Being Dumped by My EX, I Marriied His Older Brother-Chapter 117: Could It Be Him?

As expected, Nina Thorne stopped in her tracks.

She turned, her gaze sweeping over. "Who was it?"

Serena Kane’s body trembled uncontrollably as she struggled to suppress the effects of the drug about to overwhelm her. "That person... I-I don’t know him..."

"I only know that back then, he saved you and dropped a jade pendant, which Cole Kane then found."

Nina Thorne’s brow furrowed in suspicion. "And then?"

A pained expression crossed Serena Kane’s face, tormented by the drug’s effects. "Everything that happened after that... y-you already know."

"I’ve told you everything I know. Let... let me go."

’It was true she wanted something to happen with Cole Kane.’

’But not if Nina Thorne was the one setting her up. If that happened, she would be utterly finished.’

Nina Thorne suddenly grabbed her by the collar. "Serena Locke, do you take me for an idiot?"

"Everything I said is true! I’m not lying..." Serena Kane clutched at Nina’s clothes, her pale face a mask of fear and agony.

"Fine. I get it."

The coldness on Nina Thorne’s face didn’t lessen in the slightest as she pushed her away. "Now, you just enjoy yourself."

This time, she turned and left without hesitation.

Her retreating figure was resolute and cold, her back held perfectly straight.

’Even if Serena Kane didn’t tell her, she would find out.’

’For ten years, she had never once doubted Cole Kane.’

’That was why she had been deceived all this time.’

’But not anymore.’

’She needed to know who saved her ten years ago.’

’Who was that boy with the clear, crisp voice, the one who had saved her life?’

"No! Nina Thorne, you bitch! You bitch!"

Serena Kane shrieked insults, her voice raw with desperation.

But Nina Thorne paid her no mind, disappearing from sight without a backward glance.

A moment later, Serena Kane was thrown onto the bed.

Cole Kane, previously listless under the drug’s influence, was like a fish out of water suddenly thrown into the ocean. He lunged, pinning her beneath him.

"Ah—!"

With the last shred of her sanity, Serena Kane pleaded, "Second Brother, no."

She tried to fight back, but her body was completely devoid of strength.

Cole Kane buried his face in her neck, kissing and biting like a ravenous wolf tearing into his delicious prey.

His actions grew more forceful, his response more and more intense.

With a sudden, astonishing burst of strength, he ripped Serena Kane’s clothes to shreds. Pinned down, she was plundered mercilessly...

-

Nina Thorne was halfway down the hotel corridor when she saw a dark figure standing at the far end.

The light spilled over the man, casting him in dim shadows.

His already chiseled features were handsome and captivating. Even from a distance, his elegant and noble aura was breathtaking.

Nina Thorne’s heart couldn’t help but stir.

She quickened her pace and walked up to Justin Kane. "What are you doing here? I told you not to come."

Justin Kane was so tall.

At nearly five feet seven, Nina Thorne still had to tilt her head up to look at him when she wasn’t wearing heels.

But the faint scent of cedar that clung to him was wonderful. She liked it very much.

"My wife is handling important business tonight. As her husband, of course I had to come and show my support."

A smile played on Justin Kane’s lips as he reached out to brush a stray curl from her face. His deep, adoring eyes were fixed on her. "I was a good boy, wasn’t I? I didn’t interfere. I let you handle it all on your own."

Nina Thorne nodded in satisfaction, a small smile gracing her lips. "Mr. Kane is a man of his word. You’re the best."

She had been on her guard from the moment Serena Kane approached her to propose a partnership.

At first, she’d planned to ignore her.

But the "partnership" Serena Kane mentioned was just too tempting to pass up.

It just so happened that she was already starting to have doubts about Cole Kane.

She also wanted to know if he was really the one who had saved her ten years ago.

To make sure she was fully prepared...

She had asked Justin Kane to arrange for a few bodyguards and had orchestrated tonight’s entire plan by herself.

