Falling for my Enemy's Brother-Chapter 51: Still here

Craig’s eyes didn’t waver.

He wasn’t just watching, he was taking it all in, every shiver in her body, every tear she tried to brush away while leaning on Louis, every quiet tremble she thought went unnoticed. He saw every piece of her breaking down. It all hit him like a punch.

His hands rested on the steering wheel, tense but unmoving.

Not angry.

Just holding something in. He exhaled slowly, blinked hard, and bit the bottom of his lips without meaning to. He wanted so badly to be the one she turned to. The one she leaned on. But he couldn’t.

What had Conor done to her ? What had he said ?

Craig’s jaw clenched. The questions burned under his skin, but he couldn’t say a word. He just sat there, stuck between wanting to protect her and knowing he couldn’t fix what was already broken.

And he didn’t leave. Even after she disappeared from view, even after Louis gently led her back to the car, picked up the broken phone she’d smashed, and drove away.

Craig stayed.

A part of him was grateful Louis had shown up at the right time. Grateful he’d let go of his pride and sent him to her. At least someone was there. At least she wasn’t alone.

Craig knew she wouldn’t want him right now. Maybe she never would. And maybe that was something he had to live with.

Maybe he deserved it. Maybe he had to accept that anything tied to the Lesnars only brought her pain, at least until the truth about her mother finally came to light.

But even then... he wasn’t sure he’d stop caring about her.

Craig pushed through the crowd at Eclipse, eyes scanning the neon-lit chaos. He half-expected to spot Conor at the bar or in one of the private lounges, but when he finally asked around, someone casually told him Conor Lesnar had already left.

Gone. Again.

He stood there for a second, jaw tight, heart pounding with frustration. Then he was back in the car, driving without direction, the city lights blurring past like background noise to the storm inside him. Why was his brother always out of reach? Why did having a simple conversation with him feel like chasing a ghost?

Eventually, he found himself pulling into the gravel path that led to the cabin by the lake. It was quiet. Still. Almost like the air hadn’t moved since the last time he was thhere.

His hands slipped from the steering wheel, falling quietly to his lap as his gaze drifted to the shoreline. But he wasn’t really seeing the lake—he was seeing her. Merlina, standing by the fireplace that night, bathed in golden light, arms wrapped around herself as if trying to hold in everything she was feeling. She’d loved the view, it felt like the world had paused just for them. Her voice had been soft, uncertain. No walls, no masks—just her.

The silence between them hadn’t felt heavy—it had felt full. Like maybe if he reached out, she wouldn’t pull away. Like if he kissed her, she might’ve kissed him back. That moment had felt real. Untouched by secrets, by families, by pasts.

And now?

He leaned his head back against the seat, eyes shut, as if doing so would bring that moment back, just for a second longer.

Across town, Louis pulled up in front of Merlina’s dorm. Before she stepped out, he handed her the new phone they’d picked up—everything already backed up, her number restored. She hadn’t realized how impulsive she’d been when she smashed the old one. But the damage had already been done. To her phone. To herself. To everything.

"Hey," Louis said, just as her hand reached for the door handle. "You sure you’ll be okay tonight?"

Merlina paused, then nodded. "Yeah. I just... need some time to think."

He hesitated, searching her face. "You don’t have to do it alone, you know."

Merlina nodded slowly, a small, tired but grateful smile tugging at her lips. "I know."

Just as she reached for the door handle, Louis gently reached out and held her arm. "Your arm... what happened?"

She glanced down at the bandage—the one from the construction site—and shook her head lightly. "It’s fine. It’s nothing."

Louis didn’t look convinced, but he let go with a soft sigh.

"Thanks for today," she said quietly.

"Anytime," he replied.

She stepped out of the car, hugging the phone to her chest like it might steady her. Just before the door closed, she looked back. "Goodnight, Louis."

"Goodnight, Merlina."

And just like that, she disappeared into the building, leaving the streetlights to swallow the space between them.

Inside, she was quietly grateful Phoebe and Megan weren’t around. She didn’t have the strength for questions or comfort. The silence was a gift.

She stood at the mirror, facing her own swollen reflection. Puffy eyes, raw lips, a face she barely recognized. Her fingertips touched her cheek like she was trying to see if it was really hers.

Then, a memory.

Her mom, laughing at something her dad had said—flour on her hands, sunlight in her hair. Her arms wrapped around his waist, his kiss on her forehead. It had always looked like love. Real love. How could that woman be capable of what Conor said?

Merlina stepped into the shower, letting the water wash away the day. Her gaze fell to the bandage on her arm. She remembered the way Craig had held her wrist, careful and quiet, like touching her was something sacred. The care in his eyes, the hesitation in his fingers.

She blinked hard, pushing the memory aside.

Back in her room, wrapped in a towel, she reached for the new phone. The screen lit up with a single notification.

Her heart skipped. She hadn’t even reinstalled most of her apps yet.

Instagram: 1 New Message from Craig Lesnar.

She stared at it for a moment. Her thumb hovered over the screen, and her breathing slowed—just a small pause, but it was enough

They weren’t even following each other. No stories, no likes, no history in the DMs. Just digital silence, like they’d never existed in each other’s online world at all.

And yet...here he was.

Then, slowly, she opened it.

’I know I’m the last person you want to hear from right now, but I just wanted you to know... I’m here. No questions, no pressure. Just here—if you ever need answers.’