Chapter 123

A note of disappointment crept in. "Such a shame,really. They didn't even make it past a year, and now everyone says Brandon's with Vivian."

Sympathy surfaced. "Careful what you say. Vivian's gone through enough as it is."

...

Far from the chatter, Vivian stood at her window,eyes drawn to the fireworks blazing above Crobert.

A memory surfaced-Brandon had handed her the divorce filing receipt the very day he and Millie had made things official. She knew exactly when it happened.

For weeks, she kept to herself, quietly steering clear of anything that might upset Millie.

Avoiding trouble became her only goal; the last thing she wanted was for Millie to drag her feet and hold up the divorce.

Still...

Restlessness took hold of Vivian as she wandered through her home, clutching her phone tightly.

Why hadn't any updates come through yet?

Arrangements for collecting the five million had already been made, but the rest of the plan remained uncertain.

Every step needed to be flawless. If Millie uncovered any of this and spoke with Brandon, the divorce might unravel completely.

Even after the required 30-day waiting period, both parties would have to collect the divorce certificate within the following month.

With these worries swirling, Vivian couldn't resist dialing the contact again.

A few rings later, the call finally connected.

Her voice dropped to a whisper. "Is everything moving along?"

A low male voice responded, "We're on it."

Vivian pressed further, her tone barely audible. "Be sure to comb through all their online records. If there's any kind of automatic release set up, it could ruin everything."

"Got it," came the calm reply.

Not wanting any slip-ups, Vivian asked, "Where exactly are you? Don't come back until you know for.sure."

"Outside the city," the voice replied. Just then, a loud crash echoed through the call, something heavy clearly hitting the ground.

A harsh curse burst from the deep voice. "Damn it!"And then, the line went dead.

...

Out on the city's edge, Alexia made her way toward the Hussain estate, a cheerful tune spilling from her lips.

Hidden away in the depths of the family mansion's cellar, a prized bottle of wine waited for her.

Plans had already begun forming in her mind-a proper celebration for Millie's divorce decree, which would be official by tomorrow.

Her song carried her down a narrow track, but her steps faltered when a sudden, jarring crash split the quiet air ahead.

Startled, she froze. What on earth was that sound?

A sharp curve revealed the scene-a black car idling not far down the road.

The vehicle shot ahead, as if desperate to leave something-or someone-behind.

Alexia's eyes tracked a shape tumbling violently across the gravel. For one horrified moment, she realized it looked unmistakably human.

To her shock, the car's tires rolled over the sprawled figure again, not even hesitating.

No accident,this-whoever sat behind the wheel had done it on purpose.

"Ah!" A piercing scream tore from Alexia's throat.

Her mind refused to process what she had just seen.

With trembling hands, she guided her car to the shoulder, hazard lights flickering like frantic fireflies.

As the black vehicle vanished down the road, Alexia wasted no time dialing 911.

...

Giffard and Brandon arrived together at the local police station.

Brandon was giving Giffard a ride to the Crobert Hospital, but everything changed when Giffard's phone started ringing.

Alexia's tearful voice spilled through the line,describing how she'd seen a car deliberately mow someone down and speed away. She kept crying and begged him in a trembling voice to come pick her up at the suburban station.

Brandon,seated within earshot, caught every word.

He offered Giffard a solution. "Take my car. Just drop me off on the way."

After a moment's thought, Brandon realized that would take a detour and decided to tag along anyway, just in case there was any way he could help.

On the drive over, they let the driver out halfway since her job was originally to drive Millie home, and then continued to the outskirts with Eugene.

At the station, Alexia was still seated with an officer,recounting her story.

Despite years as a doctor and countless emergencies, she had never before witnessed a scene quite so brutal.

She still didn't know if the victim had survived after the merciless hit-and-run.

After rendering first aid at the scene, Alexia watched as paramedics whisked the injured person away in an ambulance, leaving the outcome uncertain.

By now, she had regained much of her composure compared to her earlier frantic call to Giffard.

Meanwhile, Lynda caught sight of Brandon in the bustling station.

Earlier in the day, she had been busy sorting records at another precinct, preparing to summon Brandon for questioning the following morning. News of an incident on the outskirts had interrupted her plans.Surveillance footage from the area quickly surfaced,capturing a glimpse of the driver.

Disguise or not, the suspect's build reminded her of someone involved in Millie's case.

With doubts swirling, her colleagues forwarded the footage and requested that she come by to take a look herself.

After reviewing the video, she couldn't be certain, but there was indeed a striking resemblance.

Stepping outside, her eyes landed on Brandon,sparking immediate curiosity.

What was he doing here at this hour?

Without hesitation, she called out to him.

"Mr. Watson!" Lynda called, her stride brisk as she closed the distance.

Brandon's brow furrowed, confusion clear on his face; he didn't recall ever meeting this officer.

He replied with a polite formality though, "Is there something you need, Officer?"

The commotion drew Giffard's attention as well,leaving him equally uncertain.

Lynda showed her badge. "You're Millie Bennett's husband, correct?" she asked, fixing Brandon with a steady look.

A silent nod from Brandon confirmed his identity.

Lynda continued, "This concerns the car accident involving your wife..."

Paperwork handled, she guided Brandon to an empty room, and at last the situation started to come into focus for him.

Trailing behind, Eugene kept talking-mentioning lawyers and legal steps that might be needed. But the instant Brandon heard the words "Millie" and accident", he followed Lynda directly into the room.

Her words echoed in his mind. An uneasy sense of foreboding crept over Brandon. Answers-perhaps long-hidden-felt suddenly within reach.

A barrage of questions came from the police.

They wanted to know his whereabouts on the night in question.

He replied that he had spent the evening at the Watson Group offices.

They pressed further, asking who was with him.

He answered, "Vivian."

Precise times, specific locations, and a host of other details filled the officers' notepads.

Every question put to him received a direct response.Yet, beneath the surface, Brandon's thoughts spun around one thing-Millie really had been in an accident that night.

A police officer broke the silence. "We're aware that you and your wife have recently filed for divorce..."

Such circumstances provided a potential motive for arranging harm.

"We plan to pick up the divorce decree tomorrow,"Brandon said.

A silent understanding passed between the officers;they nodded after a quick exchange of glances.

In truth, weeks of investigation had lessened their suspicions of Brandon considerably.

Their attention now shifted in a different direction.

Still, Lynda asked further, "Why didn't you respond when your wife called repeatedly that day?"

Words failed him. "I..." Brandon stammered, unable to explain.

Back then, he'd seen Millie's name flash on his screen and, expecting another argument, ended the call.

Her persistence brought a second ring, which he muted, choosing to ignore.

The officers looked at each other once more, clearly urging Brandon to explain himself.

Endless questions came his way, each one more pointed than the last, covering every possible detail.

Meanwhile, confusion and regret tangled in Brandon's mind.