Chapter 167: Of course, it’s sister-in-law.

Jasper turned and looked back at Dylan.

His brows knit together —more in worry than confusion.

"Brother, who is Eira calling Mama?" he asked, his voice laced with clear concern. "Did you find...—?"

He didn’t finish the sentence.

However, he knew Dylan would understand what he meant.

Dylan stared at him.

And just when Jasper thought he would finally speak—

Another voice cut in from behind, smugness dripping from every word.

"Who else could it be?"

Jasper frowned at the familiar tone and turned around—

Only to see Karl walking in leisurely, as if he had all the time in the world.

Their eyes met, and Karl held his gaze with easy confidence.

"Of course, it’s Sister-in-law."

"Sister-in-law?" Jasper repeated, his frown deepening.

Meanwhile, Karl remained completely at ease.

He gave a short nod, a casual hum escaping him.

"Yes, Sister-in-law. Eira only calls her ’Mama’ ... and I—" he added, a faint smirk tugging at his lips, "—only acknowledge her as my sister-in-law."

Jasper’s expression darkened further.

He hadn’t been exaggerating when he told Felix just how much this younger brother of theirs got on his nerves.

Taking a deep breath, he tried to calm himself before turning back to Dylan.

"Brother—"

However, before he could speak, Karl interrupted again.

"Wait—what?" Karl said. "You don’t believe me?"

Jasper shot him a glare, but Karl ignored it entirely.

"I’m not lying. That’s our sister-in-law. If you don’t believe me, you can ask ..."

He paused only to point at Eira.

"Eira."

Eira pressed her lips together.

Karl quickly turned to her and said, coaxing,

"Eira, sweetheart ... quickly tell your Second Uncle. Aren’t you calling sister-in-law your Mama?"

Eira took only a second to process before turning to Jasper and nodding.

Jasper parted his lips again—

But Karl, once again, cut him off.

"You still don’t believe me?"

"You—"

"Fine," Karl interrupted again, nearly pushing Jasper past his limit.

"Since you still don’t believe me, I’ll show you."

Without asking, he stepped closer to Dylan and moved his finger over the tablet screen in Dylan’s hand.

With just one tap, he opened Adelyn’s profile image and gestured for Jasper to look.

"See for yourself if you don’t believe me."

And only then did he realize—

He had forgotten who had been holding the tablet all along. 𝐟𝐫𝕖𝗲𝘄𝚎𝗯𝕟𝐨𝕧𝐞𝚕.𝕔𝕠𝐦

His entire body stilled when Dylan’s gaze shifted to him.

His spine stiffened the moment their eyes met.

"B—Big Brother, I was just showing Jasper that we have a sister-in-law now. H—He wouldn’t believe me."

Swallowing hard, he stepped back —no longer daring to stand too close to his brother.

His sister-in-law wasn’t here.

Which meant —he wasn’t invincible.

Jasper watched him with a frown, but the corner of his eye caught the image displayed on the tablet.

He took a second look—

And recognized the woman instantly.

"This ..."

He looked at his brother, only to find him calm and steady as ever.

Dylan turned back to Eira and handed her the tablet.

"I’ll have someone arrange lunch," he said, adding,

"You can go with her."

Eira immediately lit up with a bright smile.

Her eyes sparkled as she nodded eagerly.

Karl, hearing that, instantly chimed in,

"I also want to have lunch with my sister-in-law."

He stepped closer to Eira and added, glancing at Dylan,

"Brother, help us book a table for three."

Eira tilted her head at him.

Sensing her hesitation, Karl quickly added,

"Baby, I’m really not stealing your Mama away, nor do I want you to share her with me ... but let me come along. Don’t leave me behind, or I’ll really be sad."

Eira remembered her Mama’s words and slowly nodded.

Karl’s face instantly lit up with satisfaction.

He turned back to Dylan and added eagerly,

"Big Brother, see —even Eira agreed. I’ll go with them too. So, have someone arrange a table for three. Or —wait, I’ve got an even better idea."

His eyes gleamed with excitement.

"Give me back my allowance, and I’ll take my sister-in-law out on my own expense. You won’t even have to bother—"

"You’re overestimating yourself again, aren’t you?" Jasper cut in, shaking his head.

Karl turned to him, ready to argue.

"How am I? I was just suggesting, and Big Brother was about to agree. Isn’t it, Big Brother?"

He turned back toward Dylan—

Only to meet a steady, unreadable gaze.

One that carried both calm ... and warning.

Karl swallowed immediately.

Maybe he really was overestimating himself.

"I think Brother arranging it would be better," he said quickly. "After all, I haven’t learned my lesson yet. Taking allowance without learning would be such a loss."

"Good that you know that," Dylan said calmly.

Karl silently sighed in relief —he had saved himself just in time.

Without wasting another second, he grabbed Eira’s little hand and tugged her along.

"Since Big Brother will arrange everything, we won’t stay here and trouble you. Come, Eira —let’s sit over there."

And with that, he led her toward the sofa.

Behind them—

Jasper watched in silence.

Only after they had moved away did he turn back to Dylan.

"You’ve let Eira call her ’Mama’ so soon," he said. "Does that mean you’re already sure about her?"

Dylan slipped his hands into his pockets.

He didn’t answer immediately.

But after a moment, he said quietly—

"It’s only right for her to call her Mama."

Jasper paused.

Not because of how easily Dylan had said it—

But because of how naturally it came.

As if—

There had never been any doubt to begin with.

He looked at his brother, trying to understand him. However, nothing helped him at all.

There was only one thing he saw in him.

A certainty.

A certainty that was difficult to decipher.

"Brother —"

"Is that about the investment?" Dylan asked, cutting him off, gesturing towards the file in his hand.

Jasper got the cue again.

He didn’t speak or ask more. He just glanced at the file in his hand and nodded.

"Yes, I’ve read through it and brought it so that you can check once before signing."