Chapter 25 - Drinking & Driving
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"What?" I yelled.
Darren shrugged, "I owe Lina some... cash."
"For what?" I demanded.
"The fact that you would run right back into his arms the minute he came back to you," Darren said.
"You and Lina?" I said my mouth dry, my heart hurting at my best friend's betrayal.
"It was pretty fun watching you struggle. Just so you know I'm behind more than you think," Darren said smugly as he walked out of the room, his last comment appeared to be directed at Brandon.
"What the hell is he talking about?" Melanie asked.
"I have no idea," I said, "But I know one thing for certain," I added.
"And what's that?" Melanie asked.
"I wish I never woke up," I said.
"Oh! Don't say that Ashley!" Brandon said with a grimace.
"I opened my eyes only to face a billion problems!"
"Lucky I'm a billionaire that can help solve them," Brandon said.
"You can't be serious!" I said.
"What?" He asked.
"She isn't a fan of Ariana Grande!" Melanie piped in and I gave her a small smile.
"I didn't say anything to do with Alissa Grande!" Brandon protested.
"It's Ariana," Melanie said with a frown, "If I explained to you, you wouldn't understand anyways,"
The only thing at the moment that was genuinely bothering me was what Darren said. 'Just so you know I'm behind more than you think.' His words were replaying constantly in my head, what could he possibly mean?
"Earth to Ashy!" Brandon said snapping his fingers near my ear
"What?" I asked.
"What were you thinking about?" Brandon asked.
"Darren. Lina. The one thousand dollars that he apparently owes her." I said.
"Something fishy is going on here!" Melanie said.
I nodded, "I always did feel suspicious of him, to be honest. He was always out late and he barely came home to visit me on weekends."
"Maybe he has a secret girlfriend?" Melanie laughed.
I glared at her, "Not funny Lanser. If he did I hope he gets swallowed whole!"
"What kind of 'hope' is that?" Brandon laughed.
"A painful one on his part," I said.
"Okay. I'll get my PI to investigate this case," Brandon said.
"Your PI? What's that?" I asked confused.
"Personal Investigator. The best in the world and he is employed by me." Brandon answered arrogantly.
"Oh okay," I said.
"I'm going to go call him," Brandon explained.
Brandon stepped out of the room, leaving Mel and me in the room alone.
I glanced at her and noticed that she had begun wearing the engagement ring on her finger.
"You're finally wearing it?" I asked her.
Melanie nodded, "Yes. I think it is time everyone besides you, Lina, and I knew, we're hosting our engagement party two weeks from now. Everyone will be shocked."
About two weeks ago, Alessio contacted me and asked me to help him get a cute proposal put together for Melanie. He and I spoke about a lot of ideas but we finally settled on one. He proposed to her near a waterfall underneath a beautiful flower arch. That day I convinced her to get her nails and hair done and made sure she dressed in a beautiful dress before I allowed her to go. The moment was caught on video by the videographer Alessio had hired.
Melanie didn't wear her ring in public because she was scared of being harassed by the media. Alessio was a big public figure after all and everyone would be scrutinizing her. I was happy to see that she didn't care about the opinion of others anymore.
"That's cool." I laughed rather painfully, "I always thought I would be married first."
"Same," Melanie said.
"Yeah." I agreed, "Do you know why Brandon came here?"
"I know that Alessio spoke some sense into him and made him come here. Brandon went crazy, he wouldn't get out of his bed or leave his house for the duration of the two months, his father had to literally drag him to the office and you know better than anyone how much of a workaholic he is.
Brandon walked back into the room and stuffed his phone into his blazers' pocket.
"I signed your papers by the way," Brandon said.
"Really? Thank you so much!" I gasped.
"You're welcome. I'm free for the rest of the day. Do you want to accompany me to buy a new suit for Alessio's engagement party!" He said.
"Did you bribe the receptionist?"
"Of course not!" Brandon exclaimed quickly while Melanie laughed.
"Totally. But anyways, I will come with you."Â I said.
