From Deadbeat To Doting; Something Is Wrong With My Husband!-Chapter 23: React, you bastard!

Without another word, Lucian walked back into his room, leaving Annie more confused.

...

The morning sun shone too harshly on Brianna’s face, creating a contrast to the wreckage of the night before.

Brianna woke up with a clear head, the dizziness of the previous night had been replaced by an energetic realization.

She needed to survive long enough until the contract expired. Though the Dowager’s permanent marriage contract stayed untouched in her drawer.

By the time Brianna had showered, she went down the stairs and had a lovely breakfast.

Dropping her fork on her empty plate, Brianna wondered if Lucian already had his breakfast. She loved nothing more than not seeing him, but the thought of him being out of her sight made her conclude he was plotting something against her.

Though when she had passed his room door earlier, it was closed. She had brushed it off, thinking he was downstairs already.

She looked back upstairs, her fingers tapping anxiously on the dining table.

Annie, who had just walked in to clear the table, saw her madam in a deep thought, she wondered if Mr. and Mrs. Colburn was having marital issues. If so, she needed to report to that anonymous person who pays her for information.

The moment Brianna’s meditation alarm sounded, she sighed, taking herself to her suite.

Upon passing the hallway, Brianna found Lucian’s room door open. She narrowed her eyes, looking for a sign of him through the narrow path, but it seemed he wasn’t in the room.

Her foot stayed at the entrance, where she heard the sound of running water.

This seemed like an opportunity. An opportunity to confirm once and for all.

’Thomas had said they were having theories... I can’t live in paranoia. I need to find out what they know.’

If she knew Lucian well enough, she knew he always mapped out whatever he needed to do. And right now, dealing with her was in his list of top priorities.

So she took a step in.

"Master’s back. Let’s see what we have here." A low meow sounded from under her legs.

Lucifur, Lucian’s black cat ran between her legs into the room, making Brianna hiss. "SHHH!" 𝐟𝕣𝕖𝐞𝐰𝕖𝚋𝐧𝗼𝚟𝐞𝕝.𝗰𝐨𝐦

Lucifur paused, turning halfway to Brianna with another meow. "Don’t shush me, Lady Brianna. I am the master’s favourite."

He twitched his tail arrogantly and continued his walk in.

Brianna frowned. She had been happy not having to deal with its sassiness for the past few weeks, not even caring where it went.

Ignoring Lucifur, she focused more on the room. It was spotless.

Too spotless, if she could recall.

It didn’t smell like the man who smelled of expensive scotch and bitter resentment. No.

Reaching for the drawer she had tried to pick countless times before, she pulled a pin from her hair, ready for a fight, but the drawer slid open with a surrendering click.

She scoffed, ’Either he’s incredibly so stupid, or this is a bait.’

Brianna’s both hands moved into the files. She wasn’t sure of what she was looking for in particular, but anything in a red folder that had her name or initials on it, was for her. She searched and searched, throwing out his files, frustratedly.

She found nothing but mundane wealth: a deed for a villa in Tuscany, a renewal for his life insurance, a list of charitable donations. Nothing about her or about the "accident."

Narrowing her eyes, she sighed. There had to be something. But then a thought came to her; If there was nothing here, it must be in his office then!

She needed to check there.

As she rose, her head spun, forcing her to grip the edge of the desk. It must have been the way she rose or maybe she needed to actually see a doctor.

Once her vision was steadied, she saw the devil himself.

Lucifur was circling a rare, obsidian-potted orchid.

Translation: one of Lucian’s prized possessions!

Brianna panicked. "Lucifur! Get down from there this instant!" she whisper-yelled.

"Or what?" the cat’s eyes flashed with green mischief, rubbing himself further on the pot.

Brianna bit her bottom lip in suppressed rage, taking cautious steps as she stretched forward her hand to catch him before he did anything stupid.

"Now, now, Lady Brianna, you better stay back."

She didn’t understand the meows, but she understood the intent. She nodded. "Good, kitty... who’s a good boy?"

"Good boy? In case you’ve forgotten, I’m a bad boy."

The cat leaped the moment Brianna lunged towards it. The orchid pot lost its balance. Brianna left Lucifur and threw herself forward, hitting the floor with a thud that knocked the wind out of her, her hands caught the heavy ceramic pot just inches from the floor.

She let out a breathless, triumphant laugh.

CRASH!

The sound from the smashed crystal echoed through the room. Lucifur hadn’t landed on its feet, no, it was too classy for that. Instead he had used Lucian’s Forbes 30 Under 30 Crystal Commemorative as a launching pad.

The heavy award lay in a hundred destroyed diamonds across the floor.

After seeing what he had done, "Uh-oh..." Lucifur meowed. But when he heard his master’s shower turned off, he catwalked out of the room.

Brianna glared at the stupid cat’s tail disappearing through the door.

Dropping the flower pot, she scrambled to pick up the shards. She was concerned about a pot, when this would actually make him react. She wasn’t sure if she was ready for what was coming.

She heard the door open and perceived the steam that followed him out.

Lucian stood for a minute, a towel hanging around his neck and waist, while droplets of water rolled down his broad shoulders to his spine.

He took in the scene: wife frozen on her knees, his desk ransacked, his files scattered like fallen leaves, and his prestigious award reduced to glitter in her hands.

Brianna remained frozen, waiting for the explosion. The reaction; calling her a clumsy barren brat. Reminding her she owned nothing in his house. That she irritated him.

But he simply walked to the bed and sat down, running the towel through his damp hair.

The silence was louder than the crash had been.

No. Brianna shook her head. He was going to say something any moment now...

Anyway... time... from... now... he’d... yell...

’C’mon, say something!’ Brianna screamed internally. ’React, you bastard!’

Finally, he exhaled a long sigh. "Have you had breakfast?"

Tilting her head, Brianna’s brow arched in pure confusion. "Eh?"