Brandon’s retreating silhouette blurred into the distance as Audrey’s cries grew more haunting.
“Brandon, please, wait… Just hear me out. I promise I’ll share everything; just give me another chance.”
Her voice, once frantic,now grew subdued,carried away by the winds that roamed through the ancient gravestones. The only testament to her agony were the soft, heart-wrenching sobs that followed.
“You know, I only ever wanted to stand beside you,” she murmured, her words dripping with anguish.”Was it such a sin to yearn for that?”
With each word,her anguish seemed to bubble over, culminating in a desperate outburst.”What spell has Natalie cast that I lack? Why does she hold your heart when I stand in the shadows? Answer me, Brandon. Why?”
Her voice wavered with vulnerability as she whispered,”If she’s barren, I could give you a lineage. I never aimed to take her place,just to gift you a legacy I didn’t do anything wrong! Let me go! Please, let me go!”
Yet, despite her fervent pleas, only the eerie, melancholic cry of an owl responded. Its solemn tune only amplified the sense of desolation that engulfed her.
It dawned on her then, with chilling clarity, that Brandon was truly gone. His absence felt like a void in the vast, sprawling graveyard. The chilly breeze seemed to mock her plight, brushing past her and chilling her to the bone.
A blend of hopelessness and terror washed over her, dimming the once vibrant sparkle in her eyes to a mere glimmer, barely holding onto the will to survive.
Just beyond the eerie borders of the graveyard, Brandon lounged casually beside his polished car, immersed in his phone.Blue light from the screen illuminated his face as he methodically coordinated the details of an impending press conference.
The surrounding cemetery, steeped in the darkest hour of the night,seemed almost otherworldly,akin to the abysmal depths of purgatory. Its silence was chillingly profound devoid of even the faintest glimmer.
Yet,amidst this near-total silence,Audrey’s distant cries of anguish managed to reach Brandon’s ears, haunting him like a mournful, ghostly lullaby.
Remarkably, his face remained as stoic and unyielding as a marble statue, seemingly unmoved by the tormented voice echoing in the dark.
The bodyguard, who had earlier shown a flicker of empathy for Audrey, hesitated a moment before finding the courage to approach. He wore an expression of gentle concern as he ventured,”Mr. Larson, is it truly the right thing to do to abandon her here?”
Turning to the bodyguard, Brandon inquired with a hint of irony, “Do you doubt my judgment?”
Stammering slightly under Brandon’s piercing gaze, the bodyguard managed to replyNo sir It’s just that she’ssoyoungandherpleas they’re heartbreakingMoreover,Iheard her express her willingness todivulgeeverything.Perhapsfor humanity’s sake,might we offer her a final reprieve?” With a soft laugh that didn’t quite reach his eyes, Brandon teased,”Have you taken a fancy to her, then? Would you like me to gift her to you?”
Though the words were light, the icy undercurrent Was palpable, colder than the surrounding graves. The very air around Brandon seemed to thicken with tension.
Visibly flustered, the bodyguard quickly stammered,”You misunderstand, Mr. Larson! I’d never harbor such sentiments!”
Raising an eyebrow,Brandon pursued the topic,his voice smooth but edged with menace. “Then why, pray tell, does her fate concern you so deeply?”
Taking a deep breath to steady his nerves, the bodyguard hurriedly confessed,”She reminds me of my girlfriend. Every scream every plea-it’s like hearing her. It pains me to witness someone who bears such a resemblance to my girlfriend suffering like this.”
“Empathy,” Brandon mused with a sardonic grin,”is a curious emotion. Let me remind you: even a seemingly innocent girl can be cruel sometimes.” With a heavy sigh, the bodyguard bowed deeply.”I realize now that I’ve been overly sentimental. Please discipline me as you see fit.”
Waving him off dismissively, Brandon responded coolly,”You’ll be reassigned to one of our branches. Your tenderheartedness has no place here.”
That simple declaration felt like a sledgehammer blow. “The branch? But, sir… the bodyguard began, the weight of the realization sinking in.
He was acutely aware of the vast chasm between the prestige of headquarters and the obscurity of a branch. An assignment there was tantamount to professional exile.
Brandon’s voice cut through the night with finality.”I need unwavering loyalty and impartiality. You, unfortunately, lack the fortitude required.Consider this a lesson in professionalism.”
The bodyguard, initially poised to persist with his appeals, seemed to deflate as Brandon’s decision hung in the air. He paused, taking a deep breath to gather his thoughts, and then gently bowed his head in quiet resignation.
“Understood, Mr. Larson,” he murmured.
As the hours ticked by, the sky began its subtle transformation. The very first hints of dawn painted the horizon in delicate hues of pastel,a dance of soft lilacs and pinks Here and there,a few tenacious stars clung to the sky, their twinkle muted by the encroaching light of day.
Stifling a yawn and stretching his shoulders, Brandon signaled to his team to follow him as he ventured back toward the cemetery.
By now,Audrey’s once-rosy complexion had adopted an alarming shade of blue,evidence of her desperate struggle for air. Her breaths came in ragged gasps, and every ounce of her energy was channeled into staying conscious.
