Chapter 5 Not A Joke

Had Brennen's path never crossed with Clare's, he might have bought into it.

"Oh, come on!" He simply rolled his eyes.

Archie found himself in a bit of a fog, not catching why Brennen had uttered those words.

The room boasted impeccable soundproofing, shielding Archie from the harsh treatment Clare had just dished out to Brennen moments ago.

Had Archie been privy to that exchange, he'd undoubtedly have slammed the brakes on Clare's antics without delay.

Brennen's mind lingered on Emilee's decision not to go through with an abortion. Contemplating Clare and Emilee's shared acquaintance, Archie likely held a tidbit about Emilee.

"Archie, any acquaintance with Emilee?"

Archie gave a solemn nod. "Yes, indeed. Miss Lewis, despite being a girl, outshines the entire younger Lewis cohort. Regrettably, the family leans towards favoring males, relegating her to a peripheral role. Deliberately concealed, you see. Initially, the plan was for her to wed into the Patel family after they clinched the new district project. However, Mr. Roberts, your intervention has cast a shadow over this arrangement, likely postponing it for the time being."

Brennen inquired, "And what's she like in day-to-day life?"

Archie hesitated momentarily, grappling with the reason behind Brennen's curiosity. Nevertheless, he responded, "The Lewis family instills a rigorous code of conduct for their womenfolk, ruling out any indiscretions. Emilee possesses a robust character, and her lifestyle is beyond reproach. To the best of my knowledge, she has never entertained the notion of a romantic entanglement."

Brennen tapped his head, a fragmented recollection of that morning surfacing. He awoke to find faint traces of blood on crisp white sheets.

Could the child truly be his?

Brennen meticulously sifted through the details, every piece of evidence pointing to Emilee carrying his offspring.

Frustration clawing at him, he lit a cigarette.

"Mr. Roberts, my granddaughter shares your age bracket. She's a graduate of the Royal Academy in Linden and has a noteworthy background..."

Brennen swiftly cut short Archie's self-praise.

"Alright, alright. You're painting it like she's the sole standout from some elite global institute. I need to get going."

With that, he exited the room, leaving Archie bewildered.

Back at the delivery service station, Brennen mounted his electric bicycle, gearing up for another round of food deliveries. The act served as a respite, allowing him a moment to untangle his thoughts.

The clock soon ticked past ten in the evening.

Brennen clutched his phone.

Gazing at the messages from Emilee, Brennen discerned an undercurrent of panic and desperation woven into the lines.

Gripping the phone, he contemplated whether to respond.

In the midst of his hesitation, the phone buzzed.

"Are you free?"

It was a message from Emilee.

"Absolutely." Brennen swiftly fired back.

"Join me for a bit."

Emilee shared a location.

The rendezvous point was by the lake in the forest park, near Wyvern Villas.

Alone on a bench, Emilee projected an air of solitude and vulnerability, her gaze fixed upon the placid lake.

The Patel family's bid had fallen through, and the Lewis family missed their chance for a collaborative turnaround.

The honk of Brennen's electric bicycle jolted Emilee from her reverie.

Spotting Brennen racing toward her, she observed the approach.

Before joining her, Brennen snuffed out his cigarette and refreshed his mouth with a swig of mineral water.

As Emilee studied the delivery man, questioning if it was a mirage, a sense lingered that he was no ordinary encounter.

Perched in the middle of the bench, Emilee made room as Brennen settled beside her, his comforting warmth enveloping her.

Emilee shifted, creating more space for him.

A prolonged silence settled between them.

Casually reclining in his chair, Brennen spoke up. "You concentrate on bringing that baby into the world, and I'll ensure both of you are taken care of. If you fancy tying the knot, we can register whenever you like."

Emilee cradled her face in her hands, her gaze fixed on the lake. At Brennen's words, a snort of disbelief escaped her.

She appraised the delivery man before her.

"Can you even afford that?" she inquired.

"Who says I can't handle supporting you?" Brennen retorted with nonchalance.

Emilee lifted her wrist, shaking her delicate watch. "Recognize this?" she challenged.

