All Chapters of HE LOST HIS DAUGHTER ONCE, NOW HE’S A RUTHLESS BILLIONAIRE: Chapter 1
- Chapter 10
19 chapters
A FATHER'S BREAKING POINT
The hospital hallway was filled with the sound of fluorescent lights buzzing. It was a heavy sound that went straight into Brandon's head. Inside the doctor's office the air felt cold. Dr. Evans let out a slow breath and pushed a thick folder across the desk. "I am so sorry, Mr. Brandon," Dr. Evans said. His voice was heavy. "The test results are clear. Maggie has a rare illness that affects her heart."Brandon's hand shook as he reached for the folder. "A rare illness? Maggie is only six years old. We found out early, right? We can make her better."Dr. Evans shook his head. "That is the hard part. We should have started treatment three months ago. If we had, Maggie would have a chance. Now without a new and experimental treatment Maggie likely has less than a month or two before her condition gets worse. After that her heart will start to fail."The words kept repeating in Brandon's ears. Less than one month."There has to be something…" Brandon said quietly, his voice breaking. "Y
THE HUSBAND THEY MOCKED
“You’re one of the best engineers in this company, Brandon,” his supervisor had once told him. “Why do you keep holding yourself back?”Brandon remembered smiling faintly back then.“Because my daughter needs me more.”Over the five years Brandon had given up three major promotion opportunities at his own engineering firm choosing lower-paying stable hours so he could take full responsibility for raising their daughter. He cooked every meal, washed every load of laundry and comforted Maggie through every midnight nightmare.He did all of this for Maggie and for Lyra.More than that, when Lyra's company was on the verge of bankruptcy two years ago Brandon did not hesitate. Brandon emptied his personal savings account hundreds of thousands of dollars left to him by his late father to keep Lyra's business afloat. He had sacrificed his career, his financial security and his own dreams for Lyra and for Maggie.What did Brandon get in return? Lyra had gradually come to treat Brandon's sacr
A SCENE
“Brandon,” Lyra gasped as she looked at her husband, who was standing by the door.The room went quiet immediately. It was like everyone could feel the silence. The music had stopped, nobody was laughing anymore, and a lot of people were staring at the door with shock written all over their faces.Brandon stood there with rage on his face as he was breathing hard. His eyes were red. He stared right at Lyra and Jake with their arms up in the air, like they were frozen in time.Everyone in the room knew who Brandon was. He was the guy who stayed at home and took care of things. To them, Brandon belonged at home, not at parties like this.Jake was the first to move. He let go of Lyra’s arm, putting his glass down on the table as he stood up and smiled, but his smile did not look real. He tugged on his expensive suit as he looked at a chair that was empty.“Hey, Brandon, glad you could join us,” he said, sounding really smooth. “What a surprise. Why don’t you come over here and take a sea
SHE CHOSE HIM AGAIN
“I’m fine,” Jake said, rubbing off his arm as he made himself look hurt.Lyra then turned to Brandon, her eyes full of anger.“Why are you acting like this in public? Look what you just did. You ruined everything. Say sorry to him immediately, and you have to apologize to everyone in this party.”But Brandon did not say anything. He looked at Lyra helping Jake and sneered at them.That was when Brandon shoved past the overturned table, grabbed Jake by the suit, and punched him across the face.Jake cried out, his head snapped to the side, but Brandon was not done. He threw Jake to the floor and started to punch him even more.“Brandon, stop! Get off him!” Lyra yelled, jumping on Brandon’s back as she tried grabbing his arms away.But it was useless.“Security! Someone help us!”Two male bouncers finally rushed over, grabbing Brandon’s shoulders and pulling him back. Brandon didn’t resist. He let go, breathing hard as his knuckles were scraped.Jake laid on the floor, his nose bleeding
UNTIL HER BIRTHDAY
“Divorced?”Lyra repeated, as if she could not understand what he was saying.She then let out a mocking laugh as she slammed her glass onto the counter, then turned back to him.“Are you being fucking serious, Brandon? You are really pushing your luck here.”But Brandon did not move. He kept his eyes on her with a blank expression.“I’m very serious, Lyra.”“No, you’re not!” she shouted, stepping close to him. Her face twisted with annoyance. “You are just using this to threaten me. You’re throwing a tantrum like a child because of Jake. You think if you say divorce, I will get scared and do whatever you think? You always do this when things don’t go your way. You think I’ll promise never to speak to Jake? Isn’t that your plan, Brandon?”“I don’t care who you speak to anymore,” he said in a low and flat manner. “Your heart hasn’t been in this family for a long time, Lyra. And I’m tired. I’m done trying to hold together something you already walked away from, and I am willing to let y
WHAT ABOUT YOUR CHILD?
