Chapter 254
Chapter 254:
Austin’s gaze lingered on Brinley’s lowered lashes and knitted brows.
She had always been like this—gentle on the surface, yet carrying a will of iron underneath.
He knew better than anyone that she disliked leaning on others, not even on him.
“Brinley.” Austin’s voice softened. “You don’t have to bend the company’s plans for my sake. Just stick to your original course. The Moore Group’s resources are at your disposal, and Miguel p>
“Austin.” Brinley lifted her eyes, clear and steady. “I know you mean well, but these are my family’s business issues, and I need to manage them myself p>
She finished peeling the apple, slicing it into neat wedges before offering Austin one. “It’s not that I refuse your help. I just need to secure my place there first p>
Austin bit into the apple. Watching the determined set of her face, he was swept back to the day they first met.
She had been fierce and unyielding then, and after all these years, that fire in her hadn’t dimmed.
Brinley set the plate of fruit on the bedside table, her voice softening. “Besides, I’ve already admitted how I feel about you. I want a life with you. This marriage isn’t a mere formality—you’re already part of my world. With you lying ill, how could I possibly put the merger above you p>
𝖡𝗲 𝘵𝗵𝘦 fir𝗌𝗍 t𝗈 rеad оn
“Alright,” Austin finally conceded, taking Brinley’s hand in his. “I’ll follow your lead.” His lips curved into a tender smile, his eyes alight with warmth. “I’m the luckiest man alive p>
Brinley arched a brow, confused. “How come p>
“I married the woman of my dreams.” Austin leaned a little closer. “She’s a real catch—smart, beautiful, and kind p>
A shaft of sunlight fell across his face, softening his usual hard edges into something almost boyish.
Brinley’s pulse stumbled. Heat crept up her cheeks. “You’re such a sweet talker p>
Austin chuckled under his breath. The sound tugged at his abdomen, drawing a quiet groan of pain, yet the smile never left his lips.
The room fell quiet, broken only by the steady drip of the IV.
Brinley sat at the bedside, shuffling through the documents, but her heart wasn’t in it. Every few moments, her eyes found Austin’s, shadowed with a worry she could no longer hide.
Leaning against the headboard, Austin watched her in silence, as if the mere sight of her dulled the ache in his stomach.
By the time night cloaked the sky, only the glow of the bedside lamp remained.
Its mellow light smoothed away the stern lines of Austin’s sleeping face, leaving him looking gentler.
Brinley rose soundlessly, tugged the blanket up around his shoulders, and after making sure he was fast asleep, slipped quietly into the adjoining room.
She clicked on the desk lamp and pulled her laptop from her bag. The truth was, her work had been thrown into disarray.