Chapter 243: I won’t betray you ... ever.
Adelyn’s eyes widened the moment Karl threw that question at her.
She turned sharply and glared at him.
But Karl only blinked back at her —wide-eyed, almost innocent —like a puppy silently asking her to trust him.
Trust him?
She would rather send him straight to hell at this moment.
"You want my time?" Dylan’s voice came smooth —so smooth that it sent an unexpected flutter through her chest.
Adelyn stiffened.
Slowly, she turned to look at him, instinctively shaking her head.
"You don’t?" Dylan asked, raising a brow.
But there was no real curiosity in his eyes.
Instead, there was something else—
A quiet coldness.
A subtle warning.
As if he was giving her a chance to rethink her answer.
Before Adelyn could properly process that shift—
Karl, as usual, decided to speak on her behalf.
"Of course she does," he said confidently, glancing at Adelyn before turning back to his brother. "How could sister-in-law not want it?"
"You two have just gotten together. And from the way she confessed her feelings for you, she clearly likes you a lot."
"And when someone likes another person," he continued with full conviction, "they naturally want to spend more and more time with them."
Adelyn paused.
Does it really work like that?
Karl didn’t stop there.
"Isn’t that a bit too confident?" Felix pointed out lightly.
Karl immediately caught the implication.
Looking at him, he shrugged without hesitation. "Why wouldn’t I be confident? Unlike you three, I’ve had my fair share of experience with women. I know how they behave in situations like this."
Then, glancing at Adelyn again, he added, "Sister-in-law might be different from them —but she’s still a woman. Some things don’t change. So, as long as her feelings for Big Brother are real, she must want to spend more time with him."
As long as her feelings were real ...
Adelyn stilled for a fraction of a second.
That was the very thing she couldn’t afford to confront.
"So, sister-in-law," Karl urged, leaning in slightly, "tell Big Brother you want to spend time with him. That way, he won’t waste time on unnecessary meetings."
He shot a pointed look at Jasper.
Jasper simply shook his head, clearly unimpressed.
Adelyn, however, slowly turned back toward Dylan.
His eyes were still on her.
Unmoving.
Unwavering.
As if he had been waiting—
Waiting for her answer all along.
Her throat tightened slightly.
Holding his gaze for a moment longer, she finally spoke.
"I don’t want your time, Mr Warren."
"Sister-in-law, what are you saying?" Karl immediately tried to salvage the situation. "You have feelings for my brother. How can you not want to spend time with him? Don’t tell me your feelings are already fading."
Before he could say anything further—
Adelyn reached out and smacked the back of his head.
"Watch what you’re saying."
Karl instantly rubbed his head, looking wronged.
"Don’t create misunderstandings between us this early," she added, her tone carrying a quiet warning.
Then, turning back toward Dylan, she softened her expression into a calm, understanding smile.
"What I mean is ...," she clarified carefully, "I do like spending time with you. But that definitely not mean you need to sacrifice your work for me."
"I’m already content with the time we spend together. There’s no need to adjust your schedule just to accommodate me."
Every word was chosen with care.
Precise.
Controlled.
Because she knew—
One wrong word, and every previously woven lie would fall apart.
Karl, however, pulled a long face.
He had only been trying to stop his brother from meeting another woman.
Did his sister-in-law not see through his efforts?
For a moment, he almost felt like crying.
But then—
He straightened slightly.
His sister-in-law was too innocent. And that’s why she couldn’t see it. But it’s fine ...
If she couldn’t see it, then he would protect her interests himself.
"Mr. Warren," Adelyn continued calmly, "you can go ahead with your schedule. Don’t worry about me. I understand."
"If I ever feel ignored or wronged, I’ll come to you directly."
Jasper and Felix exchanged a glance.
Even Karl looked stunned.
He blinked at her. "Sister-in-law ... you’ll complain about my brother... to my brother himself?"
Adelyn nodded as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
Karl frowned, unable to process it.
"Why him? Wouldn’t that put you at a disadvantage?"
After all—
Who complains to the very person they are complaining about?
Adelyn looked at him as if she genuinely couldn’t understand how stupid he could be.
Does he think anyone else could help her against his big brother?
She shook her head internally before speaking,
"Disadvantage?" she repeated calmly. "In this world, I believe your brother is the only one who would never put me at a disadvantage."
"So if not him ... who else should I turn to?"
Jasper and Felix were both taken aback.
Their gazes shifted toward Dylan.
At that moment—
A faint smirk lifted at the corner of his lips.
It was familiar.
And yet—
There was something different about it.
Something deeper.
"You trust me too much," Dylan finally said.
At his voice, Adelyn turned to look at him.
"Of course," she replied without hesitation. "Trust is important. If not you, then who else??"
"I believe you won’t betray me that easily. Don’t you think the same?"
Dylan held her gaze.
A second longer than necessary.
Then—
Slowly—
He nodded.
"I won’t betray you ... ever."
The way he said it—
It wasn’t just a response.
It sounded like a promise.
A vow.
One that didn’t feel new.
Adelyn stilled.
Something stirred faintly within her chest—
Something familiar yet not very familiar.
This ...
Before she could grasp it—
A small tug at her sleeve pulled her back.
"Mama ..."
Eira’s soft voice drew her attention.
When Adelyn turned toward her, the little girl looked up with bright, sincere eyes.
"Eira will also never betray you," she said earnestly. "Eira will always stay with you ..."
For a moment—
Everything else faded away.
