Chapter 252
Chapter 252:
Brinley stayed rooted to the spot for what felt like ages, until numbness crept into her legs.
Her eyes remained fixed on Austin as he set the document aside and reached for the glass of water. That small effort seemed to trigger the pain. His hand froze halfway, and beads of cold sweat glistened on his forehead.
She could no longer stay silent.
Turning to Miguel, she lifted a hand slightly to quiet him. Her voice was low. “You can go ahead. I’ll take care of Austin p>
Miguel hesitated, looking uneasy. “Mrs. Moore, but he p>
“Don’t worry. I just want to talk with him,” Brinley said softly, her tone firm.
For a moment, Miguel only stared. Then he gave a reluctant nod and quietly left.
The hallway fell into complete silence, and Brinley could hear the rhythm of her own heartbeat.
𝖡e 𝗽𝖺rt 𝘰𝗳 𝗈u𝘳 𝘤𝗈mm𝗎ո𝘪𝘁𝘆 o𝗻 ѕ.𝖼𝘰𝗺
Drawing in a steadying breath, she reached out and pushed the door open.
The faint click of the latch made Austin jolt.
His head snapped up, and a flicker of shock crossed his pale face when he saw Brinley standing in the doorway.
On instinct, he tried to push the document out of sight, but the movement triggered a sudden twist of pain in his abdomen, leaving him frozen in place.
“What are you doing here?” he asked, his voice rough and strained.
Brinley didn’t reply right away. She walked slowly to his bedside, her eyes dropping to the hand pressed to his abdomen before shifting to the IV drip feeding into his arm.
Without a word, she eased the document from his grasp and set it on the table beside him.
“Austin.” She met his eyes, her voice soft. “Does it hurt p>
Austin swallowed, his Adam’s apple bobbing as he tried to look composed. “No. It’s the same problem as always. I’ll recover after a few days’ rest p>
“Stop pretending.” Brinley’s voice trembled as her throat tightened. “I already know you have another gastric bleed p>
Austin looked into her tear-brimmed eyes, and the guard he’d built collapsed at once.
He parted his lips, but the words wouldn’t come. All that left him was a heavy sigh. He reached out and took her hand. “I’m sorry. I didn’t say anything because I didn’t want to make you worry p>
“I’m your wife.” Brinley’s voice cracked, layered with hurt, frustration, and guilt as she looked up at him. “How could I not worry p>
“Please, just hear me out,” Austin blurted, slightly flustered. “I saw how much you’ve had on your plate with VantagePath Realty and the Shaw Group. You’ve been worn out already, so I didn’t want to add to your burdens p>