Belated Moonlight: He Regretted Only After I Left-Chapter 106: Call Her Sister-in-law... (Additional Update)
Rhys Lennox saw him and instantly felt like he had found a supporter. He didn’t care about his argument with Stella anymore and rushed to Shane Donovan’s side in a few steps, pointing at Stella as he complained first:
"Bro! You came just in time! It’s this woman! She wrongly accused me of theft at the airport today and got me detained by the police—"
His words came to an abrupt halt.
Because Shane didn’t even wait to hear his complaint before he stepped around Rhys and walked over to Stella.
Under Rhys’s stunned gaze, Shane naturally reached out, wrapped his arm around Stella’s slender waist, and pulled her closer to him.
Only then did he raise his eyes, his gaze falling on Rhys’s shocked and confused face, his voice as calm as ever—
"Rhys, call her sister-in-law."
Rhys: "...???"
His mouth slightly agape, his eyes widened immediately. He looked at Shane, whose expression was as serious as ever, and at Stella, firmly protected in his brother’s arms, feeling as though he’d been hit on the head by a heavenly lightning bolt.
Sis... sister-in-law?!
This woman...
The woman who made him take a half-day tour of the police station as soon as he returned to the country is actually the legendary eldest daughter of The Sterling Family who pulled his elder brother Shane Donovan down from his pedestal?!
His future sister-in-law?!
Rhys felt his worldview was violently shaken.
He instinctively raised his hand to ruffle his hair, pressing his tongue against his molars, struggling to utter a word.
Stella looked at Rhys’s dumbfounded expression like he had swallowed a fly, and her annoyance from earlier when he blocked her way eased a bit.
She slightly tilted her head, raised her eyes to Shane’s cold and sharp jawline, and asked softly, "Your brother?"
"Mm." Shane looked down at her, the chill in his eyes fading a bit. He tightened his grip around her waist, guiding her to turn towards the private room. As they passed Rhys, who was stuck in place like a statue, he casually threw out a sentence, "What are you standing there for? Come in."
Rhys watched the two walk away hand in hand, feeling suffocated and almost internally injured.
Frustrated, he ruffled his golden hair once more before reluctantly following after them.
...
The heavy door of the private room closed behind him, sealing off the noisy music from outside.
Inside, the heating was turned up high, and Evan Hughes was howling into a microphone. Seeing Shane holding Stella as they entered with Rhys following behind like he’d stepped in dog poop, his voice abruptly stopped and he nearly choked.
"Cough cough... what’s going on?" Evan blinked, his gaze darting among the three as he keenly detected an unusual atmosphere.
Shane ignored him, guiding Stella to sit in the middle of the sofa while he naturally sat beside her, his arm still possessively around her waist like a lion guarding his territory.
Rhys slowly trudged to the single-seater opposite them, plopping down with his long legs spread wide. He grabbed a clean glass from the table and poured himself a full cup of strong liquor, downing it without a care for what was in it initially.
Stella lightly tugged on Shane’s sleeve, moving closer to his ear, and whispered, "Is he... really your brother?"
Shane turned his head, gazing at her eyes that held a touch of guilt, his eyes fleetingly showing a faint smile. He too lowered his voice, his breath brushing over her ear, "Yeah, my aunt’s son, Rhys Lennox. He just got back to the country."
He paused, adding with a hint of subtle indulgence, "He’s got a bit of a wild temperament, but he’s not a bad person."
Stella: "..."
Wild is an understatement!
He’s practically a stubborn mule full of thorns!
But, since he’s Shane’s brother, then today’s misunderstanding...
Stella took a deep breath, picked up an empty glass, poured half a cup of low-alcohol sparkling wine, and then stood up, walking toward Rhys on the opposing side.
Rhys was staring down at the liquid swaying in his glass, his golden bangs hanging down to cover part of his brows, exuding a "keep away" aura.
Noticing the shadow casting over him, he lazily lifted his eyelids. Seeing Stella, his expression instantly went blank again, snorting through his nose.
Stella stopped beside the coffee table in front of him, gently pushing the glass forward with sincerity in her tone, carrying a hint of apology, "Rhys, right? About today’s situation at the airport, it was a misunderstanding. I apologize for my rashness at the time. I’m sorry, I hope you don’t take it to heart."
Her voice was clear and bright, neither arrogant nor humble, without a trace of awkwardness or insincerity.
Rhys’s fingers tensed slightly around his glass, remaining still and silent.
Beside them, Evan watched the scene with interest, nudging Shane with his elbow, winking, and mouthing silently, "Wow, your little lawyer is impressive, knows when to yield and when to stand firm."
Shane ignored him, his gaze resting on Stella’s slender and upright back, his eyes deep and unreadable.
Rhys finally had a bit of a reaction. He lifted his gaze, his slightly rebellious eyes scanning Stella up and down before his lips sketched a half-smile, his tone still rigid, "Got it now?"
"Yeah." Stella nodded, eyes candid.
Rhys stared at her for a few seconds, seemingly assessing the sincerity of her words.
After a while, he appeared extremely reluctant as he reached for the glass of sparkling wine Stella pushed over. Without clinking glasses, he casually swirled it, tilting his head back and finishing it in one go.
The gesture wasn’t exactly polite, but at least he drank it.
After drinking, he placed the empty glass back on the table, creating a crisp "clang" sound, indicating his acceptance of the apology, but nothing more.
Just as Stella was about to turn away—
"Lawyer sis, you need to get your eyesight checked; next time, spot the thieves accurately."
Stella’s steps paused, she turned back, meeting Rhys’s challenging eyes, she suddenly curved her lips into a smile, "Mm, next time I’ll be sure to see clearly, can’t stereotype blonde-haired people."
Rhys: "..."
He instinctively raised a hand to touch his glaring golden hair, feeling stuck with a breath in his chest, unable to go up or down.
This woman!
She apologized, but her tongue remains sharp!
Shane’s lips twitched subtly and he extended a hand toward Stella, "Come here."
Stella walked back obediently, placing her hand into his warm and dry palm, letting him gently pull her to sit back beside him.
Her cheeks still held a slight flush, likely from the drink earlier, with her porcelain-white skin tinged with an enticing pink, like the cherry blossoms on a branch ready to bloom in early spring.
His arm naturally circled her waist again, his fingertips lightly brushing her side, offering silent reassurance and possessiveness.
Stella felt tickled by his touch, instinctively trying to move away, but he held her even tighter.
"What are you doing?" She turned her head, unable to resist glaring at him.
Shane lowered his gaze, focusing on her lips numbed from the drink, his throat moved subtly, his voice so low only they could hear, "After soothing the younger one, don’t you think you should soothe the older one?"
"..."
