My brother, Harry Wood, and I fell in love with the same woman. Her name was Sophie Clinton. She was six months older than me. I was an introverted person and wasn't really good with words. I would never know what to say when I saw her. Harry, on the other hand, would always know what to say. His words would also make Sophie laugh every time as well. Therefore, the person that Sophie liked was probably Harry. When Harry successfully went to university, a big problem arose. The two of us had been supporting each other as we grew up, but we didn't have enough money to pay for his tuition fees and living expenses. That was when Harry asked me to go work at a coal mine to support his studies. He said that we were brothers and he would definitely treat me well after he finished his studies. The wages at the coal mine were quite high, but the job itself was quite dangerous as well. For the four years that I had worked there, there were quite a lot of accidents that happened around me. The most dangerous accident that happened was a cave-in that happened a while ago and I was nearly buried alive. I escaped, but I was also injured. After the accident, my employer gave me 4,000 dollars as compensation and that was that. What I didn't expect was that Harry injured his leg when riding a bike a few days later and needed money to treat his injury. I transferred the money my employer gave me to him and then rushed home as well. I didn't know which hospital Harry was in and he wasn't answering his phone either. I had no choice but to ask our neighbor, Mrs. Wilson. "Who told you that your brother's hospitalized, Frank? I've heard that it's his girlfriend's birthday today and he's treating everyone to a meal at that restaurant down the street," she said. 'Harry isn't hospitalized? He's got a girlfriend as well now?' I wondered. Mrs. Wilson looked at me and added, "I've heard that the food there is quite expensive. A meal would at least cost a few hundred dollars. Your brother has just graduated from university and hasn't got a job yet. I wonder where he got the money from." Truthfully speaking, I had saved up some money over the four years, but had never been to such an expensive restaurant. I earned the money through hard work, but Harry was able to spend a few hundred dollars just to treat others to a meal. I wasn't saying that he shouldn't celebrate his girlfriend's birthday. I just felt that he shouldn't spend so much money. One should keep the speeding level the same as one's earnings. We weren't children of affluent families, so there was no need to pretend we were rich. What made me even more madded was that he lied to me. Over the past few years, I was afraid that he didn't have enough money, so I would rather save less money for myself and make sure that he had enough. But in the end, he lied to me saying that he was hospitalized. The 4,000 dollars I gave him was money that I got after almost getting killed. I was infuriated and chose to head to the restaurant that Mrs. Wilson told me about. The place was luxurious and looked like a palace. Soon, a beautiful face appeared. It was Sophie, whom I hadn't seen for four years. Sophie was wearing a black skirt and a light-colored top which showed her curves perfectly. She looked both elegant and sexy. Such a sight made my heart skip a beat. Her beauty was breathtaking. Sophie saw me as well and rushed over to me. "Frank Wood?" "I haven't seen you in ages, Sophie," I said. A surprised look appeared on Sophie's face, but it was quickly replaced with anger. "You left without saying a word four years ago. I tried looking for you, but it was like you've vanished into thin air. I couldn't find you at all. I only heard from Harry that you're married. Congratulations! I didn't expect you to be married so early. Why didn't you bring your wife back and let us meet her?" 'I'm married?' This sudden news caused me to not know whether to laugh or cry. I had been at a coal mine for the past four years. How was I able to get married? Just when I was about to explain everything, Harry came out of the same private room that Sophie came out of. He was wearing a neat suit that day and also a pair of glasses. This made him look like a well-educated person. I was wearing cheap clothes and looked as if I lived in poverty. As brothers, the difference between us was obvious. It was obvious that Harry didn't expect to see me there. A nervous and panicky look appeared on his face, but he still forced a smile on his face as he walked towards me. "Frank, when did you come back? It's Sophie's birthday today. We're here to celebrate her birthday." Harry even gave me a meaningful look as he said those words. He then turned to Sophie and said, "They're waiting for you inside, Sophie. I think you should go in. I'm going to have a word with Frank alone." Sophie glared at me before heading back inside. Only then did I realize that the girlfriend that Mrs. Wilson had been talking about was Sophie. I didn't know why, but my blood was boiling. "Didn't you say that you were hospitalized?" I exclaimed. "I'm sorry, Frank. As you can see, I'm not injured. I lied to you. I just wanted to celebrate Sophie's birthday for her..." Harry gave me an apologetic look. "I know it's not easy for you to earn the money. Just take it that I borrowed 4,000 dollars from you. I'll definitely pay you back in the future." "Why did you tell Sophie that I was married?" I asked. It was obvious that Harry hesitated. He then wrapped his arm around my shoulders and said, "I know you like Sophie as well, but you should realize that the person she likes is me. Besides... we've already... you know..." It wasn't hard for me to guess that Harry was saying that the two of them had slept together. My heart ached at the news. It took me a while to force myself to calm down. "I don't care what happened between the two of you. I just want to know why did you tell her that I was married?" "Well, the two matters didn't have a connection at first. However, Sophie felt that you've suffered quite because you had to go to work so that you could pay for my tuition fees. She was afraid that you might suffer in the future, so she insisted on solving your marriage first before we could start dating. Therefore, I lied to her that you were married." "You've already slept together and you're saying that the two of you weren't dating? Is Sophie that kind of person?" I asked. Harry couldn't help but laugh. "Looks like you don't know Sophie as well as you think, Frank. Women's reactions are all the same when it comes to sex. They might say no, but they actually wanted it. When it really happened, they would be scared that others would find out... You'll understand when you have a girlfriend." 