Chapter 491: A Family Duty Divided

Chelsea Brooks bit her lower lip hard and grabbed Ernie Brooks's sleeve. "Wait for me!"

Ernie Brooks stomped his foot impatiently. "I'm just getting food—why are you following me? Mom's alone in the ward!"

"Brother!" Chelsea Brooks shook off his hand, her voice trembling. "I have something to say!"

Ernie Brooks's face darkened. "Shut up!" He reached out to pull her back.

With a sharp smack, Chelsea Brooks slapped his hand away. "You won't say anything, and now you won't let me speak either? This is unbearable!"

Nolan's gaze shifted between them before he gestured to a bench in the garden. "Sit down, sister-in-law. Let's talk."

"Brother, don't listen to her nonsense!" Ernie Brooks rubbed his hands anxiously.

Chelsea Brooks's eyes were red-rimmed. "Brother, with Dad in this condition, we need to settle the matter of elderly care. Ernie Brooks insists on closing our clothing shop in town and moving back to the village to take care of them, but we worked so hard to establish ourselves there..."

Her voice grew more agitated. "It's not that I'm unfilial, but why should we be the ones to give up everything when you're the eldest son? We have our own lives too!"

Nolan listened, then suddenly chuckled.

"You two..." He shook his head. "Ernie Brooks, why didn't you talk to me sooner?"

Ernie Brooks kept his head down, silent.

"I was already planning to bring Mom and Dad to the city," Nolan said, patting his brother's shoulder. "If Dad stays in the village, he'll just obsess over raising pigs again. The risks are too high now—his old methods won't work anymore."

Chelsea Brooks froze.

"Keep running your shop and build your life in town," Nolan said gently. "I'll handle the elderly care. You don't need to worry."

With that, he turned and walked toward the cafeteria.

Ernie Brooks shot Chelsea Brooks a glare, but she remained rooted in place, stunned. It took her a moment to process what had just happened. She never expected her usually stern brother-in-law to be so understanding.