His gaze piercingly clear, Brandon began,”You don’t need to-
“I trust you!” Natalie interjected fervently, halting him mid-sentence.I believe in your capabilities. You’re a force to be reckoned with, and I’m certain everything will be alright.”
Her conviction was unwavering.The impact of her words left Brandon momentarily speechless, his initial surprise melting into a gratified grin But before he could respond, the elevator chimed its arrival.
As the doors slid open,Frank, accompanied by a team of renowned medical professionals, approached them.
Given the presence of these new faces,Natalie deemed it prudent to postpone her inquiries regarding the reporters for another time. She exchanged a lingering, meaningful look with Brandon and, bolstered by the reassurance in his gaze,proceeded into the examination room, albeit with visible nerves.
Adjacent to the examination room, in a plush lounge,Brandon found himself by an expansive French window. His gaze wandered to the hospital’s entrance, where a burgeoning crowd of reporters had begun to assemble.
His eyes, usually serene, sharpened with intensity. With a swift motion,Brandon pulled the curtains closed, plunging the lounge into subdued shadows.
The soft rasp of the curtains had Frank shifting uneasily. He dared to glance up, only to be met with Brandon’s palpable displeasure.Trying to find his voice, he began”I apologize for the oversight. It’s entirely on me.”
Brandon settled onto the plush sofa,stretching out his long legs elegantly crossed at the ankle.”So, care to enlightenmeion how paparazzi managed to snap pictures in your parking lot?” Frank hesitated momentarily before admitting,”They’re quite crafty/thosereporters. They camouflagedthemselveswithinparkedcars from the day before.Iregretfullymissed this during my inspection earlier today.
A rhythmic tapping echoed in the dimmed room as Brandon’s slender fingers drummed on the underscoringthe tense sofa’s i armrest,i atmosphere.
Frank, battling rising nerves, was about to offer further clarification. However, Brandon’s voice, now cool and distant, interrupted him. “You assuredme ofthellhospital’s impeccable. security, didnt you?”
The chilly ambiance of the room seemed almost tangible. Struggling to get words out, Frank managedto stutter,”I… They were unexpectedly sly… I couldn’t have-“
“I’m not in the mood for excuses,” Brandon cut him off icily.”I expect solutions.””Wait… What?” Frank gasped.
Taking a breath to steady himself, Brandon continued in a more composed tone, “To remain inconspicuous, I limited our entourage. Now, ensure the hospital’s security personnel dispersethoseeagerjournalistscrowdingbelow.” Frank peeked through a curtain slit, taking in the swarm of reporters below. The sheer number-easilyahundred ormore-sent shivers racing down his spine.
Frank’s eyes were wide with panic and uncertainty, prompting a sardonic smirk from Brandon. “Having second thoughts, are we? Desperation was evident in his stance, and Frank slapped his forehead dramatically.”How on earth do we handle this army of journalists? Perhaps you should just get rid of me now. With our meager security,we’d be lucky just to keep them from storming the main entrance.”
A shadow of annoyance passed over Brandon’s features. “This mess is squarely on you,” he muttered, the lingering camaraderie from their years of friendship the only thing keeping his temper in check.
Running a hand through his hair, a flustered Frank admitted,”Yes, I messed up royally this time. But considering the sea of reporters below, our handful of guards can hardly cope. Can we lean on your security team?”
The thought of the relentless press hoard growing by the minute made Brandon’s temples Frank’s eyes were wide with panic and uncertainty, prompting a sardonic smirk from Brandon. “Having second thoughts, are we?” Desperation was evident in his stance, and Frank slapped his forehead dramatically.”How On earth do we handle this army of journalists? Perhaps you should just get rid of me now.With our meager security,we’d be lucky just to keep them from storming the main entrance.”
A shadow of annoyance passed over Brandon’s features. “This mess is squarely on you,” he muttered, the lingering camaraderie from their years of friendship the only thing keeping his temper in check.
Running a hand through his hair, a flustered Frank admitted,”Yes, I messed up royally this time.But considering the sea of reporters below, our handful of guards can hardly cope.Can we lean on your security team?”
The thought of the relentless press hoard growing by the minute made Brandon’s temples pulse.Fine. I’ll get the Larson Group’s elite guards on this.”
Frank’s relieved exhale came out as a sigh.”I owe you big time. Once this storm subsides, dinner’s on me-for both you and Natalie.”
Waving the offer away, Brandon replied dismissively,”Spare me.
Frank’s sheepish grin went unnoticed by Brandon. Just as Brandon was about to dial reinforcements, a thunderous commotion echoed from the floors below, followed by a chorus of screams that seemed to shake the very foundation of the hospital.
