Brandon’s POV
1
“What are you suggesting?” I asked, though I’d been pondering the same question.
Sean leaned forward. ‘I’m saying something’s not right with Summer’s relationship to the Taylor family. Don’t you think it’s… off?”
I set down my glass. “Have Edward look into it.”
Sean nodded, then glanced at Max, who had settled at my feet. “Speaking of which, when are you planning to take Max back?”
“When are you planning to take him back?” I countered.
Sean stretched dramatically. “Max was once your dog! Remember? Besides, you know how busy the hospital keeps me. Besides, Max loves it here! Look how attached he’s gotten to Summer!”
I fixed him with a cold stare. “Sean.”
“Plus,” he continued, ignoring my warning tone, “I think he’s good for you. Reminds you of—”
The room temperature seemed to drop several degrees.
“Right,” Sean said quickly, setting down his barely–touched drink and standing. “I should head out. Early surgery tomorrow.”
After Sean left, I remained in the study, staring into the darkness outside. Max whined softly, sensing my mood shift, and nudged my hand with his nose. I absently scratched behind his ears, my mind racing with unanswered questions about June’s past.
I headed upstairs, mind racing. As I opened our bedroom door, June was just stepping out of the shower, wrapped in a fluffy towel with her hair dripping wet.
My eyes lingered on her involuntarily. The towel clung to her curves, accentuating the subtle swell of her breasts and the narrow dip of her waist. Water droplets traced paths down her long, slender neck, disappearing beneath the edge of the white terry cloth. Her skin was flushed from the hot water, giving her a radiant glow. Even with her hair darkened by water and her face free of makeup, she was breathtaking–not in the calculated way, but in an effortless, natural manner that was uniquely June.
“That was quick,” she remarked, grabbing a smaller towel for her hair “Finished your chat with Sean already?”
I didn’t answer immediately, taking in the sight of her–vulnerable yet somehow stronger than anyone I knew. “Come here,” I finally said, my voice low.
She moved toward me without hesitation, a smile playing on her lips I took the towel from her hands and gently began drying her hair, needing the simple contact after the unsettling conversation with Sean.
“Brandon, you’re acting like a butler or something,” June teased, relaxing under my touch. You’re basically managing every aspect of my life now.”
Is that a complaint?‘ I asked, my fingers working through her damp strands.
Not at all,” she replied softly. “No one’s ever taken care of me like this before. You even dry my hair for me.”
I felt my lips quirk slightly. Her apparent contentment seemed too deliberate. ‘Your sweet talk tonight suggests you’ve done something you shouldn’t have.”
June laughed, turning to face me. “Well, I did have dinner with another man today. Does that count as misbehaving?”
78%
Chapter 170
I tapped her forehead lightly with my finger. “Clever.”
“Actually,” she said, her tone growing more serious, “there is something I want to talk to you about.”
My hands stilled, giving her my full attention. “Go ahead.”
June took a deep breath. “My mother… she’s clearly determined to marry me off. I don’t think it’s just about eliminating any threat I might pose to Victoria anymore. She wants to use me as a pawn. If married Michael Sullivan, the Taylor family would gain connections to the Sullivan dynasty–much more valuable than what they had through Alexander and Fortune Corp.
She met my eyes directly. “I’m sure you’ve realized how my parents treat me. First it was Alexander, now Michael Sullivan–the target changes, but their objective remains the same. And if my mother had options, she wouldn’t even want me to marry Michael Sullivan, because in her heart, I’ll never be as important as Victoria
My expression remained impassive, but I couldn’t stop myself from reaching up to cup her cheek. “I know.”
Those two simple words seemed to carry weight for her–a validation she’d been seeking for longer than I’d known her.
“You still have me,” I said softly, squeezing her shoulder reassuringly
June’s face broke into a genuine smile as she placed her hand over mine. “I know,” she replied. Without me, I wondered what kind of situation she would be in now, trapped in the Taylor family’s machinations.
When we first arranged our marriage, I knew she had primarily seen it as an escape from her family’s control. She hadn’t expected to develop any real feelings. I was… an unexpected variable in her equation. Yet she didn’t seem to resist this unexpected development.
“Don’t worry,” she continued, her expression growing more serious. I’m not the same Summer I used to be. I see things much more clearly now.” She bit her lip. “My concern is that my mother will keep pushing me toward Michael Sullivan. You can’t keep having Sean stand in forever. And what if Michael’s parents find out about this charade?”
“Don’t worry about it,” I said, taking her hand and shifting to sit down, pulling her gently into my lap as I continued drying her hair. “Michael will handle it. This isn’t something you need to concern yourself with.”
“Speaking of which,” June added, “Sean was pretty harsh with my mother today. Do you think she might go complain to Michael’s mother?”
I paused, considering this angle I hadn’t anticipated. After a moment I shook my head. “It doesn’t matter. Sean and Michael will handle it.”
“Oh, okay,” June nodded, visibly relieved. “That’s good then.”
As I held her close, the questions about her family still lingered. The strange disconnect between how her grandparents treated her versus her parents wasn’t just odd–it felt deliberate. Something wasn’t right with the Taylor family, and I was determined to uncover exactly what they were hiding.
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