Big brothers exist for a reason

In a big, very Art Deco styled office, an old antique clock pointed out it was a lunch time. At least it was for Noah. His stomach was kinda empty, since he again got up late and missed breakfast.

Yet, he continued to quietly sit on a leather sofa in his brothers office, as he really, really needed a favour from him. Yes, obviously it was him needing a favour as his big brother never needed those.

Oh, no, how could that happen to ever perfect Mr. Jonah, surely not. Noah had some private fun mocking his big bro, when he noticed cold eyes looking at him.

Jonah just moved his sight briefly from his computer screen to his disgraceful twin, then looked back. He tried to remember if his secretary mentioned any new gossip of his brothers conquests, with subtle warning which family daugher he should avoid in the future to prevent.. complications.

He finished reading the report from his subsidiary, typed a few short notes, then forwarded it to his secretary to prepare necessary contracts. He turned off his computer, leaned back in his chair and fully turned to face his mirror image in flesh. Opposite to the bone.

In stretched silence, Noah naturally broke first.

"Well, you see it would be in your best interest as well." He said while looking at decorations on the wall behind Jonah. He just could not handle to look at his own face wearing such solemn expression. It was scary.

"What would be in my best interest? What did you do this time?" Jonah had no patience for roundabout talks. He prefered direct approach.

"You did not read my email?" Of course he did not. Noah sighed and leaned back, crossing his legs in a habitual movement.

"My fiancee, Petunia Rhodes. If you marry her, instead of me marrying her, it would be in your best interest."

Jonah snorted and started to get up "Why would I marry a woman you seduced? Reap what you sow, brother. Take responsibility for once." He was already at the doors when Noah stopped him.

"She is not my conquest. I just danced with her at that Charity ball you could not go due negotiations you had down under at the time."

Jonah remembered that deal. It was lucrative and enabled him to expand his corporations interests in both, new continent and new area.

"If you just danced" Jonah sincerely doubted that "how you got engaged?"

Noah was relieved, he got his brother's attention "It's a bit longer story. I came to invite you for a lunch, got a reservation at La Bamba."

"That new Spanish place?" Now, that could really make this conversation bearable. Noah, if nothing else, knew his taste in food.

They took private elevator to the garage, avoiding all employees that might be swooned by the sight of two most eligible bachelors of their company, and got into Noah's new Tesla.

Flashy. Jonah was used to his brothers habits, switching between cars and girls, 'playing the field' he called it. To the point, he could understand his frivolous nature. He saw it develop.

Yet, he always had a hope that it was just a phase. When they were in highschool, Noah was really into sports for a while. It seemed he would go for a track and field professionally. Then he tore his ligaments in that bike accident. After that, it all went downhill.

University was a blur. Jonah remembered being ambushed regularly by boys accusing him of seducing their girlfriends, but he would just beat them up and continued chasing his academic ambitions. His aikido classes in childhood were mainly for exercise, but they did come handy then.

He never understood those boys either. If a girl cheated so easily, they should be grateful to his brother for helping them to get out of such a relationship. Pointless.

As they arrived to the restaurant, Jonah scanned the ambient and was satisfied. When the hostess took them to a private room, he realized that Noah might have something huge up his sleeve if he went to such lengths to please him.

Pointless as well, but whatever. He can listen while he eats.

As they sat down, waiters started delivering already prepared food.

"I took liberty to pre order your favorites." Noah said, they liked same food after all, so he did not need to guess.

Jonah did not mind, as he would do the same if he invited Noah out to eat. As that would ever happen.

Waiters placed the food, poured the wine, and left. Brothers started eating in silence. Jonah watched as Noah pushed his food around the plate, sighed, picked up his glass and drank half of it.

"Let me hear it, brother. What great idea you've got there for me."

Noah also put down his silverware, took a sip of wine, and started to explain.

"You were on that business trip, I was at home, so Father took me to accompany him and told me to be useful and make contacts." Like he was any good for that.

"So I saw this cute little girl, who was also doing same thing as me, accompanied her parents, and thought to make a new connection there." Jonah snorted and refilled his glass.

Noah leaned back and continued "She accepted the dance and before I even opened my mouth she said that she was not interested in dating me, and that I am wasting my time."

Jonah almost choked on his drink. Go girl! It seemed that his brother's reputation started to bite him in the ass.

"I was not even going to date her, a bit of fooling around in one of the hotel's rooms was all I had in mind." Noah was upset at being wrongly accused.

"By the time dance was over, she saw her parents standing with our Father, so we went to greet them. And then I found out she is Petunia Rhodes, daughter of The Rhodes, you know, Father's latest aristocratic friends."

Of course Jonah knew who Rhodes were. He supervised all the deals their company had with them. Father placed the company in his care ever since he graduated, but still liked to venture in "side hustles" as he called them.

Rhodes were old aristocracy, with lands under them being developed into new urban and industrial hubs over last two decades. From noble landowners to tycoons in one generation.

And his father did have sort of fascination with nobles. Being of common ancestry, building his current corporate empire on the base of ordinary factory that their grandfather had.

"So?" He asked to prompt Noah to continue and started to eat again.

"So apparently old madam Rhodes thought her daughter and me make a nice couple." Now Jonah did choke and started coughing out the food that slipped the wrong way. Was that old lady blind or did she not go out much?

Noah jumped up and patted his back "Don't laugh at me, I was surprised as well, even more when our own Father agreed!"

Jonah started to breath normally again "So that's how you got engaged?" Unbelievable.

"They even set up the date. This June." Six months was minimum needed to prepare a wedding.

Jonah calmed down and looked at his brother. "I still see no benefit for me to switch to being a groom instead of you."

"Well," Noah carefully continued while sitting back down on his seat "I found out Petunia is your junior, graduated from your old university on same program as you. Cum laude even." Smart young woman.

"She has a good business brain, is competent, good looking, well spoken.." he continued to gild his unwanted fiancee to make her more eligible in his brothers eye, but then decided to pull out the big guns.

"Aaand, Janice is turning 21 this October." He heard clinking of silwervare and knew he hit the target. Yes, go me!

Noah innocently blinked at his brother's horrified expression. Oh, he can be scared still.

"What's that have to do with anything?" The fact that Father engaged him to this girl 8 years his junior was just a joke. Who in his right mind would go with that silly idea after almost a decade?

"Well, I heard Mother discussing with lady DeMille how, if my wedding venue proves to be satisfactory, then your wedding could be booked there as well, next December."

Janice DeMill. Jonah's Achilles heel. He was barely 18, prepping for university, when out of the blue that little girl, still in middle school at the time, declared her undying love for him.

Well, he did not take her seriously, of course, who would?! Teased her a bit, and went his own way. Then his father let him know that DeMilles accepted proposal and that they will be married when Janice turns 21.

"No way in hell." Jonah's was not interested in a marriage with someone so much younger than him. " What would they do if I found someone else in all this time?"

"Did you?" Noah asked and popped a piece of meat in his mouth.

"As I said, Petunia is 25, fully of age, graduated as top student of her class, and not frivolous at all. Remember, she rejected me." He was aware that only reason he was successful in his affairs was his good looking face and attractive physique.

His brother had all that as well, plus maturity and business success. Petunia should like him way more.

Sad, but true..