I guess he deserved a chance after what Melanie had told me. He had been through enough.
"Yes!" Brandon said.
"Yeah," I said.
"Do you want to tag along, Mel?" Brandon asked her.
"No. You can drop me off and have some time with your newly reunited lover," Melanie said gesturing to me.
"We don't mind you tagging along," I said to her.
Mel raised her eyebrow, "You're already talking with the 'we' and the 'us' ? Woah! That was really quick you two." She laughed.
I rolled my eyes, "Old habits die hard."
"Let's get going ladies! I don't have all day!" Brandon said.
I coughed.
"Are you okay?" He asked turning to me.
"I'm good. I just haven't seen a doctor at all," I said.
"I thought Declan would have called one," Brandon said.
"Maybe he wanted to kill me!" I shrugged not bothering to correct Darren's name.
"I don't think so. I think Lina and Darren are planning something big," Melanie said and I shuddered.
"I hope Brandon's pie can find it out first," I said hopefully.
"Brandon's what?" Melanie asked laughing as Brandon looked at me weirdly.
"His pie! His personal investigator!" I insisted.
Brandon and Melanie both burst out laughing and my cheeks flushed.
"What?" I asked shyly.
"It's his PI. As in pee- eye!" Melanie explained.
Brandon looked at her weirdly, "You make it sound so odd, Mel. My PI is called Paulo, let's call him by his name,"
"Paulo, such a mafia-like name! Like I bet most Paulo's are in the Russian mafia." Melanie commented.
"I'm pretty sure the name 'Paulo' is Italian!" I told her.
"Maybe!" Melanie shrugged.
"No certainly. Paulo Modiques is a full-blooded Italian," Brandon said.
"Great, so I was right!" I said happily.
"Indeed you are. Where's the doctor I sent for him a while ago!" Brandon said with a big sigh.
"Maybe he passed out on the way here!" Melanie laughed.
"No. You sent for a doctor like two minutes ago. I'm sure they have critical patients they need to attend to." I told him.
"I'm critical too!" Brandon said.
"Why is that?" I asked him with a giggle.
"I need to spend time with you! This doctor is keeping me away from you!" Brandon moaned.
"You survived without her for two months, you can survive a few minutes more!" Melanie said.
"What if I die of stress-"
"You won't die of a broken heart Hawthorne!" Melanie laughed.
"You know you actually can die from a broken heart!" I pointed out to her.
"I know smartass!" Melanie said.
"So therefore he can die of stress-" I began.
"Yes. You don't need to use the scientific name for everything just say 'heartbreak' for chocolate's sake!" Melanie grinned.
"Yeah sure," I shrugged just as the door opened gently.
A young female with brown hair and brown eyes, wearing a white doctor's coat with her clipboard pressed against her chest walked in.
"I'm Doctor Lee Anne Greene. I heard you signed the leave forms before a doctor checked your vitals." Dr. Greene said sternly.
"He signed them!" I said and pointed a finger at Brandon.
"Who me?" He asked innocently.
"Yes you," I said.
Dr. Greene smiled as she tapped and prodded my head causing me slight discomfort.
She prescribed a few pills to ease the pain in my head. I had apparently suffered a head injury due to the fact that I had fallen and hit my head on the sharp step before the altar. Thank goodness I hadn't needed any stitches.
The three of us thanked Dr. Greene and we made our way to Brandon's car. I sat in the passenger seat while Mel sat in the back. Brandon bought me my medication from the pharmacy near the hospital.
We dropped Mel off and soon we were together driving in silence. The silence wasn't awkward it was comfortable and relaxing.
"I never stopped thinking about you," He whispered suddenly.
I immediately blushed but tried to cover it up.
"Oh really?" I asked him.
"Yes Ashy. I've missed calling you that. I've been wanting to approach but I was afraid of your reaction." He admitted.
"What made you come back to me?" I asked him gently.
