Brandon’s plan had been a simple one: whisk Lyse away to his apartnt, a controlled environnt where he could carefully curate her reintroduction to their "relationship." He had imagined cozy evenings, whispered promises, and a slow, deliberate reconstruction of the past, one where his betrayal never happened.
He was determined to keep her by his side and he feared that in his absence, soone could ruin everything by filling in the blanks. Most importantly, he needed to keep her as far away from Levi as possible.
But Lyse, despite her mory loss, possessed an unexpected stubbornness. When he suggested they go to his place, a flicker of unease crossed her face. She insisted on going ho, to her own apartnt. He tried to dissuade her, suggesting that it might be too overwhelming for her to be alone so soon after being in the hospital, but she was adamant. Reluctantly, he agreed, knowing that pushing her too hard might arouse suspicion.
Fortunately for him, Jas was out of town so he would not have to deal with the worry that he would tell her everything. He would have to think of a way to keep her away from Jas.
"Who was the man at the hospital?" She asked when he ca back from filling her hospital forms.
"What man?" Brandon asked absent mindedly.
"He said his na was Levi." She answered and Brandon stiffened while sweat broke out on his forehead and his heart pounded.
"I will tell you all about him later, let us get you ho first." He said with forced brightness. Thankfully, Lyse did not harp on the issue and they were soon out of her hospital room.
The drive to her apartnt was tense. Lyse remained quiet, her gaze fixed on the passing scenery, a look of confusion etched on her face. Brandon tried to make small talk, pointing out familiar landmarks, but she responded with only vague nods and murmurs.
Once they arrived at her apartnt building and he drove in, he noticed a familiar car that sent a jolt of anxiety through him. Brooke was following him. He helped Lyse out of the car, his hand hovering protectively at her elbow as they walked through the lobby.
He ushered Lyse quickly into the elevator, pressing the button for her floor. He could not see but he could feel Brooke’s eyes on him, a silent accusation that made his skin crawl.
Inside Lyse’s apartnt, the atmosphere was heavy with the remnants of a life she didn’t fully rember. Her room thankfully had been left almost intact, Jas had not moved her things out and as Brandon tried to make the space feel more welcoming, opening windows to let in so fresh air, he said a prayer of gratitude to Jas for not clearing out her room.
"I need to pick up your prescription," he said, breaking the silence. "I will be right back."
Lyse nodded, her eyes still filled with a distant confusion. He hesitated for a mont, wanting to stay with her, but he knew he could not avoid Brooke forever. He had to deal with her before she could interfere with his plans.
He left the apartnt, closing the door gently behind him. As he stepped into the hallway, Brooke erged from the shadows, her face set in a determined expression.
"Brandon," she said, her voice low and accusatory. "What a surprise to see you here."
He sighed, his carefully constructed facade crumbling. "Brooke," he replied, his voice laced with annoyance. "What do you want?"
"I know about Lyse’s amnesia, and I’m going to tell her," Brooke said, her eyes eting his. "I’m going to tell Lyse everything we have done."
A cold dread washed over Brandon. This was exactly what he had feared. He could not let Brooke ruin everything.
"You wouldn’t," he said, his voice laced with warning.
"Oh, yes I will," Brooke retorted, her voice firm. "You think I am just going to let you use and discard ? Moreover, Lyse deserves to know that you are taking advantage of her amnesia."
Brandon was fuming as he stared at Brooke, ’she has suddenly grown a conscience, talking about Lyse deserves to know.’
He took a step closer to her, his eyes narrowing. "You don’t understand," he said, his voice low and threatening. "This is between Lyse and . It’s none of your business."
"It is my business," Brooke countered, her voice rising. "You made a promise and you are not just going to back out of it, I’ll be damned if I let you."
Brandon’s anger boiled over. He grabbed Brooke’s arm, his grip tightening. "You need to shut your mouth," he hissed, his voice low and nacing. "You need to stay out of this. If you tell Lyse anything, you will regret it."
Brooke tried to pull her arm away, but Brandon’s grip was too strong. "You can’t threaten , Brandon," she said, her voice trembling but defiant.
"I’m not threatening you," Brandon said, his voice cold and hard. "I am making you a promise. If you tell Lyse anything, I will make sure you pay. You understand?"
He released her arm, his eyes boring into hers. "Don’t underestimate , because I will do anything to keep Lyse."
Brooke rubbed her arm, her eyes filled with fear and anger. She could see in Brandon’s eyes that he was capable of anything. He had beco desperate for Lyse, and that hurt her feelings because she could see that he was willing to do anything for her.
"I won’t let you get away with this," she whispered, her voice laced with defiance.
Brandon smirked, a cold, humorless smile spreading across his face. "We will see about that," he said.
He turned and walked away, leaving Brooke standing in the hallway, her heart pounding in her chest.
She knew she was in a dangerous situation, but she was determined to not let Lyse have Brandon. She wouldn’t let Brandon’s threats intimidate her. She would find a way to tell Lyse the truth, no matter the cost. She watched Brandon disappear around the corner, a sense of dread settling over her. She knew this was far from over. This was a war, and she was determined to win it.
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