She Outshines Them All



When Brandon woke up, he saw himself lying in a hotel room. The room was very dark, and only the bedside lamp was lit.

Lindsay sat motionless at the desk with her arms crossed. Her back was leaning on the chair, and she seemed to be asleep. There was a laptop on the desk in front of her, and the screensaver was on. with the time displayed in white digits: [01:31]

Brandon remembered that he became unconscious at around eight in the evening. In other words, he had slept for at least five hours.

'While Zayn and Athena are fighting terrorists, I'm here sleeping in a bed of a luxury hotel?' Brandon thought, and he really felt like shooting himself in the head.

But it was useless to think about that now. He struggled to sit up and got out of bed. He picked up his phone from the bedside table and only realized that the battery was flat.

He got more furious and babbled in his head. 'Lindsay knew what kind of situation I was in, and she didn't charge my phone for me? Forget it, there's no point in arguing about this now.'

He grabbed the charging cord on the table and plugged it into his phone. At the same time, he picked up Lindsay's phone and tried to figure out the passcode. He entered his birthday and bingo!

What he did woke Lindsay up, though. Lindsay opened her eyes and sat up straight. "Brandon, you're awake?"

Brandon couldn't spare time to answer her question. He quickly called Jaden. "Hey, Brandon here. How are Zayn and Athena?"

Jaden sounded very tired. "They're still safe for now. Zayn injured his leg. He can only use a wooden stick as a walking stick and walk very slowly. He has already reached the depths of Wyomarlo City and is very close to where the terrorists are."

Brandon took a deep breath and said, "I'm sorry that I ran away at the last minute. I'll rush over now."

Jaden said, "I can't help much here, anyway. I think it's better if you stay at the hotel. Don't come over for the time being."

However, Brandon had already hung up. He grabbed the portable charger and his phone and was about to leave.Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDrâ/ma.O(r)g!

Lindsay grabbed his arm. "Where are you going?"

Brandon looked at her coldly. "Wyomarlo City."

"What can you do even if you go?" Lindsay was on the verge of crying. "There are so many soldiers there and they'll save your brother and the hostages. You will only be in their way if you go.

"So, why don't you stay here and wait for updates? I'm sure they would also want you to stay out of harm's way. Don't put yourself in danger." Brandon looked at Lindasy for a moment before closing his eyes. After taking a few deep breaths, he opened his eyes and said calmly, "Lindsay, let's break up.

"You don't have to stay at Donovan High-tech anymore. I'll buy back your shares at double the price. If the people you brought to the company also want to leave, I'll buy back their shares at a premium, too."

Lindsay was instantly stunned and didn't know how to react. "Brandon, w-what are you talking about?"

Brandon repeated, "I said, let's break up. Right now."

Lindsay stared at him in a daze for a while before she seemed to understand what he meant. Trembling, she let go of his arm and tears streamed down her face. "Y-you w-want to break up with me?"

Her voice was breaking. "What have I done wrong for you to do this to me?"

"You didn't do anything wrong." Brandon cut to the chase. "It's just that I can't forgive you for stopping me from saving my family. I'm very sure that I can't live with you or even work with you in the days to come."

His words made Lindsay cry. Lindsay's body became limp and swayed like a candle in the wind.

"You're breaking up with me because of this?" She clutched to her collar and sobbed. "I didn't do this for any selfish reasons. I did it for your sake. Your family would fully agree with me doing this.

"But you resent me and want to break up with me because of this? We've been together for seven years. I've given you my all, gone through thick and thin with you, started a business with you, and this is what I get in return?"

Although Lindsay came from a prestigious family and had her life was smooth sailing, she had always been very independent. She didn't like to rely on others and was a true believer that nothing comes before hard work.

This was the first time she cried her eyes out.

Brandon was in a hurry to leave. However, when he saw Lindsay like that, he tried to be more patient and calmly explained his thoughts to her.

"I'm sure you feel it too, don't you?"

He closed his eyes, and there was a note of sadness in his voice. "We're fundamentally different. I've known that for a long time, but you've been so nice to me. I'm not cold-blooded and what you've done touches my heart.

"I thought that we could overcome the differences in our views and pursuits after going through so much together and that we'd be together forever. But I was wrong. We're very different.

"No matter how much we admire

each other or how deep our feelings are, there will still be an insurmountable barrier. Instead forcing myself to walk down this path, and we become resentful couples in the future, it's better to split up as soon as possible."

Lindsay looked at Brandon with teary eyes, as if she had lost the ability to think. "What do you mean by we're very different?"

She took a step forward and held Brandon's arms tightly. She said in a hoarse voice, "Tell me, what do you mean by we're not in the same league? "We talked about everything and fought together. I know everything about you and have never hidden anything from you. How can we be very different?"

Brandon's eyes, which always looked a little sinister and cold, were clouded by sadness. He couldn't bear to see Lindsay in despair.

Yet, he still chose to be calm. "Do you know why I never told you about my family after studying abroad for four years and being back here for two?"

Lindsay asked, "W-Why?"

Brandon closed his eyes. "You like eating bagels, but I like eating hamburgers; you like drinking tea, but I like coffee; you like going to opera and going to church regularly, but I like watching stand-up comedies and don't go to church."

"Of course, these are just small matters that can be ignored. However, you're set on emigrating and settling down overseas, but I desire to stay here and be with my family. How are we going to meet halfway on this matter?"

His voice sounded solemn. "Do you know, just the thought of you swearing allegiance to Aeloria under its flag makes me crazy! If Aeloria

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goes to war with my country, you will represent Aeloria and become enemies with my country and my people!"

"Brandon, you're too extreme and narrow-minded!" Although Lindsay was still crying, she still retorted almost instantly. "Emigrating is not a big deal. It won't affect us much-"

"That's the major difference between you and me." Brandon interrupted her. "It's a small matter to you, but not to me. I also have friends from overseas and those who have emigrated. I can always be friends with them, but never family."

He looked at Lindsay. "This is the difference between friends and family. That is why, all these years I've admired you, trusted you, and treated you as my best friend.

"I've never thought of being more than friends with you. Also, I've never thought of explaining my family's situation to you. To me, my family is more important than my life. I can't share the most precious thing I have with you."

Lindsay was dumbfounded by his words. She looked at him as her tears trickled down her cheeks. "But I've already decided to withdraw my immigration application."

Brandon stared at her. "But you haven't withdrawn the application, have you?"

Lindsay was shocked and let go of his hand. "H-How did you know?"

She suspected Brandon was investigating her behind her back.