MY EX's BILLIONAIRE BROTHER

4: A LITTLE TRUTH MAYBE?

Josephine hesitated. She didn't like the condemnation she saw on her fiancée's face, even before she spoke her truth. “I have to go,” she muttered getting on her feet abruptly, she felt dizzy.

“Sit,” Andrew instructed, carefully holding her to steady her footing, but his stubborn fiancée shook her head. She didn't feel as confident to talk to him as she had been just a minute ago. But Andrew still held her, nonetheless, preventing her from hitting the ground. Josephine nudged Andrew away once she regained her steadiness.

Though she understood his disdain

to lies, he should have at least waited to hear what it is she had to say before sprouting the judgy look.

“I am sorry, Joss.” Andrew tried to hold her hand, but she took a step back, looking all suspicious. He frowned. “I didn't mean to offend or disrespect you.” he paused, wondering how to say his truth without hurting her feelings.

“I am just wondering how your daughter ended up with the McCain's. They surely didn't steal her or any fiasco of that kind.” he chuckled skeptically.

“How sorry you are, indeed.” Josephine sneered nastily glaring at him. Her marble-grey eyes blazed with anger and determination. “The McCain's used their influence and got my daughter.” She offered lamely but didn't give more explanations, which only made Andrew more suspicious of his fiancée.

“That's it?” he asked suspiciously, looking at her like she had suddenly grown two heads. He would be lying if he said he hadn't realized the loopholes in her story when she first told it to him, years ago, but he hadn't insisted because she already looked miserable enough. But now he wasn't so sure he was going to let it go without a proper explanation. “We are getting married and yet, you can't even trust me. Is there anything that I truly know about you?” He remembered two weeks ago at dinner when they had accidentally met an Italian guy who claimed she had ghosted him without a reason after a week together in Hawaii. Josephine had defended herself, saying that she was in a very bad place when they encountered each other, and she was no longer that woman. And Andrew believed her, wholly. Looking back, he felt like a damn id*ot now. “Say something dammit!” He growled, hating her silence, but she wouldn't say a word. Instead, she stormed out of his office, ignoring his demands. She only had one destination in mind. Her parents' mansion.

After almost half an hour later, she pulled into their driveway. Shutting off the ignition fast, she hopped out, not bothering to even take her phone. Before she could use her key to open the front door, their maid pulled it open. “Miss Lawrence,”

“Marietta,” Josephine greeted warmly, stepping into the large foyer. She took off her trench coat and dropped it in Marietta's awaiting hands, and strolled towards her father's study. She knew that's where her old man was usually cooped up. She bumped into her dutiful mother, who had just come from bringing the husband a cup of tea.

“Good afternoon mother,” she leaned to kiss the woman on both cheeks.

“Are you okay?” Lucy Lawrence asked, reading into her daughter's puffy eyes and sorrowful mood. Josephine shook her head. She would have loved to tell her mother what the problem was, but she knew the woman wouldn't be of any assistance. She was worse than a city cat. Her husband didn't treat her better than a prop, for he disregarded almost all her opinions. “I need to speak to father,” Josephine said instead.

“About what?” Lucy frowned. Mr. Lawrence was a strict husband and even a stricter father. Everything in his household went according to his wishes and in return, he took care of his family, really well. But he was known to scorn women on many fronts. It was rare, that you would find him talking to his daughters and wife, if not dishing orders around.

“My daughter,” Josephine watched her mother's eyes widen and her mouth opened but nothing came out, and then she sighed, hopefully. “Did you see her?”

“Come,” Josephine said, instead choosing to tell her story once. Both women entered Mr. Lawrence's office. There he was staring at his laptop thoughtfully. His round glasses hanging on the lower bridge of his nose. He raised his head with a glare, thinking it was his wife who was back to disturb him, but his eyes clashed with Josephine's instead. His smart daughter, who will soon become a Jamestown, and aid their family connections.

"Josephine,” he called with a rare smile, leaning back on his seat. “What are you doing here? Is your fiancée with you?” his eyes scanned behind the two women, expecting to see Andrew Jamestown.

“No, father, I came alone,” Josephine responded, taking a seat directly opposite of him.

“She has news of her daughter,” Lucy blurted, hoping Josephine could start talking already. She was dying to know about her granddaughter.

Her husband's breath hitched at the mention of their granddaughter. And Lucy saw how uncomfortable he looked all of a sudden. “Are you okay, husband?”

“This doesn't concern you, woman!” He bellowed, gesturing for her to leave but Josephine interrupted. “She is my mother, and it concerns all of us. I saw my daughter.”

“Really?” Lucy's hopeful gaze held hers.

“Where?” Her father asked calmly.

Josephine narrated her ordeal, exaggerating how harshly Sebastian had treated her to rile her father up.

“Are you certain?” Her old man asked, “you barely know what my granddaughter looks like.” His voice cracked.

“I saw her, father,” Josephine smiled. “There would be no mistaking her, she even has mother's blond curls.”

Lucy smiled, raising her hands gratefully to the skies.

She shook her head, holding the under of her chin with her thumb, while her index finger lay between her upper lip and the nose. Smiled, and then open her palms and pointed to the skies.

