Chapter 535

Nadine had been so in love with Brad that she completely lost herself in their relationship. But now, she had come to her senses, and she'd vowed to steer clear of men, especially those who brought her heartache. Nadine had learned to lock her heart away and keep her distance from men. If Sean hadn't been on the verge of being late for school, she would never have gotten into Brad's car. Now that Sean had gotten to school on time, she felt Brad had served his purpose, and there was no reason for her to be involved with him. Hence, she decided to hail a cab on the side of the road. Nadine couldn't fathom why Brad would stand in her way and stop her from passing. Without Sean around, she didn't have to maintain her sweet and demure facade. Moreover, she didn't want to see this man at all. Her demeanor turned cold, and her face betrayed every ounce of her irritation. If this had been the past, Brad would've done everything he could to make Nadine take back her words. But now, he was clearly not as confident as he used to be when he faced her. Even though he was seething with anger, he didn't dare to lash out at her. Brad loomed over her, blocking her way as he crossed his arms and stared her down. "Take back what you just said. If you don't, you can forget about leaving." He checked his wristwatch with a glint in his eyes. It was 8:00 am, and Nadine had to be at work by 8:30 am. The trip to the hospital would take more than 20 minutes. If she lingered even a moment longer, she would be late. He was using this to his advantage, deliberately making things difficult for Nadine. Nadine took the opportunity to look at his watch and noticed it was already past 8:00 am, causing her to grow anxious. "Don't push your luck, Brad!" Damn it. Hadn't he just upset Jean? Why wasn't he trying to make things right with her? Why did he have to come over here and bother her? He should be hovering around Jean instead! Not only did Brad show no intention of stepping aside, but he even took a step closer, looking down at the frightened Nadine before him. Unhurried, he said, "You have 27 minutes left. If you say something sweet and compliment me, I'll drive you to the hospital. How does that sound?" It was obvious that Nadine despised him right now. If he kept her from leaving, it would only make her hate him even more. Finding the right balance was key, and he understood that. He couldn't push her too hard, but he also couldn't let her go too easily. It was all about finding that sweet spot. When he noticed her face flush with anger, he decided it was time to dangle some bait. Nadine knew that she would be the only one who would suffer if she kept dragging this out with him. Gritting her teeth, she quietly said, "You look somewhat like a decent human being. Is that good enough?" What a jerk! There was no one more despicable than Brad in this entire world! Back when she revolved around him, he despised her. Now that she had stopped being a lovesick fool and come to her senses, he had the nerve to come back and cling to her. What the hell was his problem? Brad looked at her and chuckled. "Are you insulting me? Do you think I can't tell? But I don't mind at all, because that means you still have feelings for me." Alex had told him that if he wanted Nadine to come back to him, he had to be persistent and thick-skinned, seizing any opportunity to steal a kiss or hug her. At the time, he thought Alex was spouting nonsense. But now, it seemed to be effective. The trick was to definitely be thick-skinned! Sure enough, after hearing his words, her face flushed crimson, and she looked like she was ready to beat him up. "Shut your trap, Brad! If you've got nothing better to do, you should go to Jean and make yourself seen. Otherwise, she might really not want you anymore!" Nadine didn't care about what he said anymore, but that one line struck a nerve. She had moved on from him a long time ago!