Chapter 154 We Go Down Together
Fred Coleg
Titus was stunned when his mother slapped him across the face. “Mom, what did I do to upset you?” Throughout his life, his parents had never laid a finger on him. He never expected to be slapped like this.
Reuben had a suspicion. “Is it because of what’s been happening online?” They had been receiving calls and messages on their way back.
Salma’s face turned serious. “What else could it be?” She looked at her eldest son and asked, “Have you been intimate with Jodie, too?”
He was taken aback by the question and shook his head. “No.”
He had carried Jodie back to her room when she fell asleep before. Occasionally, he would hug her shoulders to comfort her. Due to their age and personalities, their relationship was never as close as the younger brothers‘ with her. He had never k*ssed her on the check or carried her on his lap since they grew up.
Salma looked at him sternly. “You better not have, and you better not in the future. Don’t forget, you’re engaged. No wonder every time Valerie comes to our house, her relationship with Jodie seems distant. She must’ve noticed something between you and her that goes beyond just being siblings.”
She had not been happy about the strained relationship between her future daughter–in–law and her adopted daughter before. But now, she realized she might have been wrong. Jodie, their adopted daughter, had completely influenced her sons.
Reuben was stunned by these words. It was true that Valerie had caused some conflicts with. hirn before because of their special relationship as siblings. They had crossed the line with their excessive pampering of their adopted sister, but he had not paid much attention to it. After all, they had been living like this for over ten years, and it was normal for them to show some extra care for their sister.
At this stage, he could not help but think about it more. Seeing his younger brothers hugging and comforting Jodie at home did not bother him because he was used to it. When he saw the photos online and the various captions, however, he realized something was off.
His younger brothers and their adopted sister were being overly intimate in public. The k*sses from Aaron, the closeness at the bar from Titus, and Luca cuddling her on his lap. These photos were stitched together and shared on social media and video platforms, and it did not sit right with him.
Salma saw her eldest son’s expression and trembled with anger once again. “Do you also have inappropriate thoughts about Jodie?”
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Reuben immediately denied it. “No, I truly see her as my sister”
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Over the years, many actions and words had become habits of affection, but he had no romantic feelings for Jodie, only sibling affection.
Salma shifted her gaze to Titus and asked, “And what about you? What is your relationship. with her?”
Tirus saw his mother so furious that his previous anger from the fight dissipated. He did not expect
that the photo from that day at the bar would be posted online. Without even checking, he could guess that it was most likely Simone and Gwen who did it.
He cast a sarcastic look and asked, “Besides a sibling relationship, what other relationship could there be?”
She was so angry that she fell back. Just a sibling relationship? Going to a bar, hugging and cuddling in front of so many people. Do you have any shame? I warned and advised you at home before. You’re already adults. You can’t engage in those intimate and ambiguous actions with your sister, but you treated my words as if they were nothing. Now, everyone on the internet knows about the good deeds you’ve done. People in our circle, relatives and friends, have been calling and messaging, asking about me and your father. You’ve embarrassed yourselves, and you want us to be embarrassed as well! After today, our family will become the biggest joke in our circle.”
Titus sneered. “Since Simone cut ties and left, our family has already become a joke in our circle. Jodie was brought in by you. In the beginning, it was you who kept insisting that we treat her as a sister. And now that it has turned out like this, how can you solely blame us?”
It was ridiculous. It was not like he was the only one intimate with Jodie, so why was he the only one being singled out and targeted?
Salma did not expect him to say such things and shifted the blame on her. “Y–You ungrateful child! Are you blaming me?”
He shrugged. “I didn’t say it’s all your fault, but in a situation like this, isn’t everyone responsible? Jodie has always been proactive in being intimate with us since she arrived. She even guided us and coaxed us to hug and k*ss her.”
It was only after Harold’s reminder that he carefully recalled everything. Only then did he realize that Jodie was not as innocent and obedient as they had thought. From the moment she arrived at their home, she deliberately acted intimately with them, replacing their biological sister’s position.
After Simone returned to the Gray Family, Jodie often privately complained and hinted that Simone was bullying her, trying to drive her away. They thought she was unwilling to let Jodie keep her status as the adopted child and wanted to take everything from her.
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That was why their resentment toward Simone grew. Otherwise, excluding the drama, they had treated Simone well.
She only became close to them after she started making herbal medicine and pills and giving massages to them. It was because of this that Jodie began to feel threatened. So, behind their backs, she often badmouthed Simone, causing them to misunderstand and become angry.
When he looked back from a rational perspective, he realized how terrible it was. With Simone’s straightforward personality, she would not secretly do these little tricks to deal with Jodie.
When Simone was good to them, they tended to side with Jodie and accuse her, and she would coldly refute them. If they wanted her to give in to Jodie, she would refuse. Then, they would have a falling out. Afterward, Jodie would subtly imply things in front of them.
Their perception of Simone was that she was willful and liked to cause trouble. So, as Harold had said, they had been playing into someone else’s hands all these years.
He glanced at Salma and said. “You’ve seen it before, haven’t you? But you didn’t say anything, did you? Now that everyone knows about it, you feel embarrassed and blame me. Why?”
She choked. “Back then, you were still young, and your actions were more affectionate. I thought you had a close relationship.”
At that time, she was somewhat relieved that her sons took good care of their adopted sister. She also transferred her feelings and longing for her biological daughter to her adopted daughter. Only recently did she realize that their actions were too intimate, but it was already
too late.
Titus impatiently adjusted his tie. “The fact is what it is. If you’re embarrassed, then we all are. It’s not like we haven’t been embarrassed before. I’m going to my room.”
The family would go down together.
After saying that, he did not wait for Salma to respond and turned to go upstairs. She was once again angered by her second son’s attitude. Then, she looked at Reuben and asked, “What should we do now?”
He looked weary and helpless. “I don’t know either.”
“Well, let’s just leave it at that. Once the controversy dies down, no one will mention this again.”
Then, his phone suddenly rang, and he saw that it was a call from Valerie. As soon as he answered, the other person started scolding him mercilessly. She said the relationship between their brothers and Jodie was inappropriate and that she wanted to break up
with
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him and cancel the engagement.
Without waiting for him to speak and explain, she hung up the phone.
Reuben was completely stunned by this turn of events.
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