Chapter 109

"Serena, I already gave you a chance. So far, you've just been lucky. Did you honestly think I wouldn't retaliate? Get down on your knees and beg-maybe then I'll consider throwing you a lifeline." Vivian's messages lit up the screen, each one dripping with contempt.

Charles took one look and unleashed a string of curses.

Alexia and Seville erupted as well, their outrage filling the room with heated voices.

Millie's grip on her phone tightened until her knuckles blanched.

Vivian's constant threats and smug sense of control made it feel as if waiting for some miracle was the only path left.

But Millie refused to stand by any longer.

She saw, clear as day, her father's tormented face beneath stormy clouds, the boy shielding her with nothing but a broken board, and the tiny, silent child she had lost.

She wasn't about to let anyone dictate her fate anymore.

Never again would she be powerless.

Millie pressed her nails into her palm until pain cut through the haze, jolting her thoughts into focus.

A few more days-she just needed a little more time to secure the divorce decree. But right now, chaos from the show demanded her full attention.

Only two things mattered for now. Would the show be axed without warning due to the scandal? Or would the sponsors force her out before that?

She blinked, her gaze sharpening with a sudden,unshakable resolve.

Walking away was never an option-not for her.

If every sponsor turned on her, could shemanage to buy herself some breathing room?

She didn't have to wait for the final broadcast to clear her name. Three days. That was all she needed-just three days to get the decree and present undeniable evidence. After that, no one would be able to push her aside.

Netizens might also demand answers, so the production team would have to offer a clear solution.Still, they could respond by saying, "To ensure fairness, we need time to investigate," and publicly guarantee a resolution before the final live broadcast -within four or five days at most.

Millie turned to Charles, her tone quietly apologetic."You might have to take some heat for me these next few days." She spoke with crisp determination. "You'll probably need to step up and promise them a solid answer wwithin four or five days-no later than the final broadcast."

Her reasoning laid out, Charles caught on instantly, his eyes flickering with sudden energy.

"Absolutely-a strategic delay!" he declared, nodding with conviction. "Leave it to me. I'll kick up a fuss and buy us time. With your plan, the netizens and sponsors should settle for a brief delay. I'll lean on the Evans family name to pressure them if I have to. Once you get the decree, everything will fall into place."

The room erupted with nods of agreement.

Alexia chimed in, her excitement bubbling over,"Exactly! There's no need to drag this out until the finals-we only need a few days!"

"She's cracked it!" Seville whispered to Sheridan as he stepped back in. "Honestly, her brain works fast."

Right then, Charles' phone buzzed again. He glanced at the screen-Napier was calling.

This time, Charles didn't dare let it go to voicemail.

"Come back right now." Napier's tone brooked no argument, every word clipped and urgent. "Move it!"

Apparently, the sponsors had hit a dead end with Charles and gone straight to Napier for answers.

"I got it, Grandpa. I'll head back right away," Charles answered, ending the call and snatching up his car keys.

He glanced at the group. "I'll video call you from my other phone. Gotta deal with my grandpa first."

Everyone murmured their understanding.

Without wasting a second, Charles rushed out the door.

For now, he could stall the sponsors-at least until Napier had smoothed things over and the Evans family's clout could be brought to bear.

But another storm loomed overhead: the program review.

There had been incidents before-once a celebrity's reputation came under fire, their scenes might get quietly cut, or in the worst-case scenario, the entire show could be scrapped.

The sponsors would be weighing all those risks right now.

Millie paused, calculating her next move, and then turned to Alexia. "Mind if I borrow your laptop?"

Alexia slid it over without hesitation.

Millie's hands flew over the keys, pulling Alexia and Seville into her mission.

She refused to go it alone-this fight would take all of them.

After a second's thought, Millie turned to Sheridan."Sorry if it gets noisy."

Sheridan had complained about the chaos before,but now he just gave a dismissive wave, eyes glued to Alexia's screen. Noise or not, he was in.

Once the discussion ended, Sheridan focused on coding the program he'd mentioned earlier.

"You should really pull your SIM card. Vivian will jump at any excuse to leak your number," he added softly.

Vivian,true to form, had already set that trap.

Millie's phone was buzzing nonstop with spam and insulting messages.

Millie popped out Serena's SIM card and slipped it into her bag.

Since Evans Entertainment had set up that number under their own name, there was no risk of it being traced to Millie's personal details. With the card gone,the constant buzz of messages and calls finally ceased.

She glanced around the living room, meeting everyone's eyes. "Let's get back to work."

"Yes!"

"That's right!"

By now, dusk had settled outside. Any news of blacklisting or program cancellation wouldn't come until morning, once offices reopened and meetings began.

For tonight, at least, the storm was held at bay.

Meanwhile,at Vivian Floral Design,Vivian stood alone at her window, watching as Brandon's taillights vanished down the street. She glanced down at the messages she'd just sent Serena, a bitter, trembling smile twisting her lips as she wiped at tears threatening to spill.

So much had changed during this single taping.Somewhere along the line,she realized, she'd stopped attacking and started defending-never sure what blow might land next.

By her calculations, Serena should have lost this round.Yet somehow, a hidden hand had tipped the scales,forcing Vivian to hold back and conserve her energy for the finals.

She'd planned to unleash the "donation fraud"scandal at the climax-blindsiding Serena just as Serena's team had done to her recently.

But with the rumor mill now in overdrive, Vivian had no choice but to up the ante. She dropped the bombshell ahead of schedule, hoping to bury the chaos under something even bigger.

Vivian let out a cold murmur. "So what if I played my hand early? Serena, your name is nowhere on that donation list. Even if you scramble to make it up now,everyone online will see straight through it-too little,too late. Your wholesome act is finished. Let's see you claw your way out of this."

Her caregiver standing nearby couldn't resist speaking up."But Miss Simpson... your name doesn't appear on the list either. What if someone brings that up?"

Vivian shot her a scathing look and snapped, "Are you fucking dumb? The whole world saw Brandon buy that tanzanite for me, and it wasn't cheap. Plus, I'm also wearing the ruby pendant he bought for all to see.Who cares if my name isn't listed?"

The caregiver fell silent, biting back a retort.

She'd nearly pointed out that, legally, Brandon and Millie were still married-which technically made that jewelry part of their joint property-but she thought better of it. One more word and she'd face another sharp reprimand.