Chapter 170

That day, Crobert's two most prominent business figures made headlines for very different reasons-one known for his philandering, the other admired for his quiet grace.

The top comment online read, "Brandon should really learn from Myron."

Brandon's repoutation had hit rock bottom. Rumors swirled that the Flesta consortium was considering pulling out of its agreement.

Public sentiment spiraled fast, and panic gripped the market. Shareholders rushed to place sell orders overnight,preparing to exit at the first sign of collapse.

The situation seemed beyond repair. And yet,the city pulsed with quiet, unspoken tension.

After dropping Ari off at the children's home, Myron drove Millie home.

He considered walking her to her door but held back.

They weren't together yet, and until she gave the green light, it wouldn't be right.

He smiled warmly. "Let's stick to what we discussed.We'll go over everything else tomorrow."

Millie nodded and waved as she stepped out of the car.

They had already reached an understanding earlier that day at the Elliott Group's secret vault. Later, as they watched Ari played with the cat at his place, they went over their plans and prepared for what was ahead.

Tomorrow, once the market opened, Watson Group's stock would plummet.

Two outcomes were likely.

One: the company's market value would nosedive.

Two: Watson Group would scramble to recover,prompting desperate countermeasures.

But Crobert's regulations were stricter than in many other places.

Actions had to follow the rules. The consequences for overstepping could be serious.

"Good night," Myron said."I'll stay here and watch you go in."

Millie gave a nod and entered the building.

As she got inside the elevator,her emotions stirred-part anticipation, part uncertainty.

"Ding!" She reached her floor, stepped inside her apartment, and walked to the balcony.

From there, she saw the Bentley still parked below.He was standing beside it, looking up at her.

She waved.

"I'm home," she texted.

"Got it," he replied with a voice message, his tone soft.

They didn't exchange more. He stayed there,gazing up. She stood above, looking down.

After a while, he said, "Go inside. The wind is picking up and it's cold on the balcony."

Only after watching her disappear from view did he drive away.

Millie remained by the window, watching until his car was gone.

Once,she had waited like this for Brandon. Night after night.

Now...

It felt strangely comforting to be on the other side.

As she washed her face, that thought stayed with her It grounded her.

Then, sitting on the couch, she made a call.

Charles answered quickly.

He had been dealing with rising tensions inside the Evans family.Since Serena had been revealed as Millie and Millie had won the championship, Heavenly Melody surged in popularity. Charles' value had grown,which made Reuben and Oakley increasingly uneasy Trouble kept brewing.

"Hey, Millie," he said with a sigh, slumping onto his sofa.

"Did you see the news today?" she asked, turning on her TV.

"Don't even bringit up," Charles grumbled. "Brandon is unreal. So obsessed with Vivian. Why doesn't he just tattoo her name across his forehead?"

Millie smiled.

Charles had always been emotional and impulsive, but he was loyal. No matter what happened, he stood by his friends.

Listening to his rant lightened her mood.

When he finally paused, she changed the subject.

"I need your help with something," she said.

"Just say the word," Charles replied at once

She hesitated for a second, and then explained,"Tomorrow, I want you to watch the Evans family closely-especially Oakley's financial movements."

"Why him?" Charles asked. "Oakley's involved in all sorts of things. He invests across the board, and he's never tried to hide it."

"I know. It's just one possibility I'm watching. I'LL explain later," she said.

"All right. I'll keep an eye out," Charles said,sitting up.He knew Millie didn't act without reason.

Moreover...

He was fed up with Oakley's scheming. Lately,it seemed like the man was constantly setting traps just for him. It was timne to strike back.

Charles narrowed his eyes. "Oakley, if you cross the line..." he muttered to himself.

After ending the call, Millie reviewed her plans and notes before heading to bed.

Sleep wouldn't come easily for many tonight.

All over the city, different forces were on the move.Crobert's three major players were holding emergency meetings, and smaller groups were also maneuvering behind the scenes.

Brandon was wrapping up final communications,locking in agreements, and preparing contingency plans for the morning.

Even if the stock price dropped, as long as partners stayed, the prenuptial terms held, and product quality remained, then Watson Group might still recover.

The scandal was personal. The foundation of the company was sound.

At dawn, Brandon stood by the window in his office.

He rubbed his temples, drained. It had been along time since he felt this worn out.

When Millie was still around, he felt like he could do anything. No matter how hard the day, he believed things would turn out fine.

Now, he could still do what needed to be done. But the spark was gone.

She wasn't here. Neither was the coffee she used to make for him.

He closed his eyes. His right hand curled into a fist.

He told himself that she would come back.

Once this storm passed, once everything was under control, she would return. Everything would go back to how it was.

As morning broke, the city held its breath.

Everyone was watching the stock market.

Millie had dropped Ari off at kindergarten and now sat in front of her computer, waiting.

Charles quietly passed instructions to his team,initiating a set of targeted moves.

In his study, Myron poured a fresh cup of coffee and waited in silence.

Brandon sat in his sleek office, composed.

At Vivian Floral Design, Vivian adjusted her makeup.She looked delicate yet striking. She looked at her reflection and gave a small nod.

Everyone was ready.

The market opened.

A single refresh told the story. "Watson Group Market Value Drops by Hundreds of Billions on Opening."

Both the financial and entertainment headlines had been overtaken by this one shared reality.