Desired by Two brothers

Chapter 3 I Can Do Anything

Dylan shook the umbrella violently, and instinctively, I raised my hands to cover my head. But the cold rain still splattered onto my hands and hair, sending a chill down my spine.

I stomped my foot, furious, and snapped, "What the hell are you doing?"

Dylan burst out laughing, but I noticed his eyes never left me.

His gaze was the same deep brown as Declan's, but Declan's eyes brought warmth, while Dylan's felt like a predator sizing up its prey. He then said, "Now, this is what a 'princess' looks like."

That damn word again. It was like he'd found the perfect way to humiliate and mock me.

"Do you enjoy pushing me around that much?" I glared at him.

"I had a bad day, so I don't want anyone else to be too happy," Dylan said, his lips approaching my ear. "When Declan hugs you, you look so damn happy. It makes me a little pissed."

"I... I wasn't—" I opened my mouth to argue because I didn't want Dylan to laugh at my feelings for Declan, but I couldn't deny that spark I felt when Declan held me. I stammered, "I..."

"What?" Dylan's warm breath hit my ear, and I couldn't help but raise my icy hand to stop the heat rushing up my cheek.

He seemed to see straight through me. Without missing a beat, he grabbed my wrist and said in a sarcastic tone, "Come on, let's go inside, poop princess."

Getting inside, I instinctively looked around for Declan, but he wasn't there.

A wave of unease washed over me. I wondered if I had done something wrong to make him see right through me and decide to avoid me.

I was lost in thought, following Dylan absentmindedly, not even noticing he had stopped walking.

I didn't come back to reality until a force slammed into my back, nearly sending me crashing to the ground.

I steadied myself just in time and noticed Victor and Lena sitting on the couch in front of me and watching me in my flustered state. Dylan pulled his hand away from me with no trace of guilt on his face.

Damn, was this his idea of a warm welcome?

There was no way out now. I lifted my head to look at them. Victor was frowning slightly. His expression was strange, almost familiar. It reminded me of my dad, and for some reason, that made my chest tighten.

Lucy, the maid, brought towels to me and Dylan. I took mine, but then I heard Lena's cool tone. "You'll catch a cold like this. Go take a shower," she said, her eyes fixed on Dylan, not even bothering to glance in my direction.

Dylan nodded and then glanced back at me. "Why are you still standing there?"

What? Was he implying we were going to shower together?

But actually, I was waiting for Lena's approval. She was the one I needed to impress. In my memories, she rarely showed up at family gatherings. She was always so serious, hardly ever smiled, and her gaze was ice cold. Maybe she only showed this side in front of me because she didn't like me, but I could never figure out why.

It was probably because I beat up Dylan when we were kids. I had my reasons though—he had glitter-bomb on my hair, put ketchup in my coffee, and hid worms and snails under my pillow. If I hadn't punched him after what he had done to me, I'd be the world's most patient angel.

I stood awkwardly, put one hand behind my back, and nervously fidgeted the hem of my shirt.

Lena sat on the couch with her arms crossed. Victor kissed her on the cheek and said, "Darling, we have another family member now."

But I could tell from the way Lena looked at me that I wasn't exactly a family member to her. I forced myself to meet her cold gaze, trying to keep my nerves in check. I greeted her. "Good afternoon, Mrs. Adams."

She stood up and walked over to me, her hand brushing my face. It was the closest thing I'd ever received from her since I knew her.

She said, "Good. I really don't like dealing with rude people. Lucy, give her something to do."

Victor stopped Lucy and said to Lena in a soft tone, "Be nice, Lena. Nora is still young."

"But she should learn to be an adult, Victor," Lena retorted. She then looked at me with a sharp, assessing stare. "Are you planning to just eat and live here for free? Do you have any idea how much your family owes us? And you're still going to school, aren't you?"

"Lena!" Victor tried to stop her again.

Her words were harsh, but they were grounded in truth. I instantly said, "I'm willing to work, Mrs. Adams. I'll wait for my father to come back, and we'll pay off what we owe you."

"Good, I hope your father shares that attitude," Lena said, her tone dripping with doubt.

She spoke about my father with such distrust, and I wanted to argue, but then the reality of being alone hit me hard. My fist clenched instinctively.

"What can she even do? She'll probably tear this house down." Dylan suddenly laughed.

"I can do anything," I muttered under my breath, feeling a surge of defiance.

It was true that, in the past, I never did any chores at home. But after my father let the servants go and we moved out of the villa, I had to learn how to do everything—shopping, cooking, cleaning, taking care of the sick... Every time I learned something new, my mom would tell me how proud she was of me.

Damn it, I could feel the tears coming, but I couldn't let them fall—not here, not in front of the Adams!

I fought to keep my emotions in check, not wanting to embarrass myself. Suddenly, a towel was thrown at my face, damp but enough to soak up the tears that had started to spill.

"Then prove yourself by starting with the towels, Princess Nora." Dylan's voice came to me, followed by Victor's scolding.

I held the towel to my face, trying to hide my emotions, and followed Lucy in silence.

When we reached the kitchen, Lucy called me "Ms. Green". I told her that I preferred just "Nora", and I noticed the sympathy in her eyes. She had been working for the Adams family for a long time, practically watching me and the two boys grow up together.

She poured me a cup of hot water and then explained what my duties would be. From the kitchen, rooms, to the garden, I was given a tour of all the tasks expected of me.

The house was just like my old one. It was a three-story villa with a garden in the front and back. For the first time, I visited the massive villa through the eyes of a maid. All the endless chores made me realize just how big this house was.

It wasn't until we had walked through every corner of the house that I finally saw my room.