'Is Sophie really that kind of person?' I wondered. My heart ached at the thought. Harry then took me into the private room. There were about seven or either young people inside. They were all his classmates. I didn't know any of them. When the meal was about to finish, a waiter pushed a trolley with a cake on it into the room. There was also a bunch of roses on the cake as well and a red box was placed on top of the roses. Harry walked over to open the box. Inside, was a diamond ring. He held the ring and walked up to Sophie. He then said passionately, "Sophie, will you be my girlfriend?" The others in the room immediately began cheering and telling Sophie to say yes. "Harry, what are you doing? I thought this was only going to be a meal. Why did you buy such an expensive gift? Take it back. I won't accept it." Sophie quickly refused the gift, but to me, she was just putting on an act. 'The two of you have already slept together, why do you have to be so pretentious?' Harry pushed his glasses and said, "Sophie, I didn't dare express my feelings in the past because I didn't have the ability to take care of you. But now that I've graduated from university, I believe I can take care of you. Frank's married as well, so there's nothing holding me back anymore. Sophie, give me a chance and let me take care of you, alright?" Sophie looked at me with a mixture of emotions. "Frank, don't you want to say something?" "Frank is my brother, he hopes that I can be with the person I love as well. Am I right, Frank?" Harry gave me a meaningful look. I liked Sophie as well, but how could someone like me who didn't even finish high school be worthy of her? Besides, she had already slept with Harry, why would she need my opinion anyway? Her question sounded like a big joke to me. I downed a couple of glasses of wine and forced a smile on my face. "Harry's a good man. You'll be happy." "Do I need to thank you for that?" With that said, Sophie put on the ring in front of everyone in the room. After getting the answer that he wanted, Harry became drunk that night. In the end, it was Sophie and I who brought him back home. Our house was located in an alley on the outskirts of Twilix. It was a community full of houses that were over 100 years old. In the past, Sophie lived here as well, but her family was quite rich and moved out a long time ago. After getting Harry onto the bed, Sophie sat on the edge of the bed and panted with a red face as well. She was also tired. "It's getting late. I'll walk you home," I said. Sophie glanced at me and said, "When did I say that I was going home tonight? I'm your brother's girlfriend now and he's drunk. Shouldn't I be staying behind to take care of him? Don't your wife take care of you when you're drunk?" I gritted my teeth and smiled bitterly. I didn't even have a girlfriend, why would I have a wife? When Sophie saw that I remained silent, she stood up, walked up to me and continued, "Why aren't you saying anything? Have I said something wrong? It's normal for me to sleep with him, let alone stay behind to take care of him, right?" 'I thought you already slept with him, why are you pretending to be like you haven't? Is this necessary?' I wondered. However, I kept the thought to myself. I felt it was inappropriate to expose her. I wasn't happy that I lost to Harry, but had to accept reality. "Could it be that you only slept with your wife after the two of you were married?" Sophie walked even closer to me. Her eyes were locked on me. Her beautiful face became closer and closer. My heart began to race, so I quickly took a few steps back. I changed the subject and said that there was an empty room upstairs and I would need to tidy the room for her, so that she could sleep there and I could take care of Harry. As soon as I turned around, Sophie pulled me back. "Why do I have to sleep upstairs? The ring that he gave me today costs at least a grand, right? Since your brother is so good to me, it's only fair that I give him the thing that's most precious to me." "You're from a rich family and you're touched just like that?" I asked. Sophie snorted. "Don't act like you've given me something more precious!" I was at a loss for words. Sophie continued, "You've probably forgotten all about me, let alone give me a present." "No, I haven't!" I yelled. After quitting school, I switched phone numbers and deleted all of Sophie's contact details. I was afraid that I would contact her. However, I couldn't stop thinking about her. In fact, I missed her even more. "Then why didn't you contact me during the past four years? Why did you also become a husband that took your wife's last name as well?" asked Sophie. I didn't know why Sophie was asking me all those questions, plus the fact that I wasn't good with words, I didn't know what to say. Sophie became infuriated and shouted, "Frank, why do you always have to remain silent? If you don't tell others what you think, how could others know? What have you been doing over the past four years? Are you not married? Is your brother lying to me? Talk to me!" I didn't say anything that day. I knew Sophie belonged to Harry now. Therefore, what was the point of me telling the truth? In the end, Sophie looked at me with disappointment and went upstairs to bed. Not knowing how long had passed, I was half asleep when I felt that something wasn't right. I opened my eyes