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No More Tests in the Name of Love
No More Tests in the Name of Love
作者: Flying Dragonling

Chapter 1

作者: Flying Dragonling
When I opened my eyes, Brandon was sitting beside my hospital bed.

He was still in his engagement-party suit.

His shirt was wrinkled, his eyes bloodshot, and one hand was wrapped in gauze.

The second he saw me awake, some of the tension left his shoulders.

But he didn't hug me.

He just leaned over, touched my forehead, asked grimly.

"Scared now?"

The oxygen mask dug into my cheeks.

I barely managed to speak. "Where's my EpiPen?"

"The police took it as evidence."

"Why did you take it from me?"

Brandon stared at me.

The fear in his eyes faded, replaced by that same old disappointment.

"Willa, I have questions for you too."

My chest tightened.

He went on, "Why does every test end with you in the hospital?

"You know you're allergic to peanuts. Why didn't you check the ingredients?

"And when you couldn't breathe, what did you do besides beg me for your EpiPen?

"There was a phone in the lounge. An emergency button on the wall. A window facing the hotel atrium.

"So many ways to get help, and you just sat there crying?"

My eyes burned.

"The worse things get, the calmer you need to be." His mouth tightened. "I'm not blaming you for being scared.

"But if I'm not there, are you seriously just going to lie down and die?"

"You took my EpiPen." I looked at him. "And you locked the door."

Brandon went quiet, then took my hand.

His palm was warm, but his voice had that same lecturing tone.

"I shouldn't have locked the door.

"But I only wanted you to get through ten minutes on your own instead of calling everyone the moment you felt unwell.

"I can save you once or twice, but I can't be there every second of your life.

"I put you through these tests because I'm scared one day I won't get there in time.

"What happened yesterday was partly my fault.

"But if all you do is blame me, then you went through all that for nothing."

I yanked my hand away and turned my back on him.

Tears slipped down my face and soaked into the pillow.

For five years, it had always been the same.

Brandon would shove me off a cliff, then offer me a hand once I clawed my way back up.

And somehow, the pain was always supposed to make me stronger.

This time, he'd nearly killed me just to prove a point.

I was done.

"Brandon Hawthorne.

"We're over."

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  • No More Tests in the Name of Love   Chapter 10

    Both the theft of the brooch and Brandon's staged theft test made the news.Patty returned the real brooch, but she still faced consequences for stealing it and trying to frame Brandon.Brandon was investigated too—for staging the theft, interfering with my medical treatment, and more.Hawthorne Corp tried to characterize everything as a private relationship dispute.But Brandon voluntarily turned over records of every test he'd put me through.In Nordica City, the bodyguards had spotted two drunk men following me long before anything happened.[Should we step in?]Brandon replied:[Not yet. Let her handle it herself.]When I greeted relatives with a fever of 104.2°F, Dr. Carter wrote:[Recommend immediate hospitalization.]Brandon replied:[There are forty minutes left in the family dinner. Have her finish greeting the guests first.]The night I had gastrointestinal bleeding, Dr. Carter again recommended immediate hospitalization.Brandon wrote:[She needs to finish the

  • No More Tests in the Name of Love   Chapter 9

    Patty wiped her tears."See? Even now, he still doesn't think there was anything wrong with your plan."Brandon whipped around."That doesn't justify stealing the brooch.""Then what justified framing her?""I was trying to help her grow."Patty laughed, shaking."Everything you do to her is for her own good."But everything I do is wrong."Brandon frowned."I never forced you to do anything.""Because you never thought I was worth teaching!"Tears spilled down Patty's face."I cut my finger, and you brought me a doctor."I said I was scared, and you dropped everything to stay with me."Everyone thought you loved me most."But did you ever think about marrying me?"Brandon's expression hardened."I've only ever seen you as a sister.""Exactly." She nodded. "You let me be weak. You let me be helpless."Because you never planned on having me by your side."But Willa?"You nearly tortured her to death, and she still got to be your wife."You'd stay with me until I w

  • No More Tests in the Name of Love   Chapter 8

    I stared at him.I thought the tests had ended when I broke off the engagement.Apparently not.As long as I was still within his reach, every unexpected event in my life could become another test."So you knew I was innocent, and you still asked if I stole it to get back at your family?"Brandon's expression tightened."The real brooch is missing. This went beyond the plan."I have to consider every possibility.""Including me?""If you didn't do it, the investigation will clear you name."I actually laughed.He was the one who framed me.And somehow, he still expected me to admire how fair and rational he was.The police cut in."Where was the real brooch kept?"Brandon told Ash to bring over the safe.After three levels of verification, the door opened.Empty.Ash panicked."I put it in there myself at noon.""Who can open the safe?" an officer asked."Mr. Hawthorne has the code. I have the mechanical key."Ash paused."Ms. Rowan has the backup access card."

  • No More Tests in the Name of Love   Chapter 7

    I didn't agree right away.First, I had my lawyer review the terms. Then I confirmed everything with the insurance company.Only after everything checked out did I put on gloves and accept the brooch.Brandon's expression was hard to read.Maybe he'd finally realized I still asked people for advice.Just not him.After the brooch was restored, it went on display at the Afterglow exhibition.Two hours later, a staff member opened the case to return it to the safe.The velvet box was empty.Security footage showed I was the last person to touch the brooch.Brandon's mother, Margaret Hawthorne, immediately locked down the showroom."Search her things."Yara blocked the security guards."Without a warrant, nobody touches anything."Brandon looked at me."Let them search. If you didn't take it, you have nothing to hide."I ignored him.I called the police.Disappointment flashed in Brandon's eyes."Something happens, and you hand it over to outsiders. Is that really what

  • No More Tests in the Name of Love   Chapter 6

    The livestream footage spread fast.Hawthorne Corp's stock took a hit.Brandon came back to the hospital that night."Delete the statement. My family can overlook you acting impulsively, but you can't drag our private affairs into the public eye."I shook my head.He held back his anger."The studio space, distribution, materials—what hasn't Hawthorne Corp provided for you?"You think taking off your ring means you can handle all the consequences on your own?"I typed on my phone.[We'll see.]Brandon stared at the screen, his face going cold."Fine."If you think everything I've done for you is just another way to control you, I'll take it all back."This isn't punishment."It's your chance to prove you can really be independent."He reached the door, then stopped."When you can't handle it anymore, come back to me. I won't laugh."He sounded so sure.Like leaving him was just another test I was bound to fail.The Hawthornes moved fast.The day I got out of the hos

  • No More Tests in the Name of Love   Chapter 5

    Brandon went silent.Through the glass, I watched that familiar look of disappointment finally give way to panic.But the key was still clenched in his hand.Dr. Carter ripped it away.The second the door opened, he injected the EpiPen into my thigh.Then he dropped to his knees and started chest compressions.One.Two.Three.Nothing.That was when Brandon finally panicked.He rushed in and reached for my face, but a nurse shoved him back."Don't interfere!""She was talking a minute ago." Brandon stared at me. "How did she just stop breathing?"Dr. Carter roared."Anaphylactic shock doesn't wait for you to make up your mind!"A second dose of epinephrine was administered.The monitor kept screaming.Brandon suddenly grabbed Linda."Why didn't you open the door sooner?"Linda went pale."You said helping her would only make things worse."The hallway went dead silent.The livestream was still running.And the camera on the floor had caught every word.Brandon

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