My Family Stole My Alpha, I Married Someone Stronger Chapter 02

Brianna walked in carrying a tea tray.

On it sat a tea set modeled after the souvenirs sold at Disney theme parks.

When we were little, Brianna and I used this very tea set whenever we played house, taking turns serving each other tea.

Her eyes were slightly misty as she turned to Andrew with a gentle look.

“Andrew, could you go downstairs and help Mom get dinner ready?”

Andrew gave me one last, lingering look before finally turning to leave.

He had always been like this. When Brianna was around, he was far more willing to do as she asked than when I was the one asking.

Brianna set the tray on the table and poured me a cup of black tea.

“That’s just how Andrew is. Whenever something involves someone he cares about, he gets worked up easily. Don’t take it personally.”

“He only acted that way because he was worried about me.”

She placed the perfectly warmed tea beside my hand, but I didn’t touch it.

Brianna let out a soft sigh. “Katie, are you still blaming me?”

I lowered my eyes and answered politely, keeping my distance. “You’re overthinking it.”

“That’s a relief.” She seemed to finally relax, a smile returning to her face.

“I originally wanted Mom to talk to you about this gradually, but she was just too anxious. Don’t hold it against her.”

“If this had happened ten years ago, you could’ve put the past behind you and found someone new. You would’ve had plenty of options, regardless of what kind of man you wanted. But now you’re already thirty-five…”

She paused, looking at me with the earnest concern of someone offering heartfelt advice.

“A woman’s best years don’t last forever. Given your situation now, finding a decent, dependable man and settling down would be better than anything else.”

“Don’t you think?”

Listening to her seemingly thoughtful questions, I felt not the slightest bit of relief.

I raised my eyes and answered coolly, “I don’t.”

“Katie.” She gave me the sort of look reserved for a child throwing a tantrum, her affectionate tone tinged with reproach. “Stop being so stubborn.”

“I’ll tell Mom you were just being childish earlier and didn’t mean what you said. I’ll let her know you’ve agreed to go on the blind date tomorrow afternoon.”

Watching her act as though everything she did was for my own good made my stomach churn.

“I’m not going. Whoever agreed to it can go on the date themselves.”

With that, I turned away from her.

Brianna sat silently behind me for a while. Then she gathered up the tea set and left.

Even after I was alone in my room, I still felt as though something were pressing against my chest, making it difficult to breathe.

I picked up my phone and sent a message to the man at the top of my pinned chats.

[When are you coming to get me?]

His reply came almost immediately.

[I can come whenever you want. What’s wrong?]

What’s wrong with me?

Ten years ago, before Andrew and I severed our mate bond, Brianna had stood in front of me with that same supposedly caring expression.

“Katie, you’re too innocent and trusting. You don’t know how to protect yourself, so it’s easy for people to take advantage of you. Listen to me. Those highborn Alphas are all womanizers. Don’t be so naive that you believe everything they tell you.”

Back then, I was young and hopelessly in love, defending Andrew with absolute certainty.

“Andrew treats me well. He’s not like that.”

But Brianna was convinced that Andrew had me wrapped around his finger. She insisted on exposing him and finding proof that he was deceiving me.

From that point on, she began inserting herself into every aspect of Andrew’s and my relationship.

When Andrew took me to an upscale Michelin-starred restaurant, she scolded him for not reserving the entire place in advance, claiming he clearly didn’t value me enough.

When he took me shopping at luxury boutiques, she criticized him for buying me a handbag that wasn’t a limited edition, insisting he hadn’t made me feel special or unique.

When he took me to a high-end couture salon to have a dress custom-made, she complained that the design wasn’t grand enough.

According to her, it made me look like some ordinary girl who had never seen the world, someone completely unworthy of an Alpha’s mate.

Andrew was furious. More than once, he came close to losing his temper right in front of her.

I could only hold him back and soothe him gently.

“Andrew, don’t be angry. Let me talk to her, okay?”

When I finally found Brianna, I practically begged her to listen.

“Brianna, my relationship with Andrew is between the two of us. Could you please give us a little privacy?”

Those few words were all it took to bring tears to her eyes.

Brianna looked utterly wounded, as though I’d just said something unforgivable.

“You say you want privacy, but what you really mean is that you’re sick of me, don’t you? I’m only trying to look out for you!”

“If I’m really such a nuisance, just say so. I’ll stay out of your lives completely from now on.”

Watching her stand there on the verge of tears, I hesitated, wondering whether I should steel myself and stand my ground.

Just then, Andrew, who had originally come along to demand an explanation from her, suddenly changed his mind.

He glanced at me and finally spoke with a helpless sigh.

“Forget it. If she wants to come along, just let her.”