and saw fire. Our house was on fire! I quickly rushed into Harry's room and woke him up. Harry was also stunned by what was happening. His first reaction was to run for his life. I quickly grabbed Harry and said, "Sophie's still upstairs!" Panic was evident on Harry's face and the fire was raging out of control. He pushed my hand away and ran for his life. This fire was getting bigger and bigger. It wouldn't be long until the house began to collapse. If I ran for my life, then I would have a pretty good chance of getting out without a scratch, but what about Sophie? Harry had already run for his life. Was I going to leave Sophie as well? I didn't know where I got the courage from, but I rushed into the kitchen to soak my clothes in water and then headed towards Sophie's room. The whole room was on fire. I could vaguely hear Sophie calling for help. When I kicked the door open, Sophie was already unconscious. The lucky thing was that the fire hadn't reached her. I had been working in a coal mine for the past four years, so I was quite strong. But faced with such a big fire, I was also losing consciousness. All I could remember was that a wooden log fell on my back as soon as I charged out of Sophie's room. When I woke up again, Sophie was already crying in Harry's arms. The neighbors had come to help us put out the fire, but the house was already in ruins. I asked whether Sophie was hurt, but she just looked at me with an indifferent gaze and said, "Now you remember me? Where were you during the fire? It was a good thing that Harry came to save me. Otherwise, I would have been a goner." After hearing those words, I couldn't help but feel stunned and looked at Harry. Harry wrapped his arms around Sophie and said, "Sophie, I said I will take care of you even if I have to give my own life to save yours." "Thank you, Harry. I'm really touched." It didn't take a rocket scientist to work out that Sophie had mistaken. I was the one who saved her, not Harry. However, Harry still lied to Sophie, saying that he was the one who saved her. At that moment, I exploded with anger. If it weren't for the fact that I had to pay for his tuition fees, I wouldn't have gone to work at a coal mine. I worked my ass off for the last four years and if weren't for the fact that I had been lucky, I would have been buried alive already. I sacrificed everything for Harry, but he didn't care at all. "It was me who saved you!" I shouted angrily. Sophie gave me a surprised look at first, but she soon calmed down. Harry chimed in, "Frank, you ran for your life as soon as you realized that our house was on fire. It was me who put my life in danger to pull Sophie out of the fire. Why are you saying that it was you? What are you getting at? Besides, Sophie is my girlfriend, it's normal for me to go in there and save her. Who are you to save her? Why should Sophie believe you?" Sophie also gave me a cold glance and said, "Your brother's right, Frank. Do you know how much courage one would need to go in there and save my life? Would you really do that? If I was really that important to you, why would you have not contacted me over the past four years? Let's leave it at that. I know who was it that saved my life." Faced with Sophie's words, I fell silent again. She had a point. Why would a person who had not contacted her for four years save her life in a fire? No one would believe such a story. This matter also allowed me to see through Harry's disguise. He didn't care about me at all. All he would do was use the fact that we were brothers to hold me back and use me until I was no longer worth anything to him. It was good news for Harry that our house had burnt down. Since he had nowhere to live, Sophie took him in the next day. Sophie's parents were both businessmen, so they had quite a lot of money. Therefore, they didn't really want Sophie to be with Harry. However, when they heard that Harry pulled Sophie out of the fire that night, their attitudes towards Harry immediately changed. Plus the fact that Harry was a university graduate, Sophie's parents gradually accepted him. I had nowhere to go, and in the end, Mrs. Wilson allowed me to temporarily live with them. Mrs. Wilson was in her late 30s. She was very good-looking and kind. She had helped Harry and me quite a lot over the years. She asked me why was our house set on fire. But truthfully speaking, I didn't know. We went to sleep as soon as we got back. There weren't any naked flames in the house either. Therefore, the most probable cause of the fire was a short circuit in the cables. It was only until three days later when I found out that someone had deliberately set our house on fire. I was cleaning the house when a few strangers barged in. The person at the front was a woman about my age. She was in her early 20s, wearing a pair of jeans that showed off her long legs and a t-shirt that showed off her collarbones. The woman was wearing a pair of sunglasses. One couldn't see her eyes, but she was definitely a beauty. She was also emitting a noble aura. She was followed by five men in black t-shirts. Their faces were cold and so were their eyes. All of them were emitting a violent aura. When the woman walked into the courtyard, she first looked at the burnt house and then walked up to me. She then asked, "You're Harry Wood's brother, Frank Wood?" I looked at the woman alarmingly. "Who are you? What is your business here?" "Answer my question first!" The woman wasn't very loud, but her voice was domineering. "I am Frank Wood," I said. The woman then asked, "You're the one who saved that trash from the fire that night? Your brother didn't even dare to save her, but you put your life in danger and saved that trash? Are you trying to get her to cheat on your brother?" 