Claimed by the Villainess’s Brother

Chapter 8

I knew it was wrong to eavesdrop.

“I don’t even understand why you like me when it hasn’t been long since we met,” Elena was saying. “And you don’t know anything about me aside from what you see at school, Jonathan.”

“What’s with that?” Jonathan chuckled softly. “If I don’t know, I’ll just get to know it.”

I smiled to myself as a rush of warmth hit my chest.

I was leaning against the wall outside the classroom, the cool surface pressing against my back. Through the half-open door, I could hear the low murmur of Jonathan and Elena’s voices. They didn’t know I was there, and for some reason, I couldn’t bring myself to walk in just yet. Or leave.

“But why me?” Elena asked, her voice soft, uncertain.

“What do you mean, why you?”

“You know what I mean,” Elena replied, a little firmer this time. “I’m just… I’m basically a nobody.”

“You’re not a nobody, Elena.”

There was a silence, and I could almost picture Elena biting her lip, waiting for him to continue.

Jonathan’s voice softened. “I don’t know everything about you yet, that’s true. But I don’t need to know everything to care about you. What I do know is that you’re kind, smart, and you don’t pretend to be someone you’re not. You’re real, Elena. That’s what I like about you.”

His words made my heart flutter and I could already imagine the look on Elena’s face right now. Her wide eyes, the faint blush on her cheeks.

“But that’s just… stuff,” she protested weakly. “Anyone could be like that.”

“No,” Jonathan countered gently. “Not everyone is like you. You’re special, Elena. And I like you because you’re you.”

“What if… what if you realize you made a mistake? What if you find out I’m not that special after all?”

Jonathan’s response was immediate. “Then that’s my mistake to make, not yours. But I don’t think I’m wrong about you, Elena. I like you because I see you for who you really are.”

Inside, there was a soft rustling sound, and I imagined Jonathan reaching for Elena’s hand. His next words were quieter, almost tender. “I want to know everything about you, Elena. And I’m willing to take my time, if you’ll let me.”

As much as I wanted to burst in and cheer them on, I knew this was their moment. It was a significant step forward in their budding relationship, and I didn’t want to intrude.

With a contented smile on my face, I pushed off the wall and walked down the hall, hoping they’d finally figure each other out and maybe finally progress into a relationship.

My thoughts lingered on what I had just overheard. I knew it was bad being nosy, but I was only trying to protect something important.

My best friend's feelings, her happiness, her chance at a happy ending.

And Jonathan was a key factor in that, even though Elena kept denying it.

Elena didn’t have a lot of happy moments, not like some of the others at school who had everything handed to them. She’d been through too much, seen too many things that weighed her down. But she was stubborn like that, always doubting whether she deserved good things.

With those thoughts in mind, I made my way down the stairs. A deep voice echoed through the stairwell, making me pause mid-step. My ears perked up, recognizing that tone immediately.

It was Lucas.

I peered down. He was standing a few steps below, talking to one of our classmates, Hana.

“Have you seen Elena?” he asked.

Immediately, my guard went up.

Why was he looking for Elena? What did he want with her?

Hana shook her head. “No. I’m sorry.”

Lucas gave a nod, about to turn away, but then Hana added, “Maybe you should try the classroom. She’s usually in there.”

A jolt of panic ran through me.

Uh, no, he shouldn’t.

I continued down the stairs, narrowing my eyes at Lucas. “What do you want with Elena?” I asked, my voice sharper than I intended.

Lucas turned to face me, and for a moment, just stared blankly at me. Hana quickly scurried away, as if sensing the tense atmosphere between us.

“Coline,” he acknowledged smoothly, “I didn’t realize you were here.”

“Yeah, well, I am,” I shot back. “Why are you looking for her?”

His gaze lingered on me, as if he were carefully choosing his next words. “I just needed to talk to her.”

I crossed my arms, not buying it. “Talk about what?”

He raised an eyebrow. “Nothing you need to worry about.”

I narrowed my eyes further.

That was not the answer I wanted.

Lucas held my gaze for a moment, then shrugged as if it didn’t matter to him one way or another. “I need to give her something from the teacher.”

I extended my hand. “Well, you can give it to me. I’ll make sure she gets it.”

“I think it’s better I give it to her.”

“And I think I’d prefer it if you just gave it to me so I could give it to her,” I insisted.

He let out a sigh, but I could see he was hiding a grin.

“Fine,” he muttered.

Then, without warning, he dumped a stack of heavy books into my hand. The sudden weight startled me, and I instinctively wrapped my arms around them and hugged them to my chest. I hadn’t even noticed he’d been carrying them, given how effortlessly he’d held them under his arm, as if they weighed nothing.

Lucas could barely conceal his amusement. “Need some help?”

“No,” I huffed, adjusting the cumbersome load.

“Are you sure?” he pressed, clearly enjoying my discomfort.

“Yes, I’m sure,” I snapped. “Why does Elena need these books, anyway?”

Lucas grinned. “Apparently, she asked the teacher if she could borrow them.”

I glanced down at the stack and noticed they were creative writing guides and even a thesaurus. Then I remembered that Elena was preparing to apply for a scholastic contest.

“Really?” I mumbled, peering at the titles. “A thesaurus? For what? Does she need help finding synonyms for ‘diligent’?”

Lucas chuckled, the sound rich and warm. “Maybe she’s looking for more interesting ways to say ‘I’m annoyed’ for you.”

“Very funny,” I said dryly. “And you’re just delivering them? No other intentions?”

“Nope,” he answered, pushing his hands into his pockets. “Just playing the messenger. Why? Do you think I’m up to something?”

I scowled and chose not to answer that. “You knew these were heavy, and you were thinking of just handing them over to her?” I said instead.

His brows lifted in mock innocence. “I was going to offer to carry them to wherever she needed to go.”

Like hell, he was.

The idea of him playing the gallant knight for Elena didn’t sit well with me.

Lucas never did anything without a reason, and when it came to my best friend, I couldn’t afford to let my guard down. No way was I letting him get close.

“Are you really sure you don’t need my help?” Lucas asked again, his voice laced with a teasing edge that made my fingers itch to punch him.

I hesitated, weighing my options. As much as I hated to admit it, the books were ridiculously heavy, and I could feel my arms already starting to protest.

Grudgingly, I relented. “Fine. But you’ll have to help me carry them to the classroom.”

If he had mocked me, I would have seriously considered hitting him with one of those books. But instead, Lucas just gave me a cheeky grin and effortlessly retrieved the stack from my arms.

“Lead the way,” he said, still smirking.

I turned and started walking up the stairwell, my pace quick and determined. Lucas followed, the sound of his footsteps close behind me. At least now, with me around, I didn’t have to worry about him intruding on Elena and Jonathan’s conversation. I’d be there to make sure things stayed on track.

As we made our way to the classroom, I kept my guard up. Lucas might be playing nice now, but I wasn’t about to let him, or Luna, get any closer to Elena. I was sure Luna had enlisted him to help her somehow, and I wasn’t about to let either of them ruin Elena’s chance at happiness.

Not on my watch.