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“Since I learned how treacherous you are,” I keep my distance, steeling myself. “I want you out of my house, Brandon. This very instant. Or else...”
“What?” He bursts out laughing. “Will you call the police? Or better yet, let me guess, your new boyfriend?”
One of his eyebrows rises, and he looks at me with a poorly disguised grimace of hatred in his gaze.Hence his unexpected visit.
“What are you talking about?” I start to say, distressed, but he ignores me.
Instead, he picks up one of the containers of food I have stored in the refrigerator. “You made lasagna? You know I love your lasagna, honey.”
Brandon winks at me and takes the container to the microwave. He heats it for a few moments and then picks up a fork, picking at the food.
“Delicious, as always. You know I don't like you eating carbs though. It's not good for your figure.”
“Brandon, enough!” I exclaim nervously, feeling myself start to tremble as I look at him with indignation. “Tell me what you came here for now and get the hell out of my house.”
“Alright, I'll get straight to the point.”
Brandon swallows a piece of lasagna and leaves the container on the counter. He pulls his phone out of his pocket and places it before me.
I'm obviously expecting what I'm faced with. The picture of Ethan kissing me in front of the Club Allure.
Holding my breath, I try to remain calm. “So what? As far as I remember, no law forbids me from having a boyfriend,” I state.
“Don't get smart with me,” Brandon says, using a threatening tone of voice, much more natural to him than the feigned one of complacency. “You don't want to play this game, Krissy. Making me look bad is not something you want to do.”
Pretending to feel more confident than I actually do, I fake laugh. “This isn't about you, Brandon. This is about me and my life.”
But challenging him has never been a good idea. He grabs my wrist tightly and pulls me against his body in an impulsive and utterly terrifying move.
“You forget what happens when I get upset, honey. And I don't think you want a reminder.”
Inside, I feel myself trembling, but I avoid showing him how terrified I am.
Brandon knows too well the fear in my head. A smile creeps over his lips. “Besides, may I remind you that we still have something in common? A small miracle that I won't hesitate to take from you.”
“No! Don't bring Asher into this!” I exclaim, pulling away from him and turning away.
But Brandon follows me. His hand closes around my wrist again, and the other presses against my neck. He pushes me against the closed refrigerator doors and stares into my eyes.
“It was you who ruined things between us, Krissy. You who destroyed everything. Don't forget that.”
He yanks me, and I force myself not to look away. A silent tear runs down my cheek. “I won't let you keep my son.”
“You can't do anything about it,” Brandon says, giving me a vindictive smile. “I will use every resource I have to keep him, and you know I have plenty of resources.” He chuckles. “And you can decide if you see reason and become part of this familyagain. Or if you'd rather stay with your new little boyfriend… I'm sure I'd get a lot of press as a dedicated single father.”
“Never.” More tears stream down my cheeks. Finally, Brandon releases me.
My heart pounds against my chest, a drumbeat of dread that echoes the terror seizing my veins. I stand rooted to the spot, Brandon's venomous presence constricting around me like a noose. I curse myself silently for ever letting him slip into my life, for once believing his charming facade.
I thought I knew him, once upon a time. Thought the man I'd married would be my partner, my protector. How foolish I was to trust the glossy surface without questioning what lay beneath. Now here I am, in my own home—a place that should be my sanctuary—facing the monster I invited into my bed… and mylife.
His grip loosens, but the threat lingers in the air, heavy and stifling. The scent of his cologne mixes with the warm aroma of lasagna, a sickening blend that makes my stomach churn. The hum of the refrigerator is a distant noise compared to the roaring in my ears.
My mind races, searching desperately for a way out of this never-ending nightmare. How can I make it end? What can I do to protect Asher from this... this monster who dares call himself a father?
Brandon's eyes bore into mine, sharp and calculating. “You really thought you could escape me?” he taunts, his voice a smooth poison that slithers into my ear.
I swallow hard, fighting back the bile rising in my throat. “We're over, Brandon. Divorced,” I reply with more bravado than I feel.
