Love Burnt Baby Stayed (by Nina R.Calder) novel Chapter 12

Chapter 12

In disbelief, Charles seized Briana’s shoulders and gave her a firm shake. “What did you just say? You’re leaving with what?”

“With nothing,” Briana repeated softly. “I’m leaving it all behind.”

Anger surged through Charles. “Have you lost your mind? Five years, and you saved nothing for yourself? Now you’re letting him walk away without a fight? That money is yours, Briana. Refusing it doesn’t make you a saint.

“You gave him your best years for free. He’d pay anyone else for a fraction of your time, yet you paid your own way. Are you that rich, or is your pride just wrapped up in a love that never really existed?”

He shook her harder, his frustration boiling over, until the room began to spin around her.

Briana closed her eyes, waiting until the nausea passed.

“Shepard never touched me,” she said quietly. “It happened once. Only because his grandmother slipped me something.”

“That still counts,” Charles shot back.

“So what?” Briana said. “Now you want me to go to Shepard for money?”

Charles was furious. “You just don’t get it.”

“No, you don’t get it,” she fired back, looking at him. “If you had any drive at all, we wouldn’t be in this mess.”

“You know how it is,” he said with a bitter laugh. “Edward has made sure the whole circle freezes me out, and Shepard won’t lift a finger. It’s not that simple.”

Briana had to admit, he had a point this time.

She broke away from him and settled onto the sofa, pulling a cushion into her lap as her expression turned thoughtful.

The current approach was clearly failing. It was time to change course, to be smart and adaptable instead of just pushing harder against a wall.

“I’m not taking Shepard’s money,” Briana said. “But I am going to claim what’s rightfully mine.”

“And what’s that?” Charles asked.

She looked directly at him. “Our parents‘ inheritance.”

Charles took a breath, calming himself. “Explain.”

“We can’t beat Edward at his own game. He’s too far ahead. We need to start something completely new.” Briana paused, letting the idea settle. “I’m going to build my own company.”

“And the startup money?” Charles asked.

1/4

5 vouchers

“From our parents‘ inheritance,” Briana said with a slight smile. “I know how to make Edward hand it over.”

Charles let out a derisive snort. “He’d never give it to you.”

“I have my ways. He won’t have a choice,” she said.

Before Charles could press further, Briana got to her feet. “I need to rest, Charles.”

A deep weariness had settled into her bones.

She picked up her bag and climbed the stairs to her room, each step feeling heavy.

The house was just as it had always been, frozen in time since her parents‘ passing. The furniture and decorations hadn’t changed in all the years.

But the house was too quiet now. It was just her and Charles, and they could no longer afford to keep staff.

Back in her room, Briana retrieved the divorce papers from her bag.

She gently separated the surgical consent form from the rest, careful not to tear the edges.

Her eyes lingered on his signature. She knew that handwriting like her own.

A wave of sadness rose in her chest, but she pushed it down with a steady breath. “No more tears,” she whispered to the quiet room. “It’s done.”

She believed that what came next was a new beginning.

Her hand rested on her still–flat stomach. At less than two months, there was nothing to show yet.

There should have been two. She had been blessed with twins, yet she had to give one up.

“Then let it be enough,‘ she thought. ‘Here is someone who will truly be mine. And I will love this child with everything I have left.‘

Briana took out her phone and called the hospital. “Hello, this is Briana Lane. I need to book a surgery for tomorrow morning.”

*****

The next day, Briana returned to the hospital as planned.

She handed over the consent form. “My husband and I both signed it,” she clarified.

The nurse took the form, gave it a look, and nodded. She began typing on her computer as she asked, “Briana Lane?”

“Yes,” Briana replied.

“And your companion?” the nurse asked. “They’re here with you?”

Briana was taken aback. “A companion?”

“Yes,” the nurse said, shifting her gaze from the screen to Briana. “You’ll be under general anesthesia.

2/4

Hospital policy requires a companion to be present to take care of you afterward.”

“I… I came alone,” Briana admitted.

“Then we can’t proceed with the surgery,” the nurse said.

Briana sighed to herself, ‘Just one thing after another. I couldn’t sign the forms alone, and now I can’t go through this alone. Everything requires someone else, but there’s never been anyone but me.‘

Briana hesitated before asking, “Is it really necessary to have a companion? My parents are gone.”

“Is your husband available?” the nurse asked gently, glancing at the signed form. “He signed this form. Is he not coming to be with you?”

“He’s away on business,” Briana said.

The nurse looked at her with a touch of sympathy. “It’s required for the procedure, I’m afraid. Is there anyone else who can come?”

Briana’s thoughts went straight to Charles.

“I have a brother,” she said, already reaching for her phone. “I’ll call him.”

“Okay. If he can get here soon, we can reschedule,” the nurse replied.

“Thank you,” Briana said quietly.

Stepping into the quiet of the stairwell, she dialed Charles.

“Hello?” Charles answered, his voice thick with sleep.

“Charles, I’m at the hospital. I need you to come. They won’t let me do this alone,” Briana said.

“Why me? Why don’t you call Shepard?” he replied casually.

“Do you honestly think he cares what happens to me?” Briana shot back.

There was a brief silence on the line, then the sound of movement. “Wait there,” Charles said.

Charles was a spoiled layabout, but he wasn’t entirely heartless. He still felt some sense of responsibility.

He showed up half an hour later. “What’s this about surgery? Are you sick?” he asked. “Did Shepard finally drive you to this?”

“You could say that,” she said softly.

“With what?” he pressed.

“It’s a gynecological thing,” Briana explained. “A small polyp in my uterus. They need to take it out.”

“Is it bad?” Charles asked, concern evident in his voice. “It’s not a tumor, is it?”

Briana was his only sister, his only real family left. He just wanted her to be okay.

3/4

10 vouchers

Briana simply shook her head and remained silent, careful not to give herself away.

Charles felt some relief.

With him there, the process moved more smoothly. And since he was her brother, he was authorized to sign all the required forms, including the surgical consents and disclosure forms.

He signed his name quickly, barely glancing at the pages.

Not long after, Briana was wheeled into the operating room.

The light above the door glowed brightly as Charles waited outside.

He couldn’t sit still, pacing nervously and running a hand through his hair.

A sudden thought struck Charles. ‘What kind of polyp required surgery? Could Briana be keeping something from me?‘

4/4