Married To My Ex's Brother, Reborn Miraculously-Chapter 132: Augustine’s fury

Lorie sat there, a mess of tangled hair and shame, silent now as her own scheme crumbled around her. But what truly shook her wasn’t just the failure—it was Augustine. He had come for Anne, stood by her side, and protected her.

It was unexpected.

Then the realization hit her—Anne was the woman Augustine had married. The truth landed in the gut hard, leaving her rattled and unsteady.

"Why you?" Patricia’s wails echoed through the room, rising in pitch as the reality sank in. "Why are you here with him?" Her face twisted with disbelief and fury as she launched herself at Lorie.

Slaps rained down as Lorie tried to shield herself. "Mom, stop it," she cried, flailing helplessly. But Patricia was too consumed by rage and humiliation to hear her pleas.

Anne watched the chaos unfold with barely concealed amusement. She remembered the exact moment it had all turned. Lorie had drunk the spiked drink she had planned for Anne.

Once inside the room, it didn’t take long for the effects to kick in, and Anne had made her exit, switching off the lights before slipping out to watch the show unfold from a safe distance.

She hadn’t expected Augustine to arrive, but his timing had been perfect. With him by her side, there was no room left for Lorie and Patricia to twist the story.

With confidence, Anne stepped forward. "Lorie, you told me you wanted to make things right. Was this your idea of redemption? You tried to drug me. If I hadn’t caught on and acted fast, you would’ve destroyed me."

Lorie’s face was pale, her voice cracking as she snapped back, "Don’t dare put this all on me. You swapped the glasses. You let me take the drug. How could you be so cruel?"

But her words sounded hollow.

Anne laughed bitterly. "Cruel? You spread lies about me. You tried to set me up, ruin my life, and now that your plan exploded in your face, you call me cruel? How absurd."

"Why him? Why this man?" Patricia cried, livid, smacking Lorie on the back. "Couldn’t you have been more careful?"

"That’s enough," Augustine’s sharp voice sliced through the chaos like a blade. He turned his glare toward Robert. "You took advantage of her. You paid the dowry. Now you deal with the consequences. Marry her."

Robert’s eyes lit up with relief, while Lorie’s face contorted in panic.

"No!" she shouted. "I won’t marry him. I don’t want this—"

"Shut up," Robert barked. "You are mine now. That’s not changing."

Lorie shrank under his gaze, her defiance collapsing into dread. Patricia quickly moved to her, wrapping her arms around her daughter as if to shield her.

Robert turned back to Augustine, forcing a smile through his fear. "Thank you for sparing me. Really."

Augustine didn’t return the sentiment. "Handle it. And keep her in line if you don’t want to face the consequences." Then, without another glance, he took Anne’s hand and led her out of the room.

As the door clicked shut, Lorie’s panic erupted. "Mom, I don’t want to marry him," she sobbed, clinging to Patricia. "Please, do something."

Robert growled and slapped her hard. "You belong to me now. You don’t get to run."

He pulled out his phone, dialing quickly. "Get over here," he told someone. "I am getting married. Don’t let the bride disappear."

Tossing on his shirt with jerky movements, he gave Lorie one last look—half smirk, half threat—then walked out and slammed the door behind him.

Inside the car...

Anne shifted uncomfortably in her seat, the silence between them growing heavier with every second. She cast a sideways glance at Augustine. He was seething. She could see it in the way his muscles tensed in his jaw, the way his hands gripped the steering wheel like it was the only thing keeping him grounded.

Anne wanted to speak, to explain, but fear held her tongue. The tension thickened between them.

"Augustine, please." Finally, she gathered the nerve to say something. "Don’t shut me out. Talk to me."

Augustine didn’t answer. His eyes stayed fixed on the road ahead. He was trying to keep control.

His silence only deepened Anne’s anxiety. "I knew Lorie was up to something the moment she invited me out. I suspected she was planning something shady, so I went along to find out. I saw the subtle exchange between her and the waiter, and I instantly figured she spiked the drink. I switched the glasses. That’s how I turned her trap against her. If I hadn’t gone, I wouldn’t have found out what she and Patricia were planning."

"Do you realize how dangerous that was?" Augustine exploded, unable to hold back. "You could’ve been the one in danger. That man could’ve taken you—God knows where. You walked into something reckless, alone. You should’ve told me. Why do you keep trying to do everything on your own? Why can’t you let me be there for you?"

His whole body trembled with more than anger. It was fear, frustration, helplessness—masked as rage.

"I was careful," Anne explained carefully. Her chest tightened as Augustine’s anger rolled over her like a wave.

"Careful?" he shot back. "Is being careful enough? You were alone. But Lorie wasn’t—her mother was there, backing her. And that man—if I hadn’t shown up, God knows what could’ve happened. Do you get it now? You were in real danger."

Anne’s mouth opened, but nothing came out at first. Then, her eyes hardened. "You rushed off this morning, saying something urgent came up at work. I didn’t want to bother you," she said. "And I can handle Lorie. I proved it. I saw through her game and turned it back on her. She is the one who lost, not me. I’m not as helpless as you think."

Her words only made him more furious. He jerked the car to the side of the road, slammed it into park, and turned to face her fully.

"You’re okay now—thank God for that. But what if it hadn’t gone your way?" he roared, eyes burning. "You knew what kind of people they are, and still, you walked right into it."

Anne stared at him, stunned. She thought he’d be proud of her for outsmarting Lorie, maybe even praise her for her bravery. But instead, he was tearing her down. His harsh tone felt like a slap.

"Why are you yelling at me?" she cried. "Can’t you just... say you’re glad I’m okay? Can’t you comfort me instead?"

Augustine blinked as if just waking up to what he was doing. His shoulders sagged as he exhaled, trying to get a grip. frёeweɓηovel.coɱ

"I’m sorry," he said quietly. "I lost my temper. I-I didn’t mean to yell. I was just... scared. That’s all."

Anne’s expression also softened a bit when she heard him apologize.

"But I am still upset with you," Augustine added, this time sharply. "Why don’t you let me help you? I know you are capable of many things. But please...don’t always act to be strong. If you see something is wrong, you should contact me immediately. Understood?"