Richard's face was red with fury as he stormed toward the BMW. "What the hell are you doing here? I told you if I ever saw you again, I'd kill you."
Brandon stepped out of the car, positioning himself between Richard and Margaret. "I was just giving Margaret a ride home. We ran into each other—"
"You're lying," Richard snarled, close enough now that Brandon could smell the alcohol on his breath.
Victoria emerged from their car with calculated slowness, her eyes moving from her mother to Brandon with cold assessment. "What were you doing hanging out with the traitor, Mother?"
Margaret looked down, her voice small. "We just happened to meet, and Brandon offered me a ride. That's all."
"How convenient," Victoria said, her tone dripping with sarcasm.
"Maybe it's best if I leave," Brandon said, though every instinct told him not to abandon Margaret here.
Margaret nodded quickly, fear evident in her eyes. "Yes, please go."
Brandon didn't want to leave her, but he could see that his presence was only making things worse for her. He got back in his car, watching through the rearview mirror as Margaret stood small and frightened between her husband and daughter, both of them radiating hostility.
He drove around the corner and parked, immediately pulling out his phone.
"Eric, it's Brandon. I need you to prepare some documents for me. Immediately. I'll send you the details in a few minutes."
"Of course. What kind of documents?"
"Separation agreements, restraining orders, emergency housing arrangements—everything needed to get someone out of an abusive situation. And I need them ready by tomorrow morning."
After hanging up, Brandon sat in his car for several minutes, wrestling with the urge to go back. Finally, he forced himself to drive away, heading back toward the campus.
---
Back inside the Carter house, Richard's rage hadn't diminished. He paced the living room while Margaret stood near the doorway, trying to make herself as small as possible.
"What were you doing with him?" Richard demanded.
"He gave me a ride. That's all. We just happened to—"
"Lies!" Richard grabbed a glass from the side table and hurled it against the wall. The crash made Margaret flinch violently, and she began sobbing in fear.
Victoria watched from the couch, her expression utterly indifferent to her mother's terror.
"I told you to stay away from him," Richard advanced on Margaret. "But you don't seem to want to listen. Are you fucking him? Is that what this is?"
"No! Richard, please—"
"Don't lie to me!" He slapped her hard across the face, sending her stumbling backward.
Margaret collapsed to her knees, sobbing uncontrollably.
Victoria stood up, walking past her mother without a trace of concern. "She deserves this for betraying the family. Maybe now she'll learn to know her place."
---
Brandon didn't head to the main building when he reached the campus. Instead, he drove for five minutes to the game development building—a massive structure painted with colorful characters and fantastical landscapes from the various games his studio had created.
The third floor housed the executive offices. Melody Hayes, the head of game development, looked up from her workstation as Brandon entered.
"Brandon, hey. Wasn't expecting you today."
"Just wanted to check on how development's going. We on track?"
Melody pulled up a project timeline. "Ahead of schedule, actually. We're set to release twenty games this year across all platforms. The RPG we've been working on for three years is finally coming together beautifully."
"And the VR development?"
"Significant progress. The hardware is refined, the motion tracking is flawless, and we've solved most of the nausea issues. We should be able to release the VR headsets next year, along with about a dozen launch titles."
"Good. Make sure the quality is there. I don't want to rush anything to market."
"Understood."
Brandon's phone rang—Margaret's name on the screen. His heart immediately began racing.
"I have to take this," he told Melody, already heading toward the elevator.
"Margaret?"
"Can you meet me? Please?"
The desperation in her voice told him everything he needed to know.
---
He found her on the same bench where they'd first reconnected, sitting hunched over with her arms wrapped around herself. Even from a distance, he could see she'd been crying.
Brandon sat down beside her, immediately noticing the fresh bruise on her face—darker and more severe than the others he'd seen.
"Are you okay?"
"No." Margaret's voice was hollow. "I haven't been okay in a long time."
She turned to face him, tears streaming down her face. "I'm so tired of living like this, Brandon. I can't do it anymore."
"Margaret—"
"Please help me." The words came out as a desperate plea. "I know I said I couldn't leave, but I can't stay either. Please, Brandon. Help me."
Brandon pulled her into a hug, feeling her body shake with sobs against his chest. "I will. I promise you, I will."
---
The drive to Brandon's mansion was silent except for Margaret's occasional quiet crying. Once inside, Brandon got her settled in one of the guest suites—a spacious room with its own bathroom and sitting area.
"Try to rest," he said gently. "You're safe here. Richard can't get to you."
While Margaret showered and changed into some clothes ARIA had ordered for delivery, Brandon made calls. First to a luxury moving company he kept on retainer for situations requiring discretion.
"I need you to go to this address and collect some personal belongings. Clothes, documents, anything personal. You'll have to be fast and careful. The husband may become violent if he realizes what's happening."
Next, he called Eric. "How are those documents coming?"
"Nearly finished. I'll have everything ready by morning. Brandon, are you sure about this? Inserting yourself into a domestic situation could create legal complications."
"I'm sure. Get it done."
After ensuring Margaret had everything she needed, Brandon stood by the window of his study, watching the lights of Seattle spread out below. Margaret was finally asleep in the guest room, probably the first real rest she'd had in years.
Brandon had given her his word that he'd help her build a new life. A life free from fear and violence. A life where she could rediscover who she was beyond the role of victim she'd been forced to play for so long.
And if Richard tried anything—any attempt to threaten or harm Margaret—Brandon would use every resource at his disposal to destroy him completely. Not just his company this time, but his reputation, his freedom, everything.
Some battles were worth fighting, regardless of the cost. And protecting someone who'd shown him kindness when he had nothing was exactly the kind of fight Brandon was willing to wage.