From the moment Jessica Jenkins approached her again, she knew tonight wouldn’t be simple. 𝓯𝓻𝓮𝙚𝙬𝓮𝙗𝒏𝙤𝒗𝙚𝙡.𝒄𝒐𝓶

That’s why, back at the restaurant, she had secretly taken the antidote Justin Kane had paid a fortune for—a drug that could block the effects of any aphrodisiac.

And just as she’d expected...

Serena Kane didn’t just want to "help" her get over Cole Kane and expose his lies.

She’d also hired men to try and ruin her.

Tonight, she had simply turned the tables to protect herself.

’As for Serena Kane, she had brought this on herself. She had no one to blame but herself for walking right into her own doom.’

"So... is there a reward?"

Justin Kane lowered his head, resting his forehead against hers. His voice was a magnetic, teasing drawl. "I was thinking of something a little more... tangible."

"Don’t forget, I helped out too."

’He certainly had.’

’Only he could have gotten his hands on that antidote.’

Nina Thorne leaned in and pressed a kiss to his thin lips. "Will this do?"

"Hardly."

Justin Kane bent down and swept her into his arms, kissing her so fervently she could barely breathe. "I want my wife to give herself to me."

With that, he kissed her again.

He continued kissing her as they entered the elevator.

Assistant Cheney: ?

’Hello? Am I invisible?’

’A guy could get jealous, you know?’

-

The car ride back to their hotel was nearly an hour long.

Nina Thorne sat on his lap, his arm tight around her waist, pressing her against him. Their kiss was wild and unrestrained, impossible to break apart.

The temperature inside the car skyrocketed.

The air grew thick with intimacy.

Nina Thorne’s lips were red and swollen from his kisses.

"Are you part wolf or something? You’re such a pervert!" Nina Thorne finally managed to push him away, chiding him as her chest heaved.

Justin Kane’s large hand remained on her waist. It slid up her back to cup her neck, and with firm but gentle pressure, he pulled her head down to kiss her again.

"You’re only just realizing that?" His voice was a low, magnetic hum against her lips. "My wife is so beautiful. I’ve been craving you for a very long time."

Justin Kane kissed her lips, their hot breaths tangling together.

Nina Thorne responded with equal passion.

Her eyes, however, remained open, studying his handsome face as they kissed.

A thought flashed through her mind unbidden.

’How wonderful would it have been if Justin Kane was the one who saved her all those years ago?’

’Would she not have wasted five years loving the wrong man, Cole Kane?’

’Would she not have waited until now to finally become Justin Kane’s wife?’

"Justin Kane..."

Nina Thorne’s heart skipped a beat. She wanted to tell him that Cole Kane wasn’t her savior.

Suddenly, a sharp sting on her lips.

Justin Kane gave her lip a light, punishing bite, his voice husky with displeasure. "Mrs. Kane, you can’t get distracted while we’re kissing. It’s very disrespectful to me."

With that, Justin Kane deepened the kiss, his mouth growing more fierce and demanding. His large hand clamped around her waist, pressing her so tightly against him it was as if he wanted to fuse her into his very being.

’Heartless girl.’

’They were being so intimate, and she was still thinking about Cole Kane.’

’But it didn’t matter.’

’He was confident he could win her heart, bit by bit, and completely replace Cole Kane.’

’When that day came...’

’He would tell her that he loved her.’

’That he had loved her for ten whole years.’

Kissed until she was powerless to resist, all thoughts vanished from Nina Thorne’s mind. She was completely lost in his powerful assault.

-

Back at the hotel, he tormented her for the entire night.

It was already noon by the time Nina Thorne woke up.

Feeling as if her bones had turned to dust, she opened her eyes to see Justin Kane, impeccably dressed in a suit and ready to head out.

"You’re awake."

Justin Kane adjusted his cuffs as he strode to the side of the bed.

Nina Thorne hummed lazily, her voice thick with sleep. "Are you going out?"

"As it happens, I have a few projects here in Vistara. Since I’m in town, I might as well check in on them."

