Fall in love with my brother's best friend

Chapter 1

A yellow rainstorm warning had been issued by the Meteorological Bureau. The city was bracing itself for heavy rainfall around 8:00 pm tonight. The citizens were reminded to take necessary precautions.

Yvette Taylor glanced out of the window, taking in the gloomy and oppressive sky. The rain fell incessantly, creating a dense and impenetrable net that enveloped the earth.

"Why are you daydreaming here? The guests will be arriving soon. Hurry up!" 

An anxious voice suddenly came from behind, snapping Yvette out of her thoughts. She turned around to see a capable woman in a suit and skirt waving at her. With her short and neat hair, earpiece, and staff badge hanging on her chest, she appeared to be in charge of operations inside the venue.

Yvette looked around in confusion and asked, "Are you talking to me?"

The woman briefly registered surprise upon seeing Yvette's face. Clearly, she hadn't expected the volunteer she randomly approached to be so attractive. But soon, her surprise turned into delight as she said, "Yes, it's you. Come with me quickly."

It was at that moment Yvette realized that something was amiss.

Today marked the second day of the City Investment and Economic Forum, a prestigious event attended by numerous industry elites at the exhibition center. Yvette, who had no interest in such matters, had planned to spend the weekend relaxing at home. However, Ned had handed her an invitation letter, insisting that she come and learn. Reluctantly, she had agreed to attend as a tourist, only to unexpectedly run into Belle, who was feeling unwell, while wandering around.

Belle had handed Yvette a volunteer vest and work ID before hurrying into the restroom while Yvette waited outside.

Now it seemed that this woman had mistaken her for a lazy volunteer loitering in a corner of the venue.

Yvette furrowed her brows slightly and said, "Actually..."

"Belle Sipes?" The woman took a step forward and read the name on the work badge, cutting Yvette off. "We're short-staffed at the moment. We'll talk about resting later. Put on the vest and come with me."

With that, the woman turned and walked away, her high heels creating urgent and crisp sounds against the ground. Yvette felt lost and quickly sent a message to Belle on her phone.

Belle lamented, "That must be the volunteer coordinator. Now she knows my name, and I'm afraid she'll have a negative impression of me. Yvette, please help me handle this. I'll come and take over for you soon. I'll treat you to a meal as a thank you, please!"

"Aren't you worried she'll figure out we're not the same person?"

"She won't. She's in charge of coordination and has many subordinates to manage. Usually, she only interacts with a few team leaders. I don't know what happened today that she actually bumped into me. Just my luck!"

As roommates, Yvette had no choice but to agree to help and followed in the woman's footsteps.

As they walked, the woman asked, "You're from the State University School of Business, right?"

"Yes," Yvette confirmed.

She glanced at Yvette again and said, "Didn't your team leader mention during training that you should wear light-colored tops and dark pants? You're here as a volunteer, not for socializing. Why are you wearing a skirt?"

Yvette remained silent.

"Forget it. Every year, there are always a few disobedient ones." The woman shifted her gaze away. "Luckily, you have a good appearance. You'll be responsible for receiving Mr. Adams and his entourage from Summer Capital later. I'll take you to your position. Just pour coffee when people arrive. Everything was covered during the training."

Yvette's eyelids twitched. "...Summer Capital? Can I do something else?"

The woman frowned unhappily, her tone becoming more severe. "Do you want me to arrange for you to sit amongst the guests directly?"

Her sharp tone revealed her tendency to reprimand others and exert pressure from a superior position. An ordinary college student would have probably been too intimidated to say anything further. However, Yvette disliked sarcastic remarks.

She stopped in her tracks, let out a cold hum, and reached out to take off the vest, intending to leave. But as soon as her fingertips grazed the fabric, she remembered that she was currently impersonating Belle. Yvette had always been willful and accustomed to doing as she pleased. It didn't matter what she did, as long as Ned supported her in the end. But she couldn't make enemies on Belle's behalf, especially when this volunteering opportunity was so rare.

She tucked her fingers into her pocket and hesitated for a moment. Eventually, she withdrew her hand and compromised, following the woman's footsteps ahead.

