Chapter 81
As soon as Henry stepped into the living room, he immediately noticed two people staring at him.
He was taken aback for a second.
Briana was just as stunned.
Shepard’s face darkened in a flash.
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‘Seriously? There’s actually a guy here looking after her?‘ Shepard thought, completely floored. ‘And it’s Henry, of all people!”
Briana blinked, checked again and again, only to realize Henry was really here.
‘Hold on. I was just talking nonsense earlier,’ she thought, baffled. ‘How did that end up happening for real? Since when did my words become so prophetic? It’s not like I’m some kind of oracle.‘
The atmosphere was weirdly tense.
Henry stood there for a moment, then walked over to Briana.
“I heard you caught a cold, so I came to check on you,” he said. “Didn’t expect to drop by at the worst possible moment.”
What’s Shepard doing at Evergreen Estate?‘ Henry thought, a flicker of annoyance crossing his mind. We’re divorced. Doesn’t he realize he’s just the ex–husband?‘
Briana looked at him. “How did you know I had a cold?”
“I watched your interview live. You were coughing like crazy. Drink plenty of water,” Henry said, stopping right in front of her. “If it gets too bad, just take some meds.”
“Huh?” Briana blinked. She really didn’t expect that.
Wait, only take medicine if I can’t tough it out?‘ Briana thought, confused. ‘Sure, that’s what I was thinking too, but coming from Henry? That’s just weird.‘
Seeing her reaction, Henry looked a bit confused. “Did I say something weird?”
“Wait, didn’t you get me some medicine?” Briana asked. “It was sent straight to Dreamscape Gallery.”
Henry shook his head. “Nope, that wasn’t me. I didn’t do it.”
Briana’s head was already fuzzy from the cold, and now she was even more lost.
‘So if it wasn’t Henry, then who sent it?‘ Briana wondered.
Instinctively, her eyes darted to Shepard.
‘Could it really be him?‘ she thought, doubt creeping in. ‘No way.’
She’d sooner believe the earth would blow up tomorrow than think Shepard would be the first to buy her medicine.
Shepard’s eyes were brooding and shadowed, impossible to read.
‘She finally knows, doesn’t she?‘ he thought, his gaze lingering on her.
But Briana just looked away, muttering to herself, “Probably just a fan or a friend.”
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Chapter 81
Just as she finished speaking, there was a loud crash.
The glass in Shepard’s hand shattered.
Shards of glass sliced into his palm.
Bright red blood quickly welled up and started dripping to the floor.
He didn’t even flinch, his face completely expressionless.
Briana glanced at him again, concern flickering in her eyes. “You?”
‘His injury looks way more serious than my cold,’ she thought, suddenly feeling uneasy.
“Briana,” Shepard said, his voice low, then he just stopped, leaving the rest hanging in the air.
For no reason at all, she felt a sudden rush of anxiety, and her scalp prickled.
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What’s with the sudden rage? Why’s he getting all formal with me out of nowhere?‘ Briana thought, a wave of unease washing over her.
Her mouth moved faster than her brain, and she answered without thinking, “Yeah?”
Shepard’s stare was so intense she could barely stand it, but then he remarked in a perfectly even tone, “Your cups aren’t exactly top quality.”
He loosened his grip, and the cup crashed to the floor, shattering into pieces.
Shepard just casually glanced at the cut on his palm, grabbed some tissues, and wrapped them around his hand.
Briana just stared at Shepard, not knowing what to say.
Henry looked away, not sparing Shepard’s injury a second thought.
He looked down at Briana’s bare feet and her flimsy clothes.
“It’s getting cold out. You should really wear more and don’t forget your socks, Henry said.
He looked around, then bent down and grabbed a blanket, covering her feet with it.
Briana felt kind of awkward.
For one thing, it just felt a bit too close for comfort.
And then, Shepard was standing right next to her.
His gaze was so intense that it felt like he was trying to burn a hole through her.
Briana nervously swallowed. “Uh, thanks for worrying about me. I’m good, really.”
