Define The Relationship Novel - Chapter 50

It was a voice filled with worry, one he had never heard before. Karlyle briefly brought the teacup to his lips, but then put it down again without swallowing anything. It was hard to swallow.

“It’s nothing special.”

Kyle’s lips parted as if he had something to say. But Karlyle was faster.

“I have chosen someone to be engaged to, so I think it’s right to settle this place and look for a place to live with my future fiancée.”

He had enjoyed himself for a while, now it was time to return to reality.

“Karlyle.”

Kyle called him, as if asking what he was talking about. Jonathan looked at Kyle. Karlyle ignored Kyle, his expression unchanged. Instead, he asked his father again.

“Will you allow it?”

Jonathan rubbed his brow. After letting out a heavy sigh, Jonathan asked Karlyle, as if to confirm.

“You’ve chosen an fiancée?”

“Yes. I chose from the candidates grandfather had narrowed down. There were a few people I was acquainted with.”

Karlyle reported as if handling business. Jonathan stared at him as if something was terribly wrong.

“Let’s discuss that later.”

“I plan to talk to grandfather next week.”

“…Do as you wish with the house.”

Jonathan said that. While showing a troubled expression, Karlyle knew that his father wouldn’t strongly oppose him.

Neither Jonathan nor Alice had ever expressed concern about Karlyle following his grandfather’s words.

“Thank you.”

Even if he didn’t dispose of the house, he was slowly finishing preparations to leave this place anyway.

Karlyle briefly excused himself on the pretext of making a phone call. It was to tell the family’s broker that he could proceed as planned. Kyle followed behind Karlyle.

“Brother. Let’s talk for a moment.”

Kyle grabbed Karlyle’s wrist. It was the first time Kyle had held him like this. Karlyle looked down slightly at Kyle.

“I’m listening.”

“What’s this about an engagement? What about Ash Jones?”

It was an expected question. He had deliberately avoided the situation because even hearing the name was painful, but Kyle didn’t leave him alone. Karlyle quietly pulled his wrist away and turned his body.

“It doesn’t seem right to associate someone I’ve shamelessly imposed upon with engagement talk. I’ll thank Nicholas separately, and Mr. Jones in a different way…”

“Weren’t you trying to date him? You like him, that person.”

Kyle grabbed Karlyle again. Karlyle, who had stopped in the living room, quietly stared at his restrained wrist. He thought he should instruct his secretary to handle opening a new phone after finishing his call with the broker.

“Kyle.”

Karlyle now intended to erase everything connected to Ash.

“It’s none of your business.”

With a firmer and sharper movement than before, Karlyle pulled his hand away. To Ash, Karlyle was nothing more than an unpleasant memory and a strange, arrogant, and ridiculous Alpha male. Karlyle was not a suitable match for Ash.

It had been that way from the beginning. They lived in entirely different worlds. For a moment, Karlyle had lost sight of his place and dreamed an unbefitting dream. They had to return to their designated places.

“Then… the painting?”

At those words, Karlyle’s gaze shifted to the table. As he looked at the sealed item on the unused table, Kyle also turned his eyes.

“It’s a beautiful painting…”

Karlyle said calmly.

“And you also went through a lot of trouble to get it.”

Since the person he truly wanted to give it to was no longer there.

“If you’re okay with it, I think it’s better if you have it.”

Kyle and Nicholas would appreciate the painting’s value.

“There’s someone to give it to. You should give it to him, Karlyle.”

“Kyle.”

His beloved brother seemed to want a definite answer from Karlyle. With a painful expression, as if stabbing himself, Karlyle finally let his composure break slightly and said firmly.

“It’s over.”

Shaking his head at Kyle, who was about to open his mouth again, Karlyle turned his eyes away from the painting.

“Never speak of this again.”

The season was changing. Karlyle’s life had always consisted only of autumn and winter.

Familiar temperatures, low-saturation colors, quiet stillness, and calm air. His heart, finally returned to its familiar season, settled down, cold and lonely, like the season itself.

This was the form of solitude Karlyle had to become accustomed to once more.