Being Dumped by My EX, I Marriied His Older Brother-Chapter 1: Want to Get Married? Why Not Consider Me?

Chapter 1: Chapter 1: Want to Get Married? Why Not Consider Me?

"Come on, Young Master Kane. Today’s the day you and Nina Thorne are supposed to register your marriage. Aren’t you afraid she’ll get mad if you don’t go?"

"Everyone knows Nina Thorne clings to him like a leech. Even if she finds out Young Master Kane skipped out for Serena’s sake, she wouldn’t dare get mad."

"Exactly. Nina Thorne is nowhere near as important as Serena. Young Master Kane has doted on Serena since they were little..."

...

The Serena they were talking about was Serena Kane, Cole Kane’s adoptive sister.

Nina Thorne stood at the entrance to the private dining room, feeling her blood run cold.

’So this was the man she had loved for years. Utterly despicable!’

She clenched her fists, her nails digging deep into her palms.

But the physical pain was nothing, not even a fraction of the agony in her heart.

Taking a deep breath, she pushed the door open.

BANG!

The boisterous private room fell instantly silent.

"Nina..." everyone gasped.

The woman at the door was a vision: fair-skinned and gorgeous with long legs. A pink dress accentuated her perfect waist, and her hair was pulled back in a soft, half-up Korean style. She was breathtakingly beautiful.

But at this moment, her gaze was cold. Her eyes swept over Cole Kane and Serena Kane before she sneered, "Cole Kane, is this why you were ’too busy’ to go register our marriage?"

A flash of guilt crossed Cole Kane’s handsome face as he moved to her side. "We can register our marriage anytime. It’s not every day Serena comes back from overseas. As her big brother, it’s my duty to throw her a welcome-home party."

Nina Thorne scoffed. "Our anniversary only comes once a year. Does that not matter at all?"

"And don’t you know that if we don’t do it now, we’ll have to wait until next year?"

It was something they had agreed on together.

Turning their dating anniversary into their wedding anniversary—it was supposed to be a clever, deeply meaningful plan.

’But clearly, Cole Kane didn’t want to marry her.’

’The person he truly wanted to marry was Serena Kane.’

’His childhood sweetheart!’

Sensing the shift in her mood, Cole Kane reached for her again. "Don’t cause a scene. I’ll explain when we get back."

Nina Thorne immediately shook his hand off.

At that moment,

Serena Kane spoke up. "Nina, I’m so sorry, this is all my fault. I didn’t know you two were registering your marriage today."

She apologized with her head bowed, looking utterly wronged, as if she were the one being bullied.

Nina Thorne, who had always loathed her, didn’t reply.

Serena Kane raised her head, tears glistening in her eyes, looking unbearably fragile. "Nina, please forgive me. I sincerely wish you and Big Brother the best."

’Wishes me the best?’

Nina Thorne let out a derisive laugh. "Can you drop the act? If you really wished us well, you wouldn’t have come rushing back."

Cole Kane’s face fell instantly. "Nina Thorne, don’t be so sharp-tongued."

"What? Did I upset you by talking about your precious little darling?" Nina Thorne’s eyes were so cold, she looked at him as if he were a complete stranger.

Cole Kane’s expression was ghastly. He hissed, "Nina Thorne, watch what you’re saying and where you’re saying it! Stop spouting nonsense!"

’Just look at him.’

’So protective of his dear sister.’

Since he was so determined to shield her, Nina Thorne decided to indulge him. "If you’ve already done it, why be afraid of people talking?"

Serena Kane’s eyes reddened, and she put on a wounded expression. "Nina, it’s not like that between Big Brother and me. Can you please stop misunderstanding me, just like you always do?"

"If I had known that my return would cause you to fight, I never would have come back."

Serena Kane’s voice choked with sobs, and her tear-stricken face was enough to make anyone’s heart ache for her.

These people couldn’t stand seeing Serena Kane look so aggrieved, and they all began to rail against Nina Thorne.

"Nina Thorne, you’re out of line. Young Master Kane and Serena are siblings. You’re going to get jealous over that?"

"Exactly! For the last three years, she’s been abroad just to give you two space because you couldn’t stand her. Are you going to pull the same stunt to drive her away again?"

"Watch out. If you push it too far, Young Master Kane will leave you!"

...

Nina Thorne coolly watched them, their faces masks of self-righteous fury, and remained perfectly calm.

In the past, for Cole Kane’s sake, she had put up with these so-called friends to an extreme degree.

