The Art Of Revenge (Thalia Nash and Brandon) novel Chapter 21

The Art Of Revenge

Thalia’s Pov

I dashed into the house, rushing straight to his bedroom room. My heart was racing as I gazed on the bed, but it was empty; then, out of the corner of my eye, I noticed him lying on the floor, covered in vomit, blood, and clots.

My mind froze as I merely stared at him, the breakfast I had prepared for him undisturbed on the table. I was certain he was dead because he appeared to be quite grey from where I was standing.

Nestor rushed in, bending down and rolling him over in an attempt to resuscitate him. I could hear him shouting out my name, but I was as still as a stone. He flipped him over and began slapping his palm on his back like an infant.

He then dashed to the bed, pressed a button, and the bed converted into a medical bed with a variety of medical equipment strewn over its edge. He dashed back to Brandon and dragged him to the bed, where he was fitted with an oxygen mask and a fluid bag.

“Thalia!” He yelled at me. I suddenly awoke from my stupor.

He declared, “He is alive, he is breathing.”

I moved carefully over to the bed and held Brandon’s hand, he was so cold, unlike yesterday when he was heated up. I raised my eyes to Nestor and inquired. “Is this some type of cursed disease?”

“I have no idea, not even the most brilliant minds have been able to solve it,” he said as he adjusted the room’s temperature. My mind was at a stalemate, and I couldn’t think of anything.

I was so excited about informing him about the meeting’s success, but it seemed like I’d have to wait. I just sat there, playing with his hand, as Nestor, much to my astonishment, began cleaning the room. I also noticed that he was familiar with the layout of the house and which doors linked to which rooms.

“I believe we should put him in some hot water like doctors used to do,” he suggested when he was done.

“Did you use to live here?” I asked, raising my eyes to him.

“No, but I used to come up here when he was unconscious to see how he was doing. The doctor would secretly allow me in,” he explained. As he began removing Brandon’s clothes, I looked at him, puzzled.

“Perhaps we should contact one of his physicians,” I suggested.

“There’s nothing a doctor can do for him, Thalia; he’s just a vessel awaiting his fate. He went on to say, “All we can do is make him comfortable.” I held down my wrath to scream at him. Brandon, unlike other people who betrayed me or pitied and laughed behind my back, was the one person who was honest with me and told me what I needed to hear.

He was sincere in his counsel and even laughed in my face. He was a sincere friend; he may or may not have had ulterior motivations in bringing me to his home, but he was a kind man. He didn’t deserve to die like an animal.

When he started removing his pants, I simply turned and looked away. I heard Nestor giggle, but I didn’t pay attention. I only heard a will chair disappearing through the bathroom door. I was enraged at the world and Go d as I sat on my bed. Before I burst out, I decided to occupy my mind.

I went into the kitchen and started cooking. Nestor had already stated Brandon’s favorite cuisine was mashed potatoes and shrimp. He’d have to find a portion of food if he woke up.

Nestor had showered, dressed, and tucked Brandon into bed by the time I finished. I noted the fluids hanging but his temperature and breathing were normal, despite the fact that he was still unconscious.

“Do you suppose he was unconscious for a long time?” As I sat down, I inquired

Nestor could only gaze down in embarrassment.

“You should have brought us back here as soon as you didn’t get a response, ” I stated in hushed tones.

“You have no clue who Brandon Fraser is,” he replied, raising his eyes to me. “When he gives you orders, you follow them.”

“Is it worth it if he loses his life? I inquired, but he remained silent.

“What is your relationship with him, and how do you know so much about him?” I finally asked the question which was eating me up.

“I’m expected to know who my boss is,” he replied.

“Cut the nonsense!”

“Brandon has made it clear that there is no relationship; he is insecure, and I’m amazed he even let you stay here,” he indicated, perplexing me.

“I assumed you were one of the girls he sleeps with when I came to pick you up, but your company speech? Is he assisting you in regaining control of your company?” he asked.

I gave him a long look before nodding.

“That’s Brandon,” he said, startling me. “He did the same for my mother, Maggie, I’m sure you’ve met her.”

” Maggie is your mother?” I was taken aback.

“Yes, after Dad died, we were left with nothing, but Brandon hired my mother as the caretaker of his family’s home, paying her a great salary,” he said with a smile that suddenly became melancholy.

“But then she had a heart condition and required a heart; she didn’t want to disturb Brandon, but I tracked him down and begged him.  My mum was put in front of the donation list and on a surgery table the next morning,” he explained as he sat down.

“When she recovered, he paid all the costs and reinstated her employment. Her employment helped me become the pilot I am today, and when I heard he was hiring pilots, I applied and was recruited.

Then we discovered he was ill. My mother offered to look after him, but he declined because he didn’t want help or sympathy. He dismissed us because he believes we are loyal simply because he gave my mother a heart. Yes, he is abrasive and difficult to work with, but he has a large heart underneath,” he noted.

I was taken aback and looked at him in astonishment.

“I know everything there is to know about him because I was the one who used to take him around the world. And when he got sick, I was the one who flew in all kinds of doctors, medicine, food, and everything else in and out of here, but when they gave him the one-month deadline, he fired me, and my mother gave us large retirement payouts,” he added, staring at me.

“Brandon is a strange man, as you’ve probably noticed. He treats anyone who comes close to him badly while entertaining the wrong people who are after his money. So are you only here because of his money?” he inquired.

I just stared at him, trying to process what he had just said. “Wait a minute, you earlier said you were in high school together?”

