I Accidentally Saved The Male Lead’s Brother Chapter 152

Only then did Charlotte realize what Theo had drawn.

“So, this one’s your brother, and this one’s me?”

She pointed to the stick figure on the left and then to the one on the right. Theo’s face brightened, and he nodded enthusiastically.

“Yep!”

Looking at the drawing again, Charlotte could see it wasn’t just sticks—it was people.

She smiled and patted Theo on the head.

“You did such a good job.”

“Yep!”

Encouraged, Theo went back to his drawing. Using his right hand, he clumsily added eyes, a nose, and a mouth to the marshmallow-like faces.

For a brief moment, as Charlotte watched Theo draw, she was able to forget about her brothers and the unopened letter in her hand.

It wasn’t until Theo had tired himself out and gone to sleep that Charlotte finally turned her attention back to the letter. Taking a deep breath, she carefully broke the wax seal.

Jake’s letter skipped all pleasantries and launched straight into his tirade.

[You’re not inviting Mom and Dad to your engagement party? What’s that about? Did the Duke oppose it? Why? I thought he was a decent guy, but I was wrong! I’ve totally misjudged him! Call off the engagement immediately—]

The text became illegible, parts of it hastily scribbled out.

If you’re going to cross it out, at least do it properly. Am I supposed to read this or not?

Despite her grumbling thoughts, Charlotte couldn’t help but chuckle. But as quickly as the smile came, her face grew serious again as she continued to read.

The rest of the letter was just as predictable as she’d expected. Jake expressed his vehement disapproval of the engagement, threatened to storm the estate within days to take her back, and even mentioned challenging Carcel to a duel.

It was almost surprising that Jake hadn’t already arrived in a fit of fury. Most likely, Isaac had managed to hold him back.

It’s no wonder they’re misunderstanding.

Neither of her brothers had ever been thrilled about her relationship with Carcel. And now, hearing that their parents wouldn’t be attending the engagement party? Misunderstandings were inevitable.

Charlotte decided she couldn’t hide the truth from her brothers any longer. Her parents might remain in the dark, but her brothers deserved to know.

She immediately went to Carcel with the letter in hand.

“Charlotte.”

Carcel’s expression brightened when he saw her. However, his face quickly fell when he noticed her serious demeanor.

“What’s wrong?”

Wordlessly, she handed him Jake’s letter. Carcel read through it quickly, nodding slightly as if he understood.

“It’s only natural for Sir Lannia and Sir Jake to find this situation suspicious.”

“I don’t mind if my brothers misunderstand,” Charlotte replied.

Carcel froze for a moment, the letter still in his hands. He looked at her with a tinge of hurt in his eyes before returning the letter.

“I do,” he murmured softly.

His tone was tinged with subtle disappointment, and Charlotte suddenly realized he had misunderstood her.

“No, that’s not what I meant.”

“It’s not?”

“What I meant is that it doesn’t matter if they misunderstand because it’s not true.”

Charlotte reached out and gently took his hand. Though her hands were much smaller, the gesture seemed to comfort him. Carcel’s expression softened slightly.

“I just don’t want to keep my brothers in the dark anymore,” she explained. “I think they should know the truth about what’s happening.”

Carcel fell silent for a moment, considering her words. Charlotte waited patiently, fidgeting with his hand as she watched his face. Finally, Carcel nodded.

“All right. If that’s what you want, I’ll agree.”

“Thank you.”

Charlotte returned to her room and wrote a brief letter to her brothers.

[It’s too long to explain in a letter. Can you come to the estate?]

****

The next day, Isaac and Jake arrived promptly, as if they had been waiting for her invitation.

As the door opened, Charlotte quickly covered Theo’s ears with her hands. She barely had time to shield him before Jake’s booming voice filled the room.

“What on earth is that Duke thinking?”

Even with his ears covered, Theo flinched at the volume.

