Chapter 524
Kendrick’s mouth tightened. “And your point is?”
Marcus leaned forward. “If Rylie has feelings for Brad but hides them because we don’t approve, won’t that cause trouble? She’ll just bottle it all up inside.” Among the three brothers, Marcus was the only one trying to see things from Rylie’s side, trying to understand her true thoughts. In his mind, she might already be carrying some emotional scars.
Kendrick’s face finally shifted. “Are you saying Rylie likes him too? That’s nonsense. She clearly said it was all an act.”
Marcus replied, “Maybe she doesn’t even realize it herself. She might not understand what it truly means to like someone. But what she’s done for Brad goes far beyond her usual limits with others. She’s invested time and effort into him, saving him again and again. Do you really think it’s just for his money? She’s your granddaughter, the richest woman in this nation. She has more than she could ever spend.”
His words hit Kendrick like a sudden jolt, sending ripples through his chest. The anger faded from his face, replaced by a deep, unsettled worry as he stared at Marcus.
“Are you saying…” Kendrick’s voice dropped, slightly trembling. “Rylie likes Brad? But she doesn’t even know it herself… And I’ve been trying to keep them apart. Did I make a mistake? But Brad — he’s a troublemaker. He can’t protect her.”
“I don’t think Brad is the one protecting Rylie. From everything I’ve seen, it’s the other way around,” Marcus said quietly.
He paused, then added, “Deandre was nearly killed dealing with the mafia. He told me he suspects Rylie saved him. He’s hot-tempered but sharp, so if he says it, there’s probably truth to it. He even thinks Rylie has an identity we don’t know. She might not be as fragile as you think.” Kendrick fell into silence.
“In the end, matters of the heart aren’t solved with a few sharp words. What you said earlier was harsh — it cut straight into Brad’s heart. You know his family’s past. You shouldn’t have said he brings calamity,” Marcus said gently.
Kendrick stayed quiet.
Few knew that Brad’s childhood had been far from happy, but Marcus knew. That was why Sean had always been so protective of his grandson.
With that, Marcus shut the car door and told the driver to take Kendrick back home.
When he returned with the bodyguards to the hospital corridor, Brad was still standing there, motionless, as if Kendrick’s words had nailed him to the spot.
In the bright corridor lights, his tall frame cast a heavy shadow. Feeling Marcus’ gaze, Brad glanced up briefly before turning and walking toward the closed hospital room door.
Marcus sighed inwardly and told the guards, “Clear Rylie’s ward in half an hour.”
Inside the room, it was quiet — only the soft beeping of machines and the slow drip of the IV. The dim bedside lamp illuminated Rylie’s sleeping face. Without her usual spark, she looked fragile. Her skin was pale, and her long lashes cast faint shadows beneath her eyes.
Brad walked to her side and sat down, his gaze lingering over her brows, her nose, her pale lips — as if trying to memorize every line of her face. His hand lifted slowly, fingertips trembling as he brushed a few strands of hair from her forehead, as though she were the most delicate porcelain.
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