Chapter 7 SEVEN
"He fcking did what?" Janice angrily exclaimed, slamming her hands on the table. It was a fortunate thing it was still lunch break, and there were only a few employees inside their department.
"Shh, come and sit down," Brienne said, pulling Janice next to her. Janice sat on the empty chair and looked at her.
"Go on, tell me," she said, and Brienne proceeded to tell her what had happened back at the café.
"That fcking...does he have no shame?!" Janice said, shaking her head. "It was his fault in the first place, and now he is blaming you because you were with Raven?" His cheating ass deserved that breakup," she added.
"Oh, Bree, are you okay?" Janice asked, seeing Brienne's eyes water.
"I'm sorry, Nice. It's just that I feel humiliated," she said, blinking her eyes.
"When I see Jasper, I swear I'll kick his balls! Good thing Raven already punched and kicked him," Janice said. Brienne bit her bottom lip as her phone lit up.
"Who's that?" Janice asked. Brienne picked up her phone, and dread filled her as she saw her ex-boyfriend's name on the screen.
"Don't answer it—just block his number already," Janice said. Brienne waited for the call to end and then blocked Jasper's number, hoping she'd never see him again.
Raven entered the office that Johnson had loaned him and sat on the swivel chair. He took out his phone and dialed his beta's number.
"Alpha," Carter said, answering the call.
"Carter, I want you to look for a man named Jasper. He's Brienne's ex-boyfriend. I want all the information on him," Raven said.
"Oh, I know where this is going. What did the man do?" Carter asked.
"He fcking humiliated and insulted Brienne in the café, in front of a lot of people," Raven replied, his eyes glaring at the wall in front of him. Once he sees that man again, Goddess forbid, he will cripple him.
"Alright, I'll tell Siv to find him. I'll get the information to you as soon as possible," Carter said, ending the call. He tsked and put his phone back in his pocket. Nobody messes with Alpha's woman.
Raven took a deep breath, calmed his beast, and placed the phone on the table. Brienne is human and doesn't know about his kind, which has existed for a long time. He needed to stay in control. The door opened, and Raven saw Johnson coming in with a bottled coffee.
"Hey," Johnson said, tossing him the bottle.
"Hey," Raven greeted.
"You look...angry. What happened?" Johnson asked, sitting in the chair in front of Raven. Raven crossed his legs and opened the bottle cap.
"Some douchebag ruined my day with my woman," Raven said.
"My accountant? You're still seeing her?" Johnson asked.
"Yes, why?" Raven responded, furrowing his brows.
"I thought you stopped," Johnson said. "Don't look at me like that. I didn't know you liked her like that," he added. Johnson hadn't expected Raven to continue pursuing the woman. It was already surprising enough that he invested in Johnson's business just because of his employee, but who was he to reject an offer that benefited him and his company? As long as Raven abided by his rules and the contract, they were good.
"She's a great woman," Raven said.
"But Raven, she's human. Please don't be upset with my advice, but isn't it better to be with our kind?" Johnson said. Raven stared in silence. If he wanted to, he could find a she-wolf to fancy, but Brienne had a different effect on him.
"They're not like Brienne," he said. Johnson shrugged his shoulders.
"Suit yourself, but remember, Raven—no sex in my building," Johnson reminded him.
"I'm not like that! And Brienne definitely wouldn't want that either," Raven replied. He respects Brienne and her office. He's not a beast in heat who can't control himself.
"Just making sure we're clear," Johnson said, then changed the topic to pass the time.
Brienne finished her last task and stretched. She tidied up her things and packed her bag. After turning off her computer, she stood up.
"Are you done? Let's go," Janice said.
"Oh, I can't go with you today, Nice," Brienne replied. "I'm going to the cemetery to visit my parents," she added, smiling sadly.
"I understand, Bree. I'll head out first. Take care, okay?" Janice said, embracing Brienne before leaving their department. Brienne waved goodbye and left, too. She waited for her bus, and when it arrived, she got on. After half an hour, the bus stopped near the cemetery. Brienne got off and waited for the bus to leave before crossing the street. The wind blew past her, and she rubbed her arms. She found her parents' graves and placed the flowers she had bought.
"Hi, Mom and Dad," she began. "I'm here to say that I'm not mad at you for keeping my adoption from me. I'm just glad that the two of you were my parents," she added, tears streaming down her face.
"Judy and Leah hate me, Mom," she said. "I don't know what to do anymore. I want to be close to them, but I guess that won't happen," she added. Brienne stayed at the cemetery for about half an hour, talking to her deceased parents before deciding to go home.
When Brienne arrived at the house, she found her things outside, and her sisters were talking to a man.
"Judy, what is this? Why are my things outside?" Brienne asked. Judy looked at her and dragged her away from Leah and the man they were talking to.
"Shut up, Brienne. We're going to sell the house," Judy said.
"What? You can't do that! Mom and Dad left it to the three of us. How could you?!" Brienne exclaimed in disbelief.
"Oh, please, Brienne! You're not really my parents' child. It’s because of you being in this family that we hated staying with them. We will never like you, Brienne. The least you could do is agree to this," Judy said.
"Judy! Are you hearing yourself?" Brienne asked, utterly hurt by her sister's words.
"I never thought you were my real sister, Brienne. So shut the fck up and let us sell this fcking house!" Judy said. "Don’t worry, you'll get your share if you cooperate and sign the papers," she added.
"Is anything wrong?" the man asked.
"Nothing, Mr. Norris. Have you decided?" Judy asked, squeezing Brienne's hand.
"Yes, I will buy this house," he said.
"That’s great, Mr. Norris. I’m sure your wife and children will love this house," Judy said. "I'll get the papers ready, and we will call you again," she added. Brienne was about to protest, but Leah stopped her. After the man left, Judy slapped Brienne in the face.
"Brienne!" Judy yelled.
"Judy, please. I don’t have anywhere else to go. The house is the only thing Mom and Dad left for us. You can’t sell it," Brienne pleaded, her voice shaking.
"No, Leah and I have already talked. We are selling this house," Judy said.
"But what about me?" Brienne whispered.
"You’re old enough to find your own place, Brienne. For years, Mom and Dad clothed you and put a roof over your head. Now that they're no longer with us, please leave our lives. We don’t acknowledge you," Judy said, turning away as Leah followed her. Brienne collapsed to the ground, weeping. The family she thought she could count on had finally abandoned her.