Claimed by My Ex's Half-Brother-Chapter 84 Your words make me sick

Victoria’s POV

I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. My jaw dropped as I stared at Ethan in disbelief.

"Excuse me?" I finally managed, my voice dangerously low. "What century are you living in that you think anyone would say something like that?"

And what photos was he even talking about? I hadn’t been intimate with other men—when had I supposedly been sending compromising pictures to Damien? This was news to me.

Listening to Ethan’s pathetic pleading made my blood boil. He was trying to paint me as some kind of promiscuous woman who slept around casually—projecting his own disgusting thoughts and behavior onto me.

I couldn’t take it anymore. Before I knew what I was doing, my hand flew up and connected with Ethan’s cheek in a resounding slap.

"SMACK!" The sound echoed in the night air, the impact stinging my palm.

"Watch your filthy mouth," I hissed, Nora snarling beneath my skin. "Just because you’re pathetic doesn’t mean everyone else is as worthless as you. Did you not understand what I said before? We are DONE. I don’t want your kind anywhere near me. Get as far away from me as possible!"

My wolf was raging for release, wanting nothing more than to teach this disloyal wolf a lesson in respect. I took a deep breath to steady myself before continuing.

"In my eyes, you’re lower than a stray dog. I’d sooner mate with an actual wolf than ever touch you again!"

I noticed Damien raise an eyebrow at my choice of words, a hint of amusement crossing his features as he continued holding Ethan’s wrist in that painful grip. Perhaps I’d inadvertently implied something about him and me, but I was too angry to care.

"Even if I had been with a hundred different men, what business would it be of yours?" I said with a cold, contemptuous smile. "I could sleep with whoever I wanted and it still wouldn’t concern you in the slightest." 𝒻𝘳ℯℯ𝑤ℯ𝒷𝘯ℴ𝓋ℯ𝘭.𝑐ℴ𝑚

Several people had stopped to watch our confrontation, including some business associates Ethan had apparently arrived with. One of them stepped forward awkwardly.

"Mr. Sterling, should we...?" the man gestured toward the restaurant entrance.

Ethan nodded quickly, clearly embarrassed but desperate to continue our conversation. "You all go ahead."

Once they’d left, Ethan turned back to me with pleading eyes. "Victoria, I’m serious. Scarlett means nothing to me. I saw your presentation in Silver Bay today—you’re incredible. I’ve loved you since the first moment I saw you all those years ago, and that hasn’t changed. You should know Damian is just playing around with you—he wouldn’t pick an OMEGA. Only I truly care about you.I—"

"Enough!" I cut him off, my patience completely exhausted. "Your words make me sick."

I deliberately stepped closer to Damien and linked my arm through his, pressing against his side. His wolf’s scent—smoky cedar mixed with something darker and more mysterious—wrapped around me, and Nora practically purred in response.

"I told you before," I said to Ethan. "Next time you see me, you should address me as your Alpha’s mate."

I looked up at Damien, softening my expression and voice. "Darling, let’s eat somewhere else. Running into such bad luck might ruin my appetite."

I could feel Damien’s pleasure at my words rolling off him in waves, his wolf Arthur responding possessively to my touch. He understood I was using him as a shield against Ethan, but he clearly didn’t mind in the slightest.

His lips curved into a satisfied smile as he looked down at me. "Of course. Wherever you want to go."

...

Once we were safely in Damien’s car and pulling away from the restaurant, he leaned toward me with a teasing smile.

"So, darling, where would you like to eat?" he asked, perfectly mimicking my affectionate tone from earlier.

The word made me shiver—and not in a good way. It felt far too intimate coming from him when we weren’t playing for an audience.

"You planned this, didn’t you?" I accused, turning to face him. "You knew Ethan would be at that restaurant and deliberately brought me there to upset me."

"I genuinely had no idea Ethan would be there," Damien replied, his expression suddenly serious. "If I’d known, I never would have suggested that place."

He frowned, his eyes darkening with irritation. "He’s becoming a real nuisance, showing up everywhere. He might not be able to hurt you, but he’s clearly trying to get under your skin."

Damien tapped his fingers thoughtfully on the steering wheel before speaking again. "If you want to avoid seeing Ethan for a while, I could have him sent to Africa."

"You can do that?" I asked, genuinely surprised as I turned to look at him.

Damien shrugged casually. "Simple enough. Lawrence has a project in Africa that needs overseeing. With a little... persuasion, I could ensure Ethan gets assigned to it."

"I’m impressed. Didn’t realize you had that kind of influence," I admitted.

"There’s a lot about me you haven’t realized yet," he replied, his voice dropping to that dangerous timber that made Nora sit up and take notice. "For instance, I’m perfectly capable of satisfying you all by myself. No need for you to seek out other men."

I rolled my eyes, though the comment sent an unexpected rush of heat through my body. "Of course you’d go there."

"Speaking of which," I said, changing the subject, "Ethan mentioned photos he sent you. What was that about?"

"Since Ethan seems to think we’re a couple," Damien explained, "he naturally assumed any photos of you with another man would constitute cheating."

"Really? These supposed cheating photos—can I see them?" I asked, curious what could possibly have triggered this drama.

Damien unlocked his phone and pulled up his conversation with Ethan before handing it to me. I noticed the first message where Damien had called Ethan a "pathetic dog trying to act human," which made me smile despite myself.

Then I saw the photos. They showed me and Matthew at a restaurant, sitting close together, reaching for the same water glass—making it look like we were holding hands. The angle and lighting made the innocent dinner appear intimate and romantic.

"Who would even take pictures like this?" I wondered aloud. "So this is why you suddenly texted me asking about being at a hotel, asking if I was with someone?"

From certain angles, I had to admit the restaurant’s background could be mistaken for a hotel setting.

"Partly," Damien admitted. "Though I was planning to invite you to dinner anyway. What are you in the mood for?"

"Do you have any preferences or requirements for the restaurant?" I asked. "If not, I know a place I’ve been wanting to take you."

"What kind of place?" he asked, his interest clearly piqued.

"A place to eat, obviously!" I laughed.

I’d tried to bring Damien to this restaurant twice before, but something always came up at the last minute. It seemed like every time we planned to eat together, some unexpected issue arose. Perhaps spontaneous dining was our only option.

The small roadside restaurant didn’t look particularly impressive from the outside, but the food was incredible. It was a place I often visited with Grace before all the drama in my life started.

The owner, a middle-aged woman with a warm smile, lit up when she saw me enter.

"Victoria! It’s been so long!" she exclaimed. "Where have you been hiding yourself these past few weeks?"

"I’ve been quite busy," I explained with a smile.

She gestured for us to sit at a quiet table in the corner, her eyes appraising Damien with obvious approval.

"This must be your boyfriend," she said with a knowing smile. "I’ve heard so much about him over the years. Finally decided to bring him around to meet us? He’s even more handsome than you described!"

I froze, feeling Damien’s curious gaze on me. The owner clearly thought he was Ethan—the boyfriend I’d mentioned during our many conversations over the years.