Though she was silent, one could have easily deciphered her actions. She wondered what she would do to give her thanks to the heavens, for the miracle. She never lost faith that someday her daughter would be reunited with her daughter again.

Josephine asked for her father's help. “They are too powerful.” Mr. Paul Lawrence muttered, shaking his head. We don't stand a chance.

Josephine knew that much. She implored her father to think of other possible means. “Once you marry into the Jamestown family, we will have just as powerful allies. Maybe then we can try to go after the McCain's.

“But that will not happen for eight more months,” Josephine wailed. She wanted to recover her daughter the soonest possible. She had already missed a lot in her life.

“And hurrying without proper planning way might prevent us from ever winning her back and getting justice for our family.” Her father as always knew how to tread carefully on such important matters. If anyone can get her child back, it was him. Josephine believed.

“I trust your judgment, father,” she admitted. It would be hard to stay eight more months without her daughter, but she would ensure lasting custody for her.

“Perhaps you can ask your fiancée to move forward the wedding,” he suggested.

“I will ask him,” Josephine answered, hoping Andrew loved her enough to put her request into consideration. But she feared his father might not be too thrilled with the idea. The man didn't like her to begin with. And he never hid it.

****

In the McCain family residence, things were pretty heated. Everyone was gathered, except for Damien, the now youngest brother.

The McCain's had adopted him right after Lewis died. Damien was sixteen by then, fresh out of an orphanage. Though everyone expected him to follow his brothers into the corporate world, Damien chose to be a Catholic priest. And his family couldn't have been prouder. Apparently, he couldn't escape the parish even for a few hours since it was on a Tuesday, confession day.

The elder McCain, Luther, wanted to run the whole Lawrence family to the ground. “I will not let that disgusting family get away with this!” He slammed his fist on the desk. His lovely wife moved to his side fast, “calm down, darling, no one is taking Kris away from us.” She cooed. Her angry husband is someone no one in their right mind wanted to cross. He was ruthless and every bit dangerous to his foes.

“I want them to try,” he challenged. “If they come after us again, I swear I will leave them without a penny on their name. They will be begging on the streets like dogs they are, once I am done with them.”

“Dad, relax,” the older son Anthony tried to calm his old man. “The doctor said getting worked up is not good for your heart.”

“He is right, dad,” Sebastian added firmly. “Leave this to us,” he glanced at his brother briefly and smiled at the fire he saw in his eyes. “We will not lose your granddaughter,” he promised. “I will not lose my daughter.” The conviction in Sebastian's tone made the elder McCain relax visibly. He knew his sons well. They were kind, tenacious, loyal and the most loving souls he has ever met. A trait they got from his darling wife. But there were also brutal when they needed to be. And with Kristine's safety in question, they will be Lawrence's worst nightmare. The elder man grinned wickedly. He had raised men to beyond.

“Grandpa, tell Ethan I can take over the company too.” Kristine rushed in demanding, as she threw her cousin an icy glare. “He says only men are allowed to.”

“You know that is not true, Ethan.” The elder McCain laughed, eyeing his two grandchildren. Ethan was Antony's son. He was just two years older than Kristine. They were both intelligent and competitive, as siblings normally are. “Your grandmother and I weren't blessed with a girl, but if we were,, I am sure she would be leading our businesses together with her brothers.”

“I know grandpa,” Ethan gave him a toothy grin. “She is so easy to rile up.” Everyone chuckled, making Kristine furious. Her cousin was annoying. She thought, planning payback just before their grandmother spoke up.

“They remind me of Lewis and Sebastian.” Another round of chuckles. Sebastian and Lewis had two years gap between them as well. Just as competitive, just as smart, and best friends as well. It was no wonder Lewis left Sebastian as guardian to his daughter.

“They were an annoying bunch,” Anthony was five years older than Sebastian. He hated when his younger siblings disturbed him with their unending bickering and fights. Most of the time, he used to hide their toys and lock them in their rooms just to get a moment of peace when his parents weren't around. He fondly shook his head, remembering how despite his frustrations with them, they always looked up to him. And he always looked out for them. He blames himself for Lewis, he thinks that if he had known about his substance abuse on time, he would have been able to help him. A seventeen-year-old accused of rape, and he was innocent but couldn't prove it, would have taken a toll on many. To worsen it the accuser was the girl he loved. The exuberant Lewis lost his light that day. The postmortem showed he had used, and drove.

“Are you staying for dinner?” Their mother asked, drawing each from their thoughts.

“Yes,”

“No,”

The brothers shot each other a glance.

“No,”

“Yes,”

This time, Sebastian went with Anthony's initial answer, no, but Anthony went with his, yes. “Make up your damn minds,” their father boomed in amusement just before his wife said, “you are all staying.”

The two grandchildren smiled, anticipating the meal. Their grandmother was a superb cook. Apart from that, both children had no other female in their lives. Ethan's mother, Antony's wife, died in a grisly road accident too when the boy was just a few months old.

“Can we have lamb chops for dinner, grandma?” Ethan asked hopefully.

“No!” Kristine shouted, sticking her tongue out when her cousin scowled at her. “I want pasta, grandma,”

And so, the bickering began again…