Chapter 10
Anna wanted to stop Brandon, but he was already gone. This was the first time since her return a few months ago that Brandon had left so decisively.
It wasn’t until Brandon was completely out of sight that Anna begrudgingly returned to Phillip’s side.
Staring at her, Phillip hesitated for a moment before finally saying, “Anna, I know you used to like Brandon, but you were the one who gave up on him back then. Now that he’s your brother- in–law, you two should keep a proper distance. Otherwise-”
Before he could say anything else, Liliana interrupted, “Alright. That’s enough. She just got home after a long time. Don’t lecture her. With how outstanding our Anna is, tons of men would line up to marry her. Why would she covet her own brother–in–law? Don’t say things like that again. I don’t want to hear any of that.”
Liliana led Anna upstairs lovingly. “Anna, I brought you a lot of gifts from my trip this time.
Come and take a look.”
Brandon sat alone in the living room in the middle of the night, waiting for Jessie to come home.
She had loved him for so long that he refused to believe she would truly walk away.
Only a single lamp was on in the living room, making him barely visible. Still, the heavy tension rolling off him was unmistakable.
Suddenly, the sound of the electronic lock was heard. Someone was back.
Brandon’s eyes instantly lit up, and he believed it had to be Jessie.
But when the door swung open, it was Anna’s face that came into view. The sight of her snuffed out the hope in Brandon’s eyes in an instant.
“What are you doing here?” Brandon frowned.
Anna froze at his question.
Brandon used to always complain that their time together was too short. But now, he was acting like he didn’t even want to see her.
“Brandon, weren’t you waiting for me? Why else would you be in the living room this late at night?”
Anna sat down beside him and leaned into him, wrapping her arms around his neck.
As soon as Anna touched him, Brandon reflexively pulled away, but she held on tightly. ” Brandon, what’s up with you today? You’re acting strange.”
He was momentarily at a loss for words. Indeed, what was wrong with him? Didn’t he dislike Jessie? He should be happy that she divorced him. Even if they lost the baby, he could still have a child with Anna in the future. So what was going on with him?
No… Even if it boiled down to divorce, it should’ve been his decision to make. He had to find
Jessie.
“Anna, has Jessie contacted you these past two days?”
The desire that had just filled Anna instantly subsided, though her face remained perfectly composed. “Jessie has never liked me. Why would she contact me? What, did she go missing?”
For some reason, Brandon just couldn’t bring himself to say that they were divorced.
Hence, he lied. “She got angry and ran off. She even changed her phone number. Do me a favor -ask your parents to get in touch with her. Tell them to ask her to come back for a visit.”
Anna clenched her fists as she ground her teeth hard.
Brandon went on, “No matter what, Jessie is still your sister, Anna. It isn’t safe for a woman to be out there alone. Just do me this favor.”
Anna looked into his eyes. Upon seeing genuine concern, she couldn’t help but ask, “Did you fall for her, Brandon?”
Brandon felt his blood run cold. He didn’t know how to answer that. Did he like her? He
honestly didn’t know. He had grown used to having Jessie around over the past three years. Now that she was truly gone, he couldn’t handle it.
Still, he told himself that the one he loved was Anna and that his feelings for Jessie were
mostly tied to obligation and remorse.
“Anna, you’re the one I love–but she’s still my wife. I don’t want anything bad to happen to her. I’ve never asked anything of you since we were kids. This is my first time making a request.”
Anna’s heart began to sink. Brandon had never asked her for anything before, and the one time he did, it was for another woman. Unease crept into her heart, and a calculating glint flashed in her eyes.
“Alright. I’ll ask my mom to reach out to Jessie tomorrow. But how will you thank me tonight? “Anna methodically loosened Brandon’s tie, her hand sliding into his shirt.
