Redmption 230


    I had put Xander in a difficult position.


    mysterious big boss behind him might be


    ped to uncover who the


    I internally dismissed the idea that the person could be Brandon because he was too poor and


    didn’t seem to fit the profile of someone wealthy However, various feelings made me think that the


    big boss behind Xander


    sembled Brandon.


    in the afternoon, I opened Instagram after a meeting. I looked at my newly added friend Eden on


    instagram. The chat interface showed nothing but the notification that we were now following each


    other, with no messages exchanged.


    At this time, he must have seen my friend request eptance but chose to ignore it. Clearly, this


    was his way of showing displeasure over my refusal to ept his friend requestst night.


    This man was someone to be cautious about. From this small gesture, it was evident that he held


    grudges and was likely to retaliate. I now


    understood why both Brandon and Chris had warned me to stay away


    from him.


    But I had already engaged with Eden, and pretending not to know him was not an option. Even if he


    was keeping his distance now, since he had shown interest, he would likely make another move. All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org.


    For now, the best strategy was to do nothing but wait


    At 5:00 pm, I left work and headed home. At this hour, the neighbors had not yet started cooking


    dinner and were outside with their kids or chatting.


    “Maddie, you’re back? Lara, who lived downstairs, had be familiar with me and greeted me


    warmly.


    “Yes, Mrs. Bishop. You haven’t started cooking yet?” I asked in return.


    This way of greeting might seem like small talk, but it could really make people feel much closer to


    each other


    2/3


    “I just got back from grocery shopping, and haven’t started cooking yet. Unlike you, who’s fortunate


    enough to have a boyfriend who can cook.” Lara pouted and pointed upstairs.


    So, Brandon was already back. I went upstairs and knocked on Brandon’s door. His pleasant voice


    came from inside. “The door isn’t locked.”


    I pushed the door open gently, and the aroma of food immediately filled my senses. It instantly


    stimted my appetite since I had only eaten a little for lunch and had been hungry all day.


    The kitchen extractor fan was humming as I walked over and stood at the door. “You’re making it


    smell so good that Mrs. Bishop downstairs is probably getting envious.”


    Brandon nced back at me and said, “Go wash your hands. The freshly squeezed watermelon


    juice is in the fridge.”


    At that moment, I was almost convinced that Brandon had installed a


    surveince device in my mind. He seemed to know exactly what I was


    thinking.


    I had been craving watermelon juice since I saw it being sold on my way home. Then, I came home


    to find that he had already prepared it for me.


    “Brandon, are you trying to win me over with your looks and delicious food? “I smiled.


    He didn’t respond, so I washed my hands and went into the kitchen to get the watermelon juice from


    the fridge.


    However, the kitchen was too small. To get to the refrigerator, I had to walk around Brandon. I


    wanted to ask him to get it, but he was currently busy chopping vegetables.


    “Could you move aside? I need to get it.” I signaled Brandon to make some


    space.


    He shifted closer to the stove, allowing me to open the fridge and get the juice. As I was about to


    head out with the watermelon juice, Brandon’s phone started ringing in his pocket.


    “Could you grab it for me?” Brandon asked naturally.


    I didn’t think much of it, so I reached into his pocket. As soon as my hand went in, I felt Brandon’s


    body tense up


    I could feel the heat of his skin through the thin fabric, and my fingers instinctively pulled back.


    Brandon seemed to tense even more at my reaction. The unfamiliar sensation made my finger feel


    clumsy Using my left hand, which was less dexterous than my right, made it even harder to retrieve


    the phone.


    The phone kept ringing. With the added heat from the stove in the kitchen, I felt a thinyer of sweat


    forming on my back


    “Let me do it,” Brandon said when he saw me struggling to get it after searching for a while. He


    wiped his hands and reached for the phone himself.


    Just then, I managed to grab his phone. When his hand reached over, it wrapped around mine.


    The space was so cramped that our bodies were almost pressed together. Now, with him holding


    my hand like this, I felt a warmth spreading through