2025-10-17 18:30:04Brandon was puzzled.
“No home?” he repeated slowly in disbelief. Jessica met his eyes, then looked away. Her aura was anything but ordinary. Fair, porcelain skin, delicate features, and an elegance she couldn’t disguise even while wrapped in a hotel robe—everything about her screamed refinement. A woman like her belonged at galas, not drifting without a place to go. He narrowed his eyes, scrutinizing her. Seeing the doubt in his expression, Jessica gave a bitter laugh. “I suppose I don’t look like a beggar to you.” “You don’t,” Brandon admitted bluntly. Her smile faded as she lowered her gaze to the sheet twisted between her fingers. “That’s because until recently, I wasn’t one. I was…” She paused as a tremor ran through her. “…the CEO of Marion Investments.” The name struck a faint chord and Brandon’s brows drew together. Jessica went on, her voice quiet but laced with anguish. “We were preparing for an IPO. Everything was ready and the timing was perfect. But then the process was delayed. Investors grew impatient. One by one, they pulled their funds. Within weeks, the foundation crumbled. I lost the company… and everything else I owned.” She finished with a shaky sigh, lifting her eyes as if daring him to mock her. But Brandon didn’t laugh, instead his mind raced. Marion Investments… yes, he remembered. In order to speed Sophia’s firm through, he’d quietly arranged for them to use the Nasdaq VIP channel. If he recalled correctly, Marion had been right in front of Sophia’s company in the queue. His jaw clenched. But how could a company collapse just because its IPO was delayed? A delay might frustrate investors, but total ruin? That didn’t make sense. As he thought, Brandon’s gaze shifted to Joe who was standing nearby, wiping sweat from his forehead. The man looked painfully nervous. Then it hit Brandon like cold water. It hadn’t just been a delay. His subordinates, eager to please him, had gone too far. Instead of helping Sophia’s firm, they’d forced others aside, pushing every company out of the way. Marion Investments, which had been right ahead, ended up paying the price. It was an utter recklessness! Brandon surged to his feet. The sudden motion made Jessica flinch. Joe immediately hurried forward with panic etched on his face. “Sir—” Brandon’s voice was low, but it carried the weight of thunder. “Put everything back the way it was. Now! No excuses.” Joe’s knees nearly buckled under the pressure of that command. Brandon who was calm and unassuming most days, was radiating the full force of his authority now. His presence filled the room like a storm about to break, leaving no air to breathe. “Yes, sir!” Joe choked out, bowing deeply. Brandon took a deep breath, forcing the fury back down. When he turned to Jessica again, his voice had softened. “I happen to have some vacant property. You can stay there for the time being.” Jessica’s lips parted in surprise, then pressed into a thin line. She shook her head firmly. “No. You’ve already done more than enough for me. Saving my life was one thing, but providing me shelter? We’re little more than strangers. I can’t accept.” Brandon studied her for a long moment. He couldn’t stomach the thought of her wandering alone in this condition, especially knowing his people might have been responsible for her downfall. His tone brooked no argument. “The house is empty anyway. If it can shelter someone in need, then it isn’t wasted.” Jessica opened her mouth to refuse again, but Brandon cut her off, his voice firmer now. “Enough, I’ll take you there myself.” Without waiting for her answer, he strode towards the door. Jessica froze, staring at his back. She had expected indifference but not this decisive insistence. Joe hurried to her side, whispering urgently, “Miss Marion, please… you should go. Mr. Scott doesn’t extend his hand lightly. If he’s offering, you’d be wise to accept.” The doctor nodded solemnly. “He saved your life once already. Trust him now."
