The Heiress's Comeback

Chapter 192: [ Volume 1] Chaper 192-Sweet trap.

Esme was bone-tired. The kind of exhaustion that made her limbs feel heavy and her mind clouded.

All she wanted was to slip into the house unnoticed, collapse on her bed, and let the world fade away. But the moment she stepped through the door, something felt off. Unsettling.

The silence struck her first—unnaturally still, like the house was holding its breath. Normally, the space would be filled with life. Jay should’ve been racing through the halls, his voice echoing as he darted from one side of the house to the other.

And there’d always be the familiar sound of shuffling papers or quiet murmurs as he—their guy—buried himself in his files. But tonight, none of that.

Her steps slowed as she entered the foyer, her gaze scanning the hall. And that’s when she saw it—the brothers. All four of them. They were seated together, each with a stack of documents in hand, eyes down, faces unreadable. Esme blinked, her confusion deepening.

What is this? she thought, squinting as if trying to sharpen her view. It wasn’t just the fact they were reading—no, something was off about the entire scene. They were too serious. Too focused. And yet, from the corners of her vision, she caught it—the subtle flicker of their eyes, glancing at her every few moments.

She narrowed her eyes, feeling a sudden tension in her chest. What were they up to?

They were always the serious types, but this... this felt staged. Almost calculated. The way their gazes drifted to her, only to quickly return to the documents as if they hadn’t been caught. Are they waiting for me to say something? Esme wondered.

She wasn’t in the mood to find out. She was exhausted, and whatever this was, it could wait. Without a word, she turned on her heel, deciding that heading to her room was the best course of action. She’d deal with it in the morning.

But just as she made to climb the stairs, a sound broke the silence.

"Cough, cough."

Esme stopped mid-step, slowly turning her head to see Ray, sitting with a perfectly straight face, but his eyes were locked on her. She raised an eyebrow but decided not to engage. Nope, she thought, not tonight. She turned again, about to continue her escape when another cough followed.

"Cough, cough."

This time, it was Kai. He didn’t even bother hiding the way he was staring at her. His eyes tracked her every movement. Esme’s lips pressed into a thin line, her patience wearing thin. She took another step, intent on getting to her room when Kai cleared his throat a little too loudly.

"COUGH! COUGH!"

The exaggerated sound echoed through the quiet room, and that’s when it hit her. This wasn’t about coughing. This was about her.

Esme closed her eyes for a moment, letting out a slow breath before she finally turned to face them. Her gaze moved over the four brothers, now obviously waiting for her to acknowledge them.

The seriousness of their faces, the intensity in their eyes—it was clear they were calling her out. And whatever they had in their hands, those documents they’d been studying so closely, involved her in some way.

She folded her arms, leaning against the stair railing, raising a brow. "Alright," she said, her voice low and edged with weariness. "What’s this about? You’ve been coughing like you’ve got something stuck in your throat. Out with it."

Hearing her sharp words, Kai awkwardly scratched the back of his head, his eyes darting toward Ray as if seeking help. Ray caught his gaze, and in an instant, it was as though their eyes were having an entire conversation without a single word being spoken.

You say it, Kai’s eyes practically pleaded.

Ray blinked, his expression one of silent refusal. Why should I? his eyes seemed to respond. You say it.

Kai’s stare grew more insistent. But you’re the eldest brother, he reasoned, his gaze narrowing as if to emphasize the obvious.

Ray’s brow furrowed in annoyance. Yeah, but you’re the lawyer, he thought, pushing the responsibility back at him. You handle this.

Lawyer? Kai’s eyes flashed. That’s rich coming from you. You’re a CEO—this is your territory. Handle it.

Ray almost rolled his eyes. CEO, yes, he conceded. But you’re her husband. You should say it. He smirked internally, feeling like the argument was settled in his favor.

Excuse me? Kai’s expression turned into one of disbelief, his eyes widening in mock outrage. We’re both her husbands. You’re not off the hook, Ray.

And just like that, Ray’s moment of triumph crumbled as the realization hit him. He was also married to Esme. Damn, he thought, suddenly feeling the urge to knock his head against the nearest wall.

This was one of the inevitable headaches that came with marrying the same woman as his brothers—no one could ever fully escape these situations.

He looked back at Kai, who still had that ’I’m waiting’ expression, and Ray couldn’t help but curse their shared predicament.

Esme, already on the verge of collapse, felt her patience slipping through her fingers, fraying more with each passing second. The silent exchange of glances between the four brothers was the last straw. She couldn’t take the heavy, tense atmosphere any longer.

"Guys," she began, her voice slicing through the silence, "if none of you have anything to say, I’m going to bed. I’m too tired for this."

She didn’t wait for a response. Her legs felt like lead as she turned and began her slow, weary ascent up the stairs. Two steps in, and it felt like she was dragging the weight of the world with her. Then, suddenly and out of nowhere, two voices—Ray and Kai’s—spoke up in unison, "We’re hungry."

Esme froze mid-step, one foot hovering in the air as if the sheer absurdity of their words had glued her to the spot. Slowly, almost painfully so, she turned to look at them, her eyes narrowing in disbelief.