Checkmate？Soulmate！

Chapter 3 I'm Your Brother

Eleanor's POV:

I leaned against the wall, clutching my hair, and looked up—it was Jeffrey. His face was etched with shock as he stared at Anja, who was clearly flustered. "Anja, what were you doing?" he demanded.

"I... I just spilled the juice on her. I didn't mean to," Anja muttered, her eyes darting away.

"Nora, are you okay?" Jeffrey asked, his voice filled with concern as he stepped closer.

I shook my head, wincing. My scalp was throbbing with pain; damn it, she might have pulled out a chunk of my hair!

"Anja, do you really think I'm blind?" Jeffrey checked my head, and once he saw I wasn't seriously hurt, he turned to Anja sternly. "I've told you many times not to bully Nora. She's my sister too!"

"Based on what? She's just a wretch!" Anja shouted, even lifting her arm as if to strike me!

But before her hand could come down, Jeffrey grabbed her wrist. "Anja..." His eyes narrowed, his voice cold, and Anja shuddered in fear.

Our commotion had caught Larry's attention. As he hurried to the terrace, his expression skeptical, Jeffrey released Anja's arm, and she quickly composed herself, hiding her panic.

Larry stared at me, his brow furrowed, then shifted his gaze to Anja. He said nothing, seemingly waiting for her to explain.

"Nothing much, I just wanted to tell Eleanor... that she can come to me for help once we're in Rosewood," Anja said with an ingratiating smile.

Wretch! What a quick change of face! I glared at her, my scalp still throbbing.

Jeffrey wasn't satisfied with Anja's story. He knew she was lying.

"Dad, Anja was just grabbing Nora's..."

"Anja is just being kind-hearted," Larry interrupted, nodding at me as if expecting me to thank Anja.

Ha—how ironic, I thought with a cold snort.

Jeffrey fell silent, now aware of his father's stance.

Larry glanced between the three of us, as if warning us not to escalate the conflict, before he left, having fulfilled his role as the "good stepfather".

Keeping up appearances was his usual style.

After he left, Anja looked at Jeffrey anxiously.

"Anja," Jeffrey said, helping me up, "forget about the bag. It's your punishment."

With that, Jeffrey took my hand and walked past Anja, leaving the terrace.

Anja glared at me resentfully, as if I was the reason she lost her Hermès bag.

*****

Jeffrey guided me back to the bedroom, silent the whole way, and gently pushed me down onto the sofa.

"Let me see," he said, his voice softening as he parted my hair to check for injuries. "Does it still hurt?"

I nodded slightly, my scalp still throbbing. A wave of hurt washed over me.

When Anja bullied me, I'd felt anger and helplessness, but now, with Jeffrey's concern, I felt an urge to cry. It wasn't the first time Anja had hurt me behind everyone's back; it was just the first time he'd seen it, and he didn't hesitate to help me out.

My eyes began to sting. I rubbed them and turned away, saying I needed to take a shower. The sticky, juice-soaked clothes were making me uncomfortable.

After the shower, I felt much better and saw Jeffrey still in my bedroom, holding an ice pack. Before I could say anything, he pulled me to his side and placed the ice pack on my head.

"Nora, I'm sorry," Jeffrey said, his voice muffled as if he were the one who was hurt. "Anja went too far. She shouldn't have done that to you. If there's any trouble between you two again, you have to tell me..."

He went on about how I should protect myself. It seemed that today's events had made him realize how isolated I was in this family.

The ice pack made my scalp cold, but my heart felt warm. I couldn't hold back any longer, turned, and hugged him, burying my face in his shoulder.

"Jeffrey, will you always believe in me?" I whispered.

"Of course, Nora," he said, his voice warm and reassuring. "I'm your brother."

But I wanted him to be more than just a brother. My fingers tightened on the back of his shirt, and I felt a pang of longing.

There were times I resented our step-sibling relationship—it kept me from telling him how I truly felt. But then I'd remember how amazing he was, and I'd feel grateful.

The thought of him saying "I'm your brother" to Anja made my heart ache. I looked up at him, hoping for something more.

"Will you always be on my side?" I asked, meeting his eyes. I saw my own uncertainty mirrored in his gaze.

"Of course," Jeffrey smiled, noticing my nerves. "Nora, I promise I'll always be on your side."

I felt a wave of relief and smiled back. His promise meant the world to me.

"I remember when you were little, your hair was like a messy ball of yarn," he said, gently smoothing a strand of my hair. "Now it's really beautiful…"

His eyes moved from my hair to my face, and he stopped, as if struck by something unexpected.

We were so close, his breath warm against my skin, making my cheeks flush. But I couldn't look away.

Our eyes met and held, my reflection shimmering in his gaze.

His eyes were like a calm sea, and I felt myself sinking into their depths. I could see my face mirroring in his eyes, and I knew for sure that there was nothing but admiration in my gaze.

My lips parted slightly, as if drawn by an invisible force, as we both leaned closer...

But then, he tilted his head, and his kiss landed softly on my cheek.