No matter how they made fun of her or bad-mouthed her to Cole Kane behind her back, she had always pretended she didn’t hear a thing.

’But not this time. No chance.’

Nina Thorne’s glare was sharp as a knife. "A sister who hangs all over her brother every single day—and she’s supposed to be in the right?"

"Did you all get kicked in the head by a donkey, or do you just get a kick out of watching some taboo romance? I don’t mind stepping aside to let them put on a show for you."

Everyone was stunned.

They never imagined that Nina Thorne, who was always so docile and gentle around Cole Kane, could become so bitingly sarcastic.

Her words were vicious.

"Nina Thorne, why do you have to insult me like this?"

Serena Kane looked ready to cry, the corners of her eyes red, the picture of pitiable innocence. "It’s one thing for you not to like me, but Big Brother loves you so much. He does so much for you. Why are you still not satisfied?"

Nina Thorne’s brow furrowed.

’Others might not see it, but she knew exactly how good Serena Kane was at putting on an act.’

They had known each other for ten years and been dating for five.

The first year, on Nina Thorne’s birthday, Serena Kane called Cole Kane away, claiming she’d been in a car accident.

The second time, on Valentine’s Day, Serena Kane had her heart broken and called Cole Kane, crying that she was going to kill herself.

The third time, the fourth time...

Serena Kane always had a million reasons to call Cole Kane away, and every single time, he chose to leave Nina Thorne behind.

Until three years ago, when Serena Kane suddenly offered to go abroad on her own.

Cole Kane and his friends all believed that Nina Thorne had been the one to drive her away.

Nina Thorne’s cold eyes, dripping with sarcasm, remained fixed on Serena Kane. "Would a normal brother and sister abandon something as important as a marriage registration for each other?"

"It’s clear as day that one of you is a bastard and the other is a tramp, yet you turn around and blame me, demanding I be the bigger person. On what grounds?"

"Is it because you two have no shame?"

Serena Kane flushed, beet-red with humiliation. Unable to argue back, she resorted to crying, tears streaming down her face like pearls from a broken string.

Cole Kane finally snapped. He roared at Nina Thorne, his face flushed, "That’s enough, Nina Thorne! Don’t you think you’re being ridiculous?"

"It’s just the registration! If we can’t do it on our anniversary, then we’ll do it on your birthday. What’s the big deal? Why can’t you be the bigger person for once?"

’The bigger person?’

’Fine. Of course, I can be.’

Nina Thorne’s heart was perfectly still. "Cole Kane," she said, "let’s break up."

Everyone was shocked.

Cole Kane froze for a few seconds, his expression turning grim. "Breaking up again? Three years ago, you brought up breaking up, and Serena went abroad because she was scared we would separate. Is this never going to end? Are you determined to drive her away?"

"Nina Thorne, how can you be so manipulative! I already agreed to register our marriage, and you still can’t stand to have Serena around? Do you really have to hound her to death? If you continue to be this malicious, I won’t go through with it!"

Serena Kane reveled in Cole Kane’s protectiveness. As she lowered her head, a flicker of triumph flashed in her eyes.

Upon hearing Cole Kane’s words, Nina Thorne smiled, a smile as dazzling as a rose in full bloom. "Fine, then. Let’s not get the license. Let’s call this marriage off."

With that, Nina Thorne turned to leave.

Cole Kane stared at her back, his voice a furious threat. "Nina Thorne! If you dare walk out of this room today without properly apologizing to Serena, I will never forgive you!"

Everyone there was betting—betting that Nina Thorne would surely back down and apologize.

After all, she was so in love with Cole Kane.

Sure enough.

Nina Thorne stopped in her tracks. She turned back, her eyes sweeping over all of them, and suddenly raised a hand to make an oath. "Since you’re all here, you can all be my witnesses. I, Nina Thorne, hereby swear that I am breaking up with Cole Kane today. There is no longer any possibility of us getting married. If I ever go back on this vow, may he die a miserable death with no descendants to carry on his name!"

Having thrown down those vicious words, Nina Thorne ignored the dumbstruck crowd, turned on her heel, and left the room without a second glance.

Nina Thorne didn’t even know how she ended up in a rideshare. She just focused on one thing: blocking every form of contact she had with Cole Kane.

She was pulled from her thoughts only by the ringing of her phone.

She glanced at the caller ID—a number both strange and familiar—and her heart seemed to stop for a second.

The call connected, and a deep, magnetic male voice drifted through the receiver. "Looking to get married? Why not consider me?"