'Sophie? How does she know about what happened?' I frowned. "She is so lucky! I can't believe she survived the fire," the woman said through gritted teeth. It seemed like she really hated Sophie. "Who are you? How do you know what happened that night?" I asked. "I was the one who got someone to set the fire, how could I not know?" The woman snorted. After hearing those words, I was infuriated and my eyes became bloodshot. When the men behind the woman saw my eyes, they quickly came over and pinned me to the ground before I even made a move. I was strong, but not strong enough in front of those men. "Tell me where Harry is if you want to live." The woman looked down at me. That was the only angle when I could vaguely see that she had a birthmark around her left eye. That was why she was wearing a pair of sunglasses. I gritted my teeth and snorted. However, I didn't expect the woman to squat down and slap me in the face. She then shouted, "Watch that attitude of yours. Who do you think you are, being all tough in front of me? I'm telling you I can burn this place down again if I wanted to. Now, tell me, where the is Harry? If you don't tell me, then you're going to have to suffer my wrath." I might be an introverted person, but I was also stubborn. I remained silent and didn't say a word. "Looks like you're quite stubborn. Miss, I think we need to teach him a lesson," one of the men swung his fist. The woman waved her hand. She took out her phone and dialed a number. "Harry, your brother is in my hands. If you don't want anything to happen to him, then..." Harry hung up the call before the woman could even finish her words. She then called him again, but the phone was already switched off. The woman laughed angrily. "You really are brothers, aren't you? Frank, your brother has offended me, but he's not showing himself. Therefore, I have no choice but to vent my anger on you." "That heartless trash doesn't deserve to be my brother!" I said fiercely. The woman was taken aback when she heard what I said. When she came back to her senses, she ordered her men to drag me into the house. After entering the house, the woman took off her sunglasses. As expected, she had a big birthmark around her left eye. It was a little scary to look at as well. The woman's name was Alana Wilkinson. She was Harry's university classmate. Harry had put in quite a lot of effort pursuing Alana. She was also touched by Harry's actions as well, so she agreed to be his girlfriend. However, Alana found out later on that Harry had an ambiguous relationship with a lot of girls in university. Not only that, Alana also found out that Harry wasn't truly in love with her. He only pursued her because he wanted the resources of the Wilkinson family. Alana was infuriated by the truth and that was why she wanted revenge. "Have you ever heard of the Wilkinson Group? I'm the daughter of the Wilkinson family, who owns that company. Harry dared to play around with my feelings, so I want payback!" I didn't expect Harry to be playing around with other people's feelings, but when I thought about it, he played around with everyone's feelings. He didn't even care about me, his own brother. What wouldn't he do? "You've already burnt down my house, what else do you want?" I asked. Alana glanced at me and said, "I've heard that Harry was celebrating that trash's birthday, so I got someone to teach them a lesson. I didn't expect them to burn down your house. First things first. I'll pay for the damage caused, it's no big deal." With that said, she threw me a bank card. "There's 40 thousand dollars in there. I think that's more than enough for you to repair the house. Now that the matter of the house is sorted, how are we going to solve the fact that your brother has played around with my feelings? I wish that I could feed him to the dogs. You're his brother, would you consider paying his debts for him?" If it had been in the past, I wouldn't be hesitant to step in for Harry. But after what happened, I was already fully disappointed. "I quit school and went to work in a coal mine to pay for his tuition fees. I suffered a lot and was nearly buried alive, but what does he do? He used my hard-earned money to please other women. Has he ever cared about me? From today onwards, he has nothing to do with me anymore," I said. "Do you think I'll let you go just because you've broken off relationships with him? The two of you are brothers. If he's a scumbag, are you any better? I know you know where Harry is. Give a message to him for me. He'd better come talk to me before dark tomorrow. This is his last chance. Otherwise, I won't let him off that easily! That trsah will suffer as well!" Alana patted my face and added, "You risked your life to save that trash. Then that means you care about her. I think you wouldn't want to see her hurt by dozens of men one day, right?" After Alana left with her men, I went to Sophie's house. Sophie was wearing an oversized t-shirt. Her arms were white and slender. She had a smile on her face when she opened the door as well. However, when she saw it was me standing outside the door, the smile immediately disappeared as she asked in a cold voice, "Why are you here?" "I'm here for Harry," I said. "Harry's gone out and isn't back yet. You can just talk to me whatever you have to say and I'll pass on the message." "You won't be able to solve this matter. Since he's not here, then I'll wait for him outside." Sophie lived in an area for the rich. The environment was great. Not far from Sophie's house was an artificial lake. Under the dim sky, fish and flower pedals could be seen on the surface of the lake. I sat on a bench nearby when I suddenly heard footsteps behind me. "I think I have the right to know about your brother's matters." Sophie's tone of voice made me very uncomfortable. I sneered. "You've only recently become his girlfriend. Do you think you have the right to know everything? Do you think you know everything about him?" Sophie glanced at me and said, "You seemed to have disappeared into thin air for the past four years. We've done everything we can to try to find you. But you became a husband that took your wife's last name. What a joke! I think I at least know more about him for the past four years than you." I laughed angrily. "Harry couldn't find me either? Why don't you