I Chased My Brother’s Friend for a Month, Then Walked Into Work and Found Out He Owns the Company Chapter 03

I Chased My Brother’s Friend for a Month, Then Walked Into Work and Found Out He Owns the Company Chapter 03

After Declan said yes to being with me, I brought up meeting the parents once.

He thought about it and said okay.

That weekend, I took him home for dinner.

My mom started prepping two days early. Bought a whole spread of groceries and even put a new tablecloth on the table.

My dad dug out his best dress shirt from the back of the closet and even combed his hair.

When Declan arrived, my mom grabbed his hand. “Oh, my, you’re so handsome!”

“Wow, Auntie, you went all out. You didn’t have to do all this.”

“Of course we did! Please, make yourself at home. Eat whatever you want.”

Declan was an absolute pro through the whole meal.

He took the water my mom poured for him, listened attentively whenever my dad spoke, and smiled just the right amount.

Not overbearing, not standoffish.

After a couple of drinks, my dad started in. “So Declan, what do you do for a living?”

Declan said. “I work at a company. In management.”

“Management is good. Stable.”

“Yeah, it keeps me busy.”

My mom asked. “Do you work a lot of overtime?”

“Sometimes.”

“You should take care of yourself.”

My brother didn’t say a single word through the whole meal.

He sat across the table, head down, shoveling food into his mouth. But he wasn’t actually eating much.

I kicked him under the table. “Bro, what’s up with you? You’ve been quiet all night.”

He looked up at me, then glanced at Declan.

Declan happened to be looking at him too.

Their eyes met.

My brother immediately ducked his head back down and kept eating.

Declan raised his glass and took a sip of water, his face unreadable.

Something felt off in that moment.

But I didn’t think much of it.

After dinner, my mom pulled Declan into the living room to chat, and I went to the kitchen to wash dishes.

My brother followed me in.

He shut the door behind him and lowered his voice. “Erin.”

“What?”

“You really planning to keep seeing him?”

“No kidding. I already brought him home.”

“Do you even know where he stands at the company?”

I was scrubbing a plate. “You said he was a colleague, right?”

My brother stared at me, his mouth opening and closing.

“What? Just spit it out.”

“I can’t.”

“What do you mean you can’t?”

“I mean I literally can’t.” His voice dropped even lower. “I’ll tell you one thing, though. That money you’ve been spending? It means nothing to him.”

I put the plate down. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

“Nothing. I just want you to be prepared.”

“Prepared for what?”

My brother just looked at me, hesitant.

“I’m afraid you won’t be able to handle it when you find out.”

Back then, I thought he was being ridiculous.

I said. “What, are you jealous I found a better-looking boyfriend than you?”

That shut him up.

He stared at me for a full five seconds, then turned and walked out, slamming the door behind him.

Later that night, I walked Declan downstairs.

At the gate of our neighborhood, he suddenly asked. “Did your brother say something to you?”

“No. He’s just being overprotective.”

“What did he say?”

“It doesn’t matter. I can make my own judgments.”

Declan stopped and turned to face me.

Under the streetlight, I couldn’t quite read his expression.

“Erin, what would you do if you found out I wasn’t who you think I am?”

“What do you mean?”

“Exactly what I said.”

“You’re you. I spent a month chasing you, no matter what. You think I’m gonna return you like a defective product?”

He let out a short laugh, but there was something in it.

Not happiness, not sadness.

More like confirmation.

“Alright. Remember you said that.”

He got in his car and rolled the window down a crack.

“Next month, you’re starting your internship, right?”

“Yeah, my brother set it up for me. At his company.”

“Yeah, I know.”

The window rolled up, and the car drove off.

I stood under the streetlight, thinking that last “I know” was a little strange.

How did he know I was interning at my brother’s company?

I hadn’t told him that.

I pulled out my phone to ask, typed a few words, then deleted them.

Never mind. Maybe my brother mentioned it.

They were colleagues, after all.

I put my phone back in my pocket and headed home.

The night air was cold, but my heart was warm.

I was already picturing next month. Seeing him every day at work.

Lunch together, commuting home together.

Just thinking about it made me giddy.

What I didn’t know was that on my first day walking into that building, every idea I had about him would be shattered into pieces.