Chapter 118

Hearing those words was the only thing that finally quieted the unrest inside Brandon's chest.

He stepped out of the prison and let the city swallow him,wandering aimlessly for hours.

His footsteps eventually led him to a street outside a kindergarten.

Brandon didn't leave his car-he simply sat there,watching from afar as children tumbled and laughed on the playground.

In the midst of the noise, Ari sat at a small table,head bowed as she sketched beside her friends.

Watching her, Brandon felt an unfamiliar calm unfurl quietly inside him, soothing the ache he'd been carrying.

Meanwhile, Millie was seated with a designer, her expression hidden behind a medical mask as they discussed costume details for the Heavenly Melody finals.

Her phone buzzed, slicing through the conversation.

"Sorry, I need to take this," Millie remarked, rising and slipping out into the hallway.

She glanced at the screen-Brandon's name flashed across it.

Her heart tightened instantly, every nerve on edge as she hesitated.

Millie stared at her phone in disbelief. The official decree would be finalized tomorrow-so why was Brandon calling now, of all times?

Had he... changed his mind? What would she do if he had?

Questions chased each other through her head as the phone rang on and on, refusing to let her breathe

At the last possible second, she finaly picked up and slipped quietly into the quiet far end of the hallway.

"What is it?" she demanded in a flat tone.

Brandon's voice reached her, gentle and unexpectedly intimate. "Let's have dinner tonight. Bring Ari. I've already made the reservation."

A crease appeared between Millie's brows. Her first instinct was to refuse, but she paused. With so little time left, she had no energy for another scene. So she simply asked, "Why?"

He answered softly, his words wrapped in a familiar warmth, "Millie, the decree comes through tomorrow.After that, we might not have the chance to sit down like this again for a long time."

Millie's gaze drifted up to a sleek modern painting on the wall as she struggled to steady her thoughts.

Was this dinner meant to mark the end of them?

Uncertainty twisted in her chest while she hesitated in the hush of the hallway.

Brandon lingered in silence, the weight of his words hanging between them.

At last, he murmured, "Just this once. After tonight and until we remarry-unless there's an emergency-I won't contact you or Ari again." 1

Pressing her lips into a thin line, she responded, "You'd better mean it."

She had no plans to go back to him. If he truly kept his promise, then tonight would mark a clean,final break.

"Absolutely," Brandon replied, his voice so soft it barely carried.

He sent her the restaurant details, and then ended the call.

Brandon let his phone falI to the passenger seat and gazed out the window at the kindergarten gates.

He had no idea what he was hoping for.

In a few months, Vivian would be gone. That was the plan-and after that, he and Millie would remarry.

But right now, he needed something-some reason,some grit-to pull him through the days ahead.

He looked over at Ari, still sitting on the playground,surrounded by her friends, lost in her painting. Her laughter floated across the yard, bright and unburdened.

Brandon found himself smiling, warmth blooming quietly in his chest.

Millie's brows knitted tighter as she mulled everything over, doubt gnawing at her.

After some thought, she dialed Alexia and ran through the details.

Alexia, sprawled out on her sofa with an apple slice in hand,sounded unimpressed. "Who knows what game he's playing now? As long as he actually puts his name on the divorce papers tomorrow, that's all we need."

Millie let out a faint sigh, conceding the point.

Alexia went on, her tone sharpening, "What worries me is that he invited you hoping you'll change your mind. If that's his angle, it'll just make everything messier."

Millie couldn't help but laugh dryly."Change my mind?Me? Not a chance. Vivian's still waiting for him."

Alexia shrugged,switching the fruit for the TV remote."Honestly, the chances of that are pretty slim. But if he tries to pull anything, just shut him down. Don't even give him room to maneuver. And if he refuses to sign, you've got your backup-you can drag him to court. Things will settle, one way or another."

Millie listened, her tension slowly easing as Alexia's confidence rubbed off on her.

Maybe she was overthinking it, but the persistent suspicion about Brandon's true motives lingered

"Men really do love to get self-pitied, huh? And let's be honest-he's probably just trying to keep you on a short leash, especially if he's hoping to remarry you once Vivian's gone," Alexia noted, rolling her eyes.

