Chapter 21

For the next few days, Brandon remained in Fleurkenstein to try to win Roxanne's forgiveness. Meanwhile, Ezra sent people to pressure him into signing the divorce agreement, which he stubbornly refused to do. So, Ezra had to employ unsavory tactics. He tried everything—threats, intimidation, violence… But Brandon's bodyguards were skilled enough to go toe to toe with the Lesterfields' men, so they couldn't even get close to him, let alone force him to sign the papers. The situation continued to escalate as neither side would back down. Then, one night, Julian stepped into the picture and gave Brandon a taste of genuine anguish. That night, Julian called Brandon and invited him over to discuss matters relating to Roxanne. When Brandon arrived at the Quinns' villa, he heard faint noises coming from the garden. They sounded unmistakably amorous, and he also discerned a male voice that sounded like it belonged to Julian. Following the sounds, he arrived at a courtyard full of roses and was shocked by what he saw. Roxanne and Julian were wrapped in each other's arms. They were kissing passionately. Brandon's vision zeroed in on the scene before him. His scalp tingled, and his body trembled uncontrollably. Roxanne's red dress had been pushed up to her hips, and her legs were wrapped around Julian's waist. Panting sultrily, she breathed out, "Ah, Julian, not so fast..." Julian's hands were pressed firmly against Roxanne's fair skin as he thrusted vigorously. Kissing her cheek tenderly, he said, "Your insides are so hot, babe. Does it feel better than the last time?" Roxanne wrapped her arms tightly around Julian's neck and responded to his kiss. "Yes, it feels so good…" When the words left her mouth, she finally spotted Brandon standing not far away. After staring at him for a few seconds, a taunting smile quickly appeared on Roxanne's face. In that instant, Brandon felt as though all his blood had rushed to his head. He abruptly understood the pain and despair she must have felt. Back then, when Roxanne had first seen him and Nicole in the same act, did she feel as anguished and heartbroken as he was right now? This was why Julian had invited Brandon over. He wanted Brandon to witness this exact scene. Glancing at Brandon out of the corner of his eye, Julian smirked and asked Roxanne, "So? How do you feel about him watching us? You're probably feeling better, right?" Roxanne replied while smiling, "What are you talking about? There's no one else here besides us." Julian chuckled. "True, we shouldn't let anyone see us doing this anyway." With that, he carried Roxanne in his arms and walked into the villa. Brandon stumbled after them. With his hand outstretched, he called after her in an unsteady voice. "Roxanne… You can't do this to me… I'm the one you love—" The next thing he knew, his hand had been grabbed. A team of bodyguards swarmed Brandon and pinned him to the ground. He realized something was amiss, but it was too late. His thumb had already been stained with red ink. It was then forcibly pressed onto the divorce agreement. "No!" Brandon cried out in horror. Ezra appeared behind him, smoking a cigarette. "A thumbprint works too in place of a signature. With it, you and my sister are nothing to each other now, Brandon," Ezra stated. Brandon clenched his hands in despair as he indignantly ground his teeth. Exhaling a cloud of smoke, Ezra casually added, "By the way, that stepmother of yours, Nicole—or whatever her name is—has done so many out-of-line things to my sister. I've arranged for her to be sealed inside a cement wall. Back in the day, unfaithful married women used to be locked in cages and drowned, after all. So, what I did to her is considered merciful." The moment the bodyguards released Brandon, he blankly rose to his feet. He had long stopped caring whether Nicole lived or died. Looking up at a curtain-drawn villa window, he knew Roxanne and Julian were already passionately tangled up in each other. Brandon smiled mournfully. His former wife had already fallen in love with another man. She genuinely didn't want him anymore. That night, Brandon drank himself into a stupor at a bar. He had never felt this way before, and now, he discovered alcohol was the best anesthetic. He drank until dawn broke before staggering drunkenly out of the bar. Unable to maintain his balance, Brandon leaned against a trash can and slumped into a lifeless heap beside it. He had never been so pathetic. But when he thought of Roxanne smiling at Julian in the same way that was reserved only for him, Brandon's heart ached like nothing else. At that moment, his phone rang—Joseph was calling. "Sir! You have to come back right now! There's trouble at the company!"