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CHAPTER 119
Ava stepped into the room, holding a photograph of a young man. The sunlight streaming through the curtains caught the edges of the frame, casting a small glow on the image. She paused, taking a deep breath, as if bracing herself for Sophia’s reaction.“Sophia,” Ava said gently, drawing her daughter’s attention. “Sit down. There’s something I want to discuss with you.”Sophia sank back into the sofa, folding her arms tightly across her chest. Her eyes, however, remained wary, scanning her mother with a mix of caution and curiosity. “What is it, Mom?” she asked carefully. She had learned over recent months that whenever her mother said she had ‘something important’ to discuss, it often meant a decision—or a revelation—that could shift Sophia’s life in ways she wasn’t prepared for.Ava smiled knowingly, the kind of smile that had always unnerved Sophia when she was a child. It was gentle yet calculated, reassuring yet heavy with hidden weight. “You’ve been through quite a lot recentl
CHAPTER 118
Sophia’s pulse throbbed in her ears. She turned sharply, scanning the auditorium for Brandon. She looked left, then right. Then she stood up, ignoring the people behind her complaining that she was blocking their view. Her eyes swept across every aisle, every corner, every cluster of people.But Brandon was simply… gone.He had been standing behind her not long ago, arms folded, that annoying half-smile on his lips as if he knew something she didn’t. And now?Nothing. No sign of him. No trace.Where in the world was he?How did he know Evelyn Carmichael would win?Who exactly was Brandon?Her stomach clenched. She suddenly felt she didn’t know him at all—not even the tiniest bit.But before she could dwell more on that unsettling thought, the shame washed over her like a hot wave. It dripped down her spine, burning.Because she remembered exactly what she had said to him.She had scoffed. Rolled her eyes. Called him a fool—twice. Told him he loved to feel important when he was act
CHAPTER 117
Sophia’s eyes widened in disbelief. “Do I want to win?” she repeated, her voice dripping with incredulity. “Brandon, what are you talking about? What influence do you have here? You always like to act like you’re important, when, in reality, you’re nothing!”Brandon’s lips curved into a subtle, almost unreadable smile. He didn’t appear offended. Instead, he looked at her with the kind of calm confidence that made Sophia’s words feel small, even futile. There was something in the way he held himself, something in the ease of his posture, that unsettled her. “You think I’m joking?” he asked softly, his voice smooth but edged with an unspoken authority. “In that case, maybe I should just tell you the person who is going to emerge as the winner of this conference… since you're not interested in being the winner.”Sophia’s eyebrows shot up. “Oh, really? And who is that?” she demanded, her voice laced with disbelief, the kind that could shatter glass if it were physical.Brandon spok
CHAPTER 116
Sophia had been confident—far too confident—when she stepped off the stage after her presentation. Her voice had been firm, her gestures rehearsed, and her slides impeccable. She felt sure she had impressed the judges and the entire room. She walked back to her seat with her chin raised, expecting the applause in the hall to echo her triumph.But that confidence began to crumble piece by piece as the next contestants walked up to the stage.The first contestant who presented after her was a calm, soft-spoken man representing a mid-level company from Norway. He didn’t look like much—no expensive suit, no loud personality. But the moment he began speaking, the entire hall fell silent. He spoke with depth, clarity, and brilliance that pierced the room like light. His innovation was impressive, practical, and supported by strong data. He even answered the judges’ questions with such confidence that the audience murmured in approval.Sophia’s heart thumped uncomfortably.Then came a w
CHAPTER 115
For a few moments, the hall felt suspended in time, as though everyone collectively held their breath, waiting for Brandon to return. The murmurs that had filled the air fell silent, replaced by an almost tangible anticipation. People leaned slightly forward in their seats or shifted their weight nervously, eyes darting toward the entrance again and again. It was as if the entire room had become a single organism, holding its breath, waiting for resolution. Brandon had left under the watch of security, so no one could accuse him of fleeing. They had ensured he could not escape, and the knowledge only added to the tension. Every person in the hall wondered what he would uncover, how he would respond, and whether justice would finally be served. Then, briskly, Brandon returned, accompanied by the conference hall’s security officer—a tall man with a calm demeanor and attentive eyes. He moved with quiet authority, exuding the kind of presence that immediately commanded respect. As soon
CHAPTER 114
The conference hall buzzed with quiet murmurs as news of the theft spread like wildfire. Phones buzzed, keyboards clicked, and a dozen pairs of eyes followed Brandon wherever he moved. The chatter was low, almost conspiratorial, yet it carried an edge of excitement and disbelief. Each whisper, each sideways glance, seemed amplified by the high ceilings and polished marble floors. The air felt heavy, thick with curiosity and suspicion, as if everyone in the hall were silently waiting for a single spark to ignite the chaos. The soft murmur of voices rose and fell like a tide, and even the faint clinking of glasses seemed amplified against the marble floors. A slight breeze from the open doors carried the scent of polished wood and floral arrangements, mingling with the underlying tension. “Brandon,” called out someone in the crowd, their voice sharp with disbelief. “Is it true? Did you take the money Maxwell brought in?” Brandon stopped in his tracks, slowly turning toward the crowd.
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