All Chapters of DON'T BEG ME NOW, MR. ARMSTRONG : Chapter 21 - Chapter 30

I liked silence most of the time. But today, the silence in my office wasn’t peaceful.The city stretched wide beyond my glass walls, sunlight bouncing off buildings like nothing in the world was complicated. But my mind kept spinning.I was stressed. Not just by the constant scheming and planning I had to do at work, but by life, in general. I was constantly thinking about keeping Kai away from his father, Victor's health, which I felt wasn't age-related, and most recently, the question Victor asked. I realized too late how Friday night was the reprieve I desperately needed. But I was too afraid to take it. And now, I wasn't even sure I was ever going to get that chance again. Even if I got the chance, though, I still wasn't sure I'd have taken it. As I stared out my window, my mind wandered to the man who'd been the bane of my existence for a long time. Dean. When Victor said he was circling, I agreed, but I didn't realize just how accurate that was. It was like he was a pre

~~Brandon~~When Victor asked to see me, this morning, he didn’t explain why. And although I wanted to, I didn't ask why either. He rarely requested my presence outside of our usual Thursday evening meetings, and I already understood that whatever the reason was, I was going to learn when I got there. The house was quieter than usual when I arrived.The housekeeper let me in, and I noticed how empty the place felt despite the lights being on. Victor preferred the lights dimmed when only the staff were home."Mr. Victor stepped out briefly," she said, answering the question I hadn't asked. "He asked you to wait." "Is Joan here?" I asked."No, sir. She isn't back from work yet." It was nine p.m., and I was more surprised at her absence than Victor's. From what Victor had told me, she didn't stay late outside at night because of Kai—save from during the gala and at Caleb's birthday. In fact, those were the only times I could recall her being out that long. Brushing my... worry aside

"No," I said immediately. Victor ignored me."I built everything I have with longevity in mind," he continued. "The company, the house. The trust structures. But paper protections only go so far.""Victor—""I might have cut off my family a long time ago, but I've seen, and I've understood how empires built with family ties last longer." He wasn't listening to me. "When I built everything I have now, I had my sons in mind. But they disappointed me." His eyes shifted to Brandon. "Brandon grew, and I intended to pass everything to him when the time came. Then, you came along. And you have become like my daughter, and your son, my grandson." He paused. "But if there's anything I've understood in my lifetime, is that feelings are not always enough. You need evidence, proof that you are family."He stopped, eyes moving from me to Brandon before settling back on me. The pit in my stomach grew deeper. "Which is why I want you married. To Brandon." Silence sliced sharply through the room.

I didn't know why, but it bothered me. Even though our marriage was on a probability, we were going to live together soon. I had a son, and I didn't want him to stay in a home where different women came in often, like it was a cosmetic store at the mall. One side of his lips lifted in a subtle smirk. "No, Joan. I don't get around often." He took his time to answer. "I have sex occasionally, but you don't need to worry. I never bring any woman home." It should've calmed me, but it didn't. A part of me hoped that he didn't. But I guessed not everyone was a prude like I was. I just hummed and returned to staring at the house across us. "Does that mean this will be easy for you?" I asked after a moment. "It's not about me more than it's about you." He shrugged. "As long as no major part of my life is disrupted, I'm fine with the arrangement." "That doesn't exactly answer my question, though," I pointed out. "I know I have a lot to compromise, but you're also involved in this. So,

"There's no and. I only met them once, I didn't even know they existed until that day, and it was at one's burial." He let out a low whistle. "That's fucking messed up, man.""I know."I picked up my pen and tapped it lightly against the page."I was actually thinking about reaching out to my aunt or uncles," I said. "If one of them is a compatible donor, it might—"I cut myself short when my phone buzzed on the table.I glanced at the screen and felt the corner of my mouth lift slightly."Speaking of cousins."Caleb raised an eyebrow.I held up my index finger and answered the call."Brandon!" My cousin, Julia's voice burst through the speaker with the same energy it had always had. "You actually picked up."I chuckled. "I usually do." "Whatever," she said quickly. I imagined her rolling her eyes. "I have news." "Do I want to know what it is?" She laughed. "Mark and I finally set the wedding date."Even though my phone wasn't on speaker, my eyes flicked to Caleb. He wasn't going