Married To My Ex's Brother, Reborn Miraculously-Chapter 247: You are a storm I can’t weather

Anne arrived at the office. She was already imagining Augustine’s reaction—how he’d tease her, how his eyes would light up the moment he saw her after a night apart. A soft smile tugged at her lips as she clutched the diary and went to find him.

She knocked once, then pushed the door open.

"Augustine..."

Her voice trailed off, and the smile froze on her face when she saw the chair behind the desk empty.

"Where is he?"

Then, from her left, came a voice she knew better than her own breath. "Did you miss me?"

She turned, and there he was, leaning casually against the wall, arms folded, watching her with that familiar intensity in his eyes.

The smile returned to her face instantly.

"What are you doing standing there?" She walked toward him. "Shouldn’t you be at your desk?"

"I was waiting for you," he said softly, his voice husky. He pulled her into his arms, holding her close against his chest. Only now, with her in his embrace, did the emptiness inside him ease.

"I couldn’t sleep last night." He lowered his head until his nose brushed against her neck. "The bed was too cold. The room was too quiet without you."

He breathed in her floral scent. Her closeness, her warmth, everything about her made him feel alive again.

"I got a glimpse of what life would be without you," he added. "And it terrified me. I don’t ever want to feel that again."

He tightened his hold around her, as if trying to fuse her into himself, to make sure she couldn’t slip away.

"Don’t ever leave me like that again."

"Don’t be so dramatic," Anne chided gently. "I only stayed one night with Audrey. She is heartbroken, and I was genuinely worried she might do something reckless. She has been there for me at my low times. I couldn’t turn my back on her now."

She lightly tapped his chest. "You are acting like a sulking child. It was just one night."

Augustine’s expression turned serious. "It wasn’t just one night for me. You left at six yesterday evening. It’s past nine now. That’s fifteen hours. Nine hundred minutes, Anne. And every single one of them dragged on like it would never end."

Anne rolled her eyes and let out a soft laugh. "Okay, now you are just being theatrical."

She slipped out of his arms, turning away from him with an exaggerated huff. Crossing her arms, she glanced back at him over her shoulder. She pretended to be annoyed, but she couldn’t hide the playful glint in her eyes.

"If Audrey needs me again, I’ll stay with her. You can’t stop me with your lame excuse. Got it?"

She tried to sound stern, but the flutter in her chest betrayed her. There was something satisfying in knowing how deeply she was etched into his heart.

His arms wrapped tightly around her from behind.

"I don’t accept that," he said urgently. "I won’t let you spend another night away from me." He held her even tighter. "If Audrey needs you, tell her to come stay with us. I don’t care how long she stays. But you aren’t sleeping anywhere but by my side."

The corners of her lips tugged upward in amusement, but she quickly bit back the smile. "Augustine..." she began, ready to protest.

"I’m serious," he cut in. "I won’t agree this time. If you even think about going back to Audrey’s, I’ll follow you there and camp outside her apartment if I have to."

Anne burst into laughter, unable to hold it in any longer. She spun around to face him fully, eyes sparkling. "Okay, okay, you win," she said, throwing her arms around his neck. "I’m not going anywhere. Are you satisfied now?"

"More than satisfied," he grinned, eyes already darkening with affection and hunger.

He leaned in, claiming her lips in a deep, aching kiss. The moment their mouths met, the desire and longing he had buried all night surged to the surface. His kiss turned urgent.

"God, Anne..." he whispered breathlessly as he pulled back, his forehead resting against hers. His thumbs caressed her cheeks, but his hands trembled from restraint. "I missed you more than I can explain."

He closed his eyes, trying to collect himself. The need to pull her closer, to lose himself in her, was nearly overwhelming.

"You are a storm I can’t weather," he murmured, his lips brushing hers with each word. "Every time you look at me like that, touch me like that... I lose all sense."

The tension in his body was electric, the desire barely kept at bay. He wanted nothing more than to sweep her off her feet, kiss her senseless, and never let go. But then the doctor’s warning flashed in his mind like cold water.

Her pregnancy was delicate. They couldn’t risk it.

The restraint burned in his veins, but his love for her, his need to protect her, was stronger.

"You are trembling," Anne whispered, wrapping her hands around his.

Augustine let out a low, strained groan. "This is what you do to me, Mrs. Bennet. The world sees me as calm, cold, and in control. People think I’m unshakable. But with you...I’m none of those things. You tear down every wall I’ve built with just one look... one smile. You undo me. Completely."

A playful gleam sparked in her eyes. She hummed in a perfect imitation of his usual tone, smirking. Then, she gently guided his hand to her belly.

"Well," she said teasingly, "maybe you should work more on that self-control. You are going to be a father soon."

Those meaningful words hit him like a cold wave.

Whatever heat had been surging through his body just moments ago drained instantly. The reminder of her fragile pregnancy sobered him.

"That’s a brutal way to cool me down," he muttered, pulling his hand back with a faint sigh.

Anne chuckled, clearly amused. "But effective," she quipped, flashing him a knowing look. "Now, if the fire is out, can we get back to work?" She held up her diary.

Augustine huffed and threw his hands in the air in mock defeat as he turned and walked back to his chair. "Fine. Go ahead."

Anne flipped open her diary and began reading out his schedule. Augustine leaned back in his seat, nodding here and there, but the smolder in his eyes had been replaced by a grim, distant expression.

He was listening—but barely. His thoughts still lingered on her touch, her kiss, and that reminder of what he couldn’t have right now.

As Anne wrapped up the briefing, she closed her diary and looked at him. "Do you need anything else?"

Augustine shot her a sidelong glance, the muscles of his jaw tightening and relaxing. He wanted to say yes, but not to anything work-related. So he bit it back, hiding the hunger behind a cold tone.

"No. You can go," he said flatly.

Anne paused, watching him. She caught the shift in his tone, the guarded look in his eyes. Most would have taken it as an annoyance. But she knew him better. He wasn’t angry, just frustrated.

An idea sparked in her mind. She moved toward him, a teasing smile tugging at her lips.

Augustine sat perfectly still, his eyes narrowing slightly as he tracked her approach. Something in her gaze made him sit straighter. Curious. Alert. Cautious.

She leaned in close and whispered, "Don’t be so sulky... I’ll make sure all your frustrations disappear tonight."

Then, she stepped back, walking away before he could react.

Augustine sat frozen for a beat, trying to process what had just happened. Her words ignited a hope within him. The cold disappointment that had been clouding his expression instantly dissolved.

A slow, unmistakable smile crept across his lips. "You know how to push me over the edge...I can’t wait to see what you have planned for tonight."

Visit freewe𝑏(n)ovel.𝘤ℴ𝑚 for the best novel reading exp𝒆rience