The brothers who fought for me (by Levi Bennett) novel Chapter 17

**A Promise Lost Between Two Worlds by Jaxon Hale Ryder**
**Chapter 17**

Juliette’s voice was barely above a whisper as she uttered those four words, each syllable carefully measured, devoid of any warmth or emotion.

In an instant, Ezekiel’s eyes lit up with a flicker of hope, his heart racing like a wild stallion, and he felt an urgency creeping into his tone. “Yes, Julie, let’s start over…” he implored, desperation lacing his words.

“Don’t disgust me.”

Her voice, cold and unyielding, sliced through the air like a finely honed blade, cutting straight into Ezekiel’s chest. The sharpness of her words sent a jolt of pain coursing through his veins, wrapping around him like a chilling embrace.

The smile that had graced his lips froze, the corners of his mouth rigid as if sculpted from ice. His left hand trembled involuntarily, and the tremor seemed to echo in his voice. “Julie, I’m serious.”

Juliette, her patience wearing thin, couldn’t bear to watch him feign sincerity any longer. “Start over? So I can continue being a pawn in your games, just like your brother?” she retorted, her tone laced with bitterness.

“I refuse to be a victim again, not because of Leilani or anyone else. This marriage is finished. Your grudges, your schemes—I want nothing to do with them. I especially don’t want to be part of your twisted little play.”

Ezekiel felt a surge of indignation rise within him as he hastily defended his actions, his voice flustered and frantic. “You have to believe me, that fire was orchestrated by Giovanni’s people! I had no clue! When you were bullied, I only wanted to scare you; I never imagined they would actually harm you.”

Juliette cut him off, her tone sharp as glass. “The damage is done, isn’t it?”

As the memories of their turbulent past flooded her mind, Juliette could only feel an overwhelming wave of self-pity wash over her.

Taking a deep breath, she fought to suppress the tempest of emotions threatening to overwhelm her.

“Ezekiel, I can’t accept your apology. No matter how much you try to mask yourself now, I refuse to trust you again. If you and your brother have feelings for Leilani, then go and fight for her. Just don’t drag me into your mess any longer.”

Ezekiel’s pupils dilated, and in a moment of desperation, he grasped her hand tightly, his voice trembling with urgency. “Julie, I’m not like Gio! I don’t have feelings for Leilani. I only wanted to take what Giovanni values, just to irritate him. The one I truly like is…”

His words trailed off abruptly, as he met Juliette’s calm, unwavering gaze. He hesitated, his Adam’s apple bobbing nervously, caught in a conflict of whether to reveal his heart’s secret.

With a hint of mockery dancing in her eyes, Juliette smiled. “Don’t tell me you’re about to confess you like me?”

Ezekiel’s body went rigid, as if struck by a bolt of electricity, the darkest corners of his heart exposed. For a fleeting moment, even his breath faltered.

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