Wendy’s cheeks flushed pink at that. “Not yet,” she muttered as she shook her head.
“‘Not yet’? Do you have plans of going out with him then?” Bain probed.
She pouted and gave it some thought before replying, “I just feel that… he’s a very reliable man,”
“You can’t possibly just love someone solely based on their looks, can you, Wendy? Men can keep up their act for three to five months tops, but surely can’t keep it up for a lifetime. Henson’s in a totally different plane of existence from you, you know. You’re too kind and trusting, while he’s the cold and calculating type who can see through you easily,” he deduced.
“I’m already a grown adult, bro. I know how to tell those who are good from the bad,” she huffed.
“But I’ll have you know that girls usually make mistakes when it comes to relationships. So as your brother, I feel the need to make sure that doesn’t happen to you. How sure are you of the fact that Henson isn’t using you as his weapon against the Nicholson’s he despises so much? I don’t care who else in this family gets hurt, but it is imperative that you don’t because you’ve done absolutely nothing wrong. I don’t want to just sit by and watch as you get hurt, understood?” he reasoned.
His words moved her, but putting all that aside… she felt that there wasn’t much she could even do at that point.
It was easier said than done, seeing as she’s already invested so much into this relationship at this point.
This was also one of her reasons for shoving down her feelings towards Henson back then.
She didn’t mind if Henson was using her to deal with the Nicholson’s, as she didn’t care for the Nicholson’s at all, but the only thing weighing on her mind was that Henson was playing with her feelings.
And she wasn’t the type to play games.
After staying with one another together for so long, she felt that maybe it was possible for people to have a change of heart.
She’d been slowly moved by Henson’s kindness towards her all this while, so now she was trying her best to reciprocate as well.
Although she couldn’t bring herself to say it, but she really started to feel like it was getting harder to leave his side.
Then again, it wasn’t like she was willing to forgo these budding feelings altogether just because he hadn’t yet done anything to hurt her, and especially after listening to one account of the story.
After all, she firmly believed that Henson would never do anything to hurt her.
He clasped both her shoulders with his hands after that. “I don’t suppose you think that I’m capable of hurting you, Wendy?” he asked after noticing her mind wandering.
“I don’t, I just feel that I should have a say in this since it’s a matter of my own feelings,” she muttered.
“You know that involves both the Nicholson and Charles family too, right?” he asked.
“But didn’t you all wholeheartedly agree to hand her over to Henson?” she pouted.
“You’re so much different from Julia,” he said.
“I know, but compared to Julia who’s the Young Missus of the Nicholson family, I’m nothing,” she sulked.
“You know I don’t mean it like that, Wendy. Julia’s been spoilt her whole life, so if she really got engaged to Henson with that personality of hers, you know she won’t mind if he frequently goes drinking or does anything hanky-panky in the future as it’s already a part of her daily life now. But let me preface this by saying that I, for one, don’t wish for this engagement to happen, and that everything happening now is of Julia’s own doing.
“It’s different for you though. When Henson stabs you in the back, you’ll have to brace yourself for the fatal backlash you’re about to receive. When that comes, aren’t you afraid that you’ll get hurt by that? You might not be, but I know I am, because I refuse to let my own baby sister get hurt by the likes of the Charles’ family,” he ranted.
She frowned as she struggled to find the right words to reply him.
“Just know that I’m doing this for your own good Wendy. I believe that there’s no other person, other than your mother who’s already passed on, who loves you more than I do in this world, so please promise me that you won’t agree to be in a relationship with the man on a whim. Even if you’ve decided that you would, please just give it some more thought before giving him an answer, alright?” he pleaded.
She could only nod after a brief period of silence.
There were just some things she couldn’t tell her brother.
It was common to hear people say that most brothers feel that no man would ever be worthy of their little sisters, after all.
This was why she thought it’d be good of her to give him a half-hearted reply first. It wasn’t like she could control her actions in the future either.
He heaved a sigh of relief on the inside after seeing her nod her head.
Deep down, he was also aware that he had to come to his own decision too. After all, he couldn’t wait until she settled hers first.
In the meanwhile, Henson had a glum expression on as he returned to the private room.
“What’s up? You got into a fight with Ms. Pretty Face?” Peter spoke up the minute he saw his face.
Henson rolled his eyes at him in response. “What do you take me for? A three-year old?” he huffed.
“I heard that no matter the age, men who are in a relationship are no different from three-year olds,” Peter snickered.
Henson then pushed a glass in front of him and started pouring himself some wine. “Let me guess, she’s mad that you’ve spent too much time with me? Or mad at the fact that you just HAD to send her there even though it’s nearby?” Peter piped up again.
“She’s not that petty,” Henson grinned.
“And why is that?” Peter asked.
“Why’s what?” Henson quizzed, confused.
“Still insisting on putting on an act in front of me, twerp? It’s so obvious that you have ‘upset’ written all over your face,” Peter snorted.
Henson shot him an annoyed look while raising his glass at him. “Tell me, is it normal for a fully grown man to hug and grope their little sister willy-nilly?” he asked.
“Well, it depends on how he went about it, no?” Peter said with an eyebrow raised.
“You know… he did it really… inappropriately,” he said while he recalled to the events just now. He was this close to bursting into a fit of rage.
Peter, on the other hand, burst out laughing instead when he saw his expression.
Henson merely rolled his eyes at him. “What’s so funny?” he snapped.
“I’m just laughing at you for being such a nutjob. You know how some brothers can love their little sisters more than their parents do, right? You’re literally the same, so why don’t you go find someone else to be jealous of instead of being jealous of her brother? Gosh, you’re exhausting to deal with,” Peter said
then set his wine glass on the table. “Anyways, my granddad knows you’re with me right now, so what say we head over to my place to have a meal together?” he suggested.
“It’s not like I have a say in the matter when Grandfather’s involved. Let’s go then,” Henson muttered in reply.
“Aren’t you planning on waiting for Ms. Pretty Face? Aren’t you scared that she’ll do unspeakable things?” Peter taunted.
This made Henson roll his eyes in response. “She isn’t that kind of person, I can’t say the same for her brother though,” he mumbled.
Peter merely shook his head, not knowing how to reply him. Were all men in relationships such worrywarts?
He’d met people who were jealous before, but this was his first time meeting someone who’d go so far as to be jealous of their lover’s older brother.
The two of them eventually arrived at General Burke’s villa in their own cars.
General Burke was in tip top shape as usual.
The minute he saw Henson, he had his servants scatter in a frenzy to prepare his favourite food.
When the three of them had settled down together at a table,
General Burke was the first one to speak up. “What great timing, Henson. Since you’re already here, mind being a witness for me? We’re gathered here today to set some ground rules for this 29-year old virgin who hasn’t yet gotten a girlfriend until now. By the power vested in me as the head of the house, I declare that I’ll personally see to it to find someone for him if he comes back empty handed next time,” he huffed.
“Why’d you have to bring this up again, Granddad?” Peter whined while frowning.
His expression was full of disdain.
“Sure grandfather, I’ll be your witness. I’ll definitely help him find a nice lady so that he can finally marry and settle down,” Henson snickered.
Peter rolled his eyes at Henson. “How dare this brat still kick a man while he’s down,” he thought.
What a good mate.