Done Giving In To His Brother’s Fiancée Novel by WriterLola _ Novel





Done Giving In To His Brother’s Fiancée Chapter 01

Whitney’s POV
In his final moments, Benedict Coleman’s older brother grasped both my hand and Benedict’s, making us swear we would take care of his frail fiancée, Arabella Wright.
Standing by his bedside, we nodded through our tears.
Her doctor had said she wouldn’t live longer than three months.
I waited, quarter after quarter, for Benedict to come back to me.
Then I saw Arabella sitting beside him—wearing the bridal gown—at what was supposed to be our wedding party.
***
As we stopped at a traffic light, Benedict’s phone buzzed.
Arabella’s soft, sweet voice filled the quiet car through the speaker.
“Benny, I suddenly have a craving for those cupcakes from that bakery we used to frequent.”
Hearing her, Benedict smiled and spun the car around without hesitation.
“Benny, the movie’s about to start,” I reminded him, checking the time. “You can get cupcakes anywhere.”
He steered with one hand and used the other to ruffle my hair.
“We can see a movie anytime, Whitty.
“Bella’s finicky—only the uptown bakery makes them the way she likes. They sell out fast.”
Before I could answer, he stepped on the accelerator, driving in the opposite direction of the cinema.
I put the tickets back into my bag, a dull ache settling in my chest.
From the moment we made that promise to his brother, Arabella’s needs had always come before mine.
A line stretched outside the uptown bakery. Benedict kissed my forehead before getting out.
“Be right back, sweetheart.”
I sat there, watching him peer again and again toward the shopfront.
It reminded me of when we first dated—he’d waited two hours under a blazing sun just to get me a signed book from my favorite author.
Forty minutes later, he slid back into the driver’s seat and handed me a cheesecake.
“Here—got your favorite.”
I looked at him, smoothed his wind-blown hair, and gave a quiet, resigned smile.
In the hospital room, Arabella sat propped up in bed, dressed in a patient gown.
The moment Benedict entered, a sweet smile brightened her pale face.
As if by magic, he produced a neatly wrapped pastry box from behind his back.
When she opened it, Arabella gave his arm a light, playful tap.
“I only asked for the cupcakes. Why did you buy the whole assortment?”
Benedict gazed at her, his voice syrupy. “I know how you get when you crave sweets.
“That way, if you get tired of cupcakes, Whitty and I won’t have to make another trip.”
Watching their closeness, I tightened my grip on the box of half-eaten cheesecake in my hand.
Without a word, I walked to the corner and dropped it into the bin.
It hit the bottom with a thud. Crumbs from it stuck to the inside wall, like the tears I fought back.
Arabella’s eyes welled up as she sobbed, “Whitty, you must think I’m so much trouble.
“This is all my fault. I shouldn’t have ruined your day.”
With that, she pressed a hand to her chest and coughed, her shoulders shaking.
Benedict hurried to the bedside.
He patted her back gently, his voice soft with concern. “Don’t think like that, Bella. This isn’t about you.”
Then he turned to me, displeasure etched on his face. “Whitney, what was that for?”
Before I could explain, he continued lecturing me, “My brother and Bella may not have married, but she’s still family. You should treat her with respect.
“Bella’s in poor health. She can’t handle any kind of stress.”
Arabella leaned on his shoulder, weeping.
Benedict, busy wiping her tears, never once looked my way.
I pulled the dripping lilies from a vase, hurled them at him, then called a cab home.
The next morning, Benedict brought me a pastry box filled with various desserts.
He sighed, wrapped his arms around me from behind, and rested his chin on my shoulder, trying to soften me up. “Whitty, Bella told me you were just jealous.
“It’s my fault. I haven’t been paying you enough attention.”
He pulled away and nudged the box toward me.
“I woke up at dawn to buy them from the uptown bakery. Got you more variety than I got for her.
“Come on, sweetheart. Forgive me, okay?”
Looking into his earnest eyes, I touched the dark circles beneath them and nodded.
The first day of fall was my birthday.
To surprise Benedict, I’d turned down my best friend’s invitation to go to Hawaii.
Instead, I spent a week at the studio, secretly learning to create an embossed leather keepsake, with our photograph propped up in front of me.
Since we started dating, we’d promised to exchange gifts every birthday.
I placed the finished carving into a custom gift box and arrived early at the restaurant I’d booked.
Surrounded by its warm lighting, I called Benedict, my heart fluttering with anticipation.
“Benny, I made reservations today at that place we…”
“Whitty, I was about to call you,” he cut me off. Children’s laughter bubbled in the background.
“After so long, Bella finally seems better today. I need to take her to the aquarium. We’ll talk when I’m back.”
“But today is…” He hung up before I could finish.
The dial tone buzzed in my ear.
I glanced down at the shallow cuts the carving tools had left on my palm, and the expectations blooming inside me slowly withered.
After a steadying breath, I phoned my best friend.
The restaurant was too hard to book to let the reservation go to waste.
Third person’s POV
Inside the aquarium, Arabella moved through the crowd in a flowing white dress.
She pointed up at the whale drifting overhead, her voice bright. “Benny, look!”
All afternoon, she walked briskly, her cheeks flushed with excitement, her eyes clear and bright.
As Benedict followed her, he suddenly felt something off.
An odd thought crossed his mind, and he couldn’t help asking, “Bella, you seem so full of energy today.”
Arabella froze, then stumbled, gripping the railing to steady herself. Her voice turned weak. “I-I can feel myself getting weaker every day.
“I just wanted so badly to spend one nice day out with you. That’s why I pushed myself.”
When Benedict saw the pallor return to her face, his flicker of doubt vanished, replaced by concern and guilt.
Whitney’s POV
Ten minutes later, my best friend stared at the table full of fancy cuisines, sipping her drink in irritation. “What is Benedict thinking? You two are married!
“And why does that Arabella depend on your husband for everything?”
I cut into my steak, chewing mechanically, keeping my voice steady. “Forget it. The wedding party is next week. That’s what I need to focus on now.
“The doctor said her condition could worsen anytime. She doesn’t have much time left.”
My friend rolled her eyes, interrupting me, “Which doctor? If that’s true, pigs can fly.
“Whitty, stop lying to yourself.”
My knife and fork clattered onto the plate. My hands paused in mid-air.

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