3
Brandon’s POV
The hospital corridors blurred as I carried June’s limp body through Sean’s private medical facility. Her skin burned against my chest, her breathing shallow and uneven.
“Sir, this way,” a nurse called, rushing ahead.
The medical team was waiting – I’d made sure of that. No one kept Brandon Stark waiting, especially not when it concerned my wife.
I laid June on the examination table, something dark and primal clawing at my chest. Whoever did this would pay dearly.
“She was bitten by a snake,” I told the doctor, my voice ice–cold. “Check if the poison’s been completely cleared.”
I refused to leave despite the nurse’s suggestions, watching every movement as they worked on June. The staff moved with exceptional précision, the tension palpable – they knew failure wasn’t an option. Not with me standing theres
“We’ve administered antivenom,” the doctor finally said. “She’ll need to stay overnight for observation.”
I nodded curtly. “I’ll be staying as well.”
Throughout the night, I maintained my vigil. The nursing staff tiptoed around during their checks, clearly intimidated by my presence. Good.
When dawn broke, June’s eyelids fluttered open.
“Brandon?” Her voice was barely a whisper.
I pressed a thermometer against her forehead. “Still a bit feverish.” I helped her drink some water. “How are you feeling?”
“What am I doing in a hospital?” Realization dawned in her eyes. “Manhattan Club… the bathroom… there was a snake…”
Cold fury washed through me. This wasn’t random.
“Yesterday…” she began hesitantly.
“Don’t worry about it,” I cut in firmly. “I’m handling everything.”
“June.” I took the glass from her hand, setting it aside. “I’m sorry. It’s my fault to let you get hurt.”
She looked at me, those expressive eyes searching my face. “It wasn’t your fault, you know. No one could have predicted this would happen.
“I should have been more careful. I should have anticipated this.”
“That’s ridiculous,” she protested, shifting to sit up straighter. “How could anyone have known someone would put a snake in a bathroom? That’s practically a movie villain plot.”
My jaw tightened. Of course it was. She was my wife. Her safety was my responsibility.
“Do you know who did it?” she asked.
1/4
Chapter 123
“James is investigating.” I replied. “You don’t need to worry.”
“I think Victoria might be involved,” she said. “Why would she still targeting me? She got what she wanted – Alexander, the Stark name, her entertainment contract…”
“Speaking of that,” I said, “it might be time to give her something productive to do. She seems to have too much free time if she’s constantly fixated on you.”
The doctor confirmed the venom had been neutralized, and only the did I feel the tight knot in my chest begin to loosen.
“Chris did that,” June said. “He sucked the venom out.”
I kept my expression neutral, filing the name away for investigation.
By afternoon, June had improved significantly. I’d reluctantly agreed to let Ruby and Scarlett visit.
“I should head back to the office,” I told her, brushing a strand of hair from her face.
“You should go home and get some sleep,” she insisted. “You’ve been up all night.”
Sleep was the furthest thing from my mind. I had other matters to attend to.
“I’ll be back later,” I promised, kissing her forehead before leaving.
James was waiting in the hallway. “The car’s ready, sir.”
Manhattan Club,” I instructed as we exited the hospital. “Any updates?”
“We have Anna Watson in custody,” James reported. “She insists she didn’t put the snake there.”
The subterranean level of Manhattan Club was a stark contrast to its opulent public spaces. These rooms weren’t in any floor plan, weren’t known to the general membership.
Anna Watson dangled from the ceiling, her naked body suspended by thick, rusted chains that bit deep into her wrists and ankles. The coarse metal had torn through her skin, leaving jagged, weeping wounds that oozed blood in slow, crimson rivulets down her arms and legs. Her designer dress–or what was left of it–lay in a shredded pile on the concrete floor, hacked away by Landon’s men with dull blades that had caught and torn her flesh in the process. Her pale skin glistened with sweat, streaked with dirt and blood, her once–pristine hair now a tangled, matted mess plastered to her face by tears and grime.
Her screams had long since turned into guttural, animalistic rasps, her throat raw after hours of unrelenting torment. Landon’s interrogation had been merciless. Deep, purpling bruises mottled her torso, thighs, and breasts–some so dark they looked black against her pallor–while jagged gashes crisscrossed her abdomen, the result of a serrated knife dragged slowly across her flesh. Blood pooled beneath her, dripping from her wrists. Her chest heaved unevenly, each breath a shuddering gasp that sprayed flecks of blood from her split lips.
I watched through the one–way glass, unmoved, twirling an unlit cigar between my fingers. June’s pale face in that hospital bed flashed through my mind again. This woman had tried to kill my wife.
The door swung open, and Edward Lee strode in. His eyes widened slightly at the scene on the monitor.
“Mr. Lee!” James and Landon straightened immediately.
I merely looked at him. “What are you doing here?”
Edward’s gaze flicked back to the monitor. “Haven’t seen you this angry în years.”
2/4
Chapter 123
“If you’re here to lecture me
“She’s just a woman, Brandon,” Edward cut in, gesturing toward the screen. “Don’t you think this is excessive?
My fingers tightened imperceptibly around the cigar. “Funny. I seem to recall you using similar methods on my sister’s foster mother three years ago. What was your excuse then?”
A muscle twitched in Edward’s jaw. We both knew exactly what I was referring to the incident that had nearly fractured our
friendship.
“That was different,” he said tightly.
“Was it?” I raised an eyebrow. “Or is it just different when it’s someone you care about?”
Edward’s eyes flashed dangerously. “Brandon, don’t push me. I’m not above knocking some sense into you.”
A heavy silence fell between us. Unlike others, Edward wasn’t afraid of me potential enemy.
“She’s gone, Brandon,” he finally said, his voice dropping. “Let it go.”
We both knew he wasn’t talking about Anna Watson anymore.
Edward continued, “Joe Watson is here looking for her now.”
–
I which made him both a valuable ally and a dangerous
I considered this for a moment, then said to James. “Release Anna. Return her to her brother.”
James looked surprised. “Sir? After what she did?”
“Tell him,” I said, standing and straightening my jacket, “that if he can’t control his sister, I’ll be happy to continue teaching her manners for him.” I paused, making sure James understood the weight of my next words. “And terminate all contracts with Watson Group. Effective immediately.”
“Yes, sir.”
As James left to carry out my instructions, Edward gave me a long, assessing look. “Playing the long game, I see.”
“Always.”
Landon shifted uncomfortably under Edward’s sudden scrutiny. “Landon, whose employee are you, exactly?”
Landon paled. “Yours, of course, Mr. Lee.”
“Then why do I always find you here, following Brandon’s orders?”
“Be careful,” Edward warned me. “Your grandfather doesn’t know about your marriage yet, does he? You really want him finding ou because you’re making such a big deal out of this?”
“Someone has to pay, blood for blood.” I stared coldly at him. “She’s lucky enough that I haven’t killed her.”
3/4
The Billionaire’s Sudden Bride
