---- Chapter 8 Abby Talley POV: The days following the ceremony were a whirlwind of rumors. The official story was that Connor had suffered a sudden, emotional breakdown due to business pressures. The unofficial stories, whispered in boardrooms and over expensive lunches, were far more colorful and much closer to the truth. They spoke of a drunken tirade, a broken wrist, and a stunning public rejection. | ignored it all. My focus was singular. The wedding date was set for two weeks' time, a swift and decisive consolidation of power. | found Brannon on the edge of the corporate training grounds, watching the new security recruits run drills. He stood perfectly still, a silent observer in a world of controlled chaos. He didn't turn as | approached, but | knew he was aware of my presence. "They call me a monster, you know," he said, his voice flat, his eyes still fixed on the sparring figures below. "A shark. A butcher." He finally turned to look at me, his dark eyes searching my face. "Are you afraid of me, Abby?" "Should | be?" | asked, my voice calm. ---- Ahumorless smile touched his lips. "Perhaps. | might hurt you. It seems to be a family trait." He took a step closer, the space between us crackling with an unspoken intensity. "It's too late to back out now, though. | can' t let you go." His words were a confession and a possessive claim all at once. "l' m not going anywhere," | said. "Because you' re mine now," he stated, not as a question, but as a fact. "This time, you belong only to me." This time. The words sent a shiver down my spine. Did he remember, too? Or was it just a turn of phrase? | looked into his eyes, searching for a sign, but they were unreadable, guarded. | remembered him in my past life, standing alone against the company' s board after my death, defending my name, exposing Connor' s lies when no one else would. He had lost everything for me then. He was no monster. He was my protector. A warmth spread through my chest, a feeling | hadn' t experienced in a very long time. "| was never afraid of you, Brannon," | said softly. | set down the practice foil ' d been carrying and walked towards him, stopping just inches away. "I know what people say. | know your reputation. But | also know it' s not the whole ---- story." Aflicker of something-surprise? vulnerability?-crossed his face. His cheeks flushed slightly. "Abby..." "You don' t have to say anything," | interrupted, reaching out and placing my hand on his arm. His muscles tensed under my touch. "I chose you. From the very beginning of this new life, it was always going to be you." His hand shot up, his fingers wrapping around my wrist. His grip was firm, but not painful. "Remember that," he said, his voice hoarse. "When things get difficult, you remember what you just said." "| won' t forget," | promised. Later that evening, as | returned to the suite the company had provided for me, | found Jana waiting. She was perched on the edge of my sofa, her arms crossed, her face a mask of smug pity. "| can' t believe you' re going through with this," she said, her voice dripping with venom. "You' re actually going to marry that... thing." She laughed, a sharp, ugly sound. "Connor is devastated, you know. But don't worry, I'm taking good care of him." Her eyes glittered with malice. "You enjoy your monster, Abby. Just don ' t come crying to me when he finally shows his true colors and rips you to shreds. Because he will." ---- Before | could respond, a commotion erupted outside my door. Shouts, the sound of a struggle. "You can't go in there, sir!" a security guard yelled. The door flew open. Connor stood there, flanked by two of his loyal cronies. He was dressed impeccably, but his eyes were wild, obsessive. He completely ignored Jana, who had jumped to her feet, her face alight with the mistaken belief that he had come for her. He walked straight to me, his gaze burning with a desperate intensity. And then he dropped to one knee. He held out a black velvet box. Inside was a ridiculously large diamond ring. "Abby Talley," he said, his voice trembling. "I was a fool. | was an idiot. | made a terrible mistake. Please, give me another chance. Marry me." The entire hallway, filled with onlookers and security, fell silent, stunned by the sheer audacity of his public proposal.