Chapter 21: The Discovery

Brandon Cornwall's POV

After I dropped Barbara to our tent, I went out to order the men to get some rest and we will continue this endeavor tomorrow. They reluctantly obliged before I assured them that I will overlook the matter myself tonight.

Hence, that was why I was moving the boulder with my power. I cannot tell anyone that I have the means to move the boulder, except Sabrina because she was a Hayes, and I was certain that no one will be lurking in the shadows when I was working in the dark.

I did what I have to do, I waved my hands in the air as I can feel the boulder was moving in my mind. It was always a sensation that I get whenever I was near the crust or anything that have minerals in it. I can sense where they were.

That's why I was successful with my mineral business and all that. I was a gifted student for this.

As I moved my hands, the boulder moved and I saw that the man who was trapped on the other side was laying flat on the ground. He must be dreadful of the inevitable, death. Then, I heard a gasp behind me before I dropped the boulder and I turned to look it was Barbara.

My wife, even though it was night, she still looked beautiful even she was wearing merely a tank top with my flannel and hiking pants. I see that she found her hiking boots and I was glad that she was worried about it.

But the fact that she saw what I did don't settle well.

I was running toward her before she dashed out of the way. I looked at her retreating figure before I sighed. I need to get the man to safety before I can assure to Barbara that I was not as much as she would interpret.

And would she interpret me?

I grunted before I called for some workers that were up and helped me to see the man was taken care of. They thanked me as I was patting their shoulders. They asked how the boulder moved and I gave them the simple answer after all.

"Earthquake,"

They all turned to silence before some murmurs I heard that they did not feel the shaking of the earthquake. I said it was a small scale so we might not feel a thing. I was settling with Sabrina as she oversaw the progress of the man before I went to the tent.

I know that Barbara might be in the tent as I was preparing to be honest with her. But she was not there and my heartbeat fastened as I was looking around the camp but she was nowhere to be found. So I went to Sabrina and asked if she sees her.

"I thought she's with you, in the tent?" She asked but I shook my head. I was looking around before a person came to me and I was scared of the news that he brought for us.

"Mr. Cornwall, I saw your wife at the site. She's passed out," he said and before I can hear anything, I was dashing out of there to get to my wife.

Hang on, Barbara.

Barbara Brown's POV

I was shocked but before I can hear any explanation or anything. I was confused and I turned away when Brad was coming toward me. I don't know what possessed me but I wanted to get away from him.

And the boulder…

I shook my head as I was walking in the night without any clue where I was going. To make matter worse, I was not having any light to light my path as I was walking blindly. I swore I was stepping more on the stones that will leave my feet to burn for tomorrow.

I was curious but I also afraid to make any conclusion. Was this X-men world or what? Or maybe it was Avatar? The way that Brad can move the stone would be Earthbending if I recall.

I sighed as I was moving in the dark with the farthest light in front of me was the sight. I looked at the clear sky and I was wondering what it would be to study the stars.

Pfft, as if I would want to know.

But I have a friend, Daisy, who loved nothing more than the stars. I missed her terribly. We were tight, Lea, Ella, Daisy and me. We were best friends but with our paths being crossed to different majors, we did not tarnish our friendship.

We met during the first year of our dormitory that I was a roommate with Lea and the other two were our neighbors. We were new and making friends. With them, we instantly clicked.

It was the friendship of the century.

I sighed before I saw something was moving in the dark. I was on high alert as I don't know what to make out of the shadows. Was it a man? Was it a beast? Was it both? I did not know as I was running across the desert before I felt I tripped over something and all darkness was upon me.

"Mum? Dad? What are you guys doing here?" I asked them as my mum came to my side. She kissed my cheeks as Dad was smiling at me.

"Thank God, you're okay. Brad came to us when we were turning for the night before he told us that you were fighting death at hand. We thought that we had lost you," my mum said as she hugged me.

"I cannot believe that man. He promised that he will keep you safe but he revoked that promise. I'm glad that he had decided to annul your engagement," Dad said before my head turned toward him.

"What?" I asked as my parents were smiling at me.

"Shh, it's fine, dear. Brad will never bother you again. He said as much," Dad said as he was squeezing my hands.

What the fuck just happened?

According to mum, we were in San Francisco. 5 days since I last in the site as Brad has made it a priority that I will be back in NYC after I was discharged. I did not know what he was thinking as I was calling him but he did not answer my calls. They went to voicemail.

I think I wanted to punch someone. Preferably Brad's.

How could he do this to me? I still have my papers and notes that I need to make before I can have my proposal done. And I was not only on the site for one day only. What the fuck!

I was frustrated even more when I head back to NYC. I had tones of mails and parcels that I was no doubt from Brandon Cornwall.

I tore it open one of the letters and it was a note from him. I think my fury was seething when I read it.

Dear Miss Brown,

I have to send my condolences when I discovered that you were injured and cannot join the excavation. It was not common for a female to injure insight. However, I have returned your properties to you as well as your journals and notes about the discovery of the minerals.

But, I must say, I have to keep some of the important information about your discovery for my purposes. I know that you will be mad but I will give it to you after I'm done with it. You will get it in time for your presentation, which I can assure you.

Also, regarding the marital status between us, it was best if we resolved. I have no intention to keep our marital status intact after the excavation and since you were leaving the site earlier than expected, I have done the necessary for our marriage to be annulled. It will take some time but please bear with me.

Last but not least, I hope that you will have all the information that you need for your research papers and I hope that we will not be encountering each other in the future. Remember what we said in the contract and you must play by it.

Best Regards,

Brandon Cornwall.

The nerve of a man!

I was seething with anger that I don't know I was having it in me. I think I was one of the people that will not do anything harsh but right now, I wanted to burn him. Burn him and maybe slap him on a few occasions before I kissed him until he can't get enough. I laughed maniacally when River, my cat, was looking at me before I smirked at him.

"You know what, River, I think I will make sure that bastard suffers, you'll see," I said as I was staring at the pouring rain and thunders as I was plotting my demise to one and only Brandon Cornwall.