Chapter 116

Millie tried not to let her worries take over,silently wishing for an uneventful day ahead.

She checked her phone, but the blank screen offered no comfort-no new notifications, no missed calls,not even a stray message from anyone she cared about.

Letting out a quiet sigh, she decided not to dwell on it and set her phone aside, curling up and willing herself to sleep.

Across the city, Vivian was just about to turn in for the night when her phone buzzed insistently on the nightstand.

She glanced at the screen, lips tightening as she recognized the caller-one of the men who'd been extorting her for days now. Reluctantly, she picked up."What now?" she demanded, her voice low, barely masking her irritation. "I already paid you. Wasn't that enough?"

"Cut the act, Vivian. Don't play dumb with us." The caller sneered on the other end. "We asked for ten million, not two. You still owe us-unless you want your little secret to go public."

Vivian's tone was frosty. "You agreed to give me more time."

The group of men exchanged amused looks. One of them leaned in, a sly grin tugging at his lips. "Well,today we got some new intel. You'll bring us five million by three this afternoon."

Anger flared in Vivian's eyes as she bellowed, "I told you-l don't have that kind of money!"

"You could always hit up Brandon. Just a thought.Funny, isn't it? After today, Brandon and Millie's divorce will be official. This is your last chance.Five million, Vivian, or those files go straight to Millie and her soon-to-be ex. I'm sure you'd rather see the divorce go through quietly. If Millie finds out, she might just back out-and then you're stuck."

He finished with a self-satisfied smirk, enjoying every second.

Vivian's fist struck the table, rattling the glasses Frustration boiled over as she admitted, "I'm telling you,I just don't have the money right now."

Vivian's assets meant nothing if she couldn't turn them into cash fast enough.

"It's been ages since the fourth live stream wrapped Maybe you don't think our business is urgent?" The caller's tone dripped with impatience. "However you get the money isn't my concern. Try Brandon," he added flatly.

Then he hung up, the click ringing in her ears.

Fury blazing,Vivian hurled her phone across the couch.

She should have gotten rid of those bastards long ago.

Her caregiver hurried over, retrieved the phone, and offered it back timidly.

"Miss Simpson, what should we do now?"

Vivian snatched it away, her eyes narrowed in irritation.She brushed past the woman and slipped into a quieter room.

Certain no one could eavesdrop, she reached for a second phone and dialed a new number.

..-

Late that night, the police station had settled into its usual hush.Lynda,weary-eyed from hours at her desk,rolled her shoulders and let out a long, relieved sigh.

Her colleague caught her eye and asked if she wanted a drink as well.

"Yeah, thanks," Lynda responded, grabbing her own cup and joining him to the break room.

The fluorescent lights hummed overhead as they strolled together, conversation drifting as easily as the steam rising from their mugs.

"So, is your case almost done?" the colleague asked,tilting his head curiously

"It's getting there," Lynda replied, her voice a touch strained as she massaged her temple. "Pulling together witness statements, tracking down paperwork-it all adds up. Millie's background is...let's just say, it's not straightforward. We talked to her mom,made a trip to question her stepdad in prison,reached out to everyone tied to the Bennett family, and checked in with her friends, Alexia and Giffard. Even different Watson Group departments had to weigh in.We hauled Vivian in for questioning more than once,pored over the crime scene, canvassed the area where the suspect vanished, and picked through every scrap of surveillance footage for gaps."

The sheer weight of the workload made her temples throb. She exhaled,letting her exhaustion show.

"That's a hell of a lot to cover," the colleague remarked,shaking his head in sympathy.

Lynda took a long sip of water, letting the coolness settle her nerves. "That's just what I can recall right now. There's more, of course-mostly endless paperwork and the grunt work no one sees. The travel eats up hours, too. But we're nearly at the finish line. If things don't go sideways, we'll be able to bring Brandon in for questioning tomorrow, maybe the day after."

The colleague nodded in understanding, and together they headed back to their cluttered desks, water cups in hand.

"So, who's looking like our prime suspect these days?"he asked, trying to sound casual.

Lynda's sharp gaze snapped to his face, making him instantly rethink the question and turn his attention elsewhere.

Settling into her chair, Lynda quietly gathered her belongings

She feIt the exhaustion in her bones-a dull ache from too many late nights and not nearly enough hands on deck.

Dawn crept in, chasing the remnants of night from the city. As sunlight spilled across the skyline, the streets gradually filled with life.

Millie slipped into her morning routine, bundling Ari off to school before making her way to Evans Entertainment, her mind already fixed on the final round of the competition.

For once, she never let her phone leave her grip,glancing at the screen between every task.

If the day unfolded without trouble, she and Brandon would finally and officially end everything

So far, Brandon hadn't called or texted. The quiet brought both relief and unease.

"Let it stay peaceful. Just let midnight come and go,and this