Chapter 261: What She Wanted For Herself
Outside, Brooke helped Susan to a bench at the hospital’s patio area, she hung the jacket on her shoulder over the woman. "Wait here, I’ll get you something warm to drink." She said after noticing how cold Susan’s hands were.
"Wait." Susan held her by the wrist, "Don’t leave me." She said in a pleading tone.
Brooke nodded and sat back down next to her, "Of course, I’ll stay as long as you want me to." She went on, "It’s the least I could do especially after I couldn’t do anything to stop her-"
"None of that is your fault!" Susan strictly told her, grabbing her by the hand.
Brooke’s heart skipped a beat. "Of course it’s my fault-"
She reached out and gave Brooke’s hand a tight squeeze."It’s that Cassie whose to blame! I never really liked her right from the moment I met her. I knew she was suspicious."
"I tried convincing my brother, but he’s so hell-bent on righting his wrongs. Anyone with eyes can see Serena is trying to exploit him." She reasoned.
Brooke sniffled, "Cassie is relentless, she won’t stop at any underhanded trick to get her way."
Susan shook her head,"But that won’t work this time, she picked the wrong people to mess with! I swear it, I’m going to make her and her worthless mother suffer greatly. I don’t care what happens to me after."
"Please, it would be a waste to go to prison over someone like Cassie. Think of Kayden, he’ll be all alone if something happens to both you and Mr Julian." She reasoned with her, trying to serenade her.
Kayden’s name seemed to work on Susan, her breathing stilled and the tight grip on Brooke’s hand lessened. Softly, Susan rested her head on Brooke’s shoulder, and sobbed softly into it.
"It’s my fault, I was the one who kept reminding him of his mistake. I should’ve tried to be more understanding, I should’ve been better."
Brooke didn’t understand the situation fully, it was also her first time meeting this woman, but she felt she could relate to her.
Especially with Thane.
She should’ve tried to be a better partner to him, a better wife, and maybe understand him better. Their argument kept playing in her head, it had been a long day, a very long day, and the one thing...the one person she wanted to hold right now was her husband.
"I think you’re doing the best you could’ve done. And I’m sure Mr Julian knows that better than anyone else." Brooke gently stroked her head, "So please, don’t beat yourself up, he’d feel even worse seeing you in this state."
She wasn’t sure if she was advising Susan or herself. Maybe she didn’t need to try so hard to impress Thane, or to stay relevant to him.
Maybe just being by his side when it mattered was enough.
’That’s easier said than done though.’ a part of her still argued, even if that was what Thane wanted, was it what she wanted for herself?
Wasn’t this all starting to seem like her first time.
Her first time with Ethan Halton...
-Flashback-
"Listen here Brooke, you’re here to represent my agency, so you’d better not embarrass me! Am I clear?!" Luther questioned her, raising his voice, attracting some stares from the people stepping in and out of the building.
Brooke kept her head down, "Please, not so loud, people are staring-" she begged, but Luther was not having it.
"Tch." He hissed, "Maybe they’re staring at the limp bitch in crutches. Wondering how a vegetable like you managed to land an internship here!"
Brooke swallowed, it was the first day of her internship, she didn’t want to ruin the makeup her mother lent her with tears.
Luther reached into his jacket and pulled out his business card, he slipped five of them into Brooke’s worn out bag, "Make sure to distribute these during your lunch break. Am I understood?"
She could only nod.
Luther rolled his eyes, "Ungrateful bitch. Next time, I’ll let you come here by yourself, maybe then you’ll finally learn your place."
Brooke knew to be grateful that Luther took time out of his busy schedule to take her here, and he spent good time paying for a cab too.
The internship had come as a surprise to both him and her mother. She had randomly sent an application, she didn’t even think she’d get a response from Halton Inc.
After all, it was owned by the richest man in the city, the most eligible bachelor in the country.
When Cassie found out about the internship, she expected her younger sister to make a tantrum or try to stop her from going.
But Cassie surprised her when she hugged her and said, "Good luck Brooke, I’m so happy for you." A wide grin on her face.
Brooke half smiled at the memory. Maybe Cassie was maturing with her new career path as an actress. Maybe she could change for the better? She thought, as she crutched into the building.
Inside, she asked for directions towards the area where the rest of the interns were waiting for their supervisor.
She noticed two other women seated together, engaged heavily in a discussion. However, the moment she stepped in, they stopped talking.
Brooke’s heart started racing wildly.
’Maybe this was a bad idea? I should’ve just stayed home. Mother was right, I must be making them uncomfortable.’ she panicked, her grip on her crutches weakening.
She was so overwhelmed with her thoughts that she didn’t notice a hand rest on her shoulder.
"Hey are you okay?"
She looked up at the brunette gazing softly at her.
She forced a nod, "I’m just a bit nervous."
Jen gave her shoulder a tight squeeze, "Believe me, we all are! Halton Inc is such a big company, we’re so lucky to have been picked. Right?" She flung her head at the blonde sitting behind her.
Avery nodded, "My parents haven’t stopped bragging to our neighbors about this. My boyfriend even teased me this morning not to get involved with the CEO." She laughed.
Jen chuckled, "That’s so silly! What are the chances of us interns ever meeting the CEO?"
Author’s Note: Chapters still on their way guys