Audrey’s struggles persisted, though largely ignored. Just when the depths of hopelessness seemed most profound, the grating sound of a shovel on earth mercifully ended.
By her side lay an open chasm.
In a voice that was eerily serene, Brandon uttered, Free her voice.
The guard gently removed the cloth that restrained Audrey’s voice, revealing her quivering lips. But instead of the screams, an eerie silence prevailed. She recognized, with heartbreaking clarity, that her cries would simply get lost in the vast emptiness of the night. Her only remaining card to play was the hope that, through acquiescence and submission, Brandon might yet find a shred of mercy for her. Brandon’s eyes, as cold as the depths of winter, met hers. His voice, though low, carried the weight of centuries and was foreboding, akin to a legendary creature on the prowl. “Is there something you wish to share before time runs out? Choose your words wisely; they may be your last.”
Audrey’s eyes darted towards the gaping pit beside her, its mere presence causing her heart to thud erratically against her ribcage.
As moments passed and clarity battled with panic, she finally whispered with a voice that was a mere shadow of her former self,”Brandon… Out of respect for our shared bloodline, I’m begging you to let me vanish from your world forever. I plead for mercy.”
Crouching to level with her, Brandon’s silhouette cast an even more imposing shadow over Audrey.He queried, somewhat amused, “Are you really my cousin?”
A shiver ran down Audrey’s spine as she stammered, trying to regain some composure, “I am your cousin. You knew it, didn’t you?”
A flicker of revulsion momentarily darkened Brandon’s sharp gaze. “Your machinations towards family are truly detestable.You should feel ashamed of yourself.”
Each pointed word from Brandon felt like a dagger to Audrey, further cementing her despair.
She replied, her voice laden with regret and desolation,”I regret every moment. My affection for you blurred the lines of propriety. My heart led me down this twisted path. I only ask for a chance to right my wrongs. Please, Brandon…”
Yet, regardless of Audrey’s impassioned pleas, Brandon’s face remained an emotionless mask. His voice, laced with a tinge of exasperation, broke through her sobs. “Enough!”
Mastermind Behind The.. Audrey, the palpable fear in her heart evident in her eyes, pressed her lips into a thin line. Tears welled up but didn’t fall; she shot a helpless,pleading glance at Brandon.
With deliberate steps, Brandon approached Audrey, his every stride dripping with restrained disdain. His voice was cold, yet it had a low melodic note that hinted at a dangerous calm. “Audrey, enlighten me. Where did you find that drug?
She stuttered,her voice barely a whisper, the facade of innocence etched onto her face,”Drug? I really don’t know what you’re talking about.”
Brandon tilted his head ever so slightly, an almost amused glint in his eyes. “Care to jog your memory about that bottle on my nightstand?”
A shiver cascaded down Audrey’s spine. She hadn’t accounted for Brandon’s uncanny attentiveness.The mere detail of a tiny bottle, yet he hadn’t missed it. The realization hit: he was a force to be reckoned with.
She took a shaky breath, the colbr draining from her face. “The one who handed it over.. they wore a mask. I couldn’t make out any features.”
Her eyes, wide and earnest, desperately tried to convey her sincerity.It’s the truth! I couldn’t see who it was.”
Brandon chuckled softly,the sound a curious mix of skepticism and amusement.”I highly doubt you’d have the nerve to weave tales now. So tell me, what’s the real story behind your oh-so-timely appearance in my life?”
The dots connected too conveniently for him: Audrey showing up just as Jeremy vanished, him coming back to town, and her pitch-perfect solution to his predicament.
He was convinced there was more beneath the surface.
Audrey’s voice wavered.”After my mother passed, she had one wish: to rest beside my aunt. I’ve been settling her affairs. Once everything was sorted, I sought you out.”
Brandon smirked, his voice dripping with sarcasm.”Odd. As I recall, you claimed Alina’s inheritance in no time at all after her demise. And here we are, months later. Did the fortunes perhaps slip through your fingers?”
Audrey’s complexion took on an ashen hue. She bit down hard on her lip, cornered and at a loss for words.
The facts were irrefutable;a mere inquiry would lay it all bare.
