Daniel then explained why he had kissed Claire. He knew the narrator would eventually discover them and believed that creating a situation where his brother hated him was the only way to force him away from Claire. Daniel understood that his actions would destroy their relationship, but he believed protecting his brother was more important than being understood.
The revelation completely changed how the narrator remembered the previous seven months. Every unanswered call and ignored message suddenly carried a different meaning. Daniel had apparently accepted being hated rather than risk watching his brother marry someone who intended to exploit him.
