"Brother.""No.""I haven't said anything.""You've been staring at my refrigerator for five minutes."Miles stood before the open refrigerator like a man mourning the death of a loved one."It's empty.""We established that.""Water.""Yes.""That's all.""Also established."Miles slowly closed the door."You own a $360,000 apartment.""Yes.""And can't provide snacks.""I bought you lunch.""That was before I discovered your shame."Zevian stared.Miles shook his head."This isn't a home.""What is it?""A furnished prison."Zevian threw another cushion.Miles dodged."Violence won't create groceries!"Unfortunately, he had a point.An hour later, the two stood inside a supermarket.Miles pushed the cart.Zevian looked at him."Why are you putting that in?"Miles held up a large bag of chips."Essential.""No.""Emergency food.""No.""Guest accommodation.""You're not a guest."Miles looked touched."Family?""Parasite.""Still counts."The chips entered the cart.Zevian removed th

One week later.NovaDyne Components was down again.Miles stared at the red numbers on Zevian's phone.Then looked at Zevian.Then back at the phone."Brother.""No.""You've lost almost fifteen percent.""Unrealized.""Still using that?""It's still true."They were sitting inside the cafeteria before their afternoon class.Elara sat across from them, reviewing notes.She glanced toward the screen."Investor briefing is today, right?"Zevian nodded."Three."Miles checked the time."Twenty minutes."Then he leaned closer."Sell.""No.""Sell before they announce bankruptcy.""They're not bankrupt.""That's exactly what companies say before bankruptcy."Elara lowered her notes."Where did you learn that?""Internet.""Of course."Miles pointed toward Zevian's phone."I'm protecting my brother's financial future."Zevian looked at him."You tried buying lottery tickets last week.""Investment diversification.""Gambling.""Negative mindset."Elara laughed.Zevian locked his phone."If

"Brother."Zevian didn't look up."No."Miles placed both hands on the table."I haven't asked anything.""Your face did."Miles frowned."Everyone keeps stealing that line.""You overuse it."They were sitting outside the Economics building between classes.Elara occupied the chair beside Zevian, reviewing something on her tablet.Miles leaned closer."Apartment."Elara's fingers stopped.Zevian slowly looked up.Miles froze.Elara looked between them."What apartment?"Silence.Miles smiled weakly."Did I say apartment?""Yes.""No.""You literally just did.""Accent."Elara stared."What accent turns apartment into something else?"Miles thought desperately."Filipino?"Zevian closed his eyes.Elara's eyebrow rose."Miles."He looked toward Zevian for rescue.There was none.Traitor."It's nothing."Elara turned toward Zevian."What apartment?"Zevian sighed."My apartment."Silence.Elara blinked."Your what?"Miles slowly began moving his chair away.Zevian noticed."Stay."Miles

Zevian grabbed his jacket.His phone remained in his hand.[Miles.]No response.He walked toward the door.[MILES.]Still nothing.Zevian's eyes narrowed.Too late.The doorbell rang.Silence.Zevian stared at the door.Then at his phone.Another message arrived.[Brother.]Finally.[What?]Miles replied:[Before you get angry, remember everything we've been through together.]Zevian slowly typed.[You gave her the address.]A pause.[Define "gave."]The doorbell rang again.Zevian closed his eyes."Fatty."He opened the door.Miles stood outside.He was holding a box of dessert.Zevian stared at him.Miles smiled."Peace offering.""You're dead.""Before you decide that-"A second figure stepped into view.Seraphina Sinclair.She carried two bags of food.Zevian slowly looked back at Miles.Miles raised the dessert like a shield."She negotiated aggressively.""You sold my address for cake.""Dessert.""Same thing.""Technically-""Fatty."Miles immediately stepped behind Seraphina.

Julian Hart wasn't a stranger to Seraphina Sinclair.The Harts and Sinclairs had moved through the same wealthy circles in Veycrest City for years.Charity dinners.Business functions.Private gatherings.The occasional event where young heirs and heiresses smiled politely while their parents discussed things considerably more important than them.The Hart family wasn't on the same level as the Sinclairs.Few families in Veycrest were.But they were wealthy.Very wealthy.Hart Meridian Group owned interests in commercial property, logistics, and luxury retail throughout the city.Julian was the eldest son.Educated.Well-connected.And, compared with many rich young men Seraphina knew, usually tolerable.That last part was important.She had never hated Julian.He wasn't one of the idiots who repeatedly confessed after being rejected.He didn't send flowers every week.Didn't follow her around university.Didn't loudly announce that their families would make a perfect match.But his i