Brennen took hold of Emilee's wrist, casting a glance at the timepiece. "Ballon Bleu de Cartier, 42 millimeters, 18k rose gold, self-winding, am I right?"

Surprise flickered across Emilee's face.

Having witnessed Brennen's adept handling of a luxury car earlier in the day, Emilee now marveled at his proficiency in the realm of high-end watches.

"Do you have any idea of the price tag on this?" Emilee inquired.

Brennen pondered for a beat. "This one of yours seems like customized. I believe it easily cost a fortune," he ventured.

Emilee nodded. "Now, how many years of food deliveries would it take, forsaking sustenance, to purchase this watch?" she pressed on.

Brennen elegantly crossed his legs. "Seems like it boils down to financial worries. Fear not, go ahead and embrace the pregnancy boldly. I assure you and the little one won't find material comfort lacking. Heck, throw in a couple more babies if you fancy; it won't pose a problem."

Emilee sighed deeply, eyeing the seemingly carefree Brennen.

"Could you tone down the self-promotion?" she retorted.

Shaking his head, Brennen replied, "I had the best intentions, yet it seems they weren't taken seriously or even appreciated."

To Emilee, Brennen came off as nothing more than a show-off.

Her phone persistently vibrated.

Dolores, her mother, was calling.

"Where are you? Hurry back! Cary's waiting at home, eager to finalize the wedding details!" Dolores urgently pressed.

Emilee responded to Dolores with a curt "okay" and ended the call.

Her gaze fixed on the lake, Emilee seemed to arrive at a decision.

"Can you accompany me home?" she suddenly asked.

"At your service," Brennen replied, wiping the back seat of his electric bicycle. "Hop on."

A smile, mingled with tears, adorned Emilee's face.

Seated at the back, Emilee noticed that Brennen carried a subtle hint of tobacco, and strangely, amid the chaos of her thoughts, she found a peculiar sense of calm.

Brennen intended to bid adieu after delivering Emilee to her doorstep.

However, she seized his wrist. "Will you come inside with me?" she implored.

Brennen glanced at the panicked Emilee and agreed. "Of course."

As they entered, Emilee and Brennen were met by the sight of Emilee's mother, Dolores, occupying the room. Alongside her sat a portly man with an unappealing face, his expression tinged with lecherous intent.

The moment the portly man laid eyes on Emilee, a glint of lust flickered as he shamelessly licked his lips.

In contrast, Emilee couldn't conceal her outright repulsion at the sight of him.

"Emilee, where were you? Why didn't you pick up the phone? Cary's been waiting for ages!"

Dolores exclaimed, rising to greet her daughter.

As her gaze traversed the room, she unexpectedly caught sight of Brennen behind Emilee.

A momentary pause, and then Dolores recalled that he was the delivery guy from earlier in the day, her eyebrows furrowing.

"Just went out for a stroll," Emilee explained, her tone slightly defensive.

Dolores approached her daughter. "Emilee, your wedding with Cary is fast approaching. He's here to discuss the marriage details."

Cary, rubbing his hands with a grin, chimed in, "Emilee, I've had a chat with my old man. Next weekend looks perfect. No need to drag this out any longer. We can tie the knot then. I dropped by today just to fill you in. I've already reached out to the City Hall. We can go register our marriage tomorrow."

Emilee swiftly declined, "Cary, let's pump the brakes for now. The Patel family didn't clinch the new district project this time, and the collaboration with the Lewis family is still up in the air."

Cary shot a glance at Dolores, who beamed and said, "Emilee, Cary just promised that once you two are hitched, the Patel family will fork over a cool billion to bail out the Lewis family."

Licking his lips, Cary figured everything else could wait and his priority now was to get Emilee into his bed.

Emilee, resolute, uttered each word firmly, "I won't marry him."

Anger flashed in Cary's eyes.

Anxious, Dolores queried, "What are you saying?"

Gritting her teeth, Emilee, as if summoning immense courage, clutched onto Brennen's arm. "Mom, I'm carrying his child."

Dolores' face froze momentarily, but then she forced a smile. "Silly child! Enough with the jokes already!"

"Mom, this is no joke!" Emilee asserted.