“Yes,” Maggie said, turning to her dad. “All of us have to go as a family. Mommy looks tired. Daddy should drive us.”Brandon gave a little chuckle and nodded.“Fine. I will drive. And mommy will sit in the passenger seat like a passenger princess, and you stay at the back like a good girl.”She held both her parents’ hands as they all walked to the door like a normal family.Just as Brandon was about to open the door, a loud ringing sound cut through the quiet house as Lyra’s phone buzzed inside her purse.She pulled her hand away from Maggie and grabbed her phone, Maggie’s smile froze, while her little hand remained open in the air, empty.Lyra looked at the screen and her face changed. Her eyes got wide.“Jake, what’s wrong?” Lyra asked as she picked up the call.Brandon’s heart sank.Just when he thought he was finally about to break through she was doing this.He stared at Lyra and listened to Jake on the phone.“What? Oh my God, is he okay?” Lyra panicked. “Don’t panic, Jake. I
THE FAMILY SHE CHOSE
“Maggie… Let's go to the hospital… Daddy will take you to the hospital sweetie!”Brandon did not care about the stains on his shirt. He grabbed her, rushed into the driveway to open his car as he dropped his daughter onto the passenger seat and drove off.He was too busy driving his car through the city to worry about any stain that could be on his clothing.His chest rose and fell unevenly as he drove through the city.Maggie lay motionless in the passenger seat, her pale face turned toward the window. Dark red blood stained her lips.He got to the hospital and screeched to a stop as he rounded the car, opening the door to pick her up before running through the doors without locking his car.“Help!” he yelled. “Somebody help me! My daughter Maggie is really sick. She’s bleeding!”The nurses and doctors came running with a bed on wheels as they took Maggie from Brandon’s arms.He tried to go with them, but the nurse stopped him.“Sir, you need to wait.”“No, she’s my daughter.”“Sir,”
MOMMY LYRA!
“Yes, that is very true.” The nurse nodded, writing on the chart. “You know so much about the child and his medicine. You must be his mother. You have taken good care of him.”Lyra stopped for a moment as she looked like she was about to say something before Jake placed his arm around her shoulders, pulling her close.“Thank you very much, nurse. Thank you for taking care of our child. We really appreciate it.”The nurse smiled.“Of course. You three look like a happy family. I wish most families were like you.”Lyra did not move away from Jake’s arm. She did not tell the nurse that she was not his wife, either.She just stood there and let Jake hold her while looking at the papers with a gentle smile on his face.Brandon stood a few feet away and felt a chill run through him.Standing there, Brandon suddenly felt like the outsider in his own marriage.He was a third wheel, standing in the hallway, watching Lyra live her life with the person and people she cared about.Suddenly, a lit
WHAT ABOUT YOUR OWN FAMILY?
“Your daughter has been crying for you for the last two hours, Lyra.” The hospital corridor was really quiet. It felt like something was about to snap. Lyra looked down the hallway where Brandon was pointing. She saw the doors and suddenly felt unsure. For a moment the coldness in Brandon's voice got to her. She stopped breathing.Then Jake stepped in. He let go of Lyra's shoulder then took a step towards Brandon. He put his hands up like he was saying sorry. His face showed how sorry and sad he was."Brandon, look at me," Jake said softly. "I know why you are mad at me. If I were you I would be mad too. I would feel that way if I saw another man close to my wife. Leo and I have caused so many problems for you and Lyra today. We made things tense between you two."Brandon did not move. He just kept staring at Jake with hard eyes clenching his fists like he wanted to punch him. He watched Jake talk like he was performing.“I was terrified when Leo started crying in pain this morning,”
I WAS TRYING TO SAVE THE WRONG THING
Jake looked at Brandon one last time as he had a smile on his face. Then he followed Lyra back into the room. The door closed behind them. Brandon was alone in the hallway.Brandon stood still in the hospital hallway. The lights above made a noise that bothered him. He looked at his hands and saw they were shaking a little. Then a sad smile came on his face.He thought about what his wife Lyra thought of him. She thought he was just a househusband. She thought he was not a partner because he did not help her with her career.Brandon leaned against the cold wall as he chuckled quietly. He thought about all the years he spent taking care of their family. He gave up a lot of things for them. He turned down promotion after promotion so he could stay home with Maggie while Lyra chased her ambitions. Lyra did not care about any of this.He remembered when Lyra was very upset because her company was in trouble. He helped her by giving her all his money. He got this money from his father. He