Dangerous Secrets: My Mafia Stepbrother

Encouraged by Isabella, James suddenly felt a surge of powerful energy within himself. He had previously been saddened by Evelyn’s rejection, knowing he was a rough man, lacking grace and sensitivity, and with a penchant for violence. Evelyn, being a former doctor, certainly wouldn’t appreciate such a man. Therefore, he chose not to disturb her and decided to wait until Evelyn had silently recovered from her injuries, then he would go back to find Emanuele. He remained the formidable man, invincible and unfeeling, seeking solace in women at the bar whenever the need arose. But now, Isabella’s words had disrupted James’ original plan.

When Evelyn changed her clothes, Isabella took her and went shopping, buying items for herself and getting a small gift for Lilly. Although she received her salary on time and regularly, she appreciated the warmth Lilly brought into her life and wanted to reciprocate. Evelyn wanted to tell Isabella that she had just finished shopping a few days ago and bought a lot of clothes, so she didn’t need Isabella to spend more money. However, considering she had concealed that experience, she decided not to mention it to Isabella to prevent her from worrying.

Observing Isabella’s kindness and her cheerful disposition, Evelyn thought that she also needed to recover quickly. Afterward, they went to a restaurant to eat. Isabella chose a restaurant, ordered the food, and then said to Evelyn, “I need to use the restroom, I’ll be back in a moment.” Saying this, Isabella surreptitiously paid the bill and slipped out the door.

Tony and Harry followed Isabella, silently watching her without saying a word. Upon seeing Isabella about to leave, Tony couldn’t help but ask, “Madam, are you leaving just like that? Not going back?” Isabella nodded and said, “Yes, let’s go quickly, don’t let Evelyn find out.” Once they were in the SUV, Isabella breathed a sigh of relief. “Let’s go, let’s find Emanuele.” She had already told Lilly that they would be dining out tonight, so Lilly wouldn’t be preparing her meal. It would be better to dine at an outside restaurant with Emanuele. Tony then drove Isabella to Emanuele’s company.Nôvel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner.

A while later, Evelyn messaged her, “Isabella, why haven’t you returned? Our food has arrived.” Isabella replied, “You enjoy your meal. I suddenly remembered I have dinner plans with Emanuele today, so I left early. Evelyn, make sure to have a good meal with James!” Regardless of Evelyn’s reasons for rejecting James, Isabella believed that James was a true man. She had inquired from Emanuele and found out that James had never been in love, was a good person, not a playboy, and wasn’t manipulative. She thought James and Evelyn were well-suited. At least in terms of character, she believed James was a good person, and even if they had conflicts in the future, he would not harm Evelyn.

Upon reading Isabella’s message, Evelyn shook her head in resignation. “God, Isabella left. She didn’t dine with us. I suspect she’s playing a joke on me.” This meant she would be dining with James. They had dined together many times before, so having a meal together wasn’t anything special. However, she didn’t know if Isabella had done it intentionally, choosing a French restaurant, candlelit dinner, surrounded by couples engaged in cheerful conversations. There was even a stage in the center of the restaurant where someone was playing the piano. Evelyn couldn’t recognize the piano piece, but it felt elegant and beautiful. The atmosphere of the restaurant was undeniably romantic.

When Isabella and Evelyn had arrived, Evelyn had been too happy to notice. However, now, she suddenly felt that something was amiss. “Well then, Evelyn, let’s enjoy our meal,” James said, feeling a bit uneasy and almost unable to meet Evelyn’s eyes. “God, Evelyn, she has such beautiful big eyes, bright like the stars in the sky, making it hard for him to look at her directly.” “Alright,” Evelyn said, and as they sat down to eat, she couldn’t help but curse Isabella inwardly. Isabella must have done it intentionally. Why did she leave her and James alone?

She admitted she liked James, but she also knew that her feelings for James would forever remain buried deep within her heart. She couldn’t like James, nor did she deserve him. So, she simply focused on eating her meal. Suddenly, they fell into silence, a stark contrast to the jovial atmosphere around them.

James, uncomfortable with the silence, began to serve Evelyn, cutting her steak, pouring her wine, and offering her food. Everything seemed too good to be true. “Evelyn, let’s have a drink. I hope you’ll feel better soon. There’s nothinginsurmountable, as long as you can take that brave step,” James said. Upon hearing this, Evelyn smiled and clinked glasses with James. The wine entered her body, warming her entire being, prompting James to pour her another glass. For some reason, she rarely drank, but today, after a sip, it felt as if she couldn’t stop. Seeing Evelyn in this state, James didn’t stop her. He knew she needed to let off some steam. As much as Evelyn drank, he drank as well. When one bottle was finished, he called the waiter for another, and after three bottles, he saw Evelyn’s eyes glaze over and her face flush. “Evelyn, you’ve had enough tonight, no more for you,” James stopped her. Evelyn nodded, “Okay.” However, having drunk too much, she felt full, unable to eat any more, though there was still plenty of food left.

“Evelyn, have a few more bites of meat. You’ve had too much wine. If you don’t eat something, your stomach will hurt later,” James said, bringing a piece of steak to Evelyn’s mouth. Initially unwilling, she was touched by his thoughtfulness and took the bite. James offered her another piece, and she waved it off, saying she couldn’t eat anymore. James smiled helplessly and didn’t press further. After the meal, James escorted Evelyn out of the restaurant.

Seeing Evelyn leaning on him, unstable on her feet, James felt extremely worried. He hadn’t expected her to have such a low alcohol tolerance. He regretted letting her drink so much. Wine was as common to him as water, but not for Evelyn. After helping Evelyn into the car and fastening her seatbelt, she suddenly hugged him. Her body was soft, carrying the scent of alcohol, which made James feel as though he too was intoxicated. It was strange; he never got drunk, but smelling the alcohol on Evelyn, he felt a sense of inebriation.