Chapter 2

As Yvette entered the venue, a bustling group of volunteers could be seen on the stage, diligently adjusting the sound system. A woman guided her to the middle of the first row and provided her with instructions. "The seats are labeled with names. When the guests arrive, volunteers will escort them in. Remember to serve coffee promptly, and if it gets cold, pour another cup. Make sure the guests never drink cold coffee."

Any remaining hope Yvette had instantly vanished when she laid eyes on the name tag. The three words "Patrick Adams" shattered all her illusions.

Fate certainly had a twisted sense of humor.

Not only did she have to sacrifice her weekends at home, but now she also had to endure attending a forum in the pouring rain, all while serving her archenemy, Patrick.

Pour coffee for Patrick? What a joke. She had never even done such a thing for her own brother, Ned.

After receiving instructions, the woman handed Yvette over to the venue's supervisor, emphasizing the importance of all the guests attending this event. She warned Yvette not to make any mistakes before hurrying off in her high heels.

The venue supervisor, a glasses-wearing guy who appeared to be a volunteer, scrutinized Yvette with a quick glance. Adjusting his glasses, he smiled and asked, "Are you also from State University? Are you an undergraduate or a graduate student? I'm currently in my second year of graduate school."

Yvette, feeling frustrated, replied casually, "I'm an undergraduate about to graduate. By the way, can I switch with someone else?"

"Switch?" The guy seemed taken aback, then shook his head. "Everything has been arranged, and I can't make any changes."

He observed Yvette's furrowed brows and smiled once again. "I thought you would be thrilled. Mr. Adams is quite popular. Many volunteer girls are here just for him. It's an opportunity for the venue volunteers to make some extra money. They've been reselling the chance at a high price, but Lavinia, the sister I mentioned earlier, found out and got angry. So, she brought in people from outside. You're really lucky."

Yvette forced a smile.

Lucky? Today was definitely proving to be quite the opposite.

Twenty minutes later, the guests began arriving one after another. Prior to the event, familiar and unfamiliar faces mingled and engaged in conversations. A group of elegantly dressed individuals stood together, conversing and laughing, creating an atmosphere of seriousness.

Yvette kept her head down, engrossed in her phone. The girl beside her gently tapped her, signaling that it was time for them to start working.

Reluctantly, Yvette rose to her feet and grabbed a water bottle, making her way towards the first row.

People moved about on the sidelines, the lighting dim, but Yvette immediately spotted that familiar figure.

A man donning a sleek black suit, his slender and well-defined physique accentuating his broad shoulders and long legs. He leaned against the sofa with an air of dignity, his head lowered as he perused through the prepared materials. The spotlight on the stage swept over him, casting a glow on his chiseled profile. His deep black eyes exuded an air of distance, as if he were keeping everyone at arm's length when he wasn't smiling.

Yvette's assessment of Patrick had always been that he was pretentious.

He had been friends with Yvette's brother, Ned, since high school. While Ned took over the family business, Patrick chose to venture into his own realm, starting a successful venture capital company called Summer Capital. Just a few months ago, he played a pivotal role in helping the pharmaceutical company Star complete its IPO, allowing Summer Capital to profit immensely. Patrick's net worth skyrocketed, and he even made it onto the list of young millionaires in City A, earning him widespread acclaim as a talented young individual.

But to Yvette, Patrick possessed no redeeming qualities beyond his looks and professional abilities. Privately, he had an incredibly unpleasant personality, pretending to be virtuous while harboring ulterior motives. Unfortunately, he was exceedingly skilled at deception, causing everyone except Yvette to sing his praises endlessly, extolling his youth, talent, and exceptional character.

Even thinking about him made her feel uncomfortable.

Approaching his side, Yvette poured coffee into his cup without displaying any emotion on her face.

Patrick's gaze unintentionally shifted towards her, coming to a sudden halt before slowly transitioning from her hand to her face.

Yvette's grip tightened around the water bottle.

A commotion ensued around her, and as the water began to overflow, a low, chilly voice nonchalantly spoke up. "Is Ned suspending your card?"

Yvette: ?

Patrick's assumption wasn't entirely unfounded.

