shuhaige
Chapter 192
Chapter 192
Chapter 192
The moment Curtis left for college, it seemed like Leanne had quickly learned the ropes of flirting with the younger boys, strolling home hand-in-hand under the night sky.
She was more interested in puppy love than hitting the books.
Clearly, Curtis hadn’t set the best example as a big brother. His own high school days were peppered with more scandalous rumors than Leanne could ever hope to match.
Despite his rebellious streak, Curtis had been raised well. He respected his parents and always showed deference to his older brother.
High school brought Curtis’ delayed rebellion to the forefront when his keen interest and talent for finance were met with staunch opposition from his parents, not support.
It was then that Curtis realized the freedom he had enjoyed wasn’t a product of parental indulgence or favoritism.
Instead, he had been raised as if he were a lost cause from birth, destined to squander his potential.
He had always thought he was the apple of his parents’ eye, but in truth, it was exile.
He even promised them, time and again, that he had no interest in competing with Phillip for the family business, but such assurances fell on deaf ears.
He couldn’t figure out why his birthright seemed to say, “I’m coming for that inheritance,” which got them all worried.
From that point on, Curtis changed. He went with the flow, allowing himself to drift and do things he’d never done before, things his family disapproved of.
Like getting into brawls, hanging out with the wrong crowd, and dating girls who were, well, less than substantial.
With his good looks and family wealth, it wasn’t hard for girls to throw themselves at him.
He was generous with his money, showering them with gifts without a second thought, but never investing real emotion. Ccontent © exclusive by Nô/vel(D)ra/ma.Org.
They would either make a scene or end things abruptly, and Curtis couldn’t care less.
He resisted the injustice he felt with passivity and accepted his role as the family’s disappointment just as passively.
During that dark time in his life, Curtis was sullen and cynical about everything.
He would deliberately miss exams or perfectly avoid all the right answers on his scantrons, racking up astonishingly abysmal grades.
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Chapter 192
Once in a while, while struggling with competition problems at home, he’d suddenly think it all worthless and destroy the papers.
No one expected him to amount to anything.
One restless day, as he ripped up yet another completed assignment, he heard piano notes drifting from downstairs. Leaning back in his chair, he saw Leanne at the grand
piano.
The afternoon light poured in from the bright windows, casting a warm glow on her as she played, her long lashes casting shadows on her cheeks. She was alone, taking advantage of the empty house to practice.
Her piano skills were rusty, little more than a six-year-old’s foundation. The sheet music in front of her was challenging, resulting in a performance that was far from smooth, with several missteps.
Maybe it was the comforting afternoon sun, or maybe it was something about Leanne’s serene energy, but at that moment, Curtis’ irritation melted away.
He had never really thought he liked Leanne in that way, and he just felt an instinctive need to protect her from the world, a sentiment that seemed natural considering he’d always looked out for her.
That was u
until Jennifer brought up marriage, and he responded with a sneer, “Is this all I’m good for to you?”
He returned home full of sarcasm, only to find college-bound Leanne, who rarely came home, sitting quietly on the couch, the very Leanne he was apparently supposed to marry. All the annoyance in Curtis dissipated.
Marrying her? That actually seemed okay.
It was then that Curtis realized, maybe his role as the big brother had gone a bit off track.
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