The Affection Multiplier - Chapter 143: Catching up and a secret revealed. (Patreon)

“Seriously, who are you and what did you do to my brother?” He asks as soon as the girls leave.

“I barely know myself these days.” You say, sounding dramatic. “A lot has happened.”

“So it would seem. How’d you end up in this dump?” He asks, sitting back in one of the chairs before you take your seat across from him.

“This is the place the school gave me since they couldn’t put me in one of the girls’ dorms. It was literary just a storage shed before they made it a habitable space.”

“Alright then, I’ll have you tell me everything over THIS.” He says, reaching for his bag and pulling out… a motherfucking 18-year old whisky. “I know you’re not much for telling things to your brother, so this ought to loosen your tongue.” He grins at you. 

Huh. Clever bastard.

“Sorry I didn’t open in when your girls were here, but I wanted to have a chat alone with you.”

“Only two of them drink, anyway.” You tell him.

You get two glasses, fill them with ice and your brother pours the dark golden liquor for you both. You give it a taste, and god damn it’s strong. Better drink carefully.

“Start from the beginning, if you don’t mind.”

You sigh, and tell him the tale of the past four months, deciding to still keep a few things from him, such as the details the girls left out of their stories and, of course, the existence of the Affection Multiplier.

He mocks you for being bullied by girls, but you can tell he only does it because the matter is resolved already.

“You really have matured. I can tell just by the way you’re telling me this.” Your brother sighs and takes a sip of his drink. “The old man is seriously scary.”

You raise your eyebrow. “What do you mean?”

“He said he sent you here so you’d grow up. He said you’d had too much of an easy life and wanted you to experience some hardships. Scary to believe he hit the nail in the head yet again.”

You click your tongue in annoyance. ‘Some hardships’ is putting it lightly. Still, if not for all this you wouldn’t have five wonderful women with you, so you’re willing to let it slide.

“Still, dad sure knows how to pick his friends. How does he know the headmistress anyway? She doesn’t seem like the kind of contacts he would keep.” You ask rhetorically and taking a sip from your whisky.

Jonathan lets out a long, drawn out sigh before he looks you in the eye.

“That’s actually the main reason I’m here for.” He tells you, his tone dead serious. “I finally got dad to tell me the truth.”

The truth?

“What do you mean?” You ask.

“I’d had my suspicions for a while. For about two years, in fact, I believed I was adopted.”

A chill goes through your body and you feel your chest tightening.

“…are you serious?”

“I am. At least, that’s what I believed. Turns out I wasn’t entirely right, but not completely wrong, either.” He takes another sip from his drink. His words are strong and confident. Not a single hint of hesitation and confusion.

“I am dad’s biological son, but not our mom’s.” He reveals. Your body feels cold the moment you hear the words. You start processing what the means. “I pestered dad until he finally told me who my real mother was, and I’m here to meet her.”

…

…

…

“Oh fuck no. Don’t tell me…!?”

“Yep.” He smiles wryly. “My biological mother is Elena Hayes, headmistress of the prestigious Hayes Academy.”

THE FUCK!?

You stop breathing. Is he serious?

“Honestly, I get the feeling dad was ready to tell me by the time he got you in here, which is why he did. Still, I can’t read the old man, so I can’t say what his plans are.” Your brother groans.

Because he IS your brother, you remind yourself. He’s not adopted, and even if he was, he’d still be your brother. This isn’t about your relationship as siblings, but simply a part of his past he needs to discover.

…

You chuckle bitterly.

“So the fact that I’m the only guy admitted in an all-girls academy is just yet another move in dad’s 5D chess game? Of course it is.”

“He doesn’t make useless moves, does he?” Jonathan mirrors your bitter grin.

The two of you remain silent, taking small sips out of the bitter liquor with small smiles on your faces.

Well, at least things make some sense now. Still, to think the woman that threatened you to make your life a living hell if you broke the rules of her school is your brother’s mother.

…

…

And Emma’s mother.

“HOLY SHIT YOU HIT ON YOUR SISTER!”

Why is that the first thing that pops into your head!?

“What the fuck are you talking about? I’d never hit on Martha, you sicko.” He tells you, referring to your 16-year-old sister.

“Not Martha, you idiot! Emma! My girlfriend, Emma, is Mrs. Hayes daughter!”

“W-Wha-?” He starts, looking absolutely flustered for a mere second before he recomposes himself. “Oooh, nice one, Dave. You almost got me.” He says, smirking and wiggling his finger at you.

Yet when you burst out laughing right in his face, he realizes that you’re not joking at all.

“Oh god, I hit on my sister…” He realizes, holding his head, lamenting his actions as you just keep laughing.

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