“Still pretending you’re fine, huh?” Henry sighed, “Have you checked your temperature yet? What is it now?”
“I already checked when I was at the gallery,” Briana replied.
“Let’s check it again now,” Henry said.
Henry pulled out a thermometer and gently placed it on her forehead.
Beep, beep, beep.
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The thermometer beeped, and a red light lit up.
It read 100.4 F.
Briana leaned in to check. “Still 100.4 °F. Why hasn’t it gone down at all?”
“Let’s go to the hospital,” Henry said, his voice soft. “Let me come with you, alright?”
His gentle, thoughtful tone made it hard for anyone to turn him down.
Briana hesitated.
She knew she couldn’t put it off any longer; if her fever kept spiking like this, there was no way she could keep pushing through.
But she really just wanted to go
alone.
She didn’t need anyone to come with her.
After all, she was pregnant, and for now, she was the only one who knew; even Olivia was still in the dark.
Henry raised his voice a bit. “Huh?”
Briana was trying to figure out how to say no.
But in Shepard’s eyes, her hesitation meant something totally different.
‘When I told her to go to the hospital, she shot me down without a second thought, just wouldn’t give in, Shepard thought.
‘She even snapped at me, like she was ready to bite my head off, he added, feeling a sting of hurt.
But now, when Henry told her to go to the hospital, she just faltered, acting all passive and unsure.
‘If Henry pressed her even a little more, she’d probably cave and agree,‘ Shepard thought, the sting of jealousy sharp in his chest.
His hand was still bleeding, but he barely registered the pain.
Inside, though, it felt like something had split wide open.
Before Briana could get a word out, Shepard cut her off. “Enough!”
He closed the distance in a flash, yanked Briana into his arms, and glared daggers at Henry. “You need to leave. You can’t just come and go as you please here.”
Henry raised an eyebrow. “Really, Mr. Carter? What’s that supposed to mean?”
“Do I need to say it again?” Shepard snapped, his voice cold as ice.
“Evergreen Estate isn’t just some place you can waltz into whenever you want,” Henry shot back, his voice cool.
“You’re the ex now, Mr. Carter. Isn’t it kinda sketchy for you to be hanging around your ex–wife’s place this late at night?” he
added.
Shepard let out a cold, mocking laugh, lips curling into a sneer. “Me? Inappropriate? That’s rich.”
‘No one has more right to be here than me!‘ he thought, his pride burning, ‘Henry? Please. He doesn’t even count‘
“That’s right,” Henry said, glancing at Shepard’s hand on Briana’s waist. “Mr. Carter, you’re overstepping.”
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Chapter 81
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He was about to reach for Briana, ready to pull her away from Shepard.
But Shepard wasn’t about to let that happen.
Even with his hand bleeding, Shepard didn’t miss a beat.
Shepard blocked Henry’s hand in a flash, twisting his wrist back. “What? Trying to start something?”
“I just don’t think Briana wants to be in your arms,” Henry said coolly. “And after you were just holding Vivian, now you’re holding her? She’ll only feel uncomfortable.”
“She’s not uncomfortable,” Shepard retorted, his voice cold as ice.
“Why don’t you ask her yourself, Mr. Carter?” Henry shot back.
Shepard gazed down at the woman in his arms.
Briana felt totally overwhelmed; her head was spinning.
Dealing with Shepard was hard enough, and now Henry had to crash the party, too.
With both of these guys here at the same time, all hell was about to break loose!
Normally, Briana could keep the peace between these two, but tonight she was sick and drained; she just wasn’t up for any of their nonsense.
“I’m not going anywhere,” Briana said, pushing Shepard away and curling up in the corner of the couch, hugging her knees. “Leave. Both of you. Just let me be.”
Shepard shot back coldly, “Why should I be the one to leave?”
Henry retorted, “And what right do you have to be here?”
“Was I talking to you?” Shepard shot back, his voice cold.
“Mr. Carter, crawling back to your ex is not exactly something to brag about,” Henry said, his voice dripping with sarcasm.
AD
