THE CASTAWAY HEIR: POWER UNSEEN

CHAPTER 6

Brandon 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."