Chapter 26: Brothers
Bella was just setting Timothy’s dinner on the table, wanting to sit and eat with Chloe and Rachel when her phone buzzed across the counter.
She wiped her hands and picked it up, her brows furrowing when she saw an unknown number flashing on the screen.
"Who is that?" Chloe asked when she saw the frown on Bella’s face.
"I don’t know. It’s an unknown number," Bella said before answering the call.
"Hello?" she said, cautious.
There was a pause, the faint sound of heavy breathing, before a low voice spoke.
"Hello, Bella... it’s me, Raymond."
Her hand froze on the phone. Raymond? Of all people, why was he calling her now? "Raymond?" she echoed, surprise lacing her voice.
"Yes." His tone was uncharacteristically flat, lacking the usual charm he always wore when talking to her. "I... I hope you don’t mind me calling."
She blinked, confused. How on earth did he get her number? But just as the question formed on her lips, she frowned when she thought more about his voice.
Then she realized what it was and why she felt it. There was a certain weariness in his voice, a strain. He was sounding like someone barely holding himself together.
"Raymond... why are you calling me when we could talk tomorrow at work? Are you alright?" she asked softly.
A bitter laugh came through the line. "Not really. Look, I... I just need to get out of my head tonight. Would you... come have a drink with me? Just one. Please. I need to talk to someone."
Bella hesitated, glancing at Timothy, who was happily pushing peas around his plate. Then at Chloe and Rachel.
Her instinct was to refuse — it wasn’t exactly wise to meet up with Raymond outside work since she’d told herself she wouldn’t get close to anyone. But there was something so raw, so desperate in his voice that it tugged at her. Against her better judgment, she found herself agreeing.
"Alright," she said quietly. "Text me the place," she said before hanging up.
"You’re leaving?" Rachel asked, taking the words out of Chloe’s mouth.
"Yes. Could you watch Tim for me? I’ll be back in no time," Bella said, glancing at Rachel before turning to Chloe who was looking at her with a raised brow. "He wants to meet up. Seems he’s in a bad mood."
"Alright. Take care," Chloe said, and watched as Bella picked the car keys and then placed a kiss on Timothy’s cheeks.
"I’ll be back, pumpkin," she said, and Timothy giggled as he waved her.
"Get me chocolates, will you?" he asked in his tiny voice.
"I will, my love," Bella said before leaving.
Soon, Bella arrived at the address Raymond had sent him. She sighed and got out of the car.
The small, dimly lit bar Raymond chose was tucked away from the city’s gleaming lights.
Bella slipped inside, the air thick with faint smoke and low jazz humming from speakers. Her eyes scanned the room until she saw him.
Raymond sat slouched in a corner booth, his usually pristine blond hair disheveled, his tie loosened, his glass already half-empty.
"Bella," he murmured when she approached, his pale gray eyes lifting to hers. There was no calculating smile tonight, no flash of the cool guy he always pretended to be— just tiredness.
She slid into the seat across from him, studying his face. "You look... awful," she said bluntly, though her tone was gentle.
"I feel worse." He gave a humorless chuckle, swirling the amber liquid in his glass. "Thanks for coming. I didn’t think you would."
"I almost didn’t," she admitted. "But you sounded... like you needed someone."
He looked at her then, something flickering in his gaze. Gratitude, maybe. Or shame even. "I did."
For a moment, silence settled between them as Raymond thought of how to break the news to Bella.
He’d been lying to her so he couldn’t help consider how she’d feel.
But then, he had to talk to someone, otherwise he might go crazy and she was the only person he could think of.
"My father handed everything to Jake tonight."
Bella frowned, confused. "What do you mean? Handed what? And Jake? What Jake?"
"The Jake you know. My dad handed the company," Raymond spat, his voice thick with bitterness. "StoneTech. Every branch, every damn piece of it. He made Jake the heir, right there in front of me. Like I was nothing."
Bella’s lips parted, stunned. StoneTech? The same Jake she knew... Slowly, the pieces fell together, her eyes widening as she stared at him. "Wait... are you saying... you and Jake are—?"
"Brothers." The word came out sharp, heavy. He’d lied but at least, the truth was coming from him too.
The shock rattled her chest. She sat back, searching his face. "You’re Jake’s brother?"
Raymond grimaced, rubbing the back of his neck. "Yeah. I’m sorry you’re just finding out. Sorry I lied. I should’ve told you before."
"Why didn’t you?" she asked softly, still reeling.
He let out a shaky breath, his hands curling around his glass. "Because people always look at me differently once they know. I didn’t want that with you. For once, I just wanted to be Raymond. Not ’Jake’s brother.’ Not the Stones’ disappointment."
The anguish in his voice pulled at her heart. Bella reached across the table, her fingers brushing his hand gently. "Raymond..."
He swallowed hard, his eyes wet with unshed frustration. "I don’t know why I lied. Maybe because you looked at me like I was... worth something. And then the way you seemed to hate Jake. I guess I just didn’t want you to extend it to me. I wanted to be your friend."
Bella held his gaze, her heart softening. He was broken tonight, stripped of all the vanity and charm he usually wore. What she saw instead was a man desperate for validation, drowning in his father’s disappointment and his brother’s shadow.
"Raymond," she said gently, her voice steady. "I know you’re angry. And I know it hurts, being overlooked. But anger won’t fix this. If you really want to prove yourself, then... focus on your work. You’re assistant HR, right? Then be the best assistant HR they’ve ever had. Show everyone you can be responsible."
He scoffed bitterly, but her hand remained on his, grounding him.
"And don’t hate your brother. Or your parents," she pressed softly. "They’re probably just... pushing you. Maybe too harshly, yes. But sometimes that’s their way of trying to force you to grow."
He shook his head, his jaw tight. "Feels more like they’re trying to break me."
"Then don’t let them," Bella said firmly, her green eyes shining with quiet conviction. "Don’t prove them right by self-destructing. Prove them wrong by standing tall."
For a long moment, he stared at her, his breathing uneven. Then, slowly, his grip loosened on the glass, his shoulders sagging.
"You really believe I can do that?" he whispered, almost childlike.
She gave a small smile. "I do. But you have to believe it too."
Raymond closed his eyes, her words sinking into the cracks of his wounded pride. And for the first time that night, some of the storm inside him began to still.