glanced down at my phone, its reflection showing my somewhat pale face.

I felt empty inside.

Hollow, even.

It was a feeling I only got when visiting my parents' graves.

In the front seat, Julia chimed in to whatever Sean was saying, laughing along with the young man in the driver's seat. The warm, lively atmosphere made me feel even more out of place.

This must be what it feels like to be shut out of the world.

I remember feeling like this during the year after my parents passed away, which was why I visited their graves so often, just to talk to them.

Julia would always follow me, trying to coax me into going back. And when that didn't work, she'd sit with me by their graves, chatting.

"Mr. and Mrs. Scott, Leon just misses you both a lot. But don't worry, he won't be alone—I'll always be here with him."

I stubbornly avoided looking at her, only to get a smack on the head. The pain made me wince, and I had to give in, glancing up at her.

Only then did she smile. "If my little brother here doesn't behave, I'll take over and keep him in line for you."

"I don't need you to keep me in line."

No sooner had I said that than she gave me another smack on the head.

I could only pout and nod in defeat. "Fine, you win. You can keep me in line. You're already turning into my housekeeper."

Even though I called her that, she was still happy about it. "Being your housekeeper doesn't sound so bad, especially since you're so goodlooking."

I didn't get it at the time, but when I finally did, we were already together.

Every now and then, I'd tease her about it. "So, you only wanted to be my housekeeper because I'm goodlooking?"

My usually toughasnails girlfriend would blush instantly.

"Well, that's… not the only reason. I just… wanted to, that's all…

"Ugh, stop talking about it!"

I'd joke around, and she'd laugh—but now, everything was different.

The guy sitting next to Julia deftly cracked open a crab leg, carefully placed the meat on a plate, and slid it over to her. They were so in sync like they had done this a thousand times.

Sean, gnawing on a crab leg, looked at them with mock jealousy.

"Julia, you really know how to keep a man in line, huh?"

Julia rolled her eyes at him, but he just grinned and turned to the young man. "Robert, I've gotta learn from you. You've turned my toughasnails sister into someone so soft and sweet. That's some serious skill!"

"Sean, I think you're asking for trouble!" Julia finally cracked, unable to keep a straight face any longer.

Sean was the kind of guy who made friends quickly, and it wasn't long before he and Robert were chatting like old buddies.

"Hey, Robert, how did you and my sister get together? Was it fate, or just a lucky string pulling you two together from miles apart?"

Robert chuckled, not bothering to hide anything. "If I had to choose from your options, I'd say it was more like a lucky string pulling us together, with a bit of fate thrown in."

He didn't work in Chicago. That time, he was here on a business trip, attending a research project at a university.

"I'm in the science field too, but as an investor. I had my eye on a Blevel experiment at your school, and that was when I met your sister. It was love at first sight."

He went on to describe how Julia had been wearing a simple lab coat and no makeup, but her eyes had this sparkle, like they were full of stars.

She explained her research project with such clarity and precision that he was completely captivated by her.

"After we started dating, I realized we had so many hobbies in common."

I quietly sipped my water, listening.

He talked about how they enjoyed tea together, played chess, and even cooked together.

"Julia is the smartest woman I've ever met. She even helped me solve a major problem that had stumped our lab."

By the end, I couldn't help but find it all a bit ironic.

Because I'm the one who taught her those things.

As for that problem, I had a pretty good idea what it was, so I asked him, "Are you talking about the X paradox equation?"

Robert nodded. "Yeah, that equation stumped a lot of people. You're familiar with it, too?"

Familiar? How could I not be?

That day, I had just finished a major project in the lab. My advisor insisted I take a few days off, worried that the constant highintensity work might take a toll on my health.

I had barely made it back to my dorm when Julia showed up at my door, looking unusually troubled.

"Leon, are you on break for the next few days? Can you do me a favor? It's really urgent."

"Our lab needs a specific formula, but no one knows how to solve it. Can you take a look...?"

I'd never seen her so anxious before, and it tugged at something in me. Without a second thought, I agreed.

The calculations for that formula were incredibly complex, involving concepts I hadn't even encountered at my current level. But for her, I powered through, spending three straight days deciphering it.

When I finally handed over the solution, I got lost in the flood of her praise, forgetting to ask what it was for.

Now, looking back, I realize it was for another man.

So what was I to her, really?

Julia was clearly feeling guilty. She couldn't even look at me like she was afraid I might call her out.

I really wanted to, but at the same time, I couldn't bring myself to do it. It felt like two voices were battling it out in my head when suddenly my phone rang, snapping me out of it. Only then did I realize my back was drenched in sweat.

I answered the call, and a familiar voice came through. "Leon, help! My team of idiots made a bet with another group and now they're stuck on this formula. We need your brain!"

Everyone's eyes turned to me. Sean was the first to speak, looking at me like I'd betrayed him. "Seriously, Leon? When did you start hanging out with a girl without telling me?

"Come on, invite her over, invite her over..."

Julia's face darkened, and she snapped at him, "Sean, stop it…"

"Okay."

The moment I agreed, Sean got even more excited. Meanwhile, I brought the phone back to my ear and said softly, "Hey, sis."

Julia froze, disbelief all over her face.

Ignoring her, I gave the caller the address of the restaurant. "I'm just about to finish up here. Come pick me up."

Julia's expression turned even darker.

At the same time, I got a quick reply, "You got it, little bro. Be there soon…"

You're right; that term doesn't fit the context. Let me correct that:

Sean, looking like he was on the edge of his seat, pointed at me with exaggerated enthusiasm. "Wait, you're into older women?"

I smiled and pocketed my phone. "Yeah, I've got a thing for older women."