chapter 4

As Brandon stood waiting, he looked around the room, hoping to catch a glimpse of Amanda. And then, there she was. She was even more beautiful than he remembered, her dress shimmering in the light. He couldn't help but smile as she approached him.

"She looks amazing," he muttered, as he took her hand and led her to the car.

Amanda climbed into the car, feeling a little out of her element. But she tried to relax and enjoy the moment. The car was luxurious, and the convoy of bodyguards made her feel safe. She looked over at Brandon, who was driving with confidence. "So, where are we going?" she asked.

"To a party" he said, giving her a faked smile. Amanda just smiled and settled back into her seat, ready for the adventure ahead.

As they pulled up to the venue, Amanda's eyes widened in surprise. The place was absolutely stunning, with a grand entrance and opulent decor. She could feel her heart pounding in her chest. "Wow," she said.

He led her to the door, where a doorman greeted them. "Mr. Brandon" the doorman said, "it's so good to see you again. And who is this lovely lady?"

"This is Amanda," Brandon said, introducing her. "She's my guest for the evening." Brandon said.

As the party got into full swing, Amanda was enjoying herself more and more. She was chatting with people, dancing, and having a great time. But then, something caught her eye. It was the man that looked like his right hand has been cut off forcing is way in.

He was glaring at them, his face full of hatred.

Amanda's heart sank as she turned to Brandon.

"Do you know that man?" she whispered.

Brandon followed her gaze and nodded.

"I do," he said, his voice low.

Brandon quickly made his way to a secluded corner of the room, where he pulled out his phone and called his security team. "We have a situation," he said. "There's a man here who was involved in an altercation with me a few days ago. I need you to take care of it."

Moments later, three large men appeared, dressed in suits. They made their way towards the man, who was still watching them with a malicious gaze. The man tried to run, but the bodyguards quickly caught up to him.

Suddenly, the man pulled out a gun and started firing. People started screaming and running, as chaos erupted in the room. One of the bullets hit Brandon in the chest, and he fell to the ground. The bodyguards tackled the man, disarming him and carried him away. As they did so, Amanda rushed to Brandon's side. "Are you okay?" she asked, her voice shaking.

As Amanda crouched down next to Brandon, she noticed that he was not responding to her. "Brandon?" she said, shaking his shoulder. But there was no response. She checked his pulse, but couldn't find one. She looked up at the bodyguards in panic. "He's not breathing!" she said. "You need to call an ambulance!"

The bodyguards sprang into action, calling for help as they tried to keep the crowd at bay. Amanda could only watch, her hands shaking, as the paramedics arrived and rushed to Brandon's side.

*********

When Brandon opened his eyes, he found himself in his own bed. He was confused and disoriented, unsure of how he had gotten there. Then he saw Amanda, sleeping soundly in a chair next to him. She looked exhausted, like she hadn't slept in days. He reached out and touched her hand, and she woke up with a start.

"Oh my god," she said, looking at him. "You're awake!"

"I am," he said. "What happened?"

"You don't remember?" she asked, her brow furrowed in concern.

"You were out for days" Amanda manages to say.

"Brandon?" a voice said from the doorway. It was his mother, looking pale and worried. She rushed to his bedside, taking his hand in hers. "Thank goodness you're awake," she said, tears in her eyes. "We were so worried about you."

"I'm sorry to worry you," he said, feeling guilty. He knew how much his family had been through in the past few days. "What happened?" he asked again.

His mother took a deep breath.

"Your guards called me as soon as it happened," she said, her voice shaking. "They told me that you had been shot, and that you were being rushed to the hospital. I dropped everything and drove there as fast as I could. But when I got there, they wouldn't let me see you. They said you were in critical condition and that I needed to wait." She paused, taking a deep breath. "It was the longest night of my life."

"I'm so sorry, Mom," he said, tears welling up in his eyes. "I never wanted to put you through that."

Third person POV.

Amanda couldn't believe what she was seeing. Brandon had always been so strong and resilient, never showing any weakness. But now, he was vulnerable and emotional, like she had never seen him before. And he had a mother? She had never even considered that possibility. She felt like she was seeing a whole new side of him.

"I know you've been through a lot," Brandon mum said, her voice gentle. "I'm here for you, whatever you need."

"Thank you," he said, squeezing her hand.

"I don't know how to thank you enough," Brandon's mother said, turning to Amanda. "You've been a rock for my son, and I'm so grateful for that. You must be very special to him."

Amanda smiled, not knowing how to respond. "I'm just his friend," she said, feeling awkward. "I'm glad I could be there for him."

"You're more than a friend," his mother said, her eyes shining with pride.

Amanda looked over at Brandon, trying to gauge his reaction. But he just shrugged, looking as confused as she was.

"We're not together," she said to his mother. "We're just friends."

His mother laughed. "You two make a very cute couple," she said, her eyes twinkling. "You look good together."

"Mom!" Brandon said, his face turning red. "You're embarrassing me."

"I'm sorry," she said, still smiling.

Amanda felt like she was being put on the spot, and she didn't know how to respond. She knew that she and Brandon were just friends or she still a payment to him, but she could see why his mother might think otherwise. After all, they had been spending a lot of time together, and they were becoming close. But she didn't want to give his mother the wrong impression.

"Mom, I appreciate the compliment," she said, trying to sound polite. "But we really are just friends."

"Of course," his mother said, finally backing off.

"Would you like to help me cook lunch?" Brandon's mother asked, changing the subject. "It would be nice to get to know you better."

Amanda was surprised by the invitation, but she didn't want to be rude.

"That sounds nice," she said, trying to sound enthusiastic. "I'd be happy to help."

"Wonderful!" his mother said. "Let's go to the kitchen and get started."

As they headed to the kitchen, Amanda hoped that things wouldn't be too awkward. She had never met Brandon mother before, and she wasn't sure what to expect.

"Hi, my name is Lisa," Brandon's mother said, holding out her hand to shake. "It's nice to finally meet you, Amanda."

"Hi, Lisa," Amanda said, taking her hand. "It's nice to meet you, too."

Lisa smiled warmly. "I've heard so much about you," she said. "Brandon talks about you all the time."

Amanda's cheeks flushed. She wasn't sure how to respond to that. "Oh, really?" she said, her voice a little squeaky.As they started cooking, Lisa continued to chat with Amanda. "I'm so glad you're in Brandon's life," she said. "He's been through a lot, and it's nice to see him happy again."

Amanda felt touched by Lisa's words. "I'm glad I can be there for him," she said. "I care about him a lot."

"I can tell," Lisa said, giving her a knowing smile. "You're a good friend."

Amanda smiled back, feeling more at ease. Maybe this wouldn't be so awkward after all