Married To My Ex's Brother, Reborn Miraculously
Chapter 22: I want to serve the notice period.

Chapter 22: I want to serve the notice period.

Inside Augustine’s car...

As the car glided down the quiet street, Anne let out a slow breath, finally allowing herself to relax. She turned to Augustine, gratitude flickering in her eyes.

"Thanks for helping me again," she said softly, "and for coming to pick me up."

Augustine’s lips curled into a playful smirk, his eyes glinting with amusement. "You’re my wife, remember?" he teased. "Of course, I’ll come pick you up. And if I ever can’t, I’ll send the driver."

Although Anne told herself that this marriage was nothing but a convenient, she still felt warmth at his words. His sincerity had touched her heart.

Before she could dwell on the thought, Augustine’s voice broke through her silence. "I don’t like the idea of you working for Denis. But since you insist on serving the notice period, I won’t object. Just know that if you want out, I can make that happen."

Anne hesitated for a moment. She did want to walk away from Denis and never look back. But she had other plans.

"No," she said with quiet calculation. "I want to serve the notice period."

Augustine arched a brow, confused. "Why?"

Anne’s gaze darkened with something almost dangerous. "Because only by staying beside him can I cause the maximum damage."

That caught his attention. He turned to her briefly and saw the determination burning in her eyes.

"What is the plan?" he asked, curious.

"I’ve been analyzing a project," she said. "Denis has invested a fortune into it. If anything goes wrong, it will hit the company’s annual growth hard—leading to significant losses."

Augustine’s expression didn’t change, but he listened to her intently.

"I was assigned to prepare a progress report for tomorrow’s meeting," she continued. "I have to follow his orders for now—but deep down, I want to create chaos." She turned to meet Augustine’s gaze, her lips curling into a slow, knowing smirk. "I want this project to fail."

Augustine’s lips curled slightly as he listened to Anne’s plan. The idea was bold, calculated, and perfectly aligned with his own goals.

"I can help you with that," he offered without hesitation.

Anne’s head whipped toward him, her eyes flickering with curiosity and hope. "You’ll help me?"

"Hmm..." His gaze lingered on her for a moment before turning back his attention to the road, his lips curling into a smirk. "That’s what we agreed on, isn’t it? Helping each other expose our common enemy and bringing him down." He glanced at her again, this time with more certainty. "I’ll definitely help you."

Anne’s lips curled into a grin, excitement lighting up her face. "Then I’ll share all the details with you."

The conversation lingered in the air as they arrived at his house. The moment they stepped inside, Anne made her way toward the bedroom, eager to freshen up.

But before she could step up the stairs, Augustine’s voice stopped her. "Wait a moment."

She turned back, curiosity dancing in her eyes. "What is it?"

Augustine slipped a hand into his pocket, fingers wrapping around a small box. But he didn’t take it out—not yet.

"You must be hungry," he said smoothly. "Let’s eat first."

Anne nodded. "I’ll go freshen up and change my clothes." Then she disappeared into the bedroom.

Augustine exhaled, running a hand through his hair before heading toward the kitchen.

Originally, he had planned a romantic dinner at a fine restaurant, but seeing Anne working late at the office, he had changed his plans. Instead, he had Gustave arrange for takeout.

He set the neatly packed paper bags on the dining table, meticulously placing plates and chopsticks in an orderly manner. He wanted everything to be perfect.

As he worked, his gaze instinctively flickered toward the staircase. The anticipation stirred something deep within him.

’It’s our first night together.’ A strange mix of nervousness and excitement settled in his chest.

Just as he was unboxing the food, he heard soft footsteps descending the stairs. Augustine turned his head, his breath catching for just a fraction of a second.

Anne was walking toward him, clad in a nightgown. Her hair cascaded freely down her shoulders, the soft glow of the warm lighting casting a golden sheen on her skin.

She looked... ethereal.

For a moment, his gaze remained locked on her, his heartbeat accelerating.

And then she smiled.

Her smile sent a quiet tremor through him, making his heart stumble over itself. Augustine quickly masked his reaction, clearing his throat as he turned back to the food.

"Come, let’s eat," he said, trying to sound casual.

As Anne neared the table, Augustine smoothly pulled out a chair for her. She hesitated for a brief moment before sitting down.

"I wasn’t sure what you liked to eat. But I figured you might prefer something simple."

Anne glanced at the food as he began unpacking it—steaming dumplings neatly arranged in a box, spicy Szechuan chicken glistening under a deep red glaze, and a side of fragrant garlic noodles. Beside the dishes sat a cup of jasmine tea, its delicate floral aroma curling into the air.

"Simple is fine."

Augustine took his seat, but instead of reaching for his own plate, he picked up a dumpling with his chopsticks and held it up to her. "Try this one. Pork and chives. I think you’ll like it."

Anne blinked, momentarily caught off guard by the gesture. She hesitated but leaned in slightly, taking the bite from his chopsticks.

The flavors burst on her tongue—savory and rich, a hint of ginger, perfectly balanced. She swallowed, licking her lips, and noticed the way Augustine’s gaze briefly dropped to her mouth before he looked away, turning his focus on his own plate.

"It’s good," she murmured.

Augustine smirked as he speared a piece of Szechuan chicken with his chopsticks. "Now that we’re married, I’ll make sure to take care of your likes and dislikes. Next time, I’ll order something you love."

The word ’marriage’ sent a strange, fluttering sensation through her stomach. Anne ducked her head, focusing on twirling her noodles around her fork.

Despite Augustine’s easy charm, she couldn’t shake the hesitation that clung to her. This was all still so new. They had signed their names on a piece of paper, legally binding them together, but that didn’t mean she had figured out how to feel about him yet.

Yet every time she met his eyes—her heart would skip, betraying her composure. She had told herself over and over again that this marriage was only a means to an end, a strategy to defeat their mutual enemy. Still, no matter how hard she tried to remind herself of the reasoning behind it, her heart couldn’t quiet the racing pulse when he was close.

Augustine’s sharp gaze caught her flustered look. Resting his elbow on the table, he asked teasingly, "Are you nervous around me?"

Anne swallowed, refusing to let him see just how much his presence was affecting her. She raised her chin and gave a tight, controlled smile. "Of course not."

His smirk deepened. "Then why aren’t you looking at me?"