Brothers Want Me Back

Chapter 82

Elaine honestly hadn't expected Harlan to bring her a gift. It was a first in over a decade. She had to admit, it caught her off guard.

Inside the box was a delicate, well-crafted bracelet.

When Bianca and Finley returned, they saw Harlan handing Elaine the gift. Bianca watched, noticing how Harlan carefully placed the bracelet in front of Elaine, his expression almost hesitant, like he was trying to please her. The sight stung.

It was clear: Harlan was hoping this gift would make Elaine smile, to lift her spirits just a little.

Tucker had broken the last gift Harlan gave her, and if this were any other time, Harlan would've replaced

it, offering this new bracelet as a peace offering. But not now. Not anymore.

Had things been different, Harlan never would've brought Elaine a gift in the first place.

Thank goodness, she had temporarily silenced Finley. Otherwise, she feared she might have lost even more.

The jewelry was extravagant, yes-but Elaine wasn't the type to appreciate such things. No, it was Bianca who would fall for this kind of gaudy accessory. Elaine didn't care for it one bit.

"Only Bianca would appreciate this kind of jewelry. I don't like it," Elaine said flatly.

Harlan, taken aback by her lack of enthusiasm, fumbled, his face flushed with embarrassment. "Then what do you want? Tell me, I'll bring it for you."

Elaine lifted her eyes to him, cold as ice. "What don't you understand? I don't want anything from you. And this is the last time I'll call you 'Harlan. I've told you before-I'm cutting ties with all of you."

She had said those very words to Shawn once before.

Harlan's voice dropped, almost pleading now. "Elaine, don't say that. Please, you're still our little sister. No matter what happened before, we're family. We've been through so much-why can't we just start fresh? We'll get along from now on, I promise."

He was grasping at straws, trying to repair what had already been shattered. He never thought it would be this bad.

"Elaine, I know I've messed up. I didn't understand you. I'm sorry for that. I was wrong, and I've been thinking about it all this time. I'll change. I won't lose my temper with you again. I'll control my emotions, okay? Little sister, I really am sorry."

Elaine just shook her head, her voice icy. "This isn't about me being angry. From the day I woke up in the hospital, I swore I'd distance myself from all of you. We're strangers now. Returning to the Yeats family was the biggest mistake I made.

"And as for your temper... you really need to work on it. Or else Daisy will keep causing trouble for me." "Don't mention that woman." Harlan's face twisted at the mention of Daisy. "She's a liar. I've broken up with her. I've already told her I'm done."

The moment he said it, it was as if a weight lifted from his chest. He regretted ever being involved with Daisy-she was a devil in disguise. He felt ashamed for not seeing it sooner.

Bianca, standing off to the side, was shocked. She hadn't expected Harlan to break up with Daisy. Daisy was her good friend, the one who'd introduced her to Harlan, and now he was dumping her? Wasn't that a slap in the face to Bianca?

Suddenly, Bianca didn't know how to handle this situation. How could she look Daisy in the eye after this?

Elaine wasn't surprised, though. Harlan's actions didn't matter anymore. She was too far gone. His apologies were too little, too late. She had long accepted that she would never have the love or acceptance she once craved from her brothers.

Even if they were only as kind as Bianca, it would have been enough. But instead, fate had dealt her a cruel hand.

She didn't get the brotherly love she hoped for. Instead, she was left with an explosion, a mangled body, and Kingsley. The end for the villainous sister was just as cold and rushed as the life she lived.

At least now, with Finley out of the way, she had one less problem to deal with. If she stayed out of the love lives of the leads, maybe, just maybe, things would be easier moving forward.

Elaine suddenly spoke again, her voice distant. "Harlan, do you remember? Back when you liked that girl from the neighboring film crew, and I helped you deliver love letters every day? I was exhausted from filming, but I always put your needs first. You said you didn't care about it and that I was bothering you." 1/2

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Chapter 82

All her kindness had been thrown back in her face. She had foolishly done things for him, only to be discarded.

Harlan's expression faltered as he processed what Elaine had said.

He had forgotten all about it.

But now, as the words sank in, regret flooded him. How could he have been so blind? He never imagined things would end up like this.

Elaine didn't recognize him as her brother anymore. She even regretted being in the same house as him. "Elaine..." His voice cracked, but no more words came.

The tension in the room was suffocating.

Tucker watched the scene with a painful familiarity, the same emptiness he had once felt in his own heart when Elaine had turned away from him. No matter how hard he begged, Elaine would never turn back. His eyes grew moist.

Kingsley broke the silence, his voice firm. "Since everything's been resolved, I'll take Elaine and leave." There was no asking for permission. It was simply a statement of fact. The driver was already on his way to bring the car around.

Tucker, eyes red, started to follow them, desperate to tell Elaine, "Don't worry. I'll protect you. I'll do everything I can. I'll become a great scientist, and I'll get back everything you lost. No one will dare look down on you again."

He wanted to be her shield, even if she married into the Morgan family. No one would dare hurt her. But he hesitated.

He was afraid Elaine would see him as nothing more than an annoyance.

As soon as Elaine left, Harlan couldn't stop himself from demanding answers from Tracy and Tucker. "Tucker, Mom, what happened while I was gone? Why is Elaine like this? She doesn't even recognize me anymore..."

Tucker smirked, his voice laced with sarcasm. "Harlan, maybe you should ask Mom. I've already said enough.

Tracy, irritated by Harlan's accusatory gaze, sighed. "It's exactly what you saw. Elaine's changed. She's a different person now, and frankly, she's become impossible. Harlan, I'd advise you not to push her right now. When she's ready, she'll come back to us."

Tucker couldn't hold back any longer, his frustration boiling over. "Mom, stop fooling yourself. You're just upset that Elaine's not going to marry into the Morgan family. You think she'll embarrass you, don't you? But guess what? She doesn't even care about you anymore. Whatever happens next, it's not your problem."

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