38. He followed it in just a blink of an eye

Briella had fallen asleep while waiting for Braun. She woke up when the door to their room opened. Immediately, she sat up in bed, and he approached her, kissing her lips. 'I'm sorry if I was late. We had to finish a meeting today with some international artists of the company," he apologized. She glanced at the large clock hanging on the wall. It was already nine in the evening. 'Have you eaten?" he asked her. She shook her head. 'I was waiting for you," she replied. He kissed her forehead and took off his shirt in front of her. She stared at him, unsure of how to start the conversation she wanted to have—they needed to talk. She needed to plead with him and ask for forgiveness even though she hadn't done anything yet. She knew what she was doing was wrong, and she would do it. They were already married, and their union was legal, but she couldn't give him her full attention as a wife, and now she was about to ask for something she knew was insane. 'What would you like to eat?" Braun asked tenderly as he changed into simple boxer shorts and a loose white shirt. 'Are you hungry?" she asked him. 'Do you have something to say?" he countered. She bit her lip and nodded slowly. He sat beside her on the bed and immediately pulled her into his arms. 'What is it?" he asked. She took a deep breath and looked into his eyes. 'Will you forgive me if I ask for something that a married woman shouldn't do?" she asked him timidly. 'Yes," he answered without hesitation. Her jaw dropped, unable to believe his answer. He hadn't even heard what she was going to say, yet he answered immediately without questioning or asking for an explanation. 'You're saying yes already?" she exclaimed, suddenly sitting back on the bed and facing Braun. Braun chuckled at her reaction, also sitting up and leaning against the headrest of the bed. 'You're asking me, and my answer is yes," he replied. 'But you don't even know what I'm going to ask!" she protested. 'I love you. Everything you'll ask, I'll give to you. For every question you wanted to ask me, I will say no for an answer, wife," he said thoughtfully. Her jaw dropped further at Braun's last statement. She didn't know how to react or how to say what she planned; suddenly, she felt guilty and had doubts about whether she should proceed with her plan for Xander. 'I don't know if you're just saying that to make me feel guilty or—" 'Look at me in the eyes, wife," Braun interrupted her. 'Does it say I'm lying?" he added with a smile. She took a deep breath and shook her head with a smile. She didn't want to believe everything he was saying, but she couldn't see any emotion in his eyes other than honesty and love. 'You're making me fall for you even more, President Braun," she said, leaning in to kiss him on the lips. 'And I'll make you fall until you don't have any choice but to stay falling for me... deeper," he replied after she kissed him. She smiled and sat back in front of him. She wanted to rest her head on his broad chest and be held in his warm arms. But she needed to see his reaction and whether his mind would change when she told him what she wanted to do. She took a deep breath before speaking. They were facing each other, holding hands, with one of her thighs resting on top of Braun's thighs—a typical position for a comfortable conversation between spouses. 'I told Xander that I knew he was cheating on me," she began. She paused when she saw Braun raise an eyebrow. 'But I didn't tell him I knew about Matilda. I have another plan for that woman." 'What did he say?" Braun asked. 'He admitted to cheating on me when I told him I was going to take back the money I lent him to invest in his company," she replied. 'You mean, if it weren't for you, the Star Agency would never exist?" Braun asked with raised eyebrows. She nodded. 'He begged me to help him, and at that time, I was still blind to what I thought was his love, so I helped him. I lent him money, but we agreed. He signed without even reading what was written there. Maybe he trusted me because he knew I loved him... back then," she explained. 'I also helped him negotiate with every business associate I've known." 'And you used that as leverage to make him confess?" Braun asked. She nodded. 'Not only that, I... ' She took a deep breath and tightened her grip on his hand. 'I also want him to announce our past engagement on the day of the magazine's launch." She looked at Braun's face expectantly, waiting for any change in his expression, but he remained calm. Even his reaction stayed composed. 'Please tell me what you really feel," she said to him. Braun smiled and brought the hand he was holding to his lips, gently kissing it. 'I will support every decision you make, and I trust you," he said. 'Even if you know what I'm doing is wrong? I'll accept if you get upset or won't talk to me or scold me. Just tell me—" She didn't finish what she was going to say because he suddenly pulled her closer and kissed her. She felt his gentle and careful kiss on her lips, and for a few seconds, she couldn't think straight. She tried to calm the rapidly beating heart and the seemingly increasing butterflies in her stomach that matched her heart's frenzy. Why couldn't this man get angry? 'Do you want me not to tell you the truth, wife?" he asked teasingly and kissed her lips again. 'Can't you feel what I really feel? Or is a kiss isn't enough for you to believe me?" His hands started to roam her back and thighs, just above her knees. She swallowed and felt the sudden rush of blood to every muscle in her body. The sporadic electricity from his slow caress on her skin sent shivers down her spine. Shivers that made her muscles tremble. She blinked repeatedly, unable to divert her gaze from his sparkling eyes of mischief. 'B-Braun..." she called out to her husband. The only word she wanted to say was his name. Braun smiled and gently kissed her forehead. 