Her Brother

"Look how pretty our Imogen is…I can look at her all my life and won't get bored even for a second…" Emily's voice broke as she looked at the wall.

Jessamyn followed Emily's eyes. Her lips curled seeing the portrait of Imogen. Like the place she had in his heart, that portrait alone occupied the entire wall.

Why does he even want to marry me?

It was then Jessamyn realized something. He was not planning on marrying her in the traditional sense. He won't be able to marry her. She was a widow. Widows were forbidden to marry again in their Kingdom.

He wants to keep me here to humiliate me!

"I can't understand why she was taken so early from us… My poor Imogen…"

Jessamyn clenched her jaws. Emily singing praises of Imogen did nothing to help her mood. 

Emily only knew to sing praises of Imogen. Even after she sold her soul to work for the Council to pay for the family's expenses, Imogen was all she thought about. Even if she drained all her blood and offered it to her, she would still say she hadn't done enough.

"Jessamyn, my dearest sister!"

The affectionate voice of her brother snapped her out of her dark thoughts. 

"Ethan," Jessamyn smiled, and as she expected she was surrounded by his warmth. 

"Oh, I am so glad to see you," Ethan kissed her cheek and then embraced her closely. "I missed you so much…"

Jessamyn chuckled. "I saw you only six months ago…"

"Still…"

Jessamyn cupped his cheeks. It was hard to reach his cheek as he had gotten much taller than her. "Look at you… You've grown again…"

She still remembered him running behind her with snot running down his nose. She couldn't believe he had grown that much. In his steel-blue eyes, she saw her father. 

I hope he only takes my father's appearance…

"I am turning eighteen next month. Of course, I grew a lot," Ethan said with his chin up.

 The mirth in his eyes reduced as he took a good look at her. He wetted his lips seeing her wearing color and his eyes glistened. He leaned to her ear.

"Do you want to marry him?" he asked in a whisper. 

Jessamyn gulped. Maybe it was the tone he used or the affection in his eyes; he didn't look like a little boy in her eyes anymore. He sensed the shame she felt wearing those clothes and immediately wanted to ask her that question. 

Her eyes watered. She buried her face into his chest. She wanted to wail her heart out. 

"Oh, here he is!" Emily shouted and pulled Jessamyn by the arm. 

"Son, bow to your brother-in-law," she hissed. She then hit Jessamyn's arm with a scowl. "Give him a curtsey. Don't be horrid!"

Jessamyn pressed her lips. The tears that had gathered in her eyes struggled to drop. Emily treated her this way all the time. Without understanding what she felt, she always called her nasty, horrid, gauche, and other things.

When she tried to explain, Emily punished her without letting her speak. She had learned to be silent after her husband's passing. She had no other choice. 

After all, she was the ingrate who took away her family's titles and pushed them to be commoners. She had to bear with everything. 

Ethan pulled her back and stood in between his mother and sister. He glared at Emily but she pretended she didn't notice. 

"I welcome you all. Hope you had a pleasant journey," Jerrick said with a bright smile. 

Jessamyn looked away. Ethan held her hand. 

"We are so delighted to be here," Emily stepped forward after giving a deep curtsey. "Our journey was bearable thanks to the carriages you sent."

Ethan shook his head looking at his mother. At the breakfast table, they were offered a wide spread of delicacies. Emily was talking in an obsequious way trying to curry favor with Jerrick.

Ethan waited until Jessamyn started to eat and then ate. He observed every little motion of Jessamyn. He also noticed that although Jerrick was replying to Emily, his eyes frequently rested on Jessamyn, and that made her uncomfortable. 

"When you wanted to marry Imogen, we adopted her into the family because she didn't have a title. You loved her so much you expected nothing from her and yet we gave her what we must by taking on the role of her parents. But now… we are commoners and Jessamyn is a widow with nothing to her name~"

"Mother!" Ethan stopped his mother. He knew his mother had no shame but to openly beg for favors was pathetic. 

Emily looked at Ethan with an awkward and angry smile and gestured for him to keep quiet. Jessamyn couldn't believe what she was hearing. 

"I can talk to the King and give your title and your fief back. Ethan will become the Baron of Ravensworth. It's his title to inherit anyway," Jerrick said casually. 

Jessamyn bowed her head. Ethan held her hand before she dug her nails into her palm. When there was a voting in the royal court regarding her title, Jerrick didn't bother to support her. Only the Grand Duke supported her in keeping the title and everyone else voted against it. Jerrick didn't even vote. If he did, his influence would have wavered some other lords to vote in her favor. 

Now, he talks as if he's a generous lord? Heh!

Emily chuckled in glee. "I know you are gracious, dear son-in-law…See, Ethan, your brother-in-law is merciful…" 

Ethan didn't mind his mother. "Jessamyn, do you want to marry The Archduke of Ayberia?" he asked looking at Jessamyn. 

Jessamyn chocked. Out of everyone there, only her brother had the heart to ask her that. "No, I do not." 

Jerrick scoffed and she looked at him. 

Emily lunged at Jessamyn. "Why did I raise an ingrate like you? Why are you glaring at that honorable man? He says he'll do such a great favor to us and you're acting selfish! You cost our titles! You cost our way of living! We are begging for our expenses~"

"Stop it, Mother!" Ethan blocked his mother. "Who is begging? Jessamyn sends more than enough for our expenses," Ethan shushed his mother. 

"I apologize, Your Grace. This wedding is not going to happen," Ethan stood up and bowed his head. 

Jessamyn let out the tears she was holding back. Her brother had grown up into a fine gentleman. 

"No!" Emily shouted. "This wedding is happening. I am going to be the Dowager Baroness and you are marrying a fine lady from a noble household. We are not going to continue to live like vagrants!"

"I am the man of the house, and what I say goes," Ethan slammed his hand on the table. 

Seeing that Ethan was not changing his mind, Emily turned her attention to Jessamyn. 

"Are you happy now? Huh? Are you happy you've ruined our lives once again? You lost your husband and so I must lose my son too? Is that what you want? He's already signed up to join the army and I… Oh, what can I do? Who will listen to my woes…" Emily lamented. 

"Mother!" Ethan tried to stop Emily. 

Jessamyn held his arm. "Is it true, Ethan? Did you sign up for the army?" she asked.