My Bro’s Insecure Girlfriend Chapter 1

After studying abroad, I returned to find my childhood friend Wyatt Vance had a new girlfriend who instantly hated me.

No gift? I was clique-ish. Keeping distance? I was playing games. Wearing a gown? I was seducing him. Exhausted, I cut ties with Wyatt.

He snapped: "Willow, our families do business! This is just a threat to make me break up with Ellie! She's just insecure because she loves me too much! Why corner her?"

I was speechless. Stupidity, it seemed, was contagious.

Later, when I took over the family corporation and Wyatt's family fortune crumbled, he crawled back. "Help me this once, and I'll dump Ellie. Her possessiveness scared away all our partners."

I smiled wearily. "Oh, I couldn't. My back isn't built for that baggage. You two deserve each other."

Leaning in, I added sweetly, "Besides, as you said, that's just how she loves you."

* * *

I’d spent the last semester overseas, helping my parents manage a branch of the family business. The moment I got back, I set up a reunion with my childhood crew. That's when I learned that Wyatt, the third in our quartet, was officially off the market.

I was just about to tease him when the private room door swung open.

A girl stood there, a vision in a flowing white dress, her long, dark hair framing a face that was the very picture of innocence. She stood frozen, biting her lower lip, her eyes fixed on me with a wounded expression.

"Ellie? I thought you were resting. What are you doing here?" Wyatt was the first to react, jogging over to wrap an arm around her. He grinned at us, introducing his girlfriend, Ellie Reed.

"I missed you," Ellie murmured into his chest, her voice a soft, breathy whisper. "I just... I don't feel safe when you're not around."

The rest of us just chuckled, ribbing Wyatt about his good fortune.

"My girl's the sweet, quiet type," he boasted, "not like Willow here. She's one of the guys, hahaha..."

I shot him a playful glare, and the lively atmosphere returned.

The four of us had been inseparable since we were in diapers. Our parents were all business partners, and our bond had stayed strong through the years. They knew I was easy-going and saw me as a sister, one of the crew. I played along, but I always knew where the lines were.

I was in the middle of complaining about how bland the food was abroad when Ellie, who had been silent until now, spoke up. Her voice, thick with emotion, cut through the chatter as she stared at the gifts I’d laid out on the table.

"Were you trying to leave me out on purpose, Willow?"

Her voice was quiet, but the sob catching in her throat silenced the room.

"You brought something back for everyone in your little group. Everyone but me."

"And you keep going on and on about how glamorous your life is overseas. I've never even been on a plane. Are you trying to mock me?" Her shoulders started to tremble, as if she were carrying the weight of some immense injustice.

"Do you think I'm not good enough for Wyatt, Willow? Is that why you couldn't even be bothered to get me a gift?"

Wyatt’s face softened with pity. He immediately pulled her closer, wiping at her tears and cooing reassurances.

I exchanged a glance with the other two guys. The air had turned thick with awkwardness.

I set down my chopsticks and looked at Ellie, keeping my voice as even as I could. "You've misunderstood. You and Wyatt weren't together when I left, so I hadn't planned for an extra gift. It was an oversight on my part."

"If you don't mind," I continued, "I can have something sent to you tomorrow. Just let me know what kind of jewelry or perfume you like."

I thought that would smooth things over, but it only made her cry harder. She clutched at Wyatt’s shirt, burying her face in his chest. Her voice came out muffled, a portrait of misery.

"Are you trying to buy me off? What kind of person do you think I am? Do you think a bottle of perfume will just shut me up? It's not about the things. It's just... I feel so excluded."

Mason, sitting next to me, frowned. As the oldest and most level-headed of our group, his words carried weight.

"Ellie, Willow's not like that," he said calmly. "We've known her our whole lives. She's straightforward. There are no hidden meanings. She just didn't know about you ahead of time. It wasn't personal."

Leo, the second oldest, jumped in, trying to lighten the mood. "Yeah, exactly! Willow asked us what we wanted before she left, and we all told her to just grab whatever. She went out of her way to pick this stuff out for us. She's a good friend. It's Wyatt's fault for not telling her. Don't overthink it, really. It's not about you."

But it seemed to make Ellie feel even more victimized. She lifted her tear-streaked face to Wyatt.

"Wyatt, you see? They're all ganging up on me to defend her. Maybe I shouldn't have come today. Am I just... in the way? Do you also think I'm just being crazy?"

Wyatt’s expression soured instantly.

He shot me a glare, his eyes dripping with blame, as if I’d committed some heinous crime. "Willow, can you just drop it? Ellie's already sensitive and insecure. Did you have to come back and immediately start cornering her?"

"It's just a damn gift! You could have just offered to get her one and left it at that. Why did you have to explain everything and make her feel even worse?"