“Sponsorship to expensive schools was one of the benefits my father received when he worked for his father’s father. Brandon was a complete jerk to me during that time, and I despised him until I met the real Brandon, who was hidden behind the veil of hatred.” He stated this while looking at his watch.

He stood up and walked away, despite the fact that I had not responded to his question.

“Wait a minute, how am I supposed to look after him?”

As he offered me his card, he said, “Here is my card, call me if he gets worse.” He stated and assured me he would return first thing in the morning. As I glanced at Brandon, I was left alone and unsure of what to do.

Time passed, yet nothing changed. For leisure, I decided to take a shower. I got a text from Nestor asking whether there had been any progress, and I replied while looking at my watch. I walked to my couch after 8 p.m. and set an alarm for every hour to check on him.

Nestor awoke me in the morning. I promptly examined Brandon’s bed, but there was no progress.

He remarked, “Good morning, you appear sleepy.”

“We need to consult a physician,” I suggested.

He walked into the kitchen with a bag full of groceries and said, “No, give him time.” A woman stood at the door, waving at me.

“Mom This is Thalia, Thalia, this mom.”

I waved as I remembered her from the photo; she smiled, but I couldn’t help but feel ashamed, remembering how she had bathed my filthy body and hair. She approached Brandon’s bedside and kissed him, assuring him that he would be fine.

I couldn’t understand why Brandon claimed that everyone had abandoned him when the two people in front of me cared about him. Or were they obligated to love him because he had saved Magie’s life? They lingered for a few hours before departing, leaving me to wonder.

Another day, then another, and so on passed, I was starting to lose hope. Every day, Nestor would come to clean and bathe him, followed by Magie later in the afternoon. I grew accustomed to them, especially Magie.

They certainly were nice people but I never told them how I met Brandon because Brandon never considered them family for some reason, so I opted to keep some things to myself. The board members, on the other hand, wanted to meet, they had made a decision, but I couldn’t meet them because Brandon was still unconscious.

I just sat there, helpless, watching his tablet for updates, which, to my surprise, had my nickname as the password. It appeared brainless Thalia was the password for everything. To be honest, I was expecting a lot of porn or graphic content, but it was completely free of both.

I even had a front-row seat to Josh and Jessica’s wedding, which was the city’s largest and most prestigious event. Jessica had ensured that such was the case. All the rich and famous that had time to waste attended and I didn’t take my eyes away as I watched from beginning to conclusion of the ceremony.

I suppose it was because Josh was joyful; I compared his happiness to my wedding, and I would have noticed the red flags if I hadn’t been so in love with him.

Only when Nestor appeared did I come back to reality. I needed to act as though I was on Facebook. I wasn’t sure if I could trust him at that point.

A total of five days passed, I had given up, Brandon had twenty days left on his Clock. Nestor sat next to him, fresh after giving him his bath. “Thalia, you should meet the board; there are some amazing people on there who can help you reclaim your firm,” he said.

“No, you heard them, they wanted to hear Brandon’s voice; they’re going to throw everything at my face and call me a bluff,” I said as I moved around the room.

Brandon was never going to wake up; his body was going to shut down and die on the last day. Nestor urged me to relax and sit down, but I refused.

“Thalia They will proceed with the takeover if you do not meet them, goodbye Mandel, goodbye Gentex,” he insisted.

I screamed at him to stop but was brought to fault by a familiar voice, a voice that I had missed.

“Stop making her do st*pid things,” said a tired cracked voice. Brandon was completely awake and unplugging all the tubes when we both looked behind us.

“Oh my Go d, Brandon,” I screamed in excitement, hugging him so tightly that I felt like I was going to pass out.

He said, “You’re choking me,” as I swiftly pulled away from him. He was pale and feeble, and I could tell he’d lost weight. I was standing in front of Nestor, so he told me to move.

He inquired, “What exactly are you doing here?”

“I had Nestor’s assistance…”

Before I could finish my sentence, he cut me off before; “how long had I been out, and who had been bathing me?” he asked, surprised. Of all the questions he would have asked he wanted to know who was bathing him.

“Nestor,” I replied.

“Nestor, you’re fired,” he said and told him to leave his residence. Nestor obeyed. I was astounded. I couldn’t believe my ears. Nestor grinned as he excused himself and exited the house.

“Are you deranged? Didn’t you hear me? Nestor was here for you!”

“It was supposed to be you bathing me, not him. I’d have woken up the same day because of an erection,” he bluntly stated without a care in the world. My Jaw hung in shock.

My phone beeped, and it was Nestor telling me not to worry because he was getting fired for the hundredth time.

I exhaled a sigh of relief and sat down. Per vert Brandon had returned, and he appeared to be in a foul mood. He quickly requested his tablet and began browsing as if he had just gotten out of a mini coma.

He said, “Five days off my little time.”

“Are you starving?” I inquired.

“Your dumb pancakes, not food, placed me in this (sh it),” he expressed his displeasure by saying, “I’m upset.” I could see why he was upset; he had so little time and then squandered five days of it in a coma.

“I missed you,”  Without thinking, I stated

He locked his gaze on me for a moment before asking, “Have they taken over Mandel?”

“No, I offered them Gentex shares, and they went to think about it while the takeover was halted.” I was certain he would be angry with me, so I closed my eyes and waited for his insults.

“It’s great that you now have two functioning brain cells,” he applauded.

“They do, however, desire a meeting with Brandon,” I replied, ignoring his statement.

“I’ll take care of everything, but what about Josh and that nasty Jessica?”

“They just got married yesterday,” I said in a low voice.

“You couldn’t even sabotage their wedding,” he yelled at me.

I stared at him confused, we never talked about stopping their wedding. It was never in the plan.