The evening was accentuated by the silent graveyard ambiance, the hush of the wind, and the distant, eerie call of an owl, setting a spine-chilling stage. Despite the fear gripping Audrey and the unease evident in the bodyguards, Brandon remained an island of calm amidst the storm.
He prompted once more, his voice a soft but insistent whisper in the wind,”So, Audrey,why are you truly here? Who sent you my way?”
Audrey’s eyes brimmed with tears, her lower lip quivering between her teeth. The weight of her actions pressed heavily on her heart, causing her to swallow back any words that threatened to expose her deceit.
Brandon, sensing her hesitance,softly tilted his head and, with a gentle, almost melancholic smile, said,”Audrey, won’t you share your thoughts?”
His eyes, half-closed, shielded a storm of emotions just beneath the surface. With a casual flick of his wrist, he said, “Perhaps this help you think. Let her feel the earth.”
Two guards moved swiftly,placing Audrey delicately in the pit they had dug earlier. The sound of earth hitting the ground was a quiet, haunting rhythm in the silence that enveloped them.
“No! Please! I beg you! Audrey’s voice was a heart wrenching blend of panic and regret.”I made a mistake! Can’t anyone hear me? Help! Please, somebody!”
One of the guards, who had shown earlier hints of sympathy for her plight, couldn’t help but voice his concern again. He gently said,”Sir, are we really sure about going down this road? Audrey may have messed up, but she’s family. Surely there’s another way to handle this.
Brandon gazed calmly at the guard, a hint of playful mischief in his eyes. “My, my, are you suddenly taken by a charitable spirit?” His voice was light, as though discussing the weather.”Tell you what, since you’re feeling so gracious today, how about you take her place?
Caught off guard, the guard stammered, “I was only.. I didn’t mean to A cold, teasing chuckle slipped from Brandon’s lips.”Ah, the brave should always be ready to follow through. So, the deal’s quite straightforward Someone is destined to spend the night under this soil. Now, you or she, take your pick.”
That blunt threat was enough to make the guard swallow his words,retreating a step,regret evident in his eyes.
Audrey had been tracking this exchange closely,the flutters of hope rising and falling with each spoken sentence.
When Brandon’s words finally pointed to her impending doom, her voice came out desperate.”Brandon,we share the same bloodline. Doesn’t our family bond mean anything to you? Surely you That blunt threat was enough to make the guard swallow his words, retreating a step, regret evident in his eyes.
Audrey had been tracking this exchange closely, the flutters of hope rising and falling with each spoken sentence.
When Brandon’s words finally pointed to her impending doom her voice came out desperate”Brandon, we share the same bloodline. Doesn’t our family bond mean anything to you? Surely you believe in karma?”
With a contemplative nod, Brandon agreed,”Indeed, we are family.”He paused,letting a hint of softness enter his tone.”So,I promise not to be overly cruel.” Audrey’s heart raced, hope flaring once again.”Does that mean you’ll let me go?”
The wry smile on Brandon’s face spoke volumes.”Oh, certainly not,” he mused.”But I can make a small concession.”
With a gentle wave,he instructed,”Leave her head out. No need to be overzealous.
He looked around at the hauntingly silent graveyard, a subtle chill in his voice. “This way, if some wandering soul happens upon you, they might lend a hand. If not, you’ll experience a slow fade. But hey at least you’ll have some time to think.” A slow fade?
Each word etched deeper fear into Audrey’s heart. Her eyes darted around the eerie scene,realizing the odds were bleak.
“This cemetery… No one frequents here for weeks,” Brandon added, almost offhandedly.
As her body was gradually submerged, all that remained was her tear-stricken face, gasping for breath and hope.
There was a sad irony in the fact that she wanted to weep, but tears refused to come. Brandon’s merciless stance was the last image imprinted in her mind.
After a lingering glance,Brandon and his entourage faded into the shadows their footsteps growing distant.
Desperation took over as Audrey shouted, her voice echoing eerily,’ll reveal everything Every secret, every plan! Just don’t leave me here to die! Please, let me go! I’m begging you!
Her revelation was driven by the sheer,raw fear of the unknown. Even if she had coveted Brandon’s wealth, losing her life in this place would render everything meaningless.
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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