He gently disengaged from her, locking his gaze on hers, his tone growing grave.
“Tell me the truth; why the waterfall of tears? Who dared to torment you?” Her eyes twinkled mischievously as she teased, “Why don’t you try guessing?” Irritated, Brandon pinched Natalie’s cherubic face, retorting somewhat harshly, “How am I expected to play detective?” “Assume someone did torment me, how would you react?”
Natalie tilted her head upward, silently anticipating Brandon’s response.
Wouldn’t that be easier, if someone else were to blame? Unfortunately, destiny was the devious antagonist she found herself unable to counter. Brandon’s gaze hardened, his eyes glinting ominously.
“I can’t stomach the thought of harming my own lady love.
If anyone dares to hurt you, they will rue the day they were born.” The intensity of his vow drew a chuckle from Natalie, her face finally bightening with a genuine smile. Beholding her enchanting smile, a surge of adoration flooded Brandon’s heart, compelling him to lean in and plant a tender ki*s on her lips. Between breathless ki*ses, he murmured in a husky undertone, “Your smile is the most beautiful sight to behold.”
Although the shared ki*s left him gratified, Brandon couldn’t quell the lingering concern for Natalie’s unspoken tears. He guided Natalie to sit upright, his resolute gaze signaling that he wouldn’t rest until he was privy to her secret.
“Will you share the truth with me now? What made you cry?”
To drive his point home, he reiterated sternly, “Speak the truth; don’t try to conceal it from me!”
Natalie cocked her head and offered him a teasing smile.
“Do you really wish to know?”
Impatient, Brandon playfully tapped Natalie’s forehead, his brow furrowed.
“Out with it, don’t leave me hanging.”
Natalie playfully stuck out her tongue.
“Alright, I’ll come clean.”
She straightened her posture and her expression gradually adopted a serious demeanor.
“Brandon, do you recall our promise?”
Natalie locked her gaze on Brandon’s.
Brandon was puzzled.
“What promise?”
Gently clasping Brandon’s larger hand within her own, Natalie’s voice was sober, her words laced with gravity.
“Didn’t we swear to always be forthright and transparent with each other?”
Brandon was momentarily stunned.
Before he could voice a response, Natalie pressed on, her tone layered with a calculated emphasis, “Are you concealing something from me?”
Faced with his wife’s probing questions, even Brandon, the unflappable and level-headed CEO of the Larson Group, couldn’t help feeling a twinge of guilt and unease. Indeed, he had concealed something from Natalie.
That secret was the result of his medical check-up. It wasn’t that he didn’t want to share it with Natalie; he simply didn’t wish to sadden her. A girl as radiant as her deserved to lead a joyful life, unburdened by such matters. Unless he could find a foolproof treatment, he intended to keep this to himself. So, after a momentary panic, Brandon regained his composure, quietly pondering over whether Natalie could have possibly unearthed this secret. Since receiving the examination results, he had carefully guarded this information.
He’d not only erased the medical records but had also repeatedly cautioned Frank to maintain the confidentiality.
Whenever they convened to strategize, he always chose highly private venues. Consequently, the likelihood of Natalie discovering the truth without his knowledge was slim.
It seemed probable that her present inquiry was merely a test. After ensuring he hadn’t left any clues unattended, Brandon adopted a convincingly innocent expression, responding with a hint of perplexity, “Darling, I’m at a loss.Why would I ever hide anything from you?”
He took Natalie’s hands into his, uttering softly, yet persuasively, “You’ve been under immense stress lately, causing you to overthink.I cherish you deeply.Rest assured that I’ll inform and consult with you on any issue.”
Brandon’s tranquil demeanor and his ability to spin a web of lies on the spot made Natalie’s lips twitch in exasperation.
True to his role as the CEO of the Larson Group, managing thousands of individuals, his psychological mettle was impressive.He didn’t so much as blink while fabricating his stories. However, Natalie wasn’t one to be easily manipulated.
Since Brandon had decided to hide this from her, she had her countermove ready. Natalie smiled nonchalantly and said, “Mother visited me today.She learned about our hospital visit for the check-up, which made her quite anxious.She recommended a seasoned specialist for you and urged that you schedule an appointment at the earliest.An early diagnosis could lead to a quicker recovery.”
For a brief moment, Brandon’s handsome features froze.
Although fleeting, Natalie, with her sharp instincts, detected that slight stiffening, eliciting a smug, inward smirk. Adopting a sympathetic expression, she took his hands and said, “Brandon, don’t misinterpret this as me pushing you.Such matters shouldn’t be put off.If it continues this way, everyone will assume you’re…”
Impotent. Natalie refrained from voicing the final word, yet her implication was crystal clear. “What?!”
Brandon was so taken aback that he nearly choked.
His face turned an unhealthy shade of pale. But he would rather endure the world’s misunderstanding about his virility than see Natalie upset.
Hence, he quickly regained his composure, even managing a strained smile. “You… You are right.”
Grasping Natalie’s delicate hands, Brandon replied, with an uncomfortable smile, “Which hospital did your mother suggest? Who’s the doctor? I’ll go there tomorrow.”
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Witnessing Brandon’s willingness to tolerate the humiliation of being misconstrued as infertile, just to spare her distress, left Natalie entirely disarmed.
Her resentment towards Brandon for keeping the truth from her had significantly subsided in the face of his concession.
She understood that Brandon had acted with her best interests at heart.
She recognized how challenging it must have been for Brandon to find a cure for her, given the immense demands on his time as the sole head of the sprawling Larson Group.
Let alone the difficulty of keeping the secret even from Sean, taking all responsibilities upon himself.
Natalie was well aware of these aspects, and this understanding only intensified her sympathy for the man standing before her, who looked somewhat worn out.
Brandon noted Natalie’s silence and his heart rate quickened.
Had Natalie discovered something amiss? Was she probing him now? Brandon’s mind was whirling with conjectures.