Chapter 3

Brandon's affectionate expression instantly froze when I forcibly pulled up his sleeve and saw the rashes on his wrist. It was replaced by unconcealed horror.

He violently yanked his hand away from mine, frantically pulling his sleeve back down to cover the disgusting spots, and then stood up from the floor.

Just at this suffocatingly awkward moment, the cell phone on the coffee table vibrated like a death knell.

Brandon's eyes flickered to the caller ID on the screen. His face, which had been flushed from the proposal, instantly drained of all color, turning ashen white.

He didn't even bother to put the priceless diamond ring on my finger. He fumbled, stuffing the velvet box into his coat pocket, grabbing his phone, and heading for the door.

"I'm so sorry, something urgent just came up at the company. A multi-million dollar project has a major glitch, and my boss needs me back right away!"

His words came out in a rapid, trembling rush. He didn't even dare to look at me as he turned and charged towards the front door.

Meanwhile, the virtual panel before my eyes flashed again, displaying a glaring red countdown:

"Alert! Victoria Sterling's gang enforcers are 2 minutes and 50 seconds from arrival!"

"Don't let him leave! If he runs, your whole family will be in danger!"

"He plans to leave the stolen goods at your house and make your family of three the scapegoats!"

Shock, anger, and fear intertwined, making my whole body tremble uncontrollably.

But my remaining sanity screamed a warning: I absolutely could not let him just walk away!

If the pop-up warning was true, the impending danger was something my family of three could never handle.

Just as Brandon's hand was about to touch the doorknob, I lunged forward like a frantic lioness, grabbing hold of the back of his coat.

"You're not leaving!" I shrieked, my voice shrill and piercing with extreme fear and fury.

Brandon stumbled, thrown off balance by my grip. He turned back, forcing a smile that looked worse than a grimace.

"Summer, don't mess around. This is a truly urgent work matter, a multi-million dollar project. If I mess it up, I'll be fired. Be good, I'll come right back to celebrate your birthday after I handle it."

"What project? Where are you going? Where did that diamond ring really come from? What are those red rashes on your wrist?!"

I rattled off a string of questions, each hitting a vital point.

My parents were utterly stunned by the sudden turn of events.

They didn't understand how a romantic proposal could, in the next second, turn into a tense standoff.

"Summer, what are you doing? How can you talk to Brandon like that? A man's career is important, work comes first, let him go," my dad said, frowning, as he came over to try and pull me away.

Seeing that my parents were still in the dark and on his side, Brandon immediately put on a wronged, helpless expression: "Mr. Hayes, this is truly a matter of life and death, I really have to go..."

As he spoke, he secretly gritted his teeth, reaching out his left hand to try and pry my fingers, one by one, from his coat. He was strong, and my finger bones ached.

"You're not leaving! You have to explain yourself today!"

I bit down hard, my fingernails digging into the back of his hand. No matter how hard he pulled, I wouldn't let go.

The pop-up messages on the screen were still furiously refreshing, the countdown like the Grim Reaper's footsteps, drawing closer with every beat:

"Two minutes left!"

"Watch out! He's trying to stuff the ring box into the gap in your shoe rack by the front door!"

"Summer Hayes, hold onto him! Don't let him run!"

Following the pop-up's warning, I saw Brandon's right hand furtively reaching towards the shoe rack, seemingly trying to drop something unnoticed.

I immediately blocked the shoe rack with my body, completely thwarting his plan.

Brandon looked at the tightly locked front door, then at the wall clock. Cold sweat poured down his forehead like disconnected beads.

The layers of tenderness and pretense in his eyes completely tore away, revealing his vicious, agitated true face underneath.

"Summer Hayes, I'm warning you, let go of me right now!"

He hissed, lowering his voice, like a poisonous snake cornered, grinding the words out in my ear.

"I won't! Unless you call the police right now and let them handle your 'emergency'!" I glared back at him, refusing to back down.