Chapter 7: Turning Tables
Brooke was unsure if she had heard this strange man right. She pointed at herself and asked, "With me?"
He sounded certain when he responded, "Yes, but we'll talk about that later." He stood up from his seat and gently approached the bed.
Brooke leaned back, "W-What are you doing-" her question was answered when he reached his hand out to her.
"You're hungry aren't you? Come down and have something to eat first." His eyes softened when he spoke to her.
"No, I'm not hungry-" she was cut off by a growl from her stomach, betraying her. Her face flushed bright pink with uncontained embarrassment.
The stranger chuckled lightly. "I'll take that as a yes."
Still stretching his hand out to her, he told her calmly, "Don't worry, that man won't be able to find you here, I swear it."
Brooke knew at this point that she had less of a choice. This man had sworn he had nothing to do with Ethan, and even if that was right, she still wanted to know who he was, and just why he had brought her here.
Hesitantly, she reached out for his hand, then gently placed hers in his. The moment their hands touched, Brooke's heart skipped a beat.
"Pardon me." He said, right before he pulled her to himself, and lifted her off the bed into a princess carry.
"Hey! What do you think you're doing?!" Brooke protested, swinging her left foot and arms. She was of the opinion he was just going to support her.
Walking towards the door, he answered. "I'm helping you."
"I can see that!" She snapped at him, "But why are you carrying me?" She couldn't hide the embarrassment that she felt.
Ethan had never offered to carry her once, the entire time she had known him.
"Do you mind it?" He asked, her instead, as they reached the hallway leading up to the elevator.
Brooke parted her lips to complain, but she noticed something about the place. It looked strangely familiar, but she couldn't quite place a finger on what about it that gave off that vibe.
Had she somehow been here before?
"I'll take your silence as a no." Thane announced, pulling her out of her thoughts.
Tired out, Brooke allowed this man to do as he pleased, she rested her head against his chest. Her nostrils inhaled his scent, and it somehow calmed her down, enough for her to nestle into his arms and close her eyes.
Meanwhile, back at her parent's house, all hell had been let loose, ever since Serena reported that Brooke was nowhere to be seen!
Ethan went on a mad rampage, breaking everything in sight. Cassie tried to comfort him, but got a shock when he grabbed her by the neck and pinned her against the wall.
"Ethan, you're hurting me-"
"Where were you?! How did you let this happen?!" He scolded harshly, choking her out. Cassie weakly clawed at his hand, but he did not let up his grip.
Luther quickly intervened, "Son-in-law, please let her go. She's carrying your child in her!" He reminded, but Ethan was too blinded by rage to care.
"Find my wife now! Or I will make all of you suffer!" He raged, finally letting Cassie drop to the floor.
That night, Luther dispatched all his security and servants to find Brooke, but no matter their efforts, it seemed like Brooke had disappeared.
Ethan stormed out of the house to try and find his wife, but he soon found out that he knew not a single place she would've gone. Ever since marrying her, he had her quit her job at Luther's agency and live quietly indoors.
"You insolent woman! After everything I've done for you!" He banged his fists against his steering wheel, "How dare you repay me like this?!"
Following the mysterious disappearance of Brooke, the next day was the day of the welcome party that Cassie had received an invitation to.
She invited her personal stylists from the agency to the house to get her prepared.
The makeup artist frowned, when she noticed the red marks on Cassie's neck. But when she sheepishly asked what had happened, she received a slap to the face instead.
"Ma'am?" She held her cheek in disbelief, her eyes trailed to the disgruntled expression laced in Cassie's eyes.
"Get out! All of you!" She screamed at the top of her lungs, trashing the items on her dresser, throwing everything out in a tantrum.
The stylists hurriedly took their things and left the room, when Cassie started throwing bottles at them.
"Aah!" She screamed in frustration, pulling at her hair.
The bitter memory of how Ethan treated her last night replayed in her head.
"After all my hard work," she gritted her teeth, her hand rested on her stomach, "She's still getting in the way of my happiness. That wench."
Cassie stared at her neck in the mirror, as an actress, her beauty was her greatest asset. It was what gave her the fame she had now, and how she was able to trap the city's richest man for herself.
Even when she heard that Brooke had gone missing, the first thing Cassie felt was stark relief. She thought that the thorn in her side had finally been plucked.
Little did she expect Ethan to act out like a mad man because of her 'defective' older sister.
"That's it. I've had enough. It's time to teach that wench who she's messing with." Cassie resolved. She dashed for her emergency phone on the ground and turned on the camera.
Yesterday, she had lost her phone in the middle of Ethan's tantrum, or so she thought.
She took photos of her neck, then took a video of herself crying in her disoriented room.
Next, she went on her official social media account, and posted both the picture and video!
But that was far from all she did. Taking a picture off of Brooke's social media, she posted her picture, with a lengthy caption underneath it;
" My agency's ex-staff broke into my villa last night for revenge, blaming me for getting her fired. She's always placed me at the forefront of her misfortune, but I never thought that she'd go this far. Before the security arrived, she ran away and is now lurking on the streets. Please, everyone, lend me your strength in this difficult time for me, I need you all now more than ever."
Wearing a wicked grin, she made the post, the post which went viral in less than five minutes!