Chapter 124

"We noticed someone named Macauley Valdez was once employed at your company. He was dismissed recently. Could you tell us why?" the officer asked.

"Does this relate to the case?" Brandon asked in return.

"We're required to question anyone who might be connected."

Brandon's gaze was distant, his mind spinning. abused his power and embezzled company funds,"he said flatly.

...

Even after leaving the interrogation room, Brandon still felt like he was trapped in a dream.

He leaned against the hallway wall, surrounded by the low murmur of the police station at night, but the only thing echoing in his mind was the officer's question-"Why didn't you respond when your wife called repeatedly that day?"

He looked up at the white ceiling, his chest tightening with pain that felt almost physical.

"Mr. Watson, are you alright?" Eugene rushed over, a lawyer trailing behind him.

The lawyer immediately went to speak with the officers.

Brandon just shook his head in silence.

Nearby, Alexia and Giffard sat together, quietly talking.

"I was really scared," Alexia said in a soft voice. "I've dealt with hopeless moments at work..but this was different. I've never witnessed someone getting murdered right in front of me."

"You handled it well," Giffard reassured his sister gently. "You called 911 right away. You even started emergency care when it was needed. I spoke with the hospital; they're still trying to resuscitate the victim."

"Do they have a chance?" she asked quickly.

"It doesn't look good," he replied, his tone heavy.

"I heard they've cordoned off the area to search. But the place where the car was abandoned is surrounded by steep mountains. If someone's hiding there..." Alexia began, but stopped when a shadow fell over her.

She looked up to see Brandon.

Annoyed, she stood and turned to leave.

"Alexia," Brandon called after her.

She kept walking.

"I know now," Brandon said, fists clenched.

She stopped and slowly turned back, confused.

Giffard, still seated,frowned."Know what?"

He had felt uneasy ever since Brandon was taken in.

Both he and Alexia had already cooperated with the investigation.

"I know the car accident really happened," Brandon said, eyes slightly red, voice low. He looked only at Alexia.

Alexia rolled her eyes, frustration flaring.

Pointing at him, she snapped, "I told you Millie had been in an accident and she needed you. I begged you to come to the hospital. You came but you brought Vivian with you! Wasn't it enough that Millie got hit by a car? Did you have to give her an emotional blow on top of it?"

Just thinking about it made her heart ache. She hadn't known until later that Millie hadn't just had a random accident-it had been intentional. Someone had tried to take her life. And Brandon, her husband,was a prime suspect.

"I told you someone hit her on purpose. I even asked if it was you. What more did you need?" Alexia's voice rose, trembling with emotion.

Brandon opened his mouth, wanting to say that he had thought they were putting on a show.

In the end, he said nothing.

But Giffard caught it. "Alexia told mne you thought she and Millie were faking it. Thnat it was all just a performance to trick you."

Brandon didn't respond. He just stared at Alexia, the reality still not sinking in.

"Brandon, my father may be the hospital director, but we don't misuse our resources," Giffard said,less heated than his sister but no less pointed. Each word struck like a blow.

"I came to you that day and spoke to you. I provoked you on purpose, yes. But ask yourself-your wife was hospitalized. Shouldn't you at least have gone to see her? If you'd just speak to your doctor or checked her records, you'd have known what she went through."

He looked directly into Brandon's bloodshot eyes.

"But you didn't. Not even once. Not during her entire hospital stay."

"He did show up, remember?" Alexia said with a sarcastic laugh. "Said he saw you and Millie together,hugging and everything."

"Oh right," Giffard nodded. "Thanks for reminding me."

"And even if you were with her, what did that matter?Brandon's been parading around with Vivian like a concerned partner. Meanwhile, you were only helping Millie because she could barely move! Let's not forget-Brandon's the one who pushed her down the stairs. And yet he still had the nerve to accuse her of pretending? After all the years she gave him, all the sacrifices? And she still got nothing in return. Giffard,he's just heartless."

Giffard added, "Which makes him a perfect match for that manipulative Vivian."

"You're absolutely right," Alexia snapped.

The siblings traded accusations, their anger a relentless tide.

The longer Brandon listened, the heavier everything felt.

Millie had been in the hospital for days. And he never visited.

She had fallen from the stairs because he had pushed her. It was chaotic, yes, and he didn't mean to. But the result was the same.

He had even accused her of only faking it.

His chest ached like it was being torn apart.

And her car accident...

"How was she injured?" Brandon finally asked, voice rough and hollow, like dry bark cracking underfoot.

Alexia's eyes flared again. "What do you think? She got hit by a car! But more importantly, you pushed her down the stairs right after that!"

"I didn't mean to," Brandon said quietly. "That day-" He wanted to explain. But when he saw the fury in Alexia's eyes, he stopped. It didn't matter.

Intentional or not, he had done it.

His thoughts flashed back to the hospital hallway.Millie had stood there, pale, with a bandage on her head,asking them what was going on.

And after she fell, he remembered her trembling voice calling his name. "Brandon."

It had been a long time since she'd said his name like that.

His vision blurred.

He kept seeing her smile. Her tears. And the night he told her about the divorce. How stunned she looked when she asked,"What about me?"

"Giffard," Alexia said bitterly, "some people only care about making excuses, 'I didn't mean to' and suddenly everything's forgiven? It doesn't work that way."

But Brandon didn't respond. He didn't even seem to hear.

It felt like all the air had been sucked out of the room.He couldn't breathe.