Chapter 149 - It's Nice To See You, Sister

'No.' Devon's breath hitched, feeling this sense of dread crept up into her heart. The familiar fear that grew alongside her like a twin, making her inner thoughts scream in horror.

"Dev?" she snapped when Lewis' voice came to her ear. "Are you okay?"

"Ye — yes." A forced smile appeared on her face, casting him a look, and nodded. 

"It's nice to see you, sister." Julian greeted with a smile that didn't reach the eyes behind his glasses.

Her breath hitched again as her lower lip trembled. She assessed his face, baffled how Julian didn't resemble Quentin, but his aura felt.... familiar. There was something in his greetings that made him sound just like the Quentin she knew.

"Julian, my fiance isn't feeling well." This time, Lewis intervened as he glanced at his trusted brother.

"It seems so, Ge. I won't hold you back, then. Have you seen Dion?" Julian peeled his eyes away from Devon to Lewis and conversed with him casually.

"Check his room, he might be there sulking." Lewis shrugged his shoulder while Julian nodded.

"Alright. Have fun with Grandpa." Julian didn't idle anymore as he left the two of them. 

As his brother walked away, Lewis fixated his eyes on Julian's back. His brother was just like that; aloof, straightforward, and naturally intimidating. Did Devon get scared because Julian wasn't as friendly as Dion? But Derek wasn't the friendly type, though.

"Dev?" he called, facing her as he held her shoulder. "Do you know Julian?"

Lewis couldn't think of other reasons she would react like this. She didn't look scared, just like when she met Quentin back in the hotel. It was more like she was baffled, at the same time, puzzled.

Devon glanced at him, pursing her lips as she sported a weak smile. "No. I simply mistook him for someone."

"Mistook him?"

"Yes, it's nothing, Lu." She hooked her arm around him sweetly. "Let's just go to grandpa. He will accuse you of hogging me for yourself again."

Lewis studied her face before a defeated sigh escaped his mouth. "Alright, then."

With that being said, the two of them headed towards the entertainment room. As they trudged away, Devon looked back in the direction Julian left.

'It's not him, right? That's impossible, yes. I'm just overthinking.' she told herself until it convinced her. 'He is Lu's brother, after all.'

Little did she know, Lewis glanced at her, observing her carefully.

******

As expected, Marshall threw a huge fit, as they were late for the drama. Instead of watching the drama, the old man created his own. Good thing Devon managed to placate him. 

In the end, the drama night turned into a movie night as Dion also came to watch. Devon, however, couldn't focus throughout the night as her mind drifted to something else. She didn't even notice that they had finished two consecutive movies.

"There's something wrong." Devon snapped from her trance as Lewis exited the bathroom, closing the door behind him. Her eyes veered to the bathroom door, seeing him walk out with only a bathrobe around his body and a towel over his head.

She pursed her lips, turning around from the vanity mirror as she finished blow-drying her hair. 

"What's wrong?" she inquired with her brows raised.

Lewis glanced at her, trudging towards the armrest inside the room. He perched on it languidly, resting his legs over the other.

"You," he said, drying his hair with the towel languidly. "You've been very distracted after meeting Julian. Is there something I should know about him?"

"No, of course, there's none. It's my first time meeting your brother." Devon chuckled awkwardly, shaking her head. "I'm just exhausted, I guess."

His eyes narrowed while tilting his head a little to the side. "Are you trying to convince me or yourself? For me, it sounds like the latter."

Devon's breath hitched as her lips parted, but no words came out. How could Lewis read her as if she was an open book?

'Should I tell him? But what if I was wrong? It will strain his relationship with his brother.' She thought while staring at Lewis. 

Considering Lewis's overprotectiveness, he wouldn't hesitate to strain any relationship he had. Heck. He even messed with De Luca and only reconciled with them to appease her. 

She knew she couldn't recklessly tell him about this assumption. She had to make sure first. 

"Lu, it's really nothing." She let out a sigh, pushing herself up as she sauntered in his direction. Devon stopped in front of him, staring at him lovingly.

"I will tell you if there's something wrong. You know me." 

"I know, but if you are hesitant because Julian is my brother, please don't." His hand reached for her, yanking her on his lap. "I promised to protect you, didn't I? Without hurting myself."

Lewis stressed his last sentence just in case that she was worried about. It was not like he would kill Julian; although Julian was strange in his own way, the man was still his brother. 

"Yes, I know that." A weak chuckle slipped past her lips as she grabbed both ends of the towel to dry his hair. "Were you bothered, so you left the bath without changing first?"

"Mhmm." Lewis closed his eyes, feeling her fingertip press lightly on his scalp. "You make me sleepy."

Her eyes lingered on his lips as they parted. Devon bit her lower lip as her eyes instinctively fell on his exposed chest, swallowing down a mouthful of saliva. Unknowingly, as she was distracted assessing how sexy Lewis could be without trying, he peeked through his one eye.

"Is there something interesting down there?" he asked as he arched a brow, snapping her back from her trance.

"Lu, you should change."

"Why? Does it bother you?" Lewis inquired, cocking his head to the side. "But I sometimes sleep without my top and you never mind."

"But we've been together for a while now and..." Devon trailed off as she averted her eyes away. "... anything can happen with the slightest provocation."

"Dion and Grandpa's words got through to you?" 

She shook her head. "Of course not. I just thought we're both adults, and this world offers things for safer sexual intercourse."

"You are reading those types of things?"

"It's important!" Her answer was just as quick as a lightning. Lewis couldn't disagree with her as he nodded.

"I read that sex education is important. Knowledge is power, my lover."

"So, are you saying you want it?" he asked bluntly, raising his hand as he tucked her hair behind his ear.

His eyes lingered down her neck as he fluttered his eyelashes languidly. Devon kept her lips in a thin line, pondering how he came to that conclusion. She just told him to change so they could be careful.

Still, she couldn't answer.

"Men are not the ones who restrain themselves all the time," came out a muffled reply, blushing as she bit her lower lip. "But I don't want to break the sacredness of marriage even though I am more than a hundred percent certain you're the man I will marry."

"Same." He smiled, brushing her cheek with his thumb. "I like how you say you're more than a hundred percent certain I am the man you will marry with such conviction. Can we get married tomorrow?"

"Lu." A chuckle escaped her mouth, patting his shoulder lightly. "Don't tease me like that."

"Kidding." His smile grew into a smirk, lifting his head as he planted a kiss on her lips. "I'm not marrying you for sex."

"Of course! I will punch you in the gut if your reason for marriage is that shallow." Devon clicked her tongue and glared at him. 

To appease her, Lewis showered her with kisses. All her worries previously slowly subsided, as she always felt safe around him. Julian didn't even cross her again until it was time to sleep.

******

Devon turned her head to Lewis, only to see him sleeping. Lewis had been working hard and had been sleeping early, which she didn't mind. 

She rolled and lied to her side, placing her hand on his. "Lu, I love you," she whispered, staring into his sleeping face.

'I never loved someone as hard as I love you in the two lifetimes I had lived.' the rest of her words continued in her head as a subtle smile resurfaced on her lips. 'So, I also want to protect you from harm.'

She closed her eyes, praying for his safety and great health. Devon wasn't a firm believer, but she frequently prayed for him. That was all her wish; for Lewis to be happy in life, regardless of whether or not she was part of this happiness.

Of course, she would always prefer it if she would always be a part of his life, just like how he was a part of hers. 

'I wish that I was wrong about Julian because if I wasn't… I will kill him.'