Chapter 112

Millie glanced at the others and said, "I think we've done enough for today."

She decided to finish up on her own.

Exhausted,the rest of the group said their goodbyes and headed out.

When Millie finally got home, it was already late.

Worried that she might not wake up in time to take Ari to school the following day, she set several alarms,just to be safe. Afterward, she drifted off into a deep sleep.

Meanwhile, Charles managed to slip past his brothers and relay Millie's plan to Napier.

Napier didn't respond right away. He just scrutinized his grandson, leaving Charles squirming under the weight of his silence.

"Grandpa, why are you staring at me like that?"Charles asked uneasily. "Did I say something wrong?"

Napier's face was unreadable as he took a seat. This only made Charles more anxious.

What did that look mean? Was it bad?

Sweat began to form on his brow.

"I just don't understand why she chose you," Napier finally said, shaking his head as he gave Charles a slow once-over."You barely look put together, you've got a hot temper, and compared to your brothers, you were never the skilled one. You act on impulse far too often.So why you?"

Charles felt a jolt of irritation. "Barely put together"?

That was ridiculous. He was good-looking, and he knew it.

His father had a thing for attractive women,and those good looks didn't skip a generation.

He was frequently in the gossip columns, linked to various actresses, and had even topped the list of the most eligible bachelors.

Moreover, ever since he'd started spending more time with Millie, Charles had worked hard to rein in his temper.

But this was his grandfather he was facing, so he wouldn't dare talk back.

Still, he couldn't help feeling wronged.

Napier caught the frustration in his eyes and let out a snort.

Charles lowered his gaze. "Grandpa..."

Napier let out a heavy sigh and spoke with a calm but firm tone. "You should really think about why she picked you. That girl is sharp and resilient. Even when backed into a corner, she always finds a way to strike back. Every move she's made so far has been deliberate and well-executed. If it weren't for the divorce process with Brandon that prevents her from revealing her true identity, Vivian wouldn't even come close to matching her. And truthfully, I don't think she even sees Vivian as a rival. She knows exactly what she's doing."

Then Napier added sincerely, "You're her friend now But what if one day she stood on the opposite side?Would that scare you? At the charity gala, she owned the room. And now again, look at what she has pulled off. It's not just luck. It's raw talent. She's perfectly capable on her own. So the question is, why you?"

Charles hadn't seen that question coming.

Honestly, he'd never given it much thought.

To him, it had just felt natural. Millie chose him, and they ended up working side by side.

"Grandpa..." Charles paused,trying to piece together a reasonable answer. "Maybe it's because we used to sell songs together under a secret alias? We were friends, and then this show just came along?"

Exasperated, Napier tapped Charles on the head with his cane.

"Ouch, Grandpa! That hurts!" Charles yelped, rubbing the sore spot and looking thoroughly wronged.

Napier shook his head with a sigh. "What do you mean selling songs under a secret alias?"

Charles went on to explain how he had helped Millie sell songs under the alias "Eva" after she married Brandon and stepped away from the spotlight.

"She didn't really make much from it," he added in a lower tone. "Back then, she was Brandon's wife, and he gave her whatever she needed. It couldn't have been about the money."

Napier looked at Charles with irritation. "And here l thought you'd finally gotten smarter. Guess | was wrong."

Seeing the confusion on his grandson's face, he continued, "I think I know why she chose you. It's because she values genuine loyalty and emotional bonds."

He paused, as if reflecting on something. "She stayed with Brandon all those years most likely because she felt bound by loyalty."

"It's a shame..." Napier shook his head.

Charles frowned. "Why would that be a bad thing?Isn't loyalty a good thing?"

Napier gave Charles a long, deep look without responding.

"I see one of your better traits now," Napier said,changing the subject. "Sincerity."

Charles blinked. Was that a compliment, or a way of calling him naive?

Charles had always been the blunt type, quick to speak and even quicker to lose his temper.

But lately, he'd started learning to be more cunning.

The thought made him grin in satisfaction.

"Tomorrow morning at seven, the investor reps will be arriving. Figure out how you're going to manage things before then," Napier said before turning to head to his room.

"Wait, Grandpa. So did I pass your test or not?"Charles called after him.

Napier didn't reply. But if he hadn't passed...would they still be having this conversation?

Millie woke up just in time.

Her head felt heavy from lack of sleep, but she dragged herself to the bathroom and washed up.

After getting dressed in a hurry, she poured herself a cup of coffee, and then headed out to pick Ari up from the Children's Home.

While waiting at a red light, Millie glanced down at her phone.

It was already 7:30 a.m. She opened the group chat and scrolled through the messages.

The others were probably still asleep. The last message came from Charles from the night before-"I've handled my grandpa."

She wondered if that 7 a.m. meeting he mentioned was still in progress.

He had relayed his conversation with his grandfather the previous night.

Millie realized that setting the meeting for 7 in the morning was probably Napier's way of giving Charles a chance to figure things out overnight

It was also a way to deliver results just before the investors officially started their day.

As she pondered this, a new message from Charles popped up. "Sorted."

She hadn't even typed a reply when another followed."But... I didn't getto use that reason we prepared."

Millie's brow furrowed. What was going on?

She sent Charles a message, asking if they could talk on the phone.

He called her instantly.

Millie wore her Bluetooth earbuds before accepting the call.

"Charles, what's going on?" she asked, genuinely confused.

Had the investors rejected their plan? Did Charles have to come up with something else to convince them?

What could he have said?

Millie tried to piece it together but came up blank.

"It's too much to explain right now," Charles said quickly. "The investors are still around. I need to get them settled first. Let's talk at the office later." Before she could say another word, he ended the call.

Millie sat in silence, momentarily stunned.

Just then, the traffic light turned green, and Millie started the car.

Once her car was steadily on the road, she reminded herself not to get too caught up in speculation. First,she had to get Ari to kindergarten. Everything else could wait.

With that in mind, Millie turned on the car radio,hoping some music would help clear her thoughts.

The voice of the morning host came through the speakers. "Good morning, listeners. Today is..."

Millie glanced at the date on her phone.

It was the 28th day since she and Brandon filed their divorce.