Chapter 906:
“Never mind. I’m hanging up,” she said quickly.
“Wait. Don’t go yet.”
Before she could tap the screen, Brad rose from the water. The bubbles shifted, revealing brief flashes of his bare, muscular frame.
Rylie froze, her breath catching in her throat.
He caught her stunned look and smirked.
“Y-You—” she stammered before managing to speak. “Brad, weren’t you a disciplined soldier? What are you doing calling me like this? Naked?”
Brad leaned back, utterly at ease. “I’m suspended, remember? So technically, I’m not a soldier right now. And besides,” he added, his voice rich and teasing, “I’m your boyfriend. If I’m naked in front of you, shouldn’t your first reaction be a compliment?”
Rylie tried to keep her composure, but her ears betrayed her, turning pink.
Brad noticed, of course, but he spared her the teasing. He rinsed off the soap, his voice smooth over the line. “From what I know about your brother, I’d say he’s in love with Melany. He just doesn’t know it yet.”
Rylie tilted her head. “You know him that well?”
Brad nodded. “We’ve worked together for years. Deandre’s never been the type to get serious with anyone—or careless, for that matter. He’s always been cautious. If he weren’t, he’d have half a dozen kids by now.”
Rylie thought for a moment. “But what if he was drunk? What if it just… happened?”
Brad laughed, deep and easy. “Rylie, men don’t lose control because of alcohol. If he was that drunk, he couldn’t perform. If he wasn’t, then he knew what he was doing. A little liquor doesn’t erase consent—it just loosens restraint.”
Rylie frowned slightly. “So you really think he likes Melany?”
Lᴀtєst chαptєrs in g𝑎lnovels.𝑐𝗼𝗺
Despite how opposite they were—Deandre and Melany—something between them had clearly formed. It made no sense to Rylie, and yet, somehow, it did.
“I can’t say for certain, but from where I stand, there are two possible explanations.”
After his shower, Brad fastened a towel loosely around his waist. Drops of water still traced the contours of his skin as he reached for his phone. His damp hair clung to his temples, and the moisture only seemed to sharpen the refined lines of his features.
He continued, “The first possibility is that everything truly was an accident. Deandre might have assumed the odds were negligible and simply didn’t give Melany another thought. If he later found out she was pregnant and there were no real feelings involved, his instinct would be to reject the idea of keeping the baby and deal with the matter swiftly.”
Rylie’s frown deepened. “You mean by forcing her to get an abortion?”
“Or perhaps offering compensation,” Brad replied evenly. “It wouldn’t be the worst outcome. Among the wealthy, unexpected pregnancies are often handled quietly. They rarely abandon their own blood. More often, they settle things with money and claim the child for themselves.”
Rylie said softly, “So in the end, the one left behind would be Melany—the mother.”
Brad’s tone turned somber. “In high society, marriage is usually a business arrangement. If Deandre is actually willing to marry her, then it must mean he truly cares for her.”
.
.
.