ask him where he got his money from for the past four years?" After hearing those words, a complicated look appeared on Sophie's face. Suspicion filled her eyes as well. "You mean, you were the one who paid for his tuition fees during university?" "Let bygones be bygones, Sophie. If you still trust me, then break up with Harry immediately." Sophie's family was rich, but there was still a big difference when compared to Alana. Therefore, if Sophie didn't break up with Harry as soon as possible, she would definitely be dragged into what was about to happen. "Why should I listen to you? Who do you think you are? Why do you think you can order me around? Harry likes me and so do you, right?" shouted Sophie. "I do! I've liked you since I was little!" I shouted. I didn't know where I got the courage from. After saying those words, I began to panic and started looking around me. I didn't dare look at Sophie in the eyes. Both of us fell silent. Time seemed to have stopped. A while later, Sophie suddenly said, "If you like me, why didn't you let me know sooner? I even asked you when Harry gave me the ring that day. It was you who said that I should accept him. Do you know that the person I actually have feelings for is you, Frank, not your brother, Harry? All these years, I've been waiting for you to express your feelings, but you just kept everything to yourself. How would I know your feelings if you don't tell me?" I was completely taken aback. I looked at Sophie in disbelief. 'I'm the one she likes?' Sophie became emotional and tears trickled down her cheeks. "I've already accepted your brother and you only tell me now that you like me? Don't you think it's a little too late? I hate you, Frank!" she cried. Sophie then squatted down and cried. At that moment, my heart ached as well. 'So, I'm the one Sophie likes. No wonder when Harry gave her the ring that day, she would ask for my opinion. She was waiting for me to express my feelings. She wanted me to say that I liked her. How stupid of me! I actually believed Harry when he said that Sophie had slept with him!' Looking at how upset Sophie was, I didn't know what to say. "I'm sorry, Sophie." "Sorry?" Sophie glared at me. "You didn't let me down, you let my feelings for you down! I've been giving you chances over these years. You were the one who caused this situation today. Since everything is too late, then let this matter stop here. Remember this, I'm your brother's girlfriend from today onwards! He can risk his life to save me, so I can't let him down!" "I was the one who saved you that night, not Harry," I said. "You?" Sophie gave me a cold glance and sneered. "Do you expect me to believe you? I admit I had feelings for you before, but I know what kind of person you are now. You say you have feelings for me, but you've not even contacted me once over the past four years. You've even taken your wife's last name as well. Have you ever thought about me while you were living your happy life with someone else? I can't believe you actually had the courage to say you like me. Let me tell you this, I won't be your girlfriend even if I'm not Harry's. From now on, all I have towards you is hatred!" I could tell that Sophie had misunderstood me way too much and the person who caused this was Harry. I finally knew why Harry lied to Sophie saying that I was married. He knew that Sophie had feelings for me and he used this lie to get Sophie to forget about me. I had to admit, Harry was a pro when it came to girls. However, I couldn't stand back and do nothing just because Sophie misunderstood me. "I'm not the one who lied to you. It's Harry. He has a lot of women and you're just one of them!" I said. Slap! Sophie slapped me hard in the face and said through gritted teeth, "You're not allowed to slander Harry like that. I know better than you what kind of person he is! You might be a scumbag, but he's definitely not!" My face burned, but my heart ached even more. At that moment, Harry returned. I thought he knew that Alana had spoken to me, so he was a little guilty and avoided looking at me directly in the eyes. He walked over and saw tears in Sophie's eyes. "What happened? Did Frank upset you?" he asked. "Frank, you may be my brother, but Sophie's someone I'm willing to protect with my life. If you talk nonsense in front of her, then I won't let you off so easily!" Harry was truly good with words. He might sound like he was threatening me, but he was actually trying to reassure Sophie. He was telling Sophie that he would never cheat on her. Since we had completely fallen out, I sneered and said, "I'm talking nonsense? Well, do you know Alana Wilkinson? She wants me to tell you that you'd better go talk to her before dark tomorrow. If not, then there would be serious consequences." "Who's Alana Wilkinson? I don't even know her! Frank, I know you're saying this because you wanted to get Sophie to leave me, but Sophie's not going to believe your lies! Sophie, trust me, I don't know an Alana Wilkinson." Sophie smiled and said, "I won't be worthy of being your girlfriend if I don't trust you at all, Harry." After hearing those words, I gritted my teeth in anger. Harry, on the other hand, had a proud look on his face. He then left with an arm wrapped around Sophie's waist. I had no idea if Harry went to talk to Alana the next day. But by dark, two burly men found me and said that Alana wanted to see me. They were Alana's men and I was taken to a well-known leisure villa on the outskirts of the city. I only found out later on that the villa belonged to the Wilkinson family. When I saw Alana, she was sitting in a chess room. She wasn't wearing her sunglasses, so I could see the birthmark on her face clearly. "Did you do what I asked yesterday?" she asked. I nodded. Alana slammed the table. "But he hadn't come to talk to me. Does he really think that I don't know where he's hiding?" I had to admit, Alana had a domineering aura. The two men who brought me over and I were all startled. One of the men quickly said, "Miss, I've just received a call. They've found him and the woman called Sophie Clinton. They're bringing them over right now." My heart skipped a beat. 