Yet, Yvette felt irritated. "Can't I volunteer willingly?"

"Well, you can," Patrick casually replied.

Upon hearing his response, she knew he wasn't being sincere. "Even if my card is suspended, so what? Are you offering to support me?"

"It's not out of the question," Patrick leisurely responded. "After all, I've always been kind-hearted. It's only fair for me to extend some help to Miss Taylor, for a fee."

"Heaven forbid." Yvette despised his business-minded mentality and retorted indignantly, "Rest assured, I won't partake in your generosity."

"Is that so?" His tone remained unchanged as he gestured to the side. "The water has spilled."

Only then did Yvette realize that she had been so engrossed in her confrontation with Patrick that she didn't even notice the cup had reached its limit, causing the water to spill and create a mess on the table. Hastily grabbing some tissues, she began cleaning up the spill. In her panic, she heard a gentle reproach from behind her. "How did you manage to make such a mess while pouring water?"

The sound of high heels drew nearer, and Lavinia furrowed her brows. "You can't stay here. Call Lucas over."

Lucas was the venue supervisor, the guy wearing glasses.

With that, Lavinia turned towards Patrick and offered an apologetic smile. "Mr. Adams, I sincerely apologize. This volunteer is a bit clumsy and accidentally wet your documents. I'll bring you a new copy right away."

Yvette had no desire to continue, so she discarded the damp tissue in the trash can and walked away.

"Wait," Patrick called out from behind her.

She halted her steps.

"It's not a big deal. There's no need to be so harsh," he said lightly. "These volunteers are all students, and it's only natural for them to be nervous when faced with such situations."

Lavinia understood that he was defending the volunteer and immediately turned to Yvette, exerting pressure with her gaze. "I'll give you another chance. Go get a new copy of the documents now, and don't make any more mistakes."

Yvette retrieved a fresh copy of the documents, but by then, Lavinia had already distanced herself. She tossed the documents onto Patrick's lap and snorted, "Just pretend. Don't expect me to thank you."

"No need." Patrick lowered his head and resumed reading the documents casually. "I simply wanted to prevent others from being harmed by you."

For a moment, Yvette was tempted to pour the water from his cup down the collar of his suit.

She knew she shouldn't have held any expectations for a person like him!

Someone passed by behind her, and unable to lose her temper, she forced a smile and threatened through gritted teeth, "Is that so? Well, be prepared to suffer because of me. I won't let you off easily."

She emphasized her words deliberately, a faint blush appearing on her fair cheeks, clearly displaying her anger, yet her eyes sparkled with liveliness.

He looked up at her, a barely noticeable smile forming on his lips. "I'll be waiting."

Chapter 3

When Yvette made her way back to the volunteer rest area, she noticed a lively group of people engaged in conversation. As she approached, they exchanged glances and nudged each other, but none of them had the courage to approach her.

Finally, a friendly-looking girl walked up to her and asked directly, "Hey there, are you Yvette?"

Yvette, caught off guard, was about to take a sip of water when she looked up with a hint of confusion in her beautiful eyes. "Who are you?"

"We're all from State University, and you've become quite famous on campus," the girl smiled. "I never expected to see you here."

Ever since Yvette started attending school, she had gained popularity due to a captivating photo of herself. In the following days, her picture circulated on various forums, with people eagerly trying to find out who she was whenever they stumbled upon it. Eventually, it was revealed that she was the heiress of Taylor Group, which only heightened the attention surrounding her. It was no wonder these younger students had heard of her.

Yvette discreetly covered the name tag on her chest with her hand and nodded politely. "Hello."

Concerned about revealing her temporary role as Belle's substitute, Yvette remained reserved. The girl assumed her aloofness was natural, exchanged a few pleasantries, and then rejoined the lively discussions.

Taking a seat on a nearby chair, Yvette sent a message to Belle, inquiring about her well-being.

Belle didn't respond.

As she contemplated whether to make a phone call, familiar words reached her ears.

"Patrick looks even more impressive in person than in his photos. I personally guided him today, and when he left, he thanked me for my hard work. I was completely taken aback in that moment! I've hosted many CEOs before, and most of them don't even acknowledge us, let alone the volunteer workers."

