Phoebe scowled. "Not nning yet? You''re over 30 now. N is already on her second child, and you still don''t know when you''re getting married?"


    Vrie stayed silent.


    Phoebe''s frustration deepened. "You''re already this old, and your father and I still have to worry about your marriage. When will you finally settle down?"


    "Even if I wanted to get married, it''s not something I can decide on my own! Why do you always put the me on me?" Vrie grumbled.


    With how things were going between her and Brandon, marriage wasn''t even on the table-breaking up seemed more likely.


    Phoebe narrowed her eyes. "So it''s Brandon who doesn''t want to get married? I told you not to date someone younger, but you wouldn''t listen. Now look, you don''t even know if or when he''ll propose!"


    Vrie had had enough. "Marriage, marriage, marriage! That''s all you talk about! If you keep pushing me, I''ll move out tomorrow."


    "You" Phoebe choked on her anger.


    Not giving her mother a chance to argue, Vrie turned and walked away.


    Back in her room, she took a deep breath, forcing down the emotions swirling inside her.


    She pulled out her phone and opened her chat with Brandon. After a moment of hesitation, she typed a message.


    Vrie: [When are you free? We need to talk.]


    She waited over ten minutes before he finally replied.


    Brandon: [I have a few business deals to take care of. I don''t have time right now.]


    Vrie frowned and tossed her phone aside, frustrated.


    It had been half a month, and he was clearly still angry.


    After a while, she picked up her phone again and sent another message.


    Vrie: [Brandon, how long do you n on staying mad? At least give me a time frame. I don''t want to keep waiting indefinitely.]


    This time, he didn''t reply at all.


    ...


    The next morning, Vrie went straight to the Sumner Group to find him.


    Sitting in his office, she got straight to the point. "I came today to ask how you n to resolve things between us Half a month should be enough time to cool down, dont you think?"


    "Vrie, I have a meeting soon. I only have ten minutes," Brandon said.


    Vrie nodded. "Alright, I''ll keep it brief. I want to apologize again for what happened before. I didn''t consider your feelings, and I hope you can forgive me."


    She looked up at him, waiting for a response.


    She had already made up her mind


    beforeing. If Brandon still


    refused to meet her halfway, she would end things. Better to rip


    the bandage than drag this out indefinitely.


    off


    Brandon lowered his gaze, silent for a moment before finally saying, "I really do have a meeting. I''ll cancel my dinner ns tonight. Let''s have dinner and talk, okay?"


    Vrie let out a dry chuckle. "So if I hadn''te looking for you, you wouldn''t have canceled your dinner ns Brandon, are you actually too busy to see me, or do you just not want to?"


    Before he could respond, she stood and walked toward the door.


    Just as she reached it, footsteps sounded behind her. Before she could turn, she was pulled into a tight embrace.


    Vrie stiffened. A secondter, she shoved him away. "Brandon, what the hell do you mean by this?"