The Heiress's Comeback
Chapter 69: [Volume 1] - 69- just a key.

Chapter 69: [Volume 1] Chapter 69- just a key.

"Can I ask you something, bro?" Jay’s voice was hesitant, almost fragile in its uncertainty.

Ray, caught off guard, looked up. "Yeah, sure."

Jay hesitated for a beat, then finally asked the question that had been gnawing at him for a while. "Do you love her?"

Ray froze for a second, the question catching him off guard. He blinked, and for a moment, his face was unreadable. Then, with a calm tone, he replied, "Love? Don’t be a jerk, Jay."

Ray exhaled slowly, letting the air settle between them. His gaze shifted to the window, as if grounding himself before speaking again. His voice was calm, almost detached, as though reminding himself as much as Jay.

"Don’t forget our plan, Jay," he said, the tone measured. "For us, there’s no place for love or anything like that."

Jay’s brow furrowed, but he stayed silent, listening.

"For us," Ray continued, "Esme is just a source. A key to get where we want." His words were precise, clear, with no room for confusion. "And for Esme, we’re the deal that benefits him. It’s a transaction, nothing more."

Jay could feel the weight of those words, the finality behind them. Ray was resetting the boundaries, pulling them both back from wherever their emotions had started to drift.

"For us and Esme," Ray said, his eyes now fixed on Jay, "there could never be anything else."

But the way Ray said it—the slight hitch in his voice, the way he avoided Jay’s eyes—made Jay pause. Ray was brushing it off, but there was something more behind those words. Something deeper, something Ray wasn’t willing to fully admit, not even to himself.

Jay stared at him for a moment, searching his brother’s face for a sign. And in that brief second of silence, Jay understood. Ray might not call it love, might never say the word out loud, but the way he talked about Esme, the way he was so protective of her—there was more than friendship in those feelings.

Jay didn’t press the matter. Instead, he gave a small nod, as if acknowledging the unspoken truth between them. "Alright," Jay said, his voice soft. "I get it."

Ray gave him a half-smile, something between amusement and relief. "You better."

Without another word, Ray turned the wheels and rolled out of the room, his mind swirling with everything they had just said—and everything they hadn’t.

....

Esme sat at her desk, the buzzing of the phone cutting through her thoughts. She had been mid-conversation when a sharp, searing pain struck the back of her head. Instinctively, she reached up, gripping the spot tightly as if it might stop the throbbing. The pain was intense, sudden, and too familiar.

"I’ll talk to you later," she muttered into the phone, her voice strained before she abruptly ended the call. She leaned back in her chair, closing her eyes as she exhaled slowly, trying to steady her breathing. The pressure in her head felt overwhelming. Ah, the time is coming now , she thought, a cold realization washing over her as she stared blankly at the ceiling.

For a moment, she let herself pause, gathering the strength she needed. There was no room for weakness, not now, not ever. After a few minutes, she stood up, shaking off the lingering ache, and busied herself with finishing her day at the office.

---

By evening, Esme returned home, her pace slower than usual. She was greeted by the familiar sight of aron brothers lounging on the sofa, waiting for her return like they always did. The routine was comforting, predictable.

"Oh, wife, you’re back?" one of them teased, the usual affectionate sarcasm lacing his tone.

Esme forced a smile, nodding in reply. "Yeah, I’m back."

She played her part flawlessly, smiling, nodding, engaging in their light banter. But in her mind, she was far from the warmth and light of this scene.

What a play, she thought to herself, the irony not lost on her. To an outsider, this was a picture-perfect family—happy, united, with a connection anyone would envy.

But beneath the surface, it was all just a game. A performance that, like all others, would inevitably come to an end.

The dinner table was filled with the usual lighthearted banter, the Aron brothers laughing and teasing one another as they shared their meal.

Esme sat among them, engaging with the same ease she always did, her smile never faltering. Every now and then, Jay’s gaze would flicker toward her, lingering longer than usual. He couldn’t quite shake the feeling that something was off, but Esme was as she always was—laughing, talking, and keeping pace with their jokes.

But just as Esme lifted her spoon, mid-laughter, the now-familiar sharp pain seared through the back of her head.

Clank!

The spoon slipped from her hand, clattering into the dish and startling everyone at the table.

Esme felt a wave of dizziness wash over her, her vision blurring at the edges. For a brief moment, it was as if the world around her was tinted red, as though she were peering through a thick fog made of glass. Her breath hitched, but she forced herself to stay composed. She couldn’t let them see her like this.

The brothers stopped eating instantly, alarm flashing in their eyes. "Wife?" they called out in unison, concern lacing their voices. Their chairs scraped against the floor as they leaned closer, eyes scanning her face for any sign of distress.

Esme felt the tension in the room. The weight of their worry pressed against her like a burden she wasn’t ready to share. Her smile, though faint, tugged at her lips. She had to play her part—always.

"I’m okay," she said softly, her voice steady despite the throbbing in her skull. "It’s nothing, darling. Just a bit tired, that’s all."

Her words seemed to ease them, if only a little. They exchanged glances before one of them spoke, "Yeah, you do look tired. You should rest."

"Thank you, then i be back".