He lost his mother and had a father who was either long dead or entirely absent from his life. They could be siblings, just not related by blood. 'Family?' Gideon asked.

'Yes, the type that sends each other Christmas cards and offers moral support in hard times.'

"There's no way for us to go back to being a couple?' He tried for a light-hearted smile. 'We can still send each other Christmas cards if we are a couple. The pleading in his voice tugged at her heart.

It had always been difficult for her to say no, doubly so when the person was Gideon.

But she couldn't lie to herself.

'I'm sorry,' she said, her voice soft but resolute There's no way to go back. I'm in love with someone else now.'

'Austyn?' Gideon's nails dug into the leather seat underneath him.

He kept his eyes downward, hiding the rage inside.

Fate Is A Cruel, Fickle Bitch

Kira nodded. 'I'm his wife now. He's the one I love."

She loved Austyn.

There was no longer any doubt in her heart.

She would still love him even if he left her for Deborah.

She just wouldn't be with him.

'Last question,' Gideon said. 'Back then... Did you ever love me?'

Kira didn't need to think twice about the answer

Of course, she did.

He was the gift that fell from the sky.

Fate didn't give her an adequate mother and made up for it by sending Gideon to her life.

He was her best friend, her unpaid tutor, her indulgent brother, and eventually, her thoughtful and dependable boyfriend.

Growing up in a single-parent family wasn't easy, especially for a girl who had to navigate the tricky minefield of puberty on her own. Gideon was her rock and light.

His very presence was soothing, an antidote to the overwhelming teen angst.

She was grateful for his existence.

Kira looked straight at him. 'Do you remember a girl called Danielle?"

'No.'

'She sat next to me in class during sophomore year. Wore a pair of tortoiseshell glasses. Spent most of her time doodling on her notes. 'The name doesn't ring a bell.'

Gideon only went to high school because Leland wanted him to and he could spend more time

with Kira:

His attention was on her and no one else.

'Anyway, she was

dating a straight-A student from another class back then. We liked to chit-chat during math lessons, since neither of us liked math. She told me more than once that she was going to marry her boyfriend." 'She was the same age as me. Can you Kira was overcome with a sudden bout of nostalgia. imagine? At seventeen years old, she'd already decided who she was going to spend the rest of her life with. Kira smiled wistfully. "You know what? I made the same decision. I told Danielle that I was going to marry my boyfriend, too. I was going to share my life with him. We even made a pact for a double wedding." That was when she started her Wedding Book.

Gideon felt as if someone had reached a hand into his chest, yanked out his heart and fed it through a meat grinder.

All air was squeezed out of his lungs.

He couldn't breathe.

Kira's boyfriend was him.

The one she wanted to marry was him.

If only he hadn't left, maybe they would already be married by now.

No-knowing Kira, he guessed she'd want to wait till graduation.

But they would have been engaged.

Maybe they would be planning their wedding together.

But it wasn't going to be a double wedding with some girl named Danielle.

Gideon would make sure it was their special day.

He was two years older than Kira.

He could skip a few grades, graduate early, get a job, scrimp and save so he could pay for a dream wedding

They would move into a house.

They might not be rich, but they'd be happy.

If only...

But the clock could not be turned back

The past could not be changed, and her future was not in his power.

Gideon turned his face away, fighting back tears.

He clenched his hand into a fist and punched the steering wheel hard.

One blow followed another

He was lashing out at fate.

It was so unfair.

Fate was a cruel, fickle bitch.

It delivered him to Kira's side, gave him the best four years of his life and, just as he was getting used to waking up with a smile on his face every day, tore him away from her.

Why give him a taste of happiness only to snatch it away?

Gideon's hand was bleeding.

Blood dripped from the steering wheel onto the carpeted floor.

Kira drew back and kept quiet.

It was better for him to let it out than keep everything bottled inside.

Eventually, Gideon stopped.

up

He turned to look at Kira with tears shimmering in his eyes. 'I thought I was going to marry you, too. I thought we would spend the rest of our lives together. There was going to be a huge wedding. You'd be wearing the world's most beautiful wedding dress. You'd be walking down the aisle and you'd make me the happiest man on earth..."

He choked up.

'But I know I failed you, Kira. I left you. Words can never express how sorry I am. I...'

Kira was in tears as well. 'No, don't...don't apologise. You didn't do anything wrong.'

He'd left to save his mother.

Kira forgave him a long time ago.

Fate brought them together, and fate tore them apart.

Fate was unbeatable.

All they could do was pick up the pieces and move on.

It was two hours later when the Bentley finally turned into the carpark at Mount Elizabeth Hospital.