'Can we eat now? Or would you rather want me to eat you first?" He asked with a mischievous grin. **** Before the entire room heated up, Briella decided to go downstairs and prepare food for Braun. She cooked for both of them. She didn't have anything else to do earlier, especially when Luigi and Chelsey left, leaving her alone with the two maids. 'You cooked these?" Braun furrowed his brows. She glanced at him. 'I didn't have anything else to do earlier, so I meddled in the kitchen. I also sent Yaya Miren home early because I didn't want anyone around me scolding me for my stubbornness," she said, taking two plates. Braun was about to stand up to help her, but she stopped him. 'Let me serve you. You came from work, and I know you're tired," she said promptly, placing her hand on his shoulder and gently urging him to sit back down. 'You don't have to do that, I—" She sighed heavily, cutting him off before he could finish. 'Braun, your wife isn't a princess and isn't used to being served," she said. 'You're not a princess. You're my Queen," he quipped. She took a deep breath, trying to hold back a smile because he managed to sneak in another compliment. 'Just eat. You're saying too much," she said, sitting beside him. They happily shared the food she prepared for him, then decided to take a breather on the balcony. She brewed coffee for both of them before they finally went to the balcony. When they got there, she remembered the envelope handed to her earlier. 'You haven't opened that yet?" he asked curiously. She shook her head. 'I'm curious, but I wanted to ask you personally what's inside." 'It was confidential, and someone wants you to have it," he replied. 'Someone?" she asked, confused. 'Can you please stop teasing me?" she said with a frown. He chuckled and stood up. He took her coffee mug and his drink. 'Let's see what's inside," he said, gesturing for her to hand him the envelope. Though puzzled, she couldn't do anything but stand up and join him. They went to their room, and after she took the envelope and Braun's laptop, they both went to the spacious terrace of their room. 'What's the laptop for?" she asked. 'This brown envelope contains some confidential information from the organization I belong to." He took the brown envelope from her and asked for her permission to open it. She nodded in agreement. It contained a small piece of paper with words she couldn't understand. 'Before I open this, I need to tell you something about me," he said, facing her. She stared at him again. Besides being known as the King of the showbiz industry and his fierceness in front of other people, his affection, and his sweetness towards her, she knew nothing else about his life. 'What is it?" she asked casually. 'This is the other side of me. What I'm about to show you is part of a part of my life that no one else knows except Luigi," he said thoughtfully, gazing into her eyes. She nodded, though she had many questions in her mind. Perhaps she would ask later after they finished looking at what he wanted to show her. He hugged her waist, and she sat in front of him. She was trapped in his arms again, and his warm breath on her neck sent a peculiar sensation through her body. She wanted to face him, set aside the laptop, and sit on his lap. Surrender to the warmth alive in her body. 'I know what you're thinking, wife. Believe me, and I would rather kiss you than waste our time on this," he whispered in her ear. 'Huh?" She returned to her senses and cleared her throat. Fortunately, she was facing away from him so that he couldn't see her entire face. He started typing on his laptop, and she remained silent, observing. He entered a website and typed in what was written on the small piece of paper Braun held. Her forehead furrowed when she saw what kind of website it was. Nevertheless, she didn't say anything and let him finish. She knew Braun would explain everything once they finished looking at what he wanted to show her. She covered her mouth when she saw the familiar face of the woman, her eyes half-closed, seemingly enjoying what someone was doing to her. 'W-What's this?" she asked in disbelief, her eyes fixed on the laptop screen. Braun pressed the play button, and when it started playing, she only saw two shadows. The voice of a woman wasn't clear, but she could clearly hear the voice of another person, and she couldn't be mistaken. The video lasted for a few minutes, and she felt like she was going to throw up from disgust, especially when the light turned on and she saw Matilda's naked body. She quickly closed the laptop when the camera focused on Matilda's body. 'What's the matter?" he asked, puzzled. 'I-Is it okay if I destroy this laptop?" she asked Braun, tightly gripping the laptop. She wouldn't allow him to see that repulsive woman's body! She was surprised when Braun took the laptop and threw it hard against the wall. She involuntarily screamed when she heard the noise it made, the poor laptop crashing to the ground, destroyed. 'I'll clean that up later," Braun said, embracing her tightly and kissing her shoulder. 'I believe you have questions, love?" 'T-That's too much. How about your files saved on your laptop!" she exclaimed. I didn't say literally destroy his laptop! What kind of thinking does this man have?! 'You wanted it to be destroyed, so I did it. Don't worry about that. Luigi can handle restoring everything in that laptop," he replied calmly, as if throwing away things was an everyday habit. 'Do you really have the habit of throwing things?" she asked him while looking at the broken laptop. 'That one is old. I've been using it for a long time. I'm thinking of buying a new one," he replied. Old? Does that mean there are many files saved on it?! Oh my God! 'Don't worry about that, wife," he said, tightening his hug and kissing her shoulder repeatedly. 'Come on, what do you want to ask me?" She sighed heavily. How could she ask properly if her mind was already distracted? Sometimes, she wondered if Braun had a problem with his thinking because whatever she said, he followed it in just a blink of an eye. No questions asked. He'll do it in an instant. It seems like I'm the one who needs to control and be careful with what I say.