?


    Brandon took a deep breath and exined, "Vrie, that''s not what I think. I was just worried about you."


    "What''s there to worry about? Worried I''d fall for him again?" Vrie retorted.


    The coldness in her gaze made Brandon clench his fists, his expression darkening. "Vrie, is it really necessary to be so sarcastic? You know how much Tom bothers me, yet you didn''t tell me you wereing to see him.


    "What if I had met with an ex-girlfriend behind your back without saying anything? Would you bepletely unfazed?"


    "Why wouldn''t I be? I chose to be with you, so I''d trust you. But you obviously don''t feel the same about me," Vrie countered.


    For any rtionship tost, there had to be mutual trust. If Brandon kept being this suspicious and paranoid, it would just wear down their feelings for each other.


    "I told you I don''t doubt you. If you''d told me beforehand, I wouldn''t have shown up here. Don''t you understand my point?" Brandon''s gaze on Vrie was disappointed. "You say you won''t do anything with him, but if that''s the case, why is it so hard to just let me know? Is it really such a big deal?"


    "I was in a rush and forgot. Besides, I didn''t do anything wrong, so I don''t owe you a report on where I go and who I meet," Vrie insisted.


    Brandon smiled bitterly, lowering his eyes. "Then I have nothing left to say."


    With that, he turned to get back in his car.


    Vrie frowned, grabbing his arm. "Brandon, is this how you handle problems?"


    He pushed her hand off gently, his gaze emotionless. "Vrie, let''s both calm down."


    All he wanted was for Vrie to keep him in the loop about seeing Tom, instead of hearing it from someone else. She didn''t think it mattered because she believed she was being loyal. Neither could see eye to eye on this, so there was nothing left to say.


    Vrie looked down at her hand, her heart growing colder. She muttered, "Fine. If you want a break, then let''s take a break."


    Without another look at him, she walked past him to her car, got in, and drove off. Instead of going home, she went straight to N''s ce.


    "Tell me he isn''t the one with the


    problem," Vrie said,unching into. a rant as soon as she sat down. "When the Weir Group struggled, he didn''t step in, and I didn''t hold i against him-because we weren''t together then.


    "But this time, Zayn tried to drug me, and he still didn''t do anything about it! Tom''s the one who went after the Updikes.


    "All I did was go talk to Tom, and he''s acting like I did something wrong. If anyone should be angry, it''s me!" Vrie huffed.


    N handed her a ss of water. "Here, have some water and take a breath."


    Vrie took a sip, then asked, "So, whose fault do you think this is?"


    "Honestly, neither of you is really at fault. It''s just amunication issue. Brandon''s younger than you, and he cares deeply about you, so of course he''s sensitive about Tom.


    "But you''re six years older and have


    more experience in rtionships so you overtook things that feel significant to him. That probably makes him feel like you''re


    indifferent," N borated.


    Vrie fell silent, reflecting on N''s words.


    After a moment, she replied, "You''re right... But I''m still not ready to talk to him."


    Nughed, "Why does love have


    to be so cut-and-dried? You two have different ways of handling things, and arguments happen. during the adjustment period. What matters most is how you work things out afterward."