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The Billionaire’s Sudden Bride
Chapter 186
Brandon’s POV
I allowed my lips to curve into a slight smile, twirling a playing card between my fingers as I finally fixed my gaze directly on Anna.
“Miss Watson,” I said, my voice cutting through the silence, have you thought this through? My favors don’t come easy. While I did say Id repay your help, are you certain you want to waste this opportunity on someone who isn’t even family?”
Anna drew in a sharp breath but maintained her composure. “Mr. Stark, Sophie might be nothing to you, but she’s my friend. I understand that Sophie and I deserve punishment for what we did to Summer with Victoria. But haven’t we both suffered enough?” Her voice trembled slightly. “Summer is fine now, isn’t she?”
“That doesn’t erase what you intended. If luck hadn’t been on her side, what happened to you and your friend yesterday would have
been Summer’s fate. Don’t you agree?” I replied, my voice cooling.
Anna fell silent, her expression confirming she knew I was right. Her hands trembled, but her determination remained steadfast.
“Mr. Stark, please,” she finally continued, desperation bleeding into her voice. “Sophie told me herself that she hates Victoria now. She sees everything clearly.”
That caught my interest. “She told you this herself?”
Anna nodded quickly. “Yes. She understands that we were just pawns in Victoria’s vendetta against Summer. After what happened Sophie hates Victoria just as much as I do.” Her voice grew more urgent. “Mr. Stark, please–if you help Sophie this once, we’ll help Summer if Victoria ever comes after her again. Whatever you want us to do, we’ll do it.”
I raised my hand, cutting off her desperate plea. “You can go now.”
“Mr. Stark!” Anna protested, clearly not satisfied with my response.
I glanced at Joe Watson, who immediately understood. He stood, taking his sister’s arm. “Mr. Stark has agreed. Let’s go, Anna.”
As they reached the door, Anna stopped and turned back to me. “Mr. Stark, can I ask you one question?”
I raised an eyebrow. “Go ahead.”
“What happened to Sophie… was it your doing?”
The fear was evident in her voice as she asked this. She had no way to gauge my character or where my boundaries Lay.
I set down my cards, my fingers tapping rhythmically against the polished table. “What do you think?”
Anna shook her head. “I don’t know.”
She and Joe waited, the tension in the room thick enough to cut with a knife. After what seemed like an eternity, I finally answered, my voice carrying a cold, unmistakable threat: “If it had been me, she would be in much worse condition.”
Anna’s face drained of color. She stumbled backward, and Joe quickly steadied her before she could fall. Without another word, they left, clearly shaken by the encounter.
The moment the door closed, Sean leaned back in his chair, a smirk playing on his lips.
Brandon, you’ve really perfected the art of terrifying people,” he remarked.
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Chapter 186
I looked up, giving him a sidefong glance. Would you like a personal demonstration?”
Sean’s expression immediately shifted, his eyebrows shooting up. I pass, thanks. I don’t need that kind of special treatment.‘ He shuffled the cards absently. “But this whole situation is fascinating. Who would have thought someone would beat you to the
punch?
I narrowed my eyes slightly. “His move wasn’t unexpected.”
Sean shook his head in mock amazement. Charles Windsor certainly is more decisive than his brother, isn’t he?
I gave Sean a flat look. “He’s impatient,
Sean couldn’t help but smirk at my assessment. Charles Windsor–the man everyone underestimated because of his playboy image. Behind that careless facade was’a calculating mind almost as ruthless as mine. His action against Sophie served multiple purposes: a warning to both the Windsor and Taylor families, while reinforcing his carefully crafted public persona.
“Anyway,” Sean said, glancing at his watch, “it’s getting late.”
“Indeed,” I agreed, standing and reaching for my coat. “I should head back. You’re coming with me to pick up Max.
Sean’s expression immediately turned to one of alarm. “No way! I can’t right now!”
I stepped in front of him before he could make his escape. “Take. Him. With. You.” Max’s presence at the Hamptons estate had become a significant intrusion on my private time with June.
“You can’t be serious,” Sean protested. “Don’t pretend I don’t know what this is about. You’re just annoyed that Max is interfering
with your marital bliss! He’s just a dog—and technically, he’s your dog!”
“If you already know he’s interfering with my wife and me, why won’t you take him?” I countered, my patience wearing thin.
“Fine,” he muttered, dabbing at his split lip. “I’ll take the damn dog.
James, who had entered during our conversation, cleared his throat discreetly. Sean glanced at him, rubbing his bruised jaw.
“Dr. Sullivan,” James said, his voice professionally neutral despite the hint of amusement in his eyes, “you may not be aware, but Mr. Stark has already arranged for an internationally renowned plastic surgeon to consult with Miss Watson.”
Sean’s eyes widened in realization. “That Watson girl’s face was pretty… jarring,” he admitted. For a woman like Anna, whose beauty had been her currency, those scars were more than just physical wounds.
“A small gesture,” I said dismissively. “Nothing worth mentioning.”
By the time we reached the Hamptons estate, it was already late. June was waiting in the living room, curled up on the sofa with a book, her reading glasses perched on the bridge of her nose.
“There you are,” she said, looking up with a smile that instantly made the day’s tension melt away.
Then she noticed Sean behind me and raised an eyebrow. “Dr. Sean? What are you doing here?”
“Taking Max back,” I answered before Sean could open his mouth.
Máx, sensing something was happening, trotted over from his cushion near the fireplace. His ears perked up when he saw Sean, but instead of going to him, the dog pressed against June’s legs, looking up at her with those manipulatively adoring eyes.
“Wait, what?” June set her book aside, her hand automatically dropping to scratch behind Max’s ears. “You’re taking him tonight?”
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Chapter 186
“That’s the plan,‘ Sean confirified, not looking particularly the
When Sean finally managed to clip the feath onto Max’s collar and led him toward the bone, the boy sappy wine toute scrabbling against the hardwood floor in resistance.
‘Come on, buddy,” Sean coaxed, tugging gently. ‘It’s time to go hom
Max looked back at June, his soulful eyes filled with what could only be described as heartbreak. Het wel, tool box that made June visibly wince.
“Wait!” she called out, her voice cracking slightly as Max began pawing desperately at the Born once Sexe had managed to prom outside.
June turned to me, her eyes wide and pleading, ‘We can’t just send in away like this. I mean, look at
Through the glass panel beside the door, we could see Max staring back at us, his face the picture of canine minary.
“I told you, he’s manipulating you,” I said, but even I had to admit the display was effective.
“Brandon,” June said softly, her hand finding mine. “Can we keep him? Please?
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