Chapter 998 You Don't Want to Marry Me, You Want to Destroy Me
"My whole deal was about setting things up for her and Kelvin. I practically handed Penelope over to him! I watched her have a kid, raise that kid on her own, and then go back to Kelvin with the kid!"
Brandon clenched his jaw. "I was the idiot the whole time!"
He knew he had to change. He couldn't keep going like this!
He wanted something back for all the effort he put in!
Thessaly burst out laughing, tears rolling down her cheeks, her body shaking with laughter.
"Yeah, Brandon, you did a lot for Penelope without expecting anything, as long as she was happy. But you missed one big thing!"
Brandon frowned deeply. "What thing?"
"You were engaged back then!" Thessaly hit the nail on the head. "You were engaged to Isabella. You knew you'd only marry her, so you understood that your efforts for Penelope wouldn't get you anything. You couldn't cheat, right?"
"Even if Isabella was cool with it, Penelope would never agree to be your side chick!"
"Brandon, back then, you knew your situation kept you from having her, so you were okay with giving selflessly. Now that Isabella's gone and you're single, you feel off-balance when you give and want to have her!"
Brandon had never thought of it that way, but Thessaly's words were hitting him hard!
Brandon felt... shocked! And he didn't want to admit it, didn't want to face it!
No, it wasn't like that, not at all like Thessaly said!
Thessaly's words struck at his vulnerable spots and deepest wounds, exposing the ugliest, most shameful parts of his nature!
In an instant, Brandon was both angry and embarrassed!
"Shut up!" He pointed a finger at Thessaly. "What I do, what I choose, is none of your business!"
"Yeah, sure. You don't let anyone point out your flaws. You, Brandon, are the perfect gentleman, the epitome of grace and elegance. How could you possibly be so despicable inside?"
Thessaly's face was full of mockery.
Brandon was left speechless by her words, simmering with anger, his chest heaving.
The study fell silent again.
Thessaly had nothing to lose; everything was out in the open tonight!
She didn't press the alarm; she wanted to keep sparring with Brandon!
Brandon turned away from her.
After a long pause, he finally spoke. "Thessaly, this mutual recrimination and exposure of each other's failings serves no purpose. You think you're so noble?"
"I, Thessaly, am nobler than you, Brandon!"
"An actress who hooked up with Paul, how pure and clean are you?" Brandon retorted mercilessly. "It's just that my upbringing stops me from speaking so harshly to a woman."
Thessaly found it laughable.
He had done such shameless, despicable things, yet he dared to talk about "upbringing"!
Discussing this with Brandon was a waste of time and emotion!
He was beyond reason, completely unable to be viewed with normal logic!
"Fine, for the sake of your upbringing, let's change the subject." Thessaly looked at him. "You can't say harsh words, but you can strangle me? Is hitting women part of your upbringing?"
Brandon felt like he'd been punched in the gut.
His eyes burned with anger, but he didn't move, just stared her down.
He was letting his emotions get the best of him, saying all this to Thessaly!
"I was just giving you a heads-up," Brandon said. "Thessaly, you lied to me, and yet here you are, unharmed. That's me showing you respect!"
"I lied to you? What about you? What did you do?" Thessaly shot back. "You handed me over to Paul!"
She knew the whole story, every detail.
Only she and Penelope were drugged; Brandon and Paul were in on it.
Brandon took Penelope away, and Paul took her.
Would Paul have dared to take her without Brandon's okay?
"Does it even matter to you?" Brandon suddenly smirked. "Thessaly, let me tell you, I don't care. You were out cold, didn't know what was happening, and don't even remember what Paul did. When you woke up, it was all over."
"You weren't the one violated, so of course you can say that!"
"I'm just laying out the facts. How much do I not care?" Brandon looked at her, his eyes suddenly softening in a weird way. "Thessaly, I can marry you."
She was taken aback.
Marry her?
What was he getting at?
What was Brandon saying? Was he out of his mind?
"You... marry me?"
"Yeah," Brandon said. "I can make you Mrs. Walker, living it up in LA. Thessaly, what do you think?"
No way. This had to be a setup!
Thessaly stayed quiet, waiting for Brandon to show his true colors!
Brandon walked over slowly, standing right in front of her, fixing her clothes with a gentle touch, like nothing had happened, like he hadn't just tried to strangle her.
"Do you want to marry me?" Brandon asked. "Being Mrs. Walker would give you a lot of clout in LA. You wouldn't live any worse than Penelope."
"You love Penelope, and you'd marry me?"
"I can't have Penelope anymore," Brandon replied, his voice calm, all the earlier anger gone. "I even set up this whole thing to get her into bed, but she and Kelvin are still solid, still in love. I can't break them up, and honestly, I think you're pretty great too, so why not... you?"
Thessaly felt a shiver run down her spine.
This version of Brandon was terrifying!
"No, no." She shook her head, trying to stay clear-headed. "You don't want to marry me; you want to ruin me..."
"Marry me, and you'll be mine. Everything you do will be tied to me. When people talk about you, they'll say you're my wife. How could I ruin you? Ruining you would be ruining myself."
Thessaly bit her lip. "You don't love me at all!"
Brandon countered, "And how much do you love me?"
She... didn't know how to answer.
She didn't love Brandon deeply, not like his late fiancée, Isabella, who loved him to the point of madness, losing herself.
But Thessaly did love him, though this love had to remain buried deep inside, never to be revealed to anyone.
Loving a jerk wasn't something to be proud of! She even felt it tainted the word "love"!
But she did love him, and she would never let Brandon know.
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