Justin Kane leaned down and gently kissed her forehead. "Go back to sleep if you’re tired. I know you’re worn out."

His words were pointed, and to her own chagrin, a blush crept up Nina Thorne’s face.

She pulled the blanket over half her face, her drowsy eyes fixed on him. "And whose fault is it that I’m worn out? You’re the one with no self-control."

’A full three times last night.’

’He’s almost thirty, yet he has this much stamina.’

’And the night before that, they’d gone a few rounds too...’

’How is he... so good at it?’

"My dear Mrs. Kane, you don’t seem to realize I’ve been restraining myself for ten years. Right now, I’m just collecting a little interest." Justin Kane’s eyes were filled with adoration as he gently pinched her nose.

"If you’re still sleepy, get some more rest. The hotel will be sending up some food shortly. I’m off."

After speaking in that gentle, magnetic voice, the noble, elegant man straightened up and left.

Nina Thorne watched his tall, slender figure leave the suite, an involuntary smile gracing her lips.

’So handsome.’

’She had to admit, having a husband like him around...’

’...was not only satisfying, but also very easy on the eyes.’

’Thinking about it now, her idea from a few days ago to back out of this marriage seemed a little...’

’...hasty.’

Nina Thorne was exhausted, but she couldn’t get back to sleep.

Fortunately, there was a cast script reading that afternoon, but her attendance was optional.

After she’d washed up, a server arrived with food, just as he’d said.

A bowl of bird’s nest soup and a rich, nourishing broth for restoring beauty and vitality.

Nina Thorne didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. She took a picture of the food and sent it to Justin Kane: "Your intentions are a little too obvious, Mr. Kane."

"But I like it."

A few seconds after she sent it, Justin Kane replied instantly.

"Taking care of my wife is part of my job description."

"A man who doesn’t dote on his wife doesn’t deserve happiness."

’So sweet.’

Nina Thorne sent a playful emoji back, a radiant smile blooming on her face without her even realizing it.

Not long after she finished the bird’s nest soup...

A call finally came in.

"Ma’am, we have the video. Should I send it to you?" the bodyguard asked.

When Nina Thorne had left last night, she had also instructed them to "satisfy" Serena Kane.

’She likes making videos, doesn’t she?’

’Well then, Nina would be happy to oblige.’

"Send it over."

Nina Thorne got up and walked to the floor-to-ceiling windows in the living room, gazing out at the cityscape. "And what about them?"

There were a few seconds of silence on the other end.

"Second Young Master Kane couldn’t handle it when he woke up. He ran off. Also..."

"Second Young Master Kane kept slapping himself, and Miss Kane was crying hysterically. And, Miss Kane, she... she also... with the other two men..."

Nina Thorne understood the rest, even if the bodyguard left it unsaid.

She felt not one bit of sympathy for Serena Kane.

’You reap what you sow. She had brought it all on herself.’

After hanging up, Nina Thorne received the video. She watched it and then closed it, her expression unreadable.

She had one more thing to do. She made another call. "I want you to find out who saved me when I fell in the water ten years ago."

The person on the other end was stunned. "It wasn’t Cole Kane?"

Albert Locke was flabbergasted.

That incident was the very reason Nina Thorne had started warming up to Cole Kane all those years ago.

Otherwise, he would never have just stood by and watched her get together with Cole Kane.

"It wasn’t him," Nina Thorne said, not having time to explain further. "Just help me look into it."

"Okay. I’ll get on it right away."

After ending the call, Nina Thorne furrowed her brow, her mind drifting back in time.

She tried to recall the details of her drowning incident ten years ago.

’If Cole Kane wasn’t her savior, then the person who did save her must have also been there that day. And they must have had some connection to both the Thorne and Kane families.’

’She remembered that the scenic area hadn’t been officially opened to the public yet.’

’The people there that day, besides Cole Kane, had been Seth Lawson and Shawn Sinclair.’

Nina Thorne’s eyes suddenly lit up as a thought struck her.

’That’s right, there was one other person!’