Claimed by the Villainess’s Brother

Chapter 2

Last Summer

It was the night of Jonathan’s 18th birthday party.

It was the kind of party where the entire hotel was rented out.

That was how wealthy and influential Jonathan Fernazo’s family was, and how they spared no expense when it came to celebrating the birthday of their only son, turning it into the social event of the year.

I found myself tucked away in a corner, surreptitiously sipping wine I'd managed to snag from a distracted server. My gaze wandered across the extravagant ballroom, eventually settling on Elena, who was dancing in the arms of Jonathan. She looked positively radiant, her happiness evident as she twirled in a beautiful emerald dress. Jonathan, too, seemed content, his suit impeccable as he held her close. They looked every bit the prince and princess straight out of a fairy tale, and a sense of self-satisfaction washed over me for orchestrating this moment.

Elena had been hesitant to attend, but I had insisted, playing the role of a sort of fairy godmother by purchasing her dress, shoes, and even arranging for a makeover. While these extravagant events had always left me feeling bored, obligated to attend due to my family's acquaintance with Jonathan's parents, this time was different. Fortunately, I had Elena and Jonathan this time to add a new layer of excitement to the evening.

Recalling the day I first crossed paths with Elena feels like a distant memory, even though it's only been a year. She arrived on the first day of the previous school year as the new pretty transfer student, coming from a less privileged background, but you wouldn't know it from her sunny disposition. Right from the get-go, she was all optimism, hard work, and kindness.

Her arrival didn't go unnoticed, particularly by Jonathan, which set off a storm of jealousy among the girls.

Jonathan was the school's coveted heartthrob. With his friendly demeanor and genuine kindness, he easily won over the hearts of his peers, earning him the title of the most popular guy in school. Not to mention that he came from a good and wealthy family, and was good-looking and tall, smart, athletic and with unshakable self-confidence.

As Elena spent more time with Jonathan, the more the girls began to view her as a threat. And Luna, who harbored an unwarranted possessiveness over Jonathan, was the most indignant of them all.

Despite her beauty and glamour, Luna's personality was twisted. She relentlessly harassed any girl close to Jonathan until they were too scared to be around him. And in extreme cases, bullied them so badly they ended up leaving the school. It was almost like she was sending a message. Losing the favor of Luna was a serious affair which was why there was no one who ever attempted to cross her.

So Elena got picked on because of her.

That was what happens at this school if you get on Luna’s bad side.

By some twist of fate, our last names placed Elena and me together in seating arrangements and partnered activities. Seeing her genuine kindness in the face of all the drama made me want to stick by her side, and we became fast friends.

"Isn’t it risky for you to be around me?" Elena once asked after a particularly nasty encounter with Luna.

I thought about it for a moment. “It’s true that there are people around here who care about family status, but I’m not one of them. If anything, I don’t like those types who think they’re big because of their name.”

“But your friends are no longer talking to you,” Elena pointed out, concern etched on her face.

“If they aren’t, then it’s their loss,” I said, grinning. “I’d rather have friends that actually have talent and some backbone, like you.”

She blinked. “Talent?”

I chuckled. "A scholarship student who aced both transfer and entrance exams? Come on, Elena. You’re practically a genius.”

Giggling, she accused me, "So that's why you befriended me. You just want my notes."

I nodded playfully. "That and your collection of weird animal facts."

Elena's concern was justified, though.

Before meeting her, I usually kept to myself and my circle of friends. And being the youngest child of a wealthy family, I assumed I’d just quietly progress through high school. Attend a prestigious university. Then follow the path the others set out for me. No problems. No deviations.

So it surprised everyone that I’d rather face the threat of social backlash when I stood firmly by Elena's side, bravely defying Luna and her own social circle. Because even if I came from a privileged family, I wasn’t like Luna and her friends. They live in a completely different world from me, one above the clouds, lording over everyone else in the school.

So my friends left me. One by one. But it was fine. Having Elena's friendship was more than enough.

The year passed swiftly, and we were now in our final year of high school. Elena, despite reciprocating Jonathan’s feelings, was still trying to ignore them out of fear of the societal barriers and the risks of their disparate backgrounds. Meanwhile, Jonathan was still relentless in his pursuit, undeterred by her countless rejections.

And then there's Luna, still up to her old tricks, trying to split Elena and Jonathan apart so she could have him all to herself. But I was still not going to let that happen.

