Chapter 41

DEAD SERIOUS

Liam’s P.O.V.

I ended up pushing him back on the couch before leaving in front of him and climbed the stairs again. No matter how I tried to explain to him, Leandro’s mind was already closed, so he would never understand it.

“Let’s stop this nonsense issue, Leandro! Feel free to rummage through that first aid kit and treat your lip wound. But first, let me ask you these. How many times do I have to prioritize you over the other things? How many times do I have to let go of something just because you asked for it? Damn, stop acting like a kid!” I yelled while glancing at him.

He stabbed me with his deadly stares. “Why? Does it mean that you still love Isabelle, huh? That after all these years, you can’t still forget her? Then, leave Diane alone!”

I was stunned for a moment, making me remember what happened years ago in Boston…

“Excuse me, is this chair already taken?” A brunette and gorgeous woman having a Canadian accent asked me in Harston Corporate Library. I was busy doing my thesis in Business Management, and he was referring to the seat right in front of me. She was sophisticatedly exquisite, and I must admit that I was completely fascinated by her beauty.

She was wearing a sleeveless ruffle blouse and casual jeans that hugged her voluptuous pair of long legs. She was as white as snow with her hair tied up in a messy bun. She looked so pretty even though she was wearing makeup.

“S-Sure, no one is taking that seat. I’m alone… as you can see,” I replied while pressing my lips into a thin smile.

“How about the guy I’m talking to? Is he taken?” She teased me while batting her eyelashes.

“I told you… I’m alone, so nothing or no one is taken here,” I replied, riding with her joke.

“Just kidding. I’m Isabelle. Isabelle Morin,” she introduced herself while extending her right arm to me.

“Liam. Liam Arthur Evangelista,” I introduced myself as I accepted her hand for a firm handshake. Her hand was so soft that I couldn’t help but stained my cheeks. After that, she placed her books on the table and sat in front of me.

“Evangelista? So, are you a Filipino? I’m half-Canadian and half-Filipino! Fancy meeting you here,” she squealed with her eyes scintillating. I never expected her to be a half-Filipino because her looks never screamed about that lineage.

“Hmm, not a hundred percent. My grandma is of French descent,” I told her, but I looked like more of a Filipino because of my light-brown skin tone.

“Oh, really? You know what? You looked so cute, Liam! I liked your dimple,” Isabelle frankly remarked, and that made me smile even more. She was fun to be with, and I enjoyed being with her.

Ever since that library conversation, I would always fetch Isabelle after her school hours. I would wait for her even though my class had finished earlier than usual. She was studying Finance. At the same time, she was working as a part-time model under the care of her manager, her own mother.

They owned the Morin Scout—the famous modeling agency in Boston. She was persuading me to become one of their models too, but I refused the offer. My fate would be running our business empire, and modeling was not my passion.

“Hey, bro! What are you doing here?” I got startled in front of the Finance Building when Leandro suddenly appeared out of nowhere. His entire skin was covered in sweat, and his odor quite stinks. It looked like he just came from playing baseball and tennis.

As usual, I would fetch Isabelle for us to eat dinner together. In just two weeks, I was already sure about my decision to court her.

Before I could even respond to my brother, I saw Isabelle dazzlingly walking towards us. “Hi, Liam—oh, and who is he?” She asked as soon as she reached us, making her eyes glued at Leandro. “Liam number two? You never mentioned to me of having a twin brother.”

“I’m Leandro James, but feel free to call me Leandro. I am Liam’s younger brother. Anyway, we’re only a year apart, so don’t be confused because we’re not twins,” Leandro introduced himself as he didn’t even do a formal handshake. He just grabbed Isabelle’s hand and held it tightly. “I am more handsome than him,” my brother added as he leaned closer to Isabelle’s right ear.

Much to my dismay, Isabelle seemed to be liking Leandro’s naughty gestures as her gorgeous smiles never left her lips. Her liberated attitude showed that she didn’t even pull her hands away from him. In the end, the three of us shared dinner in a French Bistro. They only talked the whole time as if I was only their chaperone.

Another week came by. I was thinking about what could be the perfect surprise for Isabelle’s upcoming twenty-second birthday, when Leandro barged into my room. “Bro, I already found the perfect girl for me here! Is it okay with you if I will court Isabelle?”

“What? Why her? I thought you already have someone in the Philippines?” I furrowed my forehead.

“It’s okay. I can always get back to her the moment we flew back there!” he happily replied.

“But, Leandro? We already talked about this yesterday, right? I got the chance to meet her first, and you know that I’m planning to court her!” The refusal was evident in my voice.

“But you don’t know how to court a girl! Please? Just this one, bro? Just Isabelle! I liked her so much that it pained me not to be his boyfriend. I promise you that I will take good care of her while I’m here. I would love her with all my heart, and I won’t ever hurt her! Please?” Leandro requested with his pleading eyes as if he was only borrowing my Maserati. He even raised his right hand to seal his promise.

I sighed. How could I say ‘no’ to him when he was here in front of me beseeching with his puppy eyes?

In the end, Leandro gave me a manly hug when I nodded—eventually giving in to his request. That means that I already approved of him to court Isabelle.

There were other women aside from her, and I would definitely choose my brother over her. No woman could taint our relationship as brothers. I could feel that Isabelle liked Leandro’s company more than she liked being with me, so I should be happy if they would be officially together.

At a family dinner, Leandro introduced Isabelle to us as his girlfriend. But just a year later, he broke his promise.

After graduation and before her flight back to Canada, Isabelle came rushing to our house telling me that Leandro cheated on her by hooking up with a famous Hollywood superstar. Leandro just shrugged, went to his room, and didn’t even give a damn.

I confronted him, but he told me that it was about time for him to go back to the Philippines and search for her college crush—the woman who captured her heart before going to America. It wasn’t because of a well-known actress as what Isabelle told me about.

Going back to the living room where Isabelle was waiting, she was crying her heart out. I stayed by her side for a while and did everything I could just to comfort her. To help ease her mind, we made a deal as I drove her to the airport.

So, that was it. Isabelle was one of the women I liked in America way back then. Everything just flashed back like it only happened yesterday. We might never have the chance to be officially together because of Leandro’s request, but she doesn’t deserve to be cheated that way.

“Stop bringing back the past, Leandro. We were no longer there anymore. We are not even living backwards, so will you please grow up now? I’m tired of giving up the ones that I liked because of you. I’m already exhausted to always give in to your selfish attitude. This time, may the best man win between the two of us because I’m dead serious, bro… I won’t ever give up my feelings for Diane just to appease yours! Good night,” I gravely declared before I continued going to my bedroom.

Just when I thought that no woman could ever taint our relationship as brothers, I was wrong. But I would never blame Diane over this. A part of me was actually blaming myself because I had no other choice but to become selfish and fight for my feelings.