Chapter 22 Waiting for Me on Purpose? Chapter 22 Waiting for Me on Purpose? Violet had driven herself today, ready to bolt if things got awkward. But as her car pulled out of the Braxton Villa, she remembered-she'd meant to ask Wayne about the contract. Call it taking a shortcut, fine. She just wanted a fair shot for her team. She parked on the side, opened WhatsApp, and tapped Wayne's avatar. [Mr. Braxton, you staying at the villa tonight?] She didn't expect a quick reply, but he responded almost instantly. [What? Waiting for me to leave together?] Violet's cheeks flushed at the short message. Wayne seemed so proper, but his texting tone always felt... flirty? She couldn't tell if it was her imagination, but there was a subtle tease to it. In her car, out of his sight, she sat up straighter. [No, I'm already out. If it's cool, I'll wait for you at the corner.] Waiting felt like torture. A minute later, he replied with one word. [Good.] In the study, Wayne's thumb brushed the screen, a faint smile tugging at his lips. He stood slowly. "Dad, Nathan, I've got something to handle. I'm out." Byron and Nathan blinked, caught off guard. Byron frowned. "Didn't you say you were staying tonight?" Wayne flashed a light smile. "Can't, Dad. Forgot to feed my bunny back home." He left, leaving Byron and Nathan exchanging confused looks. Byron asked in surprise, "Since when does he have a bunny?" Nathan shook his head. "...No idea." Byron sighed. "Call your brother back more often. Don't let him drift from the family." Since Wayne returned from abroad, Byron felt a strange distance from his youngest son. Hard to pin down, but it was there. Downstairs, Byron noticed Violet was gone. "Where's Violet?" Clara forced a smile. "Dad, she said work's piling up and had to head back to prep. Told me to say she'll visit again soon." Byron sighed, shooting Gavin a glare. Gavin stood silently, and Byron didn't press further. But Nathan pulled him into the study. "Gavin, what the hell did you do to push Violet to call off the wedding?" 14:50 Chapter 22 Waiting for Me on Purpose? Nathan couldn't wrap his head around it, but his son had clearly screwed up. Gavin was quiet for a moment. "Dad, I didn't. She's been acting weird lately." "The wedding's barely a week away. No way we're canceling! I don't care how you do it you've got one week to fix this." "You saw how your grandpa treated Luna today. If you call this off, how's she supposed to stay in this family?" "Last time, Dad even mentioned setting Luna up for a match." Gavin's eyes narrowed. "Grandpa wants to marry Luna off? No way!" Nathan's gaze flickered. "Why not? We're all Braxtons, part of this family. You want control? Stop being a Braxton!" Gavin's fists clenched, veins throbbing. "Dad, I get it. I'll marry her. Don't worry." With his son's promise, Nathan relaxed. He decided to meet Violet's family tomorrow. If something went wrong on the wedding day, it'd be a disaster. Violet was idling in her car, humming absently, when she spotted the familiar NY88888 license plate. She hopped out, waving at the man inside. Wayne's car pulled up ahead of hers. "Mr. Braxton!" Violet's voice lifted, clearly happy to see him. Wayne chuckled inwardly. He'd watched her dodge him like the plague earlier, and now she was seeking him out? His expression stayed neutral as he rolled down the window, nodding for her to get in. Violet had hoped he'd step out to talk-the car's confined space made her uneasy. But they were close to the Braxton Villa. If someone saw them chatting on the roadside, it'd look odd. Wayne's brow lifted, his mood bright. "Waiting for me on purpose?" ...Mr. Braxton, I wanted to talk about Monarch Law and your proxy contract." His brow sank slightly. "You waited just to talk about this?" "Yeah, Mr. Braxton, I'm not asking for a backdoor. I just want a fair shot for my boss, Victor Gray." "Oh, no rush. Who's being unfair to him?" Violet faltered, realizing she'd been too eager. "No, that's not what I meant." She struggled to explain Victor and Leo's rivalry without dragging Wayne into it. "Mr. Braxton, don't get me wrong..." Wayne's deep eyes flicked lazily to her flushed lips, his Adam's apple bobbing "You eat enough?" "Huh?" Violet blinked. His gaze shifted away, voice casual. "Dinner, Did you eat enough? If not, come grab a bite with me." His question reminded her-she'd barely eaten at the villa. Her stomach growled. "Sure, Mr. Braxton. My treat tonight." 14:50 Left Me Hanging at the City Hall? 1 Married Your Uncle 17.8% Chapter 22 Waiting for Me on Purpose? Wayne's lips curved. "Deal." Their cars-one red, one black-melted into the night, pulling up outside Moonlight Café Violet's eyes dimmed. Last time she was here, she'd first brought up calling off the engagement with Gavin. Wayne led the way, Violet trailing half a step behind as they entered a private room. Cora, catching their silhouettes, paused mid thought. "Cora, what're you staring at?" Cora snapped back at her friend's voice, hurrying over. Was that Violet? "Cora, your burn's taking forever to heal. Still red." Cora gritted her teeth. "All because of her! That woman went nuts." Her friends laughed. "Cora, is your stepsister really marrying into the Braxtons? If she does, she'll probably walk all over you." Cora's eyes darkened. Exactly. Violet was already this arrogant before marrying in. Once the wedding happened, she'd probably rule the roost! Cora snorted, "Whether she marries in is still up in the air!" (1) (0)