Millie gave a weary nod as she replied, "Yeah. That part's true."

Alexia suddenly straightened, her tone sharp with concern. "Wait-don't tell me you're actually considering getting back together with him?"

"Absolutely not!" Millie shot back, her gaze drifting to the painting on the wall. "My heart shattered in that hospital stairwell. There's no fixing that."

Alexia exhaled, regret flickering across her face."Sorry. I shouldn't have brought it up."

Millie managed a small, steady smile. "Don't worry about it. I have Ari now. That's what matters."

"Exactly. Just play along tonight. If you push back,he might make things messy tomorrow," Alexia warned,voice low and serious. "I'll have Giffard hang around nearby. If anything feels off, call him right away."

Millie agreed with a simple, "Got it."

Once the call ended, she glanced at the time-still a little while before she needed to leave. She turned her attention back to the designer, diving back into the finer points of the performance costumes.

Each piece was elaborate, demanding painstaking attention to every last detail.

"Really appreciate you pulling this off," Millie said as they wrapped up. "I'm relying on you more than ever."

The designer's grin was easy. "No worries-l've got you covered."

They'd teamed up four times now, and each project had only made their partnership stronger.

Their creative chemistry just clicked-every collaboration seemed to spark something new.

After a few more minutes of light conversation, Millie glanced at her watch, excused herself, and headed off to change clothes. Then she grabbed her keys and drove to Ari's school.

When Millie walked inside, Ari was already waiting,perched on a bench by the window.

"Millie!" Ari's eyes lit up and she hurried over for a hug.

"Come here, you." Millie crouched to her level, arms outstretched.

She squeezed Ari gently, and then leaned back to study her face. "Sweetheart, I need your opinion on something," she said, her voice low and warm."Brandon asked if we'd join him for a farewell dinner tonight. Would you like to go?"

Millie meant it-if Ari even hesitated, she'd call Brandon and decline without a second thought.

Ari tipped her head, thinking it over. "What about you?"she countered, her tone neither eager nor resistant,simply curious.

Millie met Ari's gaze, her expression softening. "You get to decide, sweetheart. If you'd rather not go,we'll skip it."

Ari's lips curled into a sly little grin. "Did he say something to you?" she teased, eyes bright with curiosity.

Millie couldn't help but laugh-she'd never seen that spark in Ari before.

"He did," she admitted, and then explained Brandon's promise: no more contact unless it was absolutely necessary.

Ari nodded as the situation clicked into place.

"Okay, let's go," she remarked with an easy smile."We'll just pretend it's dinner at the neighbor's house or something."

"You really are the best," Millie murmured, pressing a kiss to Ari's forehead.

Ari giggled and reached up, planting a playful kiss on Millie's cheek in return.

They lingered in that warm, affectionate moment-until a sudden shadow stretched across them.

Startled, they both looked up. Brandon stood there,silent, his presence dimming their smiles.

He saw the change in their faces and felt a pang of regret, but managed a gentle greeting."Hey, Ari."

Ari took a moment to think, and then greeted him with a quiet,"Hello."

Brandon gave her a subtle nod.

Straightening his posture, he turned to Millie. "Ready to go?" he inquired

Without a word, Millie squeezed Ari's hand and led her toward the parking lot.

"Why don't you both ride with me?" Brandon offered.

Millie fixed him with an icy stare.

The memory of Ari's last car ride with Brandon-how frightened she'd been when he started yelling-was still fresh in her mind.

"That's not happening," Millie declared, her voice steely. "Ari isn't gettingin your car ever again."

Brandon faltered, visibly caught off guard, but after a beat,he only nodded and kept his thoughts to himself.

They drove separately, Millie's protective grip never loosening from Ari's hand.

The sun was dipping low when they reached Crobert's renowned seaside restaurant.

As Millie and Ari stepped out of their car, Brandon joined them on the curb.

Together, the three of them walked inside, arriving just as the mellow chimes of the grand foyer clock marked five o'clock.