James Horne stared intently at the photo of his brother and sister-in-law. His face grew increasingly grim as he listened to his mother's cruel, taunting words, his eyes filled with icy coldness, his brows furrowed tightly.
It was undeniable that he was truly surprised and pained when he learned that his elder brother, Glades, had married Julia Bluen. Because of this, he had sought out Julia in private. Although they had known each other for so many years, they had never had any personal interaction before that encounter. That meeting, despite lasting only a few brief minutes, had caused him excruciating heartache.
He had struggled to suppress his own pain and had asked Julia coldly, "Why?"
Julia, however, had countered, "What do you mean, why?"
