Chapter 119

The moment the trio stepped into the restaurant, a waiter greeted them with a welcoming smile.

"Mr. Watson, Mrs. Watson, and Miss..." he began,about to say "Miss Watson."

"My name is Ari Combs," Ari interjected quickly.

The waiter gave a small nod in acknowledgment.course,Miss Combs."

"Right this way, please," he said, gesturing for them to follow.

They walked past the glimmering chandeliers on the first floor and climbed the stairs to the second floor.

On the second floor, the waiter opened the door to a room and stepped aside. "This way, please."

It was the restaurant's finest private room, and had breathtaking views of the ocean.

Brandon moved ahead and pulled out chairs for Millie and Ari.

Millie didn't even spare him a glance. She quietly took off Ari's backpack and placed it aside.

"I'll take care of that," Brandon said, took the bag from Millie, and placed it on a nearby rack.

Millie pursed her lips, not uttering a word, and took a seat beside Ari.

She reached for the pitcher and poured the little girl a glass of warm water.

Brandon sat across from them, silently watching the way Millie tended to Ari with such calm attention.Something about it made his heart heavy.

The room was quiet except for the faint notes of piano music and the rhythmic sound of waves brushing the shore.

He kept his eyes on them as Millie gave Ari water and wiped her tiny hands clean. For years,he had often dreamt of this kind of scene.

Once Ari's hands were clean, he slid the menu in front of her.

"Let's see what Ari would like to eat," he said.

Millie picked up the menu and leaned toward Ari,quietly going over the choices with her. Brandon stayed quiet, his heart growing heavier.

She selected a few dishes that Ari could eat, all while barely acknowledging Brandon's presence.

Millie didn't know what he truly wanted from this dinner. All she wanted was to make it through the evening without conflict.

Soon,the food began to arrive, one dish after another.

Millie finally broke the silence after the wait staff left."What is it you want,Brandon?"

He didn't lift his eyes, just kept them fixed on the plate in front of him. "I just... I realized we've never actually shared a meal together as a family.I wanted that at least once."

Millie's expression soured. A part of her wanted to say they weren't really a family, but she bit her tongue There were only a few more hours left to get through.

"I know you're still angry with me," Brandon said,his eyes turning to the waves outside. "A lot has happened this year. I never intended for some of those things to happen... but they happened regardless. I could do nothing to stop them."

Though his voice stayed calm, the way he dropped his gaze hinted at emotions he didn't put into words.

Millie gazed at his profile. It was the first time in days that she had really allowed herself to look at him.

His features were striking. He had well-defined brows,sharp eyes, a tall nose, and lips that always seemed unreadable.

He looked just as he always had, and yet... something about him felt different.

"Are you talking about Vivian?" Millie asked plainly

Brandon turned his head to meet her gaze.

Millie's face looked calm, with no trace of anger.

Her voice carried no emotion. It felt as though she were speaking about someone else's story entirely.

"I've been thinking about everything these past few days," she said slowly, choosing her words with care.

The only reason she had agreed to this dinner was to make sure Brandon would sign the divorce papers the next day. That was all that mattered to her now.

"You're right. Vivian doesn't have much time left. It's good that you're by her side," Millie said as she turned her attention to Ari, gently helping her with the food.

She made sure Ari had enough on her plate and was eating well.

Millie had already made her decision. Once the divorce was finalized the following day, she would finally be free.Whatever Brandon did after that, with Vivian or anyone else, would no longer be her business.

Her only focus would be reclaiming the Bennett family's legacy, uncovering the truth about her father's death, and building a peaceful life with Ari.

The room settled into silence again. The soft clinking of cutlery as Millie fed Ari echoed in the air.

Brandon's eyes lingered on her calm, steady movements. He tried to read between the lines of her tone.

Was she just mocking him, or was she really going along with everything?

But she didn't sound sarcastic.

If she truly meant what she said, it should have comforted him. Yet somehow, it didn't. And he couldn't understand why.

A few more dishes were brought in. Ari gave her belly a soft pat. "I'm full."

"There's a TV over there. Want me to turn it on for you?" Millie asked.

She picked Ari up from her chair and walked her to the restroom first.

The spacious room had a dining space and a few recreational spaces.

Millie switched on the TV and set it to Tom and Jerry before leaving Ari to watch.

She then returned to her seat and began to eat quietly.

The sky was growing darker. Brandon sighed and finally said, "Lately, I've been thinking about the past."

Millie dropped her eyes to her plate, saying nothing

"| remember the countries we traveled to, how we chased our dreams together," he added.

He reached for the wine bottle and poured her a glass.

"I'll be driving Ari home later," Millie turned the wine down,her tone clear and unwavering.

"I'll call Eugene later, and we'll find someone to drive you both home," Brandon replied as he filled his own glass. "It's just a mild wine. I know you haven't been fine since your last injury."

Millie glanced at the drink. The color was light, and the scent was faint. It really did seem closer to fruit juice than alcohol.

She collected the glass, took a small sip, and then placed it back on the table.

Brandon held his own glass loosely, staring out at the calm sea. "I remember our wedding... the meals you used to cook... our house. You always stood by me.And..."

"I don't want to talk about the past," Millie said,cutting him off.

Not all memories were worth holding on to.

For her, everything had started to decay the moment he chose Vivian.

She looked down at the table cloth's patterns. "I don't even understand what you're trying to say."

Brandon looked down at her.

He had wanted to tell her that he was about to face something big, something he had chosen to take on alone without her. But the words didn't come.

She was still angry, distant, and unwilling to loosen up.

So he swallowed the rest of his words and changed the subject. "I visited Hayden today."

Millie's hand froze in place. She lifted her eyes to meet his.

"He's been in there for five years now. He seems alright." Brandon added, "He asked about you actually."

"And what did you tell him?" Millie asked tensely.

"I told him you were doing fine. And that we're about to divorce," Brandon answered.

"And how did he react to that?" Millie pressed.

"He just laughed," Brandon replied.

Millie gave a cold chuckle, set down her fork, and picked up her glass of wine. She stared out at the sea for a moment before taking a sip.

"So,why did you go visit him?" she asked.

Brandon didn't respond right away. Instead, his eyes drifted around the room.

"Do you remember? Five years ago, right after his sentencing...we came here."

Outside, the wind skimmed over the water,leaving tiny ripples. Millie watched them in silence.

Of course she remnembered.

Although it had been five years, she never truly forget.

That was the day she finally broke free from the