I was lost in my thoughts about the past that I almost didn’t notice that Jonathan and Elena had vanished from the dance floor. I chuckled to myself and crossed my fingers for Jonathan, hoping something good would come out of their disappearance.

But happy as I was for them, seeing Luna, stunning in her silver dress and clearly seething, put a damper on things. It was obvious she was on the prowl for Jonathan, and I had a feeling sticking around would only land me in the hot seat for her relentless interrogation about his whereabouts.

I made a quick getaway through the French doors of the ballroom, relishing the cool breeze that greeted me on the hotel's rooftop gardens. Feeling a bit tipsy and giddy from the wine, I couldn't help but giggle as I heard someone calling my name angrily from behind.

Gathering my skirts in my hands, I dashed into the garden maze, my heart pounding with a mix of excitement and nervousness. Lost in my attempt to escape, I collided with someone, and strong hands reached out to steady me.

As I looked up, still caught in the haze of my tipsiness, my breath caught in my throat.

And that's when I saw him.

~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~

“What’s this?” Luna's voice jolted me out of my foredoomed thoughts, and I blinked, caught off guard. She was frowning, her gaze darting between me and the guy in front of us. “Do you two know each other already, brother?”

Brother?

My stomach hollowed out before it twisted into a painful knot.

And he was also Luna’s twin brother?

Elena's concerned gaze bore into me. “Coline? Are you alright?”

I fought to keep my panic hidden, swallowing hard before forcing a laugh.

And I hope to God I didn’t seem like a complete psycho.

“Oh, oh, you’re the new transfer, aren’t you?” I said brightly, attempting to sound casual and even managed to slap his shoulder lightly. “Welcome to St. Therese International.”

He raised an eyebrow, while Luna continued to frown at me, looking at me like I’d finally gone crazy.

“Yes,” Luna answered. “This is my twin brother, Lucas Prieto. Lucas, this is Coline Soleta.”

I ignored the fact she didn’t bother introducing Elena to her brother. I was nodding eagerly, trying to keep up the charade that everything was a-okay.

“I see,” I forced another wide smile. “You came to me because I’m the class president, right, Lucas? I have to show you around, yes? Let’s go.”

Without waiting for a response, I seized his wrist and began to pull him away from the hallway, feeling desperate to escape the situation. I didn’t have a destination in mind. I just needed to get away before they could ask any more questions, before they could see how much I was panicking.

Lucas must have grown tired of being dragged around because, suddenly, he took charge, pulling me into an empty classroom. My heart raced as I instinctively took several steps back when he moved closer but had nowhere left to escape when my back hit the wall.

“So your name is Coline,” he said softly, his deep husky voice sending shivers down my spine.

My composure slipped the closer he got to me. And when he stopped, he smiled, and it was a fantastic smile that made my pulse leap until I realized that it had no warmth.

“How does it feel, to meet me again like this?”

I clenched my jaw, finding myself locked in a silent battle, unsure of how to respond.

When my answer didn’t come, he pressed on, “So, you remember me? I thought your memory was so short you'd forgotten all about me.”

I bit my lip.

Oh, God. His deep voice.

It’s been a while since I’ve heard it, and it was still so attractive.

When I attempted to avert my gaze, Lucas took hold of my chin, his halting my movement, forcing me to meet his intense gaze once more. Still, I managed to keep a calm face when I looked up at him, craning my neck a little. He was quite tall then again, since I was barely five foot three, most people were taller than me.

“You just left,” he muttered quietly.

Confusion knitted my brows. “What?”

“You got your fill, then what? You were done with me? Was that it?”

“That’s... that’s not it,” I protested, my voice faltering.

"And you didn’t even leave a note," he added, disappointment tainting his tone.

I stared up at him, perplexed. Leave a note? What was he talking about?

Releasing his grip on my chin, Lucas shook his head and let out a heavy sigh. “I didn’t think you’d be so cruel, Coline.”

“Hold up,” I interjected, raising a hand to pause his endless probing. “Let’s just back up a bit. Why should I leave a note?”

“It's common courtesy," he replied matter-of-factly.

A mixture of disbelief and frustration surged within me. "What courtesy? Since when do one-night stands have etiquette rules?”

He tilted his head to the side and regarded me solemnly. “Just because it’s a one-night stand doesn’t mean you should forget about your manners.”

Wide-eyed, I stared up at him.

He was joking, right?