Chapter 26

Austin's voice carried a deep, steely edge that softened only when he spoke of her. "There were countless faces at that banquet, but only you-little braids flying, furious and fearless-stood in front of me and drove my bullying siblings away."

His gaze dropped to Brinley, watching her sway in a drunken haze, emotions flickering in his eyes like a storm barely contained. His words fell so low they were almost swallowed by the silence. "From that moment, I told myself I'd wait for you to grow up...wait until I could make you my wife. I've waited all these years."

Leaning closer, he let his fingertips ghost across her cheek, as if afraid she might vanish if he pressed too hard. His voice turned achingly tender. "And now...you're finally mine."

Brinley blinked through the blur of alcohol, struggling to follow, her lashes heavy with sleep. In theend she only managed a slurred, faint "Mm-hmm," before her body gave out, collapsing helplessly into his arms.

Austin caught her before she toppled, a weary sigh slipping from his lips as he gathered her into his arms. For once, Brinley didn't resist. She instinctively curled against his chest, her cheek pressed to the steady rise and fall of his breathing, her own breaths slowly evening out.

He carried her into the bedroom, lowering her carefully onto the bed. After tucking the blanket around her, he leaned close, brushing a stray lock of hair from her brow.

"Have a nice dream, Brinley," he murmured, his fingertip lingering briefly against her skin as though to reassure himself she was really there.

Austin remained by her side for a quiet moment,watching until her features softened into sleep, then finally turned and stepped away.

Back in his own room, rest eluded him.

A sharp, familiar ache twisted in his stomach,cold sweat breaking across his back.

His brow furrowed as he fumbled through the drawer,shaking out a few pills and swallowing them dry.Yet the pain refused to ease.

Propped against the headboard, he shut his eyes,letting the waves of agony roll through him, enduring it alone in silence. When morning arrived, the shrill chime of her phone dragged Brinley from her dreams.

Half-dazed, she fumbled to answer, only to hear Migual's anxious voice spill through the line. "Mrs.Moore! Do you happen to know where Mr. Moore went? I've been trying to contact him, but nothing's going through, and both offices report he hasn't shown up. He told me he had something crucial scheduled today..

Brinley furrowed at those words. The fog in her mind lifted abruptly, jolting her into clarity.

She barely remembered how she ended up in her bed -only that she had wanted to drink and had run into Austin in the living room afterward.

"I... I'll check right now." she blurted,cutting the call short.

Throwing on a coat, she hurried to Austin's room and rapped on the door, her voice rising, "Austin? Are you in there?"

Silence pressed back at her.

Her heart thudded fastor as she knocked harder "Austinl Answer mel"

Panic spiked in her voins when nothing came back A sick weight was pressing against her ribs. She grabbed the doorknob and twisted, but it refused to turn-the door was locked.

An ominous chill slid down her spine.

Austin was never careless. He lived by strict routine,punctual to the minute, never one to vanish without reason.

Something was wrong.

Without wasting another second, Brinley hurriedto the butler and demanded the code.

Though hesitation clawed at her, she forced her fingers to punch in the numbers.

The lock clicked open with a subdued snap.

She stepped inside for the very first time.

Instead of opulent grandeur, the room revealed severe simplicity-an expanse of black, white, and muted gray that mirrored the man's distant composure.

The vast space held no warmth, almost nothing beyond the essentials.

And then, the figure lying motionless on the bed shattered that frozen solitude. Austin lay stretched across the mattress, his complexion ghostly pale, lips edged with a sickly gray.

Even his usually immaculate hair had fallen into disarray, stray strands plastered to his damp forehead.

His eyes stayed shut, and the faint rise and fall of his chest was so slight it seemed it might stop at any moment.

The spacious bed swallowed his frame,making him look thinner, diminished, almost fragile.

A sharp ache pierced Brinley's chest, spreading like cold needles through her veins.

She had known him at his most commanding, seen his easy arrogance and teasing smirks, but never once imagined this unshakable man could collapse into such weakness.

"Austin?" Her voice trembled as she crept closer.

She reached out, her fingertips brushing his skin-heat seared into her palm,stealing her breath in alarm.

On the nightstand, several medicine bottles lay scattered, one for stomach pills nearly drained.

The cap had rolled onto the carpet, and a trail of white tablets spilled across the floor. Brinley's brows drew tight, her mind replaying every kitchen disaster-the steak blackened to ash, the cream soup so salty it puckered the tongue,the cookies burned beyond saving.

She couldn't stomach a bite of them, yet Austin had eaten each one without flinching.

Now, as she stared at his pale, feverish face, the truth dawned on her: he had been forcing himself to endure her culinary failures all along.

"What a fool," she sighed, shaking her head lightly.

The butler trailed in after her, startled at the sight before him. He fumbled for his phone, dialing Miguel and summoning a private doctor without delay.

Brinley, refusing to just stand there, darted out and returned with the medical kit. She ripped open a fever patch and pressed it clumsily onto Austin's burning forehead, then soaked a towel and began wiping his neck and palms in nervous haste.

The instant the cool cloth met his overheated skin, his lashes quivered hard, a low groan slipping past his lips.

"Austin? Please, wake up!" Brinley leaned closer, her chest tightening as she caught the bittertang of alcohol on his breath. Guilt surged through her. He had drunk heavily with her hours ago, and she had been so caught up in her own drinking that she hadn't noticed his condition worsening.

His eyelids finally lifted, pupils hazy and unfocused,struggling to settle on her face.

After a long moment, he rasped, his voice hoarse and broken,"Why are you here? You should go..."