“Mr. Stuart, Shannon told me not to disturb you unless it was important, but she’s been taken to the hospital and still hasn’t woken up… can you come over!?”
“Mr. Stuart, I’m really sorry…”
Ranita looked at Brendon, unsure of what she was hoping for.
“I understand. I’ll have Caleb handle it for now.” Brendon paused before continuing, “If there’s anything else, give me a call.”
The phone hung up.
Ranita peeled open a pill and swallowed it with warm water.
“Mr. Stuart, if you have something to do then go ahead! After the contract ends I’ll have Brown refund the remaining money.”
As soon as she spoke those words, Brendon suddenly grabbed her hand.
“Ranita, let me go take care of this…”
“You don’t need my permission to leave so there’s no need to explain yourself,” Ranita spoke coldly without any extra emotion in her eyes or face.
“Ranita… You heard what Cindy said earlier, right? Shannon is still in a coma at the hospital and I need to go back there. Once everything is settled down, I’ll fly back here again. Can you wait for me?”
Wait?
Hadn’t she waited enough four years ago?
This sentence ignited all of Ranita’s anger and grievances that had been buried deep inside her heart like a fuse ready to explode.
She pulled away from Brendon’s grasp with a faint smile on her lips, “Mr. Stuart, we don’t have any relationship between us so there isn’t anything worth waiting for.”
“I took my medicine and am feeling tired now. Mr. Stuart, please leave,” Ranita said calmly as if nothing had happened between them just moments ago.
“Ranita!” Brendon was a little angry, his thin lips tightly pursed, his eyes hidden with a dangerous darkness.
Ranita felt a tingling sensation from being stared at. She wanted to move away, but Brendon immediately pulled her into his arms. His broad chest throbbed, radiating warmth.
Sometimes, Ranita hated Brendon.
If he were heartless, she could at least let go of her feelings, but he always teased her, giving her hope.
“Let go!” Ranita gritted her teeth, her heart about to explode.
Brendon sealed her lips with a kiss.
Urgent and forceful, as if he wanted to crush her and devour her whole. Ranita winced from the bite, and the kiss drained her of strength. Her mind, heart, and limbs turned into a puddle.
Brendon held her waist and hoarsely instructed, “Your medicine is in the drawer. Take it for three days.”
“Stay home and be good with Ayaan while I’m gone.”
“And don’t go out drinking with Brown!” Brendon said in one breath, pinching her waist with his fingers. “Ranita, when I say I like you, I’m not joking.”
Although Brendon claimed to like her, in the end, he flew back to the country for Shannon.
Just the thought of it made Ranita’s heart ache as if being sliced by a knife.
Ranita sat in the chair for a long time, so long that her legs went numb.
“Mommy… what are you doing?” In the dim light, Ayaan’s small figure walked towards her. He had changed into pajamas with cartoon superheroes, and there was a flame emblem on his chest.
He designed it for his firefighting hero dad.
“Ayaan, why aren’t you sleeping?”
“Why aren’t you sleeping, Mommy?” Ayaan climbed onto the chair and sat beside her, tilting his head, his eyes filled with worry.
“Mommy, are you not feeling well?” After a pause, Ayaan looked around and asked, “Where’s Uncle Stuart?”
“I’m fine! As for Uncle Stuart, he went home,” Ranita pursed her lips. “Ayaan… do you miss your dad?”
“Yes! But he sacrificed himself!” The little boy reached out and hugged Ranita, his big eyes blinking with long, soft eyelashes. He asked, “Mommy, do you think Dad knows that I miss him?”
“Does he know that you also miss him?”