Chapter 10%
“I said–who gave you permission to compensate her?!” Brandon hissed, his voice sharp with fury.“]
The assistant on the other end of the line hesitated, clearly troubled. “Mr. Willis, I know you don’t like Madam, but if we hadn’t done that, you would’ve faced criminal charges. If it affected the Willis Group’s-”
“Then let it be impacted,” Brandon cut in, his tone hollow.
The line went silent.
“Huh?” The assistant didn’t know what else to say.
Brandon said nothing more. A strange emptiness had crept into his chest, draining all the fight from his limbs. He ended the call and dropped the phone onto the bench beside him. In the noisy bustle of the airport, he sat slumped in the waiting area, unnoticed and unimportant.
If they hadn’t paid her off, at least he could’ve seen her again in court. He could’ve stood before her, even if only as a defendant. But now, what did he have left? She had disappeared–and he had no idea where to begin searching.”
The phone rang again. This time, the name flashing on the screen was Maisy.
“Brandon,” she said sweetly, “your assistant told me you’ve prepared a surprise for me. What is it?”
“Sure,” he replied coldly. “Come to my condo.“M
Later that evening, the door swung open and Maisy practically threw herself into his arms, her familiar perfume wrapping around him.
But this time, his arms didn’t lift to hold her.
Instead, behind Brandon, a group of unfamiliar men stood waiting. Their eyes locked on Maisy.
She paused mid–hug and looked past him. Her face drained of color. She stumbled backward in panic. “Brandon! Why do you know them?!”
Brandon stepped aside, voice calm and chilling. “A few of my business partners said they had… history with you. I figured you might enjoy a little reunion.”
The men began to move forward.}
“You conned me out of ten grand, then ran off and clung to this rich bastard? You think I forgot how you begged me to take you shopping?”
Another one growled, “You had the nerve to show up in front of my wife at my anniversary party? My father–in–law kicked me out because of you! You wrecked my life!“}
They closed in, eyes flashing with betrayal and fury. Each one had once been entangled with Maisy. And now, knowing they’d all been played, their fury boiled over.”
Maisy screamed, stepping back until she hit the wall. “Brandon! Help me! Please!”
But Brandon turned his back and slowly shut the door, locking it from the outside with a quiet click.
No one knew exactly what happened inside. Only that when Maisy eventually came out, her eyes were wild, her mouth trembling with incoherent murmurs. She had completely lost her mind.
When Brandon came to me afterward, he looked like a man unrecognizable from the one I once knew. His voice trembled as he spoke.}
“I’ve taken care of her. The person who hurt you… she’s done for. Honey, can you calm down now? Please?”
I stared at him in disbelief. “Brandon, she did hurt me. But the person who hurt me most–was you.“}
He froze. A flicker of pain flashed through his eyes before his lips curved into a bitter almost pitiful smile.
“Then if I die… will you forgive me?“}}
I let out a breathless laugh, sharp with scorn. “You’d never dare.”}}
I turned and walked away.
But I had barely taken a few steps when behind me, from the edge of the bridge, came a sudden splash–loud and violent, cutting through the night like a scream.”
“Someone jumped! Someone jumped into the sea! Call for help!”
My heart clenched. I turned on my heels.
Brandon can’t swim…
By the time rescuers dragged him from the water, his face was blue and his body limp. It took several passersby to revive him. He was alive–but barely.
After that, he was confined to a hospital bed.
When I finally visited, he was sitting propped up against the pillows, tubes running into his arms. His once arrogant features had thinned, pale and worn. When he looked at me, it was with a kind of reverence–as if I were a vision and he, a penitent.
“Leia, he whispered, voice hoarse. “I’ve lost half my life. Is that enough… for you to let go of your anger?“}
I looked at him for a long time. A thousand words welled up in my chest–rage, sorrow, disappointment, exhaustion. But none of them escaped my lips.”
I stepped forward, placed a bouquet into the glass vase by the windowsill and turned to leave.”
He watched me. Silent. Waiting.
2/2 100.0%
At the door, I paused, then spoke without looking back. “Goodbye. Forever.”
Behind me came a faint, broken laugh.”
“Leia… you’re truly ruthless…”
(The End)
