Was she too severe?
He was merely concerned about her injury, yet she had accused him of inappropriate behavior
Before she could apologize, Brandon silently restarted the car
Natalie’s defensive and distant behavior weighed heavily on Brandon’s heart
He pursed his lips and cast a lingering gaze upon her. With a sigh, he settled back into his seat and started the car
An uncomfortable silence filled the car
Natalie realized that she had spoken too harshly moments ago when Brandon had saved her life
After finally mustering the courage to speak, she sighed deeply and said with voice tinged with guilt, “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean what I said earlier.”
Brandon glanced at her. But then, he said nothing and just continued driving
As Natalie stared at his stoic expression, a wave of guilt washed over her. She wanted to offer another apology but did not know what else there was to say
She could only shut her mouth and look out of the window
A few moments later, the car’s pace slowed until it came to a halt on the side of the highway
After parking the car, Brandon turned to look at Natalie and asked in a cold voice, “Can you tell me where it hurts now?”
Natalie was caught off guard by the genuine worry and concern in his eyes. She realized he had purposely kept silent until he brought them to a safe location to check on her well-being
At the thought of this, she felt guiltier than she already was. At last, her vigilance toward him toned down.
She rolled up her sleeves to show the extent of her injuries and admitted, “My arms and back hurt.”
As Brandon’s gaze fell upon the red marks marring Natalie’s delicate arms, his eyes narrowed slightly with concern. “Does it hurt a lot?”
Natalie pulled down her sleeves and shook her head. “It’s just minor injuries. I’m okay.”
With an anxious look in his eyes, Brandon scanned her from head to toe and asked again, “Where else does it hurt?”
The concern in his eyes warmed her heart. Suddenly, a wave of panic settled on her. She unconsciously moved back, but she felt a sudden pain in her ankle, which made her wince and gasp sharply, “Ouch! I think I sprained my ankle.” As she spoke, she lifted the hem of her trousers revealing her ankle. Sure enough, it was red and swollen
The sight of her wounds tugged at Brandon’s heart. He pursed his lips and said in a voice laced with guilt,
“I’m sorry I wasn’t able to protect you well.”
Natalie could not understand why he felt guilty. Nonetheless, she offered him a warm and carefree smile and assured him, “I’m okay. My injuries aren’t that serious. Besides, you saved my life. I should be thanking you.”
All of a sudden, the harrowing chase they had had just moments ago replayed in her mind. She lifted her gaze to the rearview mirror and suggested, “Let’s head to a safe place first, like the police station. The goons from the underground casino are terrifying.”
The old taxi slowly traversed the sparsely populated road once again. For some reason, Brandon kept poking his head out, his eyes scanning the surroundings as if searching for something
“What are you looking for?” Natalie curiously asked
Brandon glanced at her and replied, “I’m looking for a hospital. You’re wounded, and you need to be treated.”
Natalie frowned. Just as she was about to ask him to let her get out of the car, he asked, “Since you’re so scared, why did you run on your own?”
Suddenly, a hint of vigilance flashed through her eyes
“Wait a minute. Who are you? Why were you at the casino? Why did you save me?” she asked one after another while observing the expression on his face
A sense of strangeness enveloped Natalie. Somehow, she found his scent familiar, as if it belonged to a distant memory. But even after racking her brains for a long time, she still could not remember who he was
After a flurry of questions from Natalie,the car sank into a heavy silence.
Brandon regarded her with an affectionate gaze.
He was clueless about her recent experiences.
Observing her,once a woman who had placed absolute trust in him,now on guard against everything around her,he surmised that she must have had a difficult time.
The mere thought caused a profound ache in his heart.
Natalie couldn’t decipher why this stranger peered at her with such sorrowful eyes,nor could she comprehend her own sympathetic response upon seeing his melancholy,as if she was sharing in his sorrow.
But he was simply a stranger she had met today.Had they known each other previously?
After a flurry of questions from Natalie,the car sank into a heavy silence.
Brandon regarded her with an affectionate gaze.
He was clueless about her recent experiences.
Observing her,once a woman who had placed absolute trust in him,now on guard against everything around her,he surmised that she must have had a difficult time.
The mere thought caused a profound ache in his heart.
Natalie couldn’t decipher why this stranger peered at her with such sorrowful eyes,nor could she comprehend her own sympathetic response upon seeing his melancholy,as if she was sharing in his sorrow.
But he was simply a stranger she had met today.Had they known each other previously?
Natalie tried to dredge up any memories of him, but no matter how strenuously she attempted,she found no trace of him in her recollections.
Eventually,Brandon disrupted the silence.He think I am?Why do you think I saved you?
Maybe I acted purely out of kindness.”
Noticing the affection in his gaze,Natalie swiftly averted her eyes,shook her head slightly,and remained silent.
She felt an inexplicable familiarity with this man,almost as if they shared a deep-rooted intimacy.
However,she didn’t dare entertain such thoughts seriously.It might merely be an unwarranted illusion.If she voiced her feelings,he might misconstrue herintentions.
Moreover,it was evident that he was no ordinary individual.She didn’t want to divulge too much personal information to avoid potentially endangering herself or her brother.
The atmosphere turned awkward once more.
Understanding her heightened alertness and knowing he wouldn’t extract any valuable information,Brandon ceased his probing and focused on driving.
Just as she was about to breathe a sigh of relief,he declared,”You’ve lost your memory.”
It was not an inquiry,but a confirmation.
He was certain that her aberrant behavior was a result of memory loss.
The only unresolved mystery was whether the memory loss was orchestrated or accidental That could only be established by a medical professional.
Hearing Brandon’s confident proclamation,
Natalie spun her head around,her eyes wide with disbelief.”How do you know I’ve lost my memory?”
Brandon merely smiled.
Just as he had anticipated.
His firm expression put her on guard.She vigilantly scrutinized him while subtly grabbing a water bottle,as if she was ready to confront this potentially dangerous man.
Her current demeanor reminded him of a frightened rabbit,her eyes filled with wariness.Despite her memory loss,she retained a sense of adorability that drew him in.
He chuckled,”I’m your husband.Do you believe that?”
Natalie was taken aback.
Observing her deep in thought,Brandon continued,his voice filled with affection,”I’m your husband.You were abducted,and I’ve been searching for you.Fortunately,I’ve found you.From now on,I will protect you … “
Natalie cut him off,scoffing,”You’re my husband?What’s next,are you going to claim you’re the father of my child?”
Her words caught the usually composed Brandon off guard.His gaze dropped to her stomach,his voice trembling as he asked,
“Are you pregnant?”
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