The Double ( or More ?) Life of The Fake Heiress

As the words echoed in the room, Jaime's eyes narrowed slightly, and he instinctively glanced up.
Nick strolled in, carrying an aura as brisk and cold as a winter breeze. His demeanor was icy, like an Arctic glacier, and his eyes
held a chilling intensity. He stopped in front of Jaime, locked eyes with him, and said with an edge, "Aren't I the one more
qualified?"
Jaime froze, caught off guard by Nick's sudden return, especially at such a critical juncture. Nick had always been groomed as
the heir, well-respected within the family, making him the obvious choice to attend the Earl's birthday gala instead of Jim.
Darn it, was he here to throw a wrench in Jaime's plans? Mirabella noticed Jaime's expression shifting rapidly, her curiosity
piqued.
She got up, genuinely surprised, and looked at Nick. "Nick, when did you get to Merrywoods? Why didn't you drop me a line?"
Nick's eyes softened when he looked at his sister, a hint of affection breaking through his cool facade. "I just got in. Left in a rush
last night, so I didn't get a chance to let you know."

Ah, that explains it. Mirabella nodded, figuring he must have caught wind of Chester's trouble, which prompted his hasty return to
the Davis family.
Nick gave his sister's hair a gentle ruffle before shooting a cold glance at Jaime. "No worries, with me around, no one's going to
push you around."
Mirabella: "."
Jaime: "?"
Seriously, who's pushing who around here? His heart was on the verge of bursting from frustration, couldn't they tell?
Nick bent down, picking up the invitation from the coffee table. His long fingers unfolded it slowly, and spotting the Earl's
distinctive seal, he folded it back up.
"I'll be going tomorrow," Nick told Jaime, leaving no room for argument.
This unexpected twist left Jaime simmering inside. He couldn't find a way to refuse without revealing his own plans. He'd need
another strategy.

Jaime took a deep breath, stood up from the couch, and said, "In that case..."

"Can Nick bring a plus one? I've
never
Mirabella cut in, taking the inviel
en the Earl's estate,"
from Nick. "I'd love to see what it's like."
Hearing Mirabella's eagerness to go, Jaime swallowed the rest of his words and said, "Sure, that's doable."
Nick turned to his sister, his
expression a bit puzzled. She'd already snagged that guy from the Shepherd family; did she really heed to see more? "Are you
serious about going?" Nick asked.
Mirabella nodded earnestly, "I'm not joking."
Nick wasn't sure what she was up to, but he went along with it, "Alright then."
Jaime, tuned into the siblings' chat, missed the look on Nick's face. So when he heard Mirabella was going to the Earl's estate,
he felt relieved. Whatever happened, it was her decision to go. Anything that happened would be on her
He hadn't forced her! Jaime quickly found an excuse to leave the Davis family.
Once he was gone, Nick turned to Mirabella, "Sis, why do you want to go to the Earl's estate?"
Mirabella blinked, replying with sincerity, "I really want to see more of the world."
Nick: "..."
He almost bought it.