'Sophie is being brought over as well?' Alana walked up to me and said, "If it weren't for the fact that you led the way yesterday, I wouldn't have known where those two were hiding." Only after hearing those words, did I realize that Alana's men followed me to Sophie's house yesterday. Sophie might have misunderstood me, but I really didn't want anything to happen to her. Therefore, I said desperately, "Miss Wilkinson, Sophie doesn't know about your relationship with Harry. Therefore, you shouldn't treat her as the other woman in your relationship..." Alana interrupted me before I could finish. "Shut up! I don't want to hear that trash's name! I'll cut your tongue off if you speak another word!" Around a quarter of an hour later, Harry and Sophie were brought over by Alana's men. As soon as Alana saw Harry, she began beating him. Harry wanted to fight back, but before he could, the burly man behind him threw him to the ground. Alana kicked Harry a few more times after he was thrown to the ground. I was quite shocked by the woman as I watched from the side. "Stop! Why are you beating him up? If you don't stop, I'll call the police!" Sophie's face paled from what was happening. This was definitely the first time that she had encountered such a situation. Alana turned around and looked at Sophie with cold eyes. "You are indeed a beauty. No wonder this trash would betray me. However, since he had offended me, he will have to pay the price!" Sophie was shocked as she looked at Harry. She had probably guessed the relationship between Harry and Alana. Harry quickly said, "I'm sorry, Sophie. I shouldn't have lied to you. We've been together for a period of time, but when I realized we weren't suitable for each other, we split up. You're the one that I truly love." After hearing those words, Alana picked up the ashtray on the table and swung it at Harry's head. The burly man at the side quickly stopped her and said that she might kill Harry. "How much is this trash's life worth? I can afford it!" said Alana. But she still stopped what she was doing and snorted. "Listen well, Harry. You're not the one who dumped me. I'm the one who dumped you. A scumbag like you is not worthy of being my boyfriend, but you've successfully angered me. You like this trash, right? Then I'll let you watch as she's hurt by a group of men. I want you to wish you were dead!" Alana looked meaningfully at the burly men in the room and continued, "You're in luck today. This trash is quite good-looking. Try and be gentle. We don't want to kill her..." The eyes of the burly men in the room lit up as they began sizing Sophie up and down. As soon as Alana gave the order, the men began dragging Sophie into the room next door. Sophie was terrified and tried to struggle. Harry wrapped his arms around Alana's leg and pleaded, "Alana, please, I beg of you. Don't hurt her. I'll do anything you tell me." "You'll do anything? Break your own arm and I'll let her go," Alana said coldly. Harry's face paled. He had no idea what to do. "You're scared?" Alana kicked out at Harry. "I knew you didn't have the guts. I've already given you a chance, so don't blame me for being ruthless. Take her away!" Soon, Sophie was dragged out of the room by a few men, but two burly men still stayed behind to protect Alana. I knew I was no match for them, so I didn't make a move. Instead, I took out the bank card that Alana gave me and said, "Miss Wilkinson, I can give you the 40 thousand dollars back. All I ask is you let Sophie go." "Do you think I care about the money?" Alana gave me a cold glare. "I know you don't care about this money. But Sophie's innocent and she didn't do anything wrong. Please can you let her go, Miss Wilkinson?" I pleaded. Alana said after a short pause, "Are you willing to break an arm in exchange for her safety? If you're willing then I'll let that trash go." Truthfully speaking, I was scared as well. "Looks like you're a man who doesn't have any guts either." Alana snorted. "I'm willing!" I shouted. "But you have to keep your word as well!" A surprised look flashed in Alana's eyes. She looked at the two burly men in the room and the two of them walked towards me. One of them grabbed my right arm and pinned it to the table while the other picked up a chair. "Have you thought it through, kid? If this chair goes down, your arm will be broken. That trash is your brother's girlfriend, even he wasn't willing to break an arm for her. Why are you trying to be the hero here?" I had broken into a cold sweat at that moment as well, but there was no way I would allow Sophie to be hurt. I remained silent and kept my eyes closed. I also tensed all the muscles in my body. About 10 seconds later, there was a loud thud. Then, a scream sounded. I opened my eyes and saw Harry's right arm covered in blood. The pain caused the veins on his forehead to pop and his face became distorted. "Harry, we're even now. Remember to stay away from me in the future. I'm not someone you can mess with." With that, Alana left some medical fees for Harry and released them. When Sophie saw Harry's right arm, she began crying. She thought that it was Harry who sacrificed his right arm for her, but it wasn't. Even Harry didn't expect the chair to land on his right arm. Seeing how worried and upset Sophie was, I really hoped that the person with the broken arm was me. I felt it was worth it. After leaving the villa, Sophie rushed Harry to a hospital. I hated Harry, but still decided to head to the hospital as well. Harry had multiple fractures in his right arm and surgery was performed immediately. On the morning of the next day, Harry was transferred into an ordinary ward. When I went to see Harry, he suddenly asked, "Frank, you're my brother. Why did you set Sophie and me up?" I was confused by Harry's words. Sophie also looked at me in confusion as well. Harry continued, "Don't play dumb with me. The bank card on you was given