...Putting on an act to win people over.

"I have an upperclassman who works at Summer, and she told us that Patrick has a great character and impeccable manners. When he encounters employees at the company, regardless of their position, he greets them. Despite his seemingly cold demeanor, he genuinely values manners."

Good character? Good manners? Did she hear correctly?

"Working at Summer must be so fortunate. The boss is attractive, the company has a promising future, and the salary is high. I want to give it a try next year, I wonder if there's an opportunity."

"It's not easy at all. It's getting more and more competitive to get into Summer each year, and Patrick has high expectations for his employees."

"Understandable... After all, he achieved such success within a few years of starting his own business. And I heard he's still single."

"He's probably too engrossed in his work, maybe he hasn't thought about that aspect."

"He probably has high standards, can't find the right person."

Yvette couldn't bear listening any longer and couldn't resist joining the conversation. "Have you ever considered that maybe the reason he's still single is..."

All eyes suddenly turned towards her.

"Is it because he's simply unlikable?"

Belle appeared as the forum came to an end.

Chapter 4

When Belle caught sight of Yvette, she hurriedly approached, apologizing profusely, "I'm so sorry, I didn't anticipate this situation. I shouldn't have gone out for barbecue with them last night. You're really saving me today."

Yvette observed Belle's pale complexion and inquired, "Are you feeling better?"

Belle furrowed her eyebrows and replied, "Much better."

Nodding, Yvette removed her vest and hung her work ID around Belle's neck. "Go back and rest properly," she advised.

Belle hesitated for a moment before tentatively suggesting, "Why don't you come with us? The volunteers have a bus that will take us all to the school. If you blend in with the crowd and get on the bus, no one will check."

"I'll just take a taxi. I'm heading home tonight, not going to the school."

While they were conversing, Yvette received a message notification on her phone. Glancing at it, she discovered a WeChat message from Patrick, containing only a few concise words: "Come down to the elevator at gate 3. Parking lot."

She replied with a question mark.

Soon after, she received a response: "It's pouring rain. If you can catch a taxi, then I'll leave first."

Initially, Yvette wanted to firmly refuse, but when she checked the ride-hailing app, she realized that the convention center was quite remote and it was currently raining heavily. After waiting for ten minutes, there were still no available cars.

She hesitated for a while, tapping her fingertips on the screen, feeling humiliated, and gritted her teeth as she typed: "Wait for me."

Taking the elevator down to the parking lot, Yvette spotted Patrick's car in the distance. She walked over and seated herself in the passenger seat.

The person who had just been the center of the crowd's discussion was now sitting in the driver's seat, engaged in a phone call. His hand rested on the steering wheel, fingers slender and distinct, adorned with an exquisite, shining watch.

As she looked at the watch, Yvette felt a sense of familiarity but couldn't recall where she had seen it before. Patrick noticed Yvette entering the car and promptly ended the call, saying, "Well, then."

Yvette's attention shifted from his wrist. "How did you know I couldn't catch a taxi? What if I drove here myself?"

Patrick set his phone aside and nonchalantly replied, "Didn't Ned suspend your card? Can you afford the gas?"

She truly wished she could shut his mouth, which never uttered anything pleasant, and retorted irritably, "Ned didn't suspend my card."

"I know."

He also knew that Yvette didn't drive today due to a previous accident. Although she hadn't sustained any injuries, the scare had made her cautious about driving in the rain.

However, he didn't voice it aloud but casually asked, "What do you feel like having for dinner tonight?"

"...Are you asking me out for dinner?"

"Today, you served me diligently."

This statement seemed too ordinary. Yvette was taken aback by his change in attitude but couldn't come up with a reason. In the end, she decided not to dwell on it.

She took out her phone, searched for restaurants one by one, and prepared to select an upscale one.

"This one seems quite good. You recommended it to me before. We just need to make a reservation in advance, but I'm not sure if we can get one now..."

She muttered to herself, but Patrick paid no attention. He fastened his seatbelt, turned his head to look at her, and inquired, "What?"

She repeated, "I was saying that this restaurant..."