Kira checked her face in the rearview mirror.

Her eyes were puffy, but at least they were dry.

She got out of the car.

Another door slammed.

Kira looked back, puzzled. 'You're coming with me?'This belongs to - ©.

Gideon locked the car with a key fob. 'Yes.'

But..

Austyn and Gideon didn't get along.

Their last meeting ended with Austyn punching Gideon to the ground.

Kira was worried about another fight if they saw each other.

'Come on." Gideon came to stand next to her. 'You said let's be family, right? Can't a brother accompany his sister to meet her husband? Technically, he's my brother-in-law.'

Kira's eyes lit up. 'Really? You've decided to finally... let it go?'

He nodded. 'It's not going to be easy. You'll have to give me some time. But, yes, I think we can be family.

Kira was utterly dumbfounded. 'For real?'

You've se/11 Got A Short Fuse

'For real.' Gideon tousled her hair and smiled at the open-mouthed look on her face. 'I don't want to be cut out of your life. Since the position of husband is already taken-he shrugged- I guess I'll have to settle for the role of a big brother." Kira had to ask again, 'Really?'

"Yup,' Gideon nodded. 'Really, truly and totally.'

""You're not lying to me.'

'If I am, I think you're smart enough to see through that. After all, you're the one person in the world who knows me best."

Kira wasn't sure how to process the sudden good news.

'So...' she said hesitantly, 'Brother Gideon?"

He laughed. 'That makes me sound like a monk. Just Gideon's fine."

okay. A smile slowly spread across her face.

He spread out both arms. 'Shall we celebrate the beginning of our new relationship with a hug?

Kira looked uncertain.

'Come on, a brotherly hug."

Kira leaned in and gave him a quick pat on the back.

She relaxed when he didn't try to put his arms on her waist.

Her face brightened up. 'Let's go. The lift's here!"

Gideon strolled after her, watching her doing a little skip and a hop.

He was smiling, too, though for a completely different reason.

Knowing Gideon had let go of the past lifted a huge weight off Kira's chest.

She welcomed her big brother back into her life.

She bounded into the lift with a spring in her step.

Four more people crowded in after her and Gideon.

Kira was squeezed into a corner with her back against Gideon's chest.

'Sorry, I think I stepped on your foot.' Kira couldn't turn her head to look, but she was pretty

sure her sneaker had landed on something soft.

'It's okay.' Gideon said in a soft voice, which turned harsh when he spoke to a man standing in front of Kira. 'Make room!"

The man had shouldered Kira roughly when he came in, causing her to stumble.

The thickset man with a tattoo on his neck just tossed a cursory look at Gideon before turning back, saying nothing.

Gideon narrowed his eyes.

He stepped around Kira, hauled the man by the scruff of his neck and pushed him against the wall. 'Did you hear what I said?'

He locked an arm around the man's neck.

The other

passengers in the lift quickly inched away.

The man struggled but realised that Gideon was stronger than he looked. 'Hey! Let go of me!'

His face was turning red from lack of oxygen.

Kira, stunned by Gideon's sudden outburst, tugged at his shirt. 'Come on. Let's just forget it.'

Gideon blinked away the rage in his eyes before looking at Kira.

He loosened the chokehold on the man's neck.

The man coughed and swore under his breath.

Sorry, my brother has a short temper. Please don't mind him, sir.' Kira tried to smooth things

over.

Realising Kira was the more mild-mannered of the two, the man rounded on her. "This is an assault! I should call the cops on him!

Gideon silenced him with a glare.

The man shut up.

He fled as soon as the lift door dinged open.

'I don't think that's his floor... Kira recalled the man pressing the button for Level Seven.

They'd just stopped on Level Four.

'Ignore him,' Gideon said as he stood next to Kira.

The door closed and the lift trundled up.

"You've still got a short fuse after all these years Kira said when they stepped out onto Level

Six. 'I wonder if any woman can put up with you.

Gideon said nothing.

Kira sighed.

1

Then something occurred to her. 'By the way, I don't think I've seen Miss Reyes for a while. What's her first name again?" "Gwen."

"Right. Gwen Reyes, my doppelgänger. Is she still in Stamford?'

'I've no idea.'

"Isn't she a friend of yours?"

'She is, but I don't keep tabs on all my friends. Gideon didn't want to talk about Gwen. 'Since when did you become such a gossip?"

'I'm just curious about her. You would too, if you meet someone who looks exactly like you."

'She doesn't look exactly like you.'

'I know. Our resemblance is just skin-deep. We have completely different personalities. But I'd like to get to know her better."

Gideon looked away.

Kira was still feeling a little guilty.