My Brother Makes Me Crazy

Chapter 5 An Invitation

Remus barely got his words out before Brett cut him off coldly. "Shut up. You don't need to prove your existence by babbling nonsense."

The atmosphere at the table grew tense. Realizing his mistake, Remus shot an awkward glance at Erin.

Erin, however, remained composed as she stood up. "I'm going to the restroom. You two carry on."

Erin walked toward the bathroom, still thinking about the conversation at the table: Professor Weiss knew about Karen's existence too? Also, Brett, knowing that she worked at Presbyterian Hospital, still insisted that Karen go there for an abortion. Was that intentional? What was his purpose—to find an excuse to see her or to show off?

"Ms. Watson!" Saoirse's clear voice rang out.

Erin saw the small figure in the bathroom and greeted her with a smile. "Saoirse, are you here for dinner too? Who brought you?"

"I came with my brother!" Saoirse said, suddenly putting on a serious expression and pouting as she asked, "Erin, did you ever date my brother?"

Erin laughed. "No, why would you ask that?"

Saoirse looked suspicious. "Really? But my brother said he's known you for a long time, and he keeps asking me about you..."

As they chatted, they walked out of the bathroom, and Erin looked up to see Alva waiting by the door for his sister.

Alva froze for a moment when he saw Erin, then flashed a bright smile. "Erin, what a coincidence!"

"It really is," Erin replied.

Alva seemed like he wanted to say something more, but Saoirse tugged at him, clearly not wanting anyone to take her brother away.

Erin found it amusing and, with a knowing smile, nodded at Alva and returned to her seat.

Both men at the table noticed the smile on Erin's face.

Brett tightened his grip on his fork, his expression cold enough to freeze.

Professor Weiss, on the other hand, looked surprised and asked, "Erin, is that person from the Lopez family? Are you two close?"

Erin smiled. "I'm just acquainted with Alva Lopez. We were university classmates, but we're not very familiar."

"Alva Lopez... I think I've heard rumors that he pursued you?"

Professor Weiss was quite nosy.

Erin casually brushed the topic off. "It's all in the past. He's a nice person."

Brett's knife scraped across his plate with a somewhat rude noise.

After leaving the restaurant, Professor Weiss bid them farewell and drove off.

Erin turned to Brett and waved. "Goodbye, drive safely."

Whether it was her imagination or not, Erin thought she saw Brett grind his teeth. He furrowed his brows and asked, "Aren't you going home?"

"I am. I'll take the bus from the stop ahead," Erin answered. After all, given her relationship with Brett, she didn't expect him to offer her a ride home.

"Suit yourself." Brett cast a deep, cold look at Erin before turning and walking away.

A few minutes later, Brett's black Rolls-Royce sped past her and quickly disappeared into the night.

Erin walked toward the bus stop, but before she had gone very far, a familiar BMW 740 pulled up beside her.

The window rolled down, and Alva smiled warmly at her. "Are you going home alone? Want me to give you a ride?"

Saoirse's little head popped out of the back window. "Ms. Watson, get in the car! But don't fall in love with my brother just because of this, okay? He's just really nice!"

Alva looked a bit embarrassed. "Saoirse, stop saying such things! Sorry, Erin, don't mind her."

Erin smiled and accepted the kindness from the duo.

As soon as she got in the car, little Saoirse started talking to her. Erin, focused on the adorable child, didn't notice the scenery outside the window.

So, she didn't see that, as the BMW 740 passed a bus stop, it brushed past a black Rolls-Royce.

The driver's side window of the Rolls-Royce lowered, and the handsome man with sapphire-blue eyes rested his hand on the window, holding a cigarette, waiting for someone.

As the car neared Brett's house, Alva suddenly asked, "Erin, did you just have dinner with Brett? You ate together, and you're still living at his place. Would you mind if I ask about your relationship with him?"

Erin hesitated for a moment, then softly replied, "We're housemates."

After getting out of the car and watching Alva drive off with Saoirse, Erin turned and walked toward the house.

She was a bit puzzled when she didn't see Brett's car in the yard—he should have been back first.

Erin entered the house, instinctively not turning on the lights and heading straight to the bathroom to prepare her bath.

It wasn't until she was soaking in the bathtub that she heard the sound of a car in the yard, probably Brett returning.

As she blew on the bubbles cupped in her hands, she thought, 'Last time, Brett got inexplicably angry when he saw Alva drop me off. Fortunately, the two men didn't meet this time. Brett surely won't go crazy again, right?'

Lost in thought, the bathroom door suddenly swung open.

Brett, exuding coldness, stood in the doorway. When he saw that Erin was comfortably soaking in the bathtub, he let out a barely noticeable sigh of relief before coldly asking, "Why didn't you turn on the lights when you came back?"

Erin's mind short-circuited for a moment. She widened her eyes and met his sapphire-blue gaze.

'Wait a minute, I'm the one soaking in the bathtub, exposed, but why does it look like he's angrier than I am?'

The steamy bathroom fell into silence.

Erin, with wet hair and her body submerged in the water, was hidden beneath the bubbles. She let her guard down, her expression somewhat dazed, like a clueless mermaid rising to the surface for the first time.

Brett's lips curled upward for a brief moment, only to quickly press back into a cold line.

He strode into the bathroom, not caring about his expensive handmade leather shoes getting wet.

Erin watched as Brett came closer, his masculine scent filling the air, causing her heart to race uncontrollably. She raised her hands to push against his chest but couldn't stop him from getting closer.

"Wait... wait a minute..."

He was getting closer!

Brett's scent filled Erin's nose, and his breath swept across her cheek.

'He's going to kiss me!'

Erin instinctively closed her eyes, but instead of a kiss, she heard a deep, husky voice next to her ear: "Come to my room after your bath."