Chapter 193

Oakley let out a cold laugh before turning and walking away.

Millie stayed where she was, meeting the reporters'eyes with a calm, polite smile.

The crowd buzzed with conversation.

Not far off, Brandon sat in his car, staring at the storefront in silence.

His gaze was thoughtful and distant.

He remembered the early days of the Watson Group's transformation. Millie had stood beside him then, offering advice and pitching in wherever she could. But now, all her effort went toward someone else.

Brandon looked away, eyes dimming, and quietly told Eugene todrive.

Millie continued to answer the reporters' questions,unaware that a car had pulled up behind her. Inside sat Myron,silently watching her.

Though she had agreed to spend time with him recently, Myron never saw love in her eyes-only the friendly warmth and trust of a business partner or a friend.

She seemed to enjoy the surprises he gave her, but the spark in her expression never lasted. There was no sign of him in her heart.

Even though Brandon no longer held her affection,her heart was still empty. Myron couldn't help but wonder how he could truly earn a place in Millie's heart.

"It's too soon," Myron whispered. "I'll have to take it slow. Step by step. At least for now, her heart belongs to no one."

That was something. She had agreed to give it a chance-to get to know him.

His mind wandered to one distant day in the past at the port. Millie had carefully chosen spices while the salesperson patiently introduced each one to her.

She had smiled so warmly and said, "My boyfriend has trouble sleeping. I want something to help him rest better."

He could still see her eyes then-bright and full of love.

Then came the snowy night. She had run into another man's arms without hesitation.

"Don't worry, Brandon, you still have me," she had said. "I'll stay by your side, even if the whole world turns against you."

At that time, Myron himself had just been betrayed by someone he trusted. He had barely escaped with his life.

Only those who've been betrayed know what truly matters.

Myron closed his eyes, hiding the shadows in his expression.

When he opened them again, his face had returned to its usual calm and graceful look.

Millie noticed him approaching and gave a faint smile.

"Myron," she greeted him. It still felt unfamiliar on her tongue, but she knew one day it wouldn't.

The Elliott Group's new Blue series was an undeniable success.

Thanks to strong marketing and Oakley's failed attempts to stir trouble, the launch attracted massive attention and plenty of interested buyers.

Millie's clever promotional strategies had already pulled in a wave of orders. Many customers were planning to return that evening when the store's lighting would be at its best.

The store was also packed. A large promotional poster of Millie hung nearby.

She wore a vivid blue dress, a dazzling gemstone necklace, and matching sapphire earrings. Her hair flowed freely around her shoulders.

The setup didn't perfectly match the promo video,but the sapphire around her neck clearly resembled the Heart of the Ocean.

The campaign also featured a song called Blue,written and composed by Eva, and performed by Millie as the brand ambassador.However, the single was released under Eva's name. Millie's voice sounded like Eva's, but distinct.

Online chatter speculated Eva had started imitating Millie's singing style.

Previously, when Vivian released her revamped Glimmer of Love, Eva had been accused of seizing her moment.

But no one could deny the success of the Blue series.

Eva's single had also taken off, quickly climbing into the top ten on the new songs chart.

By evening, a new entertainment poll popped up online.

The question was simple-Millie or Vivian?

Each person could vote once per day.

There were no prizes, but that didn't stop the public from jumping in.

Thanks to the success of the Blue launch event,Millie's votes surged, leaving Vivian far behind.

Vivian was livid.

"All this over some mid-range gemstone products?"she fumed inside her studio. "Even if she gets a cut from her contract, how much could it be? Does she really think she can surpass me?"

She paced the floor in frustration.

"And Eva-she's refused me but then joined forces with Millie!"

Her caregiver, sensing trouble, spoke up hesitantly."Eva's signed with Evans Entertainment. Isn't it normal for her to collaborate with Millie?"

Vivian shot her a glare.

The caregiver went quiet. Vivian's expression turned calculating and cold.

Since Eva and Millie were working together,they were now tied to the same fate.

It was sometimes hard to target one person. But with two, there were more opportunities.

She could now easily use Eva's scandals to get to Millie.

Vivian had long suspected Eva was holding out for a better offer.

Vivian had noticed the way Eva watched Charles while still entertaining her team. Eva was probably waiting for Charles to make the next move back then.

Maybe the collaboration with Millie had come as a perk from Charles' side.

The idea settled her nerves.

"Today's success wasn't even yours, Millie," she muttered. "Myron handed it to you. Don't think you can outshine me."

In a private dining room, glasses clinked together.

"Cheers!"

Another celebration was underway.

This time, all the Elliott siblings were present.

Ari had passed her hospital checkup and could be discharged,though she still needed care.

Everyone had shown up.

"I knew you could pull it off, Millie!" Alexia beamed."You have no idea-so many of our coworkers were saying today they wanted to buy what you were endorsing."

Giffard took a long drink and nodded. "Same in my department. The guys are talking about buying them for their girlfriends."

Laughter rippled around the room.

No one seemed happier than Charles. He stood in the middle of the room, laughing heartily with his hands on his hips.

"Honestly, I think Oakley's lost his mind," he said."He tried to sabotage Millie. Look how that turned out. Totally blew up in his face."

He turned to Millie, grinning. "When he came crawling back, I gave him a real roasting. Grandpa even chewed him out for embarrassing himself!"

"He deserved it," Jayceon added, and everyone burst out laughing.