The CEO's Bride

Brother's advice

Brent sat in his office, the warm glow of the desk lamp illuminating the scattered papers and open laptop before him. The city outside was still recovering from the chaos of last week—his brothers wedding that never happened, the whispers, the rumors. But Brent had no time to dwell on any of that. His mind was buried in figures, deadlines, and proposals.

A soft knock came at the door. Without looking up, Brent said, “Come in.”

It was Liam, his younger brother, shoulders tense, eyes heavy with a sadness he tried to hide. He dropped into the chair across from Brent’s desk, his fingers tapping against his knee in restless rhythm.

“You’re still here?” Liam asked quietly.

“Where else would I be?” Brent replied, glancing at him briefly before turning back to his laptop. “I’ve got a client meeting at nine tomorrow. Can’t waste time.”

Liam let out a slow breath. “Brent, I can’t stop thinking about Ysabelle. About everything that happened. She just—walked away. No calls. No explanations.”

Brent finally stopped typing and leaned back in his chair, studying his brother. He could see the hurt in Liam’s eyes—the same pain that had been lingering since that day at the altar. But Brent had made his decision; he wasn’t going to let Liam drown in what-ifs and heartache.

“Liam,” Brent said firmly, “You need to stop chasing ghosts. She made her choice. And you need to make yours, okay?”

Liam’s brow furrowed. “You think I can just forget her?”

“I’m saying you have to,” Brent replied. His tone wasn’t cruel, but it carried the weight of someone who had learned hard lessons. “You’ve got a future ahead of you. A career you’ve been building for years. Don’t throw it away because you’re stuck in the past.”

Liam’s lips tightened. “It’s not that easy.”

“Yes,” Brent admitted, “but easy isn’t the point. You think I don’t know what it’s like to lose someone you care about? I do. And I learned that if you don’t move forward, you end up stuck—watching the rest of your life pass you by.”

Liam looked down, his voice low. “She was supposed to be my life.”

Brent leaned forward, resting his elbows on the desk. “Your life is more than one person, Liam. You’ve got us, your talent, ambition, and a chance to build something real for yourself. The worst thing you could do right now is waste that by chasing someone who walked away without looking back.”

The silence in the room stretched between them. Brent could hear the faint hum of traffic outside, the ticking of the wall clock, and Liam’s uneven breathing.

Finally, Brent softened his tone. “I know it hurts. I’m not telling you to pretend it never happened. I’m telling you to take that pain and put it into something that will last. Something no one can take from you.”

Liam looked up, his eyes searching Brent’s face. “And if she comes back?”

Brent hesitated, then shrugged slightly. “If she comes back, you’ll be in a better place to decide what you really want. But you can’t stand still waiting for that to happen.”

Liam leaned back in his chair, exhaling heavily. “You make it sound so simple.”

“It’s not simple,” Brent replied. “It’s just necessary.”

For the next few minutes, neither spoke. Brent returned to his laptop, typing away at a proposal draft, while Liam stared at the floor, lost in thought. The clicking of the keyboard filled the space, steady and unrelenting—just like Brent’s approach to life.

When Brent finally looked up again, he noticed Liam still sitting there, his expression calmer than before.

“You’ve got that architecture project coming up, right?” Brent asked.

Liam nodded. “Yeah. The firm’s been waiting for my designs.”

“Then give them your best work,” Brent said. “Make them see your worth, you’ve got more in you than just… heartbreak!”

Liam gave a faint, humorless smile. “You think burying myself in work is the best answer bro?”

Brent’s lips curved slightly. “I think focusing on what you can control is the answer. Work is something you can build and improve. Love…? sometimes it’s not in your hands.”

There was a knock at the door again—Brent’s assistant reminding him about an upcoming conference call. He gave Liam a pointed look. “Think about what I said.”

Liam rose from his chair slowly. “I’ll try.”

“That’s all I’m asking, bro!” Brent replied.

As Liam walked out of the office, Brent let out a quiet sigh. He knew his brother was still hurting, and no single conversation could erase that. But Brent also knew that healing didn’t always start with closure—it sometimes started with distraction, discipline, and the decision to keep moving forward.

Later that night, after the office had emptied, Brent found himself staring at the same spot where Liam had sat. He remembered the look in his brother’s eyes—a mixture of longing and uncertainty—and felt a pang of sympathy. But he also knew that love could be a dangerous anchor if it wasn’t reciprocated.

He returned to his laptop, pouring himself into the final touches of the proposal. For him, work was more than just a job—it was structure and control.

In a world where emotions could ruin everything, He hoped that, in time, Liam would see that too.

For now, there was only one truth Brent wanted Liam to hold on to: careers could be built, dreams could be chased, and life could be rebuilt.

Heartbreak didn’t have to be the end—it could be the start of something stronger.

Brent was in the middle of reviewing a contract when his phone rang. Seeing his mother’s name flash on the screen, he quickly answered. “Hi, Mom. Everything okay?”

Her voice was calm but carried an undertone of urgency. “Brent, I forget to tell you I was here in the province.”

Brent set his pen down. “Whaaat? Where exactly, Mom?”

“I visited my friend Claire,” his mother said softly. “Do you still remember her?”

Brent frowned. “Yeah! I thought they were in Canada?.”

“Yes, but they’re here now and just arrived yesterday that's why I came here,” his mother replied.

“Mom, what does it have to do with me then?” Brent leaned back in his chair, a knot forming in his chest. “Why are you telling me this?”

“Because, I didn't bring the car, I told the driver to go back in the city but when I called him he said he cannot come today, he had an emergency,” his mother said gently.

Brent stayed silent for a moment, the weight of her words settling in. He know exactly what his mom meant by that.

“Alright, Mom. I’ll go there and pick you up.”