The gentle rustling of leaves and soft footsteps drew her attention,and she mustered the strength to raise her head.
Upon seeing a familiar silhouette inching closer, a flicker of hope ignited in her eyes. It was as if, amidst the crushing weight of her situation, she’d sighted a far-off rescue beacon.
With a voice made tremulous by emotion and exhaustion, she beseeched,Brandon, listen. I’ll unveil every secret and every hidden detail you seek. I implore you.Grant me mercy.
With an eyebrow raised and a devilish smirk etched on his face, Brandon’s voice dipped low,oozing with a potent mixture of menace and curiosity.”Audrey, should you choose to weave another lie-” He paused, letting the weight of his words hang.I assure you, the result will be… unforgettable. Are we on the same page here?”
Audrey’s once bright eyes,now clouded with despair, met his gaze. She responded, her voice shaky but genuine,”Loud and clear, Brandon. I’ve got no more tales to spin. Tell me what you need to know,and I promise that every word will be the unvarnished truth. Just… maybe consider going easy on me?” In a smooth motion Brandon gestured subtly. A bodyguard stepped forward,unveiling a collection of photos before Audrey, querying, “Is this the individual who whispered secrets about Mrs. Larson and handed you that potion?”
The photographs were captured vividly, showcasing details so intimate that even Jeremy’s pores seemed to be whispering stories.
Drawn into the stark realism of the images,Audrey felt a whirlpool of anxiety and uncertainty envelop her.
Each glance at the photos deepened her sense of dread. The face of the individual who provided her with the potion remained a distant, nebulous memory. And what if her memory betrayed her?
With her anxiety evident in every quiver of her lip and every teardrop’s trajectory,she worried. What if her words weren’t the balm to soothe Brandon’s inflamed suspicions?
Brandon,noticing her hesitation,pierced the silence with a query, his voice carrying the weight of mounting impatience.”Well? Does he look familiar?””I, I,I.Audrey stammered, her words blurred by sobs.”I can’t pin him down. The man who approached me always lurked in shadows, his face veiled.”
Brandon’s stare grew intense, as if he were trying to peer into Audrey’s very soul. His voice dropped, thick with warning.”Deception has a price, Audrey. Reflect before you respond.
His words washed over her like an arctic wave. Almost instinctively, she responded with fervor,”Hear me out, Brandon! Our clandestine rendezvous was always marked by his enigmatic attire-a mask concealing his face and a cloak so black it seemed to Swallow all light. But the secrets about you,Natalie, and that potion? Straight from the horse’s mouth!” Her ordeal had left indelible scars, both mental and physical.
She teetered on the edge, sensing that another falsehood might be her undoing.
Observing Audrey’s pallid complexion Brandon pieced together the tale of her ordeal.”Alright, Audrey. Focus. Describe this man in the shadows.” Summoning her fragmented memories,Audrey began tentatively,”From the hazy recesses of my mind, I recall.. he stood tall, around six feet, I guess And there was this peculiar stiffness to one shoulder, like a lingering injury. His voice, though… his voice was…
“All right, thatll do.”Brandon’s voice was as cool as a gentle stream, but his countenance painted a stark contrast, cloaked in shades of thunderclouds. From the vague details of a towering stature and a hampered shoulder, he found himself connecting the dots-to Jeremy.Audrey, I really hope for your sake that every word that’s left your lips has been authentic.”
Doubt seemed to hang in the air, thick and palpable. Desperate to solidify her claims,Audrey swiftly filled in the blanks, punctuating every pivotal encounter she had with this elusive figure.
“Brandon, I’ve spilled it all. Every shadowed meeting, every whispered word. That’s all my interactions with him.”
A glint of something-perhaps revelation or maybe disbelief-flickered in Brandon’s eyes.
The timeline was revealing Jeremy, orchestrating everything merely hours after the club’s fire? It seemed like the act of someone fueled by an irrational vendetta.
As the realization dawned on Brandon that Jeremy was the likely maestro behind Audrey’s actions, he let out a contemplative sigh.Without breaking stride, his gaze, razor-sharp and probing, settled on Audrey.”Just one more piece of the puzzle.”.
Spotting a glimmer of hope, Audrey leaned in, her tone thick with anticipation. “Ask. No secrets here. I’m just hoping you can get me out of here.”
Brandon’s lips tweaked into a half-smile, the enigma of his thoughts shielded. “Before we proceed, there’s something I’m trying to wrap my head around.” He paused, watching the ripples of anxiety spread across her face. “Tell me, who the hell are you?” A pang of alarm raced through Audrey. Had he unearthed her real identity?
Her heart drummed loudly,and with a valiant effort, she forced a laugh, attempting to cloak her nerves.”Come on, Brandon. Who else would I be but your cousin? Let’s not get into these jests.
Brandon’s reply was slow,each word meticulously chosen and dripping with insinuation. “Really? So, assuming we share the bond of family,explain your animosity towards Natalie. And the audacious idea of seducing me. Those aren’t cousinly overtures, Audrey, are they?”
Love this novel? Please comment below. The most commented novels will be updated first.
(Optional) Buy me a coffee so that I can devote more time everyday in updating this story. Thanks.
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.
Leave a Reply