Chapter 88
Chapter 88:
The afternoon meeting dragged on from two until six, only to be followed immediately by a video conference with the design institute.
By the time Brinley finally had a moment to breathe, night had already settled beyond the windows.
She rubbed her aching temples as she stepped out of the meeting room and found Miguel waiting by the company entrance.
“Mr. Moore told me that if you weren’t done by eight, I should get you home no matter what,” Miguel said awkwardly.
Brinley checked the time. It was nearly nine.
𝘑𝗈𝗶ո 𝗼ur 𝖼о𝘮𝗆uո𝗶𝘁𝘆 оn
That was when she remembered the message Austin had sent that morning: “Come home early tonight. I have something to tell you p>
She had replied casually, “Okay,” and then completely forgotten about it.
“Alright, let’s go,” Brinley said, opening the car door.
The moment she sat down, her eyelids grew unbearably heavy.
She leaned back and closed her eyes. Her mind, however, wouldn’t stop circling back to the design drafts.
She must have dozed off, because Miguel’s gentle voice roused her. “Mrs. Moore, we’re here p>
Brinley opened her eyes and saw the villa’s living room lit up, a soft golden glow spilling through the floor-to-ceiling windows.
When she stepped inside, she found Austin sitting on the sofa with a newspaper open in front of him.
“You’re back,” he said quietly, glancing up at her. There was a hint of tiredness in his eyes, but not a trace of irritation at her late return.
Brinley walked over and asked softly, “Were you waiting long p>
“Not really.” Austin set the newspaper aside and motioned to the seat next to him. “Come sit p>
The faint scent of tobacco mixed with the familiar cedar on him instantly eased the tension that had clung to her all day.
“How was the soup today? Did you like it?” he murmured.
“It was good.” Brinley looked into Austin’s eyes, unease slowly creeping into her chest. “Thank you p>
“Then why did you only drink the soup and leave the eggs untouched?” he asked, his displeasure unmistakable.
Brinley blinked in surprise. He even knew about that?
Lowering her head, she whispered, “I had the soup and then rushed to my meeting. After that, I got busy p>
Austin gently tipped her chin up, making her look at him. The concern in his eyes was unmistakable. “Brinley, the project matters, but your health matters more. If you break down, who’s going to see it through p>
“I’m fine p>
“No, you’re not,” he said firmly, cutting her off. “Look at yourself. Dark circles under your eyes. Hands freezing cold. Keep this up and you’ll end up in the hospital before the project is done p>