Claimed By My Brother's Best Friend

Chapter Two

The next morning I opened my eyes to bright lights. When my phone vibrated on the bedside table, I reached out to pick it up. Ignoring the messages from Rylan, I opened the one from my best friend.

Isa: Lara! Guess what…I just got the part time job at that bar your fiancé goes to but never takes you with him. And he's here with your sister. Shouldn't he be planning for his business trip?

Isabella and I have known each other since middle school. She was a beautiful girl with brown hair and matching brown eyes, freckles that added another layer of beauty to her. Although my family was better off than hers, it never stopped us from being friends. Isa was fiercely loyal and protective of me. So I wasn't surprised by the text. Although this was a turn of events from my past life.

In my past life Rylan had made it so hard for Isa because she tried talking me out of marrying him and in the end he set her up, drugged her and left her to two men. He made a video of the whole assault and forced me to watch it. Isa jumped off a building soon after.

Recalling that memory made the hatred I already had for Rylan intensify. I texted back.

Me: I'm sure they're just celebrating ahead of the deal he's about to conclude.

A bitter taste coated my tongue. I remembered every time I had defended Rylan, every time I told Isa she was imagining things, that he wasn't that bad. I had chosen love over loyalty, and it nearly cost Isa her life. How could I have been so blind? Now, the anger I felt wasn’t just for what they did to me, but for what they did to her. To all of us. They’d trampled on everything good in my life. Not this time.

I had to take things slowly, I wasn't going to reveal my trump card against Vivian and Rylan just yet.

Isa: Are you sure? If he wanted to celebrate, why not ask you to go with him.

Me: I ended things with him last night.

The three dots indicating she was typing appeared, disappeared and my phone started ringing. I picked up instantly just to have her almost make me go deaf.

“What!?...Lara, what do you mean you ended things with Rylan? You're not just throwing a tantrum are you?”

I became emotional immediately when I heard her voice, and silently made a promise to make them pay for what she went through in my past life. Isa had a British accent so it was always pleasant when she spoke.

I remembered a rainy afternoon during one of the worst fights I had with my parents. I’d locked myself in my room, crying into my pillow until I couldn’t breathe. Isa had climbed through my bedroom window with a bag of chocolate, a movie drive, and matching pajamas. “We cry today, but tomorrow, we fight,” she had said. That was Isa. Brave, dramatic, loyal to a fault. Even when I didn’t deserve her. The memory made my chest ache. I had let her down in my past life. This time, I would protect her too.

“No, I really did end things with him last night. And I have no intention of getting back together.”

Isa was quiet for a minute before she spoke up again. “Lara, I'm so happy you're finally seeing clearly!”

I couldn't help but laugh. I know Isabelle never liked Rylan but I couldn't care less in my past life, not even my parents could stop me from chasing him. And eventually it ended badly. Since I was reborn, I decided to do the things I never did in my past life so I suggested visiting Isabella at the bar this night.

We talked for some time and it felt really good to know that my best friend was still alive. I put down my phone to get my thoughts together, what was the best way to get my revenge? I quickly grabbed a book and pen and wrote down the things I could remember from my past life. Not sure if the same events would occur but it was better to be prepared.

After writing, I closed the book and headed into the bathroom. As I picked out a yellow dress, I caught my reflection in the mirror and froze. My fingers curled tightly around the dress as I stared at the girl looking back at me.

How had I ever let myself become so small?

Memories rushed in. Me standing outside Rylan’s office for hours, waiting for him to “find time” to see me. Me laughing off the lipstick on his collar. Me pretending not to notice Vivian’s perfume on his jacket. I used to believe if I just loved hard enough, he’d love me back.

I took a deep breath and unclenched my hand. Not anymore.

I slipped the dress on and walked out to join Mum. She and Ethan were already seated, chatting quietly. Breakfast felt warmer than usual, like they could sense something was different about me. And maybe I wasn’t hiding it very well.

After breakfast, I asked Mum to accompany me shopping. She blinked in surprise, Vivian would’ve been my first pick for anything like that. But I wasn’t giving her that power again.

Later, in the car, I watched the city blur past the window, my list still buzzing in the back of my mind. The chauffeur dropped us off at one of the branches under Whitmore Holdings. Kael Whitmore. Ethan’s best friend.

Just hearing his name sent a flicker through me.

I never really figured him out in my past life. He always lingered on the edge of my story, quiet but present. I remembered one odd moment, him watching me as I cried in a hallway after a fight with Rylan. He’d said nothing… just offered me his jacket.

At the time, I barely looked up. Now I wondered what he saw.

Honestly I wondered how they came to be friends because my brother was the total opposite of Kael, the only thing they had in common was having a younger sibling and inheriting the company.

Kael had already been a CEO for a year now while my brother was still working as vice president at our company. Dad kept on postponing handing the company over to him for some reasons I wasn't bothered to find out in my past life.

As I held up a simple navy blouse, I realized how little I’d cared for my own taste before. Everything I wore used to revolve around what Rylan liked. Soft colors. No heels. Modest necklines. Now, I found myself drawn to bolder pieces, shapes that hugged me, colors that demanded to be seen. For once, I wasn’t dressing for anyone but myself.

Mum picked out a red evening dress, the entire back was open and it sparkled when light hit it. “This dress is lovely Elara, I think you should wear it to the charity ball.”

The charity ball mum was going to host. I'm my past life, I refused to attend the ball. It was a day after mum and I had a fight. And since I didn't attend, Vivian and Rylan used the opportunity to flaunt their affair. If I didn’t attend, they’d flaunt it. If I did… well, they’d still win. Unless I learned how to play the game better.

Just as I was about to respond to mum, a voice sounded beside us and I could feel my heart hammering against my rib cage like it was threatening to come out. I stood frozen as Vivian, my step sister, walked towards mum and took the dress. She turned to me, all smiles, as her eyes looked me over.

“Lara, you shouldn't be wearing this kind of clothes. What would Rylan think? Are you trying to sell yourself? You know he doesn't really like bold colours and outfits on you”

She said while holding the dress close like a concerned big sister who was doing all this for my good. Using my nickname like we were that close. My throat went dry and I swallowed hard. The fear from my past life kept me rooted at a spot. Vivian smiled in triumph when I didn't respond.

“Don’t worry Lara, I'll take this dress instead and find something more fitting for you.” I couldn't let her take that dress. Not this time. I opened my mouth slowly to speak, using the tip of my tongue to wet my lips, my eyes focused on her face.

“Vivi I know you always have my best interests at heart.” From the corner of my eye I could see mum's disappointed gaze as she lowered her head. Vivian, thinking she already won started walking towards the changing room to try the dress on. But my next words made her half, turning sharply in surprise to look at me.

“But Vivi, I don't care what Rylan thinks. I like that dress. In fact I'm doing this for both of us, what would people say if his fiance always looked shabby? You wouldn't want his image ruined right?”

Vivian's eyes widened, her brows drawing together in pure confusion. I didn't think she'd ever been so stunned by me.

Mum stayed quiet, her gaze darting between us. I didn’t need her approval, but the flicker of surprise in her eyes told me she noticed the change in me too.

I walked over to Vivian, slowly, deliberately. “I’ll take that,” I said, plucking the dress from her hand like it had never belonged to her.

Vivian didn’t resist. She just stared, lips parted like she was still trying to process what had happened.

With my chin high, I turned and strode to the cashier, handing over m

y card.

This time, no one picked for me. I chose myself.

And it felt damn good.