to you by Alana, right? There's 40 thousand dollars in it. Why would she give you so much money? She hadn't even met Sophie, let alone know where she lived. You're the one who sold us out! I treat you as my brother, but you tried to get me killed! Not only that, you got Sophie involved as well! If I hadn't sacrificed my arm, Sophie would have been hurt by those scumbags! Frank, I can't believe you wanted to ruin Sophie just because she chose me instead of you. You're such a ruthless person! Get out! I don't want to see you ever again!" I didn't expect Harry to put the blame on me. Sophie asked in a cold voice, "Frank, is what Harry said true? Did you really accept that woman's money?" "He has the card on him, Sophie. You can search him if you don't believe me. Besides, I've heard him say that the 40 thousand dollars in the account was given to him by Alana." After hearing those words, Sophie couldn't control her temper anymore. She shouted with red eyes, "Frank, you said that you had feelings for me. Is this how you express your feelings for me? Get out! I don't ever want to see you!" I wanted to explain, but Sophie was so worked up that she couldn't take anything in. Combined with Harry's words, she treated me like some enemy as she kicked me out of the ward. I was angered as well. Why did Sophie choose to believe in Harry instead of me? In order to save her, I risked my own life to pull her out of the fire. When she was about to be hurt, I was the one who was willing to sacrifice my arm for her. But in the end, what I did was no match for Harry's words. I was completely disappointed. 'Since she thinks Harry is such a good man then so be it. Her matters have nothing to do with me anymore in the future!' By the time I came out of the hospital, an expensive car was parked at the entrance. The window was rolled halfway down. I could see the side of Alana's delicate face. I had to admit, if it weren't for the birthmark, Alana was definitely a rare beauty. Of course, I felt that Harry wouldn't abandon her if it weren't for that birthmark on her face. Alana hooked her finger at me. "Get in." "Where do you want to take me?" I asked. "Are you scared that I'll eat you?" Alana curved her lips and said with a meaningful smile, "I might have a birthmark on my face, but I'm rich. There are a lot of men after me. With your looks, it's unlikely that I consider you." I hesitated and asked, "Why did you ask me to come over today? Why did you drag me into the matter between you and Harry? Harry said that I sold them out." "He can say whatever he wants. What can we do about it?" Alana glanced at me indifferently. "Besides, why do you care about what a scumbag like him says?" I didn't care about what Harry said, but I did care about Sophie's impression of me. "You can have your money back." I threw the bank card into the car through the window and then turned on my heels to leave. "Hey, what's wrong with you? You're just going to throw 40 thousand dollars away just because of what Harry said? This isn't money for selling them out. It's compensation for your house. Don't you want to repair your house?" "You're the daughter of the Wilkinson family. I'll be lucky you don't cause me trouble. I probably won't be able to live long enough to spend the money if I took it." Alana and I were from two completely different worlds. If I took the money and she regretted it in the future, I would probably have to pay back way more than 40 thousand dollars. I had saved up some money over the past four years. I planned to get a job first and repair the house when I had a steady income. Therefore, my ultimate goal at the moment was to earn money. During the next couple of days, I tried looking for a job, but was rejected by multiple positions due to my educational background. One afternoon, when I returned after an interview, I met Philip in an alley. Philip's full name was Philip Hall and he was one of my childhood friends. However, he quit school earlier than I did and we have lost contact since. The two of us then went for a drink at a local pub later on. Philip said that it was really difficult to find a job. He didn't know anyone, so he had no one to turn to for help if a problem came up. He also said that he decided to head home, because even if the pay was less, at least he lived a comfortable life. I had the same feeling as Philip. One would always miss home after heading out to work. However, without a good educational background, it was unrealistic to find a job in Twilix. Philip said that he had begun to learn how to cook at a restaurant recently. It was a pity that he didn't have the money, otherwise, he would have opened his own restaurant in Twilix. The owner of the local pub was a middle-aged man. When he heard Philip's words, he came and sat with us with a couple of bottles of beer. The owner said that he had been running the pub for over 10 years and had enough of it. His daughter had already found a job, so he wanted to sell this pub. The price he gave wasn't very high either. Philip and I had a little bit to drink, so we were quite impulsive. The two of us thought about it and decided to buy the pub. In the end, we came to a price of 24 thousand dollars. Philip didn't have any money, but he knew how to cook and how to run a pub. Therefore, I would be the one who put in the money and he took care of everything else. The two of us would split the money that we earned 30:70. He would get 30% of the profits and I would get 70%. After signing the contract, we redecorated the pub and re-opened it after two weeks. The business wasn't too bad on the first day. Philip and I were very busy. Even Mrs. Wilson had to come and help out in the end to ease the workload. After sending off a group of customers, I was about to get some rest when a familiar car pulled up outside the pub. It was a cream BMW. The car door opened and Sophie and Harry got out. "Now you believe me, Sophie? If Alana hadn't given him any money, how was he able to afford this pub?" Harry looked at me coldly at the side of the