Even from their elevated vantage point, the cacophony of frenzied footsteps was deafening. Clearly, a massive crowd was surging below. Despite witnessing countless altercations during his tenure at the hospital, this was a spectacle of chaos unlike any Frank had ever encountered. His voice shaking, he murmured,”Have they gone mad? Are they actually trying to breach the hospital?”
Brandon, who had braced himself for trouble, was still taken aback by the escalating intensity. His voice dripping with contempt, he growled,”Do these fools actually believe they’re invincible against the might of the Larson Group?”
Spotting Brandon’s simmering rage, Frank quickly interjected, “Let’s not do anything rash. I’ll send my guys to assess the madness.”
Brushing Frank’s grasp aside,Brandon retorted,”Every second counts”
He stormed towards the door, his voice tinged with foreboding.”If they get through, it’s not just my reputation at stake. Your hospital will crumble first.”
Frank’s mind buzzed, like the frantic hum of a trapped bee,as he grasped the perilous edge they were teetering on. Hurrying alongside Brandon, he voiced his rising panic, “What’s our next move?”
Halting abruptly by the gleaming elevator doors, Brandon’s eyes sharpened into a commanding glare. “Above all,” he began with deliberate weight, “ensure your team barricades the hospital’s entrance. We can’t let that horde of news-hungry maniacs storm in. If they breach, it’s a catastrophe for all of us.”
The gravity of the situation sent shivers down Frank’s spine. His years as a medical professional had taught him one unwavering fact: hospitals were sanctuaries of calm. Right now, with two surgeries ongoing, any disturbance from the media mob would be catastrophic, causing damage beyond repair. In a frenzy,Frank pulled out his phone,dialing the hospital’s security team.
“Activate our tightest security measures now!” he demanded.He wasn’t going to allow a single journalist to exploit a crack in their defense. As the elevator doors slid silently closed, Brandonvisibly drained,massaged the bridge of his nose,murmuring.Natalie’s exam better not be disrupted by this chaos. If so, there will be hell to pay.”
Simultaneously, Frank held onto a hope that the journalists wouldn’t barge in. If they did, the hospital would descend into turmoil, and everything would crumble.
Frank, nerves fraying by the second, clutched his fingers together, his lips moving in a desperate plea. “Just hold out a bit longer. Please.”
Casting a sidelong glance at Frank, Brandon quipped,You know, if you’ve got energy for prayers,maybe you should be out there with the security,fending off those vultures.
The elevator chimed softly, signaling their arrival on the first floor.
As the doors parted,a sight of chaos met them. Bodyguards,muscles straining, fought a losing battle against a tsunami of reporters, their cameras flashing like storm lightning I want no ads>
A veritable sea of reporters choked the hospital’s entrance, the throngs so thick that all anyone could discern were ceaseless camera flashes, threatening to eclipse the midday sun. Wave after wave, they clamored at the gates, jostling to breach the hospital’s barriers.
Frank stood, utterly aghast. The spectacle unfolding before him seemed straight from a drama. He turned to Brandon, his eyes bulging in disbelief. “I can’t believe this madness! They’re practically laying siege to a hospital, just for your story.Is this the world we live in now?”
Brandon’s gaze, icier than a winter storm, swept over the mob. There’s a lot more of them than I’d bargained for,” he noted with evident disdain.
“What should we do now..Frank’s words stuck in his throat when his gaze darted to a lone bodyguard,perilously close to being swallowed whole by the tidal wave of journalists.
Panic,cold and sharp,clawed at his insides,and he blurted out,”Look out!” before dashing into the fray, desperately trying to bolster the beleaguered security with every ounce of his strength.
Meanwhile,Brandon,a commanding figure of elegance and authority,began to stride toward the epicenter of the chaos.
His tall, statuesque form and chiseled features acted like magnets,drawing every eye and lens to him.
The first echelons of reporters,recognizing him instantly, almost frothed with excitement. Shutter clicks became deafening as voices clamored,”There he is! Brandon’s here!”
Echoes of excitement rippled throughout the horde. Whispers transformed into shouts of anticipation.
“Finally! Brandon’s emerged! This is the scoop we’ve been waiting for!”
“Let’s break through! First one in gets the scoop of the year!”
New Book: Back Home to Marry Off Myself
Loredana’s father left the family for his mistress, leaving them to fend for themselves abroad. When life was at its toughest, her father showed up with “good news” after 8 years of absence: To marry off Loredana to a paralyzed son of the wealthy Mendelsohn family.
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