Before she could finish her sentence, Patrick suddenly leaned over.

His figure blocked the bright light streaming through the windshield, momentarily dimming Yvette's vision. She was momentarily stunned.

He smelled really pleasant, and she couldn't quite place the fragrance. It was light yet distinct, just enough to fill her nostrils, like a net capturing her senses.

The parking lot's bright lights spilled over his shoulder, casting a soft glow on his silhouette. She could even discern the slight fluttering of his eyelashes and the faint mole below his right eye.

Although Yvette strongly disliked Patrick, she had to concede that he was undeniably good-looking.

Chapter 5

When Yvette and Patrick first crossed paths, she was still in high school. It was during that time that Ned and Patrick had arranged to play basketball together. Yvette, tired of doing homework, eagerly followed Ned and caught sight of Patrick waiting by the basketball court.

He stood there, donning a black t-shirt that highlighted his slim and tall figure. His attention was focused on his phone, with folded arms that revealed a faint outline of his muscles. As the summer sunlight filtered through the leaves above, it cast a half-light, half-darkness on his clear facial features. The rays gracefully fell on his straight back, partially concealed by his tousled black hair.

Despite the scorching heat that enveloped the air, Patrick seemed unfazed, standing motionless as if detached from the bustling surroundings.

Ned called out to him, and Patrick turned to look.

In that moment, a gentle breeze swept through, causing the leaves to rustle and the light and shadows to dance upon his eyebrows and eyes.

At the age of 17, Yvette couldn't help but form a favorable impression of Patrick based solely on their initial encounter. His face possessed an allure that even evoked a hint of teenage infatuation. However, as they spent more time together, their incompatible personalities clashed, leading to a mutual disdain.

Now, at 27 years old, Patrick exudes a greater sense of maturity. The youthfulness that once resided in his eyes and eyebrows has faded, replaced by a stronger and more dominant aura of control. His entire demeanor resembles the cold glint of a metal knife, sharp and icy. Whenever his emotionless gaze meets someone's eyes, an oppressive chill permeates the air.

In this moment, he lowered his gaze to meet hers. Within the silent atmosphere, a hint of ambiguity lingered.

They were so close, close enough that if he were to lower his head slightly, their lips would touch.

Yvette furrowed her brow, subconsciously pursed her lips, and nervously held her breath.

Though it felt like an eternity, the overwhelming tension lasted only a few seconds. Patrick shifted his gaze, slightly turned his head, and reached over her to retrieve the seatbelt from her side, fastening it securely.

"What were you expecting just now?"

Only then did Yvette snap out of her daze, realizing that she had misinterpreted his intentions as a potential kiss. She felt both embarrassed and annoyed. She turned her head to glare at him, attempting to conceal her embarrassment. "Patrick--"

In an instinctive attempt to stand up, Yvette's sudden movement was met with resistance from the seatbelt, causing her back to collide forcefully with the soft seatback, shattering the words she had intended to question him with.

Patrick handed her his suit jacket. "Put it on."

The early spring air carried a chill, especially after the rain, making it cold and damp. Yvette was clad in thin attire, and even the slightest touch sent a shiver down her spine.

She hesitated for a moment, angrily flung the jacket back at him, and retorted, "Who wants to wear your clothes?"

"It seems like you're feeling hot?" He feigned reaching for the control panel. "Then I'll turn on the air conditioning."

Yvette had no doubt that Patrick would follow through with such an action. Reluctantly, she put on his jacket, gritted her teeth, and mentally tore him apart.

Patrick glanced at her as she donned the jacket, then averted his gaze. He pressed down on the accelerator and slowly exited the parking lot.

As the sky gradually darkened, the streetlights flickered to life earlier than usual. The scattered beams of light were stretched into blurred shapes by the speeding car, their reflections on the rain-streaked windows creating a kaleidoscope of colors. Yvette gazed out of the window, her mind consumed by the recent embarrassment. Her ears turned crimson, and she clutched Patrick's jacket tightly with her fingertips.

Damn Patrick.

He better wait, because she would most certainly, without a doubt, make him pay for today's humiliation.

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