Theo had been looking forward to the visit all morning, chattering excitedly about playing with “Jake Brother” and showing him his drawings. But the tense atmosphere quickly deflated his excitement.

“Why is Jake Brother like this? He’s scary.”

Jake must have caught the fearful look in Theo’s eyes because he immediately clamped his mouth shut and let out a long sigh to calm himself. Then, with a gentler tone, he lifted the boy into the air.

“Up we go!”

Theo squealed with laughter, his earlier apprehension forgotten.

“Have you been doing well, young master?” Jake asked. “You’ve grown taller since I last saw you.”

“Yep! Theo ate beans, carrots, and even big tomatoes!”

“That’s great! Keep eating lots of healthy food, and you’ll grow even bigger. No more picky eating, okay?”

“Okay!”

Theo nodded so enthusiastically that Jake couldn’t help but laugh. He set the boy down gently, but Theo lingered nearby, watching him expectantly.

The little boy’s gaze drifted to Jake’s hands, searching for something. When he realized they were empty, his face fell.

“Jake Brother, choco?”

“Ah.”

Jake scratched the back of his head, looking sheepish.

“I forgot to bring you a treat today. I’m so sorry.”

Normally, Jake would bring chocolates or other snacks for Theo during his visits. It was one of the reasons Theo adored him so much.

Surprisingly, Theo didn’t seem too upset. Puffing up his cheeks, he shuffled over to the corner of the playroom, rummaging around.

Moments later, he returned with a box in his hands and held it out to Jake.

“Jake Brother! Here!”

“What’s this?”

“You eat!”

Theo was offering him the chocolates he had been saving.

Charlotte, stunned, asked, “Theo, are you sure you want to give Jake those chocolates?”

“Yep! For Brother!”

Jake seemed equally astonished, staring at the little boy before breaking into a warm smile.

“Wow, thank you, young master. That’s very kind of you. But these are yours—you should keep them.”

Theo giggled as Jake ruffled his hair.

The mood lightened, and Jake ended up with Theo on his lap, watching the boy nibble on a chocolate. But as the laughter settled, Jake’s expression grew serious again.

“So, what’s going on?” he asked Charlotte. “Why aren’t you inviting Mom and Dad?”

Charlotte hesitated, glancing at Theo. Isaac noticed and quickly gestured to the maid.

“Emma, could you take the young master for a bit?”

“Yes, of course. Theo, would you like to come with me?”

“Okay. Jake Brother, play later?”

“Of course. Let’s explore the garden after your snack.”

“Yay!”

Theo happily followed Emma out of the room.

As soon as the door closed, Jake turned to Charlotte, his expression hardening.

“You wouldn’t decide this on your own. Was it the Duke’s idea?”

“Jake.”

“I can’t believe it. He didn’t seem like this kind of person!”

“It’s not what you think, Jake,” Charlotte interrupted. “Let me explain.”

And so, she told them everything.

She described the ambushes, the fires, and the repeated attempts on Theo’s life. She explained the measures Carcel had taken to protect them and the reasoning behind the decision to exclude their parents.

As Charlotte recounted each incident, Jake’s face grew pale, and Isaac’s hands curled into fists.

When she finished, Jake was the first to break the silence.

“Then cancel the engagement party!”

He shot to his feet, glaring.

“Sit down,” Isaac said firmly, pulling Jake back into his seat.

“But—”

“She’s right. Lionel is dangerous, and the party could be the best chance to catch him.”

Jake’s jaw tightened as he glared at the floor. Finally, he muttered, “Fine. Then I’ll help.”

“What?”

“I’ll help the Duke catch Lionel—or whatever his name is.”

“Jake, it’s too dangerous.”

“And it’s not dangerous for you?”

Charlotte didn’t respond. She knew he was right.

“I can’t let you do this alone,” Jake insisted.

Charlotte managed a bittersweet smile.

“This isn’t your fight. I can’t drag you into it and risk your safety.”