road. "Frank, isn't that Harry and Sophie?" Philip nudged me. "Come on, we've still got work to do," I said as I walked back into the pub. "Frank, come over here. I have something to say to you," said Harry. I hesitated and then asked in a cold voice, "What is it?" Harry pushed his glasses. "Our house was burnt down, so there's no point keeping it anymore. Someone wants to buy it now, so I want to sell it..." "Sell the house?" I yelled. "There's no way that I'll agree to it. The house was the only thing that our parents left us. There's no way that I'll be selling it!" Harry said with a frown. "The house was burnt down. What's the point of keeping it? I'm the oldest, so I make the call. I'm selling the house whether you agree to it or not! The buyer is offering 80 thousand dollars for the house and we can split the money evenly between us. Although you've done so many bad things to me, I still see you as my brother. I'll give you every penny that you deserve." 'I've done so many bad things?' I laughed angrily after hearing those words. "You should know full well why the house was burnt down. Harry, the house was left to us by our parents. I have a say in it as well. Therefore, no one can sell the house unless I say so!" I shouted. Harry's face turned red. "The house is already burnt down, there is no point in keeping it..." said Sophie. "Shut your mouth!" I yelled. "You're only his girlfriend and not even his fiancee. You have no say in our house!" This was the first time that I yelled at Sophie. Her face turned pale and didn't say another word. Seeing how determined I was, Harry said after a short pause, "How about this, since we have an equal share of the house, then I can sell my half, right?" I replied angrily, "Harry, you're a university graduate. Do you really need to sell the house to make a living? Besides, isn't she your girlfriend? She's from a rich family and you're good with words, why don't you be a gigolo? A certain someone's too blind to see the truth anyway and can be easily fooled." "Who are you calling a fool?" Sophie asked angrily. Harry also said through gritted teeth, "Shut your mouth, Frank. I pursued Sophie because I love her, not because she's rich. I will give her a happy life through my own hard work and I'm not a gigolo. Do you think I'm like you? You sold your brother out for this pub. You're such a great guy!" I just snorted and didn't say anything. Mrs. Wilson and Philip saw that the two of us got into an argument, so they quickly came to ease the situation. "Harry, let's talk about the house another time. Today is the opening day of Frank's pub. Come in and have a seat if you don't have any plans later on," Mrs. Wilson said with a smile. "Harry, Sophie, whatever you order today is on me. We serve food here as well, you can have a taste of my cooking and tell me if there's anything that needs improving." Philip smiled. Since Mrs. Wilson had stepped in, Harry couldn't make her look bad. Plus, Philip had invited them as well, so Harry and Sophie decided to stay for a while. When Philip went to make the drinks, Harry said sarcastically, "Philip, are you and Frank running this store together? I have to warn you, Frank is a heartless person, so you will need to be careful in the future. Don't be tricked by him." I was infuriated by Harry's words, but Mrs. Wilson persuaded me to calm down. Philip chuckled as he scratched his head. "Harry, Frank, and I grew up together. He's not that kind of person." "People change," Harry said with a dark face. Sophie said with an indifferent face, "Remember this, Philip. Don't set others up, but don't let your guard down either." Philip nodded his head. In the evening, a couple of youngsters came to the pub. The men had tattoos on their chests and the women wore sexy clothes. From their conversation, I could tell that they worked in the second-hand cars industry. I heard that a lot of gangsters ended up dealing second-hand cars. Those youngsters didn't look like they were kind people either. Therefore, I served them carefully and didn't want any trouble. However, sometimes, the more one was afraid of something, the more likely one would encounter it. When Mrs. Wilson was serving them, one of the men who was bald slipped his hand into her skirt. This caused Mrs. Wilson to instinctively slap him in the face. The youngsters immediately became infuriated and smashed glasses on the floor. They also said that they were going to take Mrs. Wilson away to teach her a lesson. Mrs. Wilson was here to help us out, so I wasn't going to let her be taken away. However, they didn't listen to anything I said and were going to beat me up as well. Seeing this, Harry quickly led Sophie out of the pub, afraid that they would be dragged into the matter. "Harry, we've known Mrs. Wilson since we were little. Since we're here, we can't let them do whatever they want," said Sophie. "Sophie, be quiet. Don't let them hear you. They're in the second-hand cars business. They're basically doing illegal deals under the table. This is not something we can handle. He thinks he can run a pub after getting some money from Alana? Well, he's in for a treat. He will come across all kinds of people in a pub. He will need to have connections in the legal world and the underworld to be able to stand his ground. It'll be better if they wreck the pub. The money he used to open this pub wasn't really clean money. This is what he gets," said Harry. Sophie raised her head and looked at me with a mixture of feelings. "But..." "No buts, Sophie. Have you forgotten why my arm was broken?" said Harry. "If he hadn't sold us out, we wouldn't have fallen into Alana's hands. You wouldn't have... Even if it was because of me, he shouldn't have betrayed us for money." After hearing Harry's words, Sophie's eyes suddenly turned cold. She turned around and walked towards the car. What everyone didn't expect was that a dozen luxury cars suddenly pulled up at the side of the road. Each one was at least 200 thousand dollars.
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