From Deadbeat To Doting; Something Is Wrong With My Husband!-Chapter 27: Big Auntie and Little Brat

Her heels came down first, before taking her bag out of the car. Rochelle, who had been standing in the company’s garage—restless—with her iPad held tightly against her chest, finally breathed upon seeing Brianna.

She just couldn’t wait to tell her!

Brianna looked at her, noting her restlessness. "Why didn’t you come over as usual?"

Rochelle was taken aback. "Oh. Well, President Lucian is alive."

"So?"

Rochelle admitted, rubbing her arms as she fought off visible goosebumps. "He scares me."

Brianna rolled her eyes, coldly. "What’s scary about that pretentious bastard?"

Rochelle couldn’t respond to that, instead she held up the iPad, showing the latest wildfire spreading across the blogs. A post was gaining massive traction: Trouble in Paradise? Sources claim Doctor Colburn is having trouble, noting the couple doesn’t even share the same bedroom. The husband doesn’t care for her at all.

Brianna stared blankly at the screen. How did they know they don’t share a bedroom? She waved it off with a dismissive shrug. "It’s just an assumptious, pesky rumor."

She walked toward the elevator and pressed the button.

"I hope it doesn’t get out of hand. We cant let this ruin The Marriage Tribunal."

Brianna gave Rochelle a reassuring smile. Rochelle worried over the slightest things. There was no evidence to show forth, making it a loud rumor. 𝗳𝚛𝗲𝕖𝚠𝚎𝚋𝗻𝗼𝕧𝗲𝐥.𝚌𝚘𝐦

Still waiting, she looked at the elevator doors. It was taking longer than usual.

"Auntie! I mean—baby!"

Brianna refused to turn. She knew that voice. It was the sound of a looming headache. He basically announced himself before revealing his face.

Rochelle’s brows arched. "Baby?"

But her silence didn’t stop him. Before she could move, a pair of strong hands caught her shoulders and spun her around with dizzying force. Brianna cursed her small frame—how could an eighteen-year-old high schooler have the strength to treat her like a helpless sixteen-year-old?

Without a word, he began frantically inspecting her, his hands darting near her collar.

"Where is it?" Keenan demanded. "Where did he touch you?"

"Keenan, let go—"

"I said, where is it!" Keenan’s grip tightened.

"What on earth—Where is what?" Brianna snapped, but he kept inspecting her, making her try to push him off.

The force of the movement caused her to stumble backward and Keenan instantly lunged forward, catching her by the waist to keep her from falling. As her head lolled back, the high collar of her dress shifted, revealing the angry red "bruises", which were just ordinary hives, on her neck.

Upon confirming it with his own eyes, Keenan froze. So that bastard really does hurt her. His grip tightened possessively around her waist at the thought and he pulled her back up with dark eyes of a misplaced protective rage.

Clearing her throat, Brianna’s eyes darted to the onlookers in the garage. Her heart sank when they landed on two faces of which she was familiar with: Matthew Koch and Mike Sterling.

She felt a wave of awkwardness wash over her. Keenan turned to glare at the employees coming over before looking back at her. "I’m so sorry for not protecting you."

Brianna barely heard him; she was too focused on the disaster this had become. Mike Sterling looked Keenan up and down with a slow, unapologetic sneer before clearing his throat. Matthew Koch followed suit.

Though she knew that stare, she hoped they weren’t judging her, likely assuming she was seeing this boy—who was still holding her hand, dressed in his school uniform, looking at her with puppy-dog eyes. The employees waiting for the elevator began to clear their throats, judgmentally too.

Brianna quickly passed her hands over Keenan’s shoulder. Though she couldn’t quite reach his hair while standing still, so she gave a small hop, hooking her arm around Keenan’s neck and pulling him down into a suffocating headlock.

"Auntie? What are you—" Keenan’s face was squished against her shoulder.

"You little brat!" Brianna shouted, her voice ringing out with the perfect tone of ’annoyed older relative.’ She began ruffling his hair so violently his school cap flew off.

"I can’t believe you skipped class and came all this way just to nag me! Does your mother know you’re wasting your study hall time being a pest?"

Keenan’s "hero" persona crumbled instantly. "Auntie, I was so worried I had to check up on you."

Brianna wondered if he had seen the rumors online. "Well, you have nothing to worry about. Your auntie is a big woman."

She ruffled his hair some more, then reached out and tinkled his ear. The serious, dramatic teenager let out an undignified laugh.

"Auntie! Stop it! People are looking!" Keenan laughed, squirming to get away from her tickling fingers.

Brianna finally stopped, making Keenan look up at her. "Fine, I’ll stop worrying. But you have to promise to tell me when something’s wrong."

Brianna only nodded.

Ding.

The elevator finally arrived. Brianna let Keenan go, giving him a firm look. "Hurry up out of here. Or you’re going to be late."

She watched his retreating figure for a moment before stepping into the elevator with Rochelle and the others.

Ding.

A hand shot out, grabbing Brianna’s wrist before she could step out of the elevator. She turned, her gaze dropping to the offending hand.

Other pairs of eyes followed hers—the employees in the elevator were frozen, their ears practically twitching to catch the gossip.

Matthew Koch looked down, his fingers recoiling as if they had moved of their own accord. He cleared his throat, adjusting his composure. "Dr. Colburn, I have something to discuss with you."

Oh, no.

Don’t tell me it’s about that dinner again, Brianna groaned internally. She was running out of excuses to tell him "something came up" for the third time.

A devilish thought crossed her mind. If she forced him to speak in front of this crowd, he surely wouldn’t have the guts to ask for a date. She leaned back, a cold, elegant smile touching her lips. "Would you mind telling me now? Here?"

Matthew had originally decided to be angry at Brianna. But now, looking at the face of the woman who had repeatedly raised his hopes only to dash them. He could only see her beauty and found he couldn’t even be angry. He glanced at the employees who were shamelessly lingering, then focused back on her.

He began professional. "There’s a brand partnership deal that have specifically requested your face for their new advertisement campaign."