"Alessio." He said, "He said he saw you working at some boutique. He told me that I was an idiot for allowing you to walk out of my life without even a backward glance. He was at your grandmother's funeral, and he told me about your accident. I don't know what gave me the courage."
"I'm glad you came. We have a lot of things to catch up on. Two months' worth of things to catch up on." I told him.
"Well I'm glad we're on our first official date as a reunited couple," He smirked taking a swig from the flask by his console.
"Brandon we aren't a couple and this isn't a date," I told him.
Brandon suddenly slammed his fists against the steering wheel causing me to jump in fright as the horn blasted.
"What is wrong with you?" I yelled at him, "You know I'm afraid of getting into cars!"
"Ashley you're mine! I won't allow you to be in the arms of another man!" He hissed through gritted teeth and took another swig from the flask.
"I'm entitled to my choices! You can't force me to do what you want!" I yelled back.
"Ashley I can't leave you alone! My heart was sore for too long and now that I have you here I'm never going to let you go!" He informed me.
"I don't care! If I don't want to be with you I don't have to be!"
"I can't live without you. I'll show you that!" He hissed.
He began to swerve the car narrowly missing other cars.
"Brandon stop it!" I yelled.
"Not until you admit you love me!" Brandon yelled.
"You're going to kill us both!" I yelled as tears began pouring out of my eyes.
"I'll die with the woman I love." He told me his eyes were red.
"Have you been drinking?" I gasped.
"No." He told me.
"I don't believe you! The Brandon I love would never do this to me. He never would use my weakness against me!" I hissed snatching the flask from his hand.
I opened the lid and took a whiff.
"This is alcohol!" I gasped.
"No shi-" He began.
"Brandon shut up and pull over!" I yelled.
"Fine." He said with a resigned sigh.
"Good."
Brandon pulled out and stopped on the side of the road. His body began shaking as tears began to fall out of his blue eyes.
"Brandon, what's going on?" I asked softly rubbing soothing circles on his back.
"You can't leave me, Ashley. I can't live without you," He slurred before his eyes shut and his body slumped forward, his tears began to dry up on his cheeks as I admired his perfect jawline that could cut the cake. His long sooty lashes, and perfect cheekbones. I admired his full shoulders and his beautiful pink lips. I traced my fingers on his relaxed face. I couldn't even imagine that a guy like this one would fall in love with someone like me.
I wasn't a billionaire or a danish model. I was just a girl, who is an orphan and has no one she can rely on. The only thing I couldn't possibly believe was the fact that he had the audacity to drink and drive, it scared me that in just two years I had managed to make this man a shell of what he used to be. I felt responsible despite the fact that he agreed to help Sophia and Alessio out.
Even though he cheated, I couldn't stop my heart from fluttering every time I heard his voice or saw his beautiful blue eyes that looked as though they can see straight into your soul. His silky black hair was disheveled clearly due to him running his fingers through it continuously, a nervous habit he had when he was nervous.
Then it dawned on me that I should call Alessio to help me take Brandon to his apartment.
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Hey Guys!
⢠VERY IMPORTANT PLEASE READ:
Although Brandon Hawthorne drinks and drives I AM NOT promoting such behavior. Drinking and Driving are AGAINST the law. Drunk driving can cause many disastrous accidents, including ending the life of one/many people. When drinking alcoholic beverages, please follow the safety regulations provided by your country!
Thanks for taking the time to read this :)
The next will be good or bad news depending on you as a reader...
BUT we are officially halfway through this book!
I wanted to ask...
What do you think of this book in General? [Can I improve on something? Extend the scenes? Remove something? Any constructive criticism is welcome! Thanks!]
The word 'Ashy' was pointed out as a spelling error. I purposely write it like that as it is one of her many nicknames. If you're confused as to how to pronounce it, here is how: ash-ee
Don't forget to please comment (I respond to all of them in my spare time) and please vote!
I want to wish each and every one of you a Happy 2020! How did you spend your new Year?
This was a pretty long author note XD
Thanks for reading! See you in the next update coming soon :)