Chapter 220

Millie stared at the ring, her expression vacant.

She hadn't realized Myron had come up behind her.

"Is it to your liking?" he asked from over her shoulder.

Millie glanced up at him, catching her reflection in his eyes.

Reaching for the ring, Myron held out his other hand, open and steady,waiting for her to place hers in it.

"Will you allow me to be the one who stands by your side?" he asked, his voice carried clearly by the nearby drone.

Then he sank to one knee, gazing at her.

"Millie, let's get engaged," he said simply.

Myron had thought about proposing outright, but he felt a real proposal should have a bigger, more special moment.

Traditionally,engagement followed a proposal. But this wasn't a traditional situation.

They both knew this step didn't guarantee marriage.

It was something they had already discussed and accepted.

Regardless,it marked progress, an evolution beyond just calling each other boyfriend and girlfriend.

And...

MAyron noticed the slight redness around her eyes.

All he wanted was to make life easier for her, to be the steady hand she could hold on to when things got hard.

He couldn't stand the thought of her hurting.

"Millie!" Brandon's voice rang out from a distance.

Millie didn't flinch, didn't even glance toward the sound. Her eyes stayed on Myron.

"Are you certain?" she asked softly, her chest tightening, warmth rising in her throat.

"I've been certain for years," Myron answered.

Their eyes locked, and Millie was suddenly taken back to that moment in the hot air balloon-the quiet studio, his voice, his promises, the little things he'd shown her that had stayed with her ever since.

That day, just before they left his place, he had watched her cradle the cat in her arms, gently stroking its fur,and said in a quiet voice, "Millie, don't ever worry about being a burden or making things hard for me.You can be exactly who you are when you're with me."

Millie looked at Myron now. He had meant every word.

He'd once told her he could clearly tell the difference between love and gratitude. His feelings hadn't grown from obligation; they came later,when he matured and truly saw her.

Still, he never downplayed the help she'd given him back then. He always acknowledged that he wouldn't be who he was without her.

All his actions had been meant to reassure her.

Meanwhile, Brandon was still resisting, and the backup he'd called had shown up, sparking a clash between the two sides.

Onlookers crowded around, phones raised, voices rising in excitement as they snapped photos and gossiped.

The sunlight beamed down, but Myron, still on one knee,saw only Millie.

She was all that mattered to him.

"Millie." Noticing she'd gone quiet, Myron spoke softly."Let me take care of you-please?"

Millie blinked, snapping back to reality. She smiled and nodded.

"Alright," she said, her eyes welling with tears.

She placed her palm on his.

The drone continued broadcasting, and the crowd broke into cheers

Myron held her hand firmly and slid the ring onto her finger.

It was a brilliant blue diamond that sparkled under the sun, matching the pendant resting at her collarbone.

He knew her completely.

He knew there were many things that mattered to her-her father's death, Ari, and the Bennett family.

He knew he wouldn't always come first in her life. But he didn't mind and still stood by her.

Myron rose to his feet, still gripping her left hand tightly.

That was when Brandon finally got to them.

He glanced at their hands, locked tightly together, and at the ring resting on her finger.

The sun was warm, yet no warmth touched his skin.

Only cold.

"Millie," Brandon called,his eyes red.

But Millie didn't respond. Her only answer was the way she clutched Myron's hand even tighter.

Brandon opened his mouth to speak, but she didn't look at him. Her eyes remained on Myron.

She'd already said everything that needed saying.

"Just go," Millie finally said. "Brandon, we each have someone we care for now. Look ahead. Hold on to the people by your side. Stop hurting those who love you like you did to me."

It was the last thing she had to tell him. After that, there was nothing left for them to say.

Brandon started to speak again, but the Elliott Group security guards stepped in and restrained him.

Millie smiled, glancing up at Myron beside her, and together, hand in hand, they took another path.

From a distance, Brandon stood frozen, watching them disappear.

The sun caught the diamond on Miilie's finger, casting sharp reflections that made him flinch.

And in that moment, it hit him...

He'd never actually proposed to her.

No ring chosen with care. No flowers. No heartfelt ceremony. Not even a simple question on bended knee.

He never even asked whether she was willing to be his partner.

All he had done was walk into a jewelry store on their way to see his grandfather, pick out the first set of rings they saw, and slip one onto her finger casually.

Millie and Myron had vanished beyond the sunflower field. The security team no longer blocked Brandon's way.

He stood alone, staring at the oversized photo frame nearby.

He raised his hand to touch Millie's smiling face on the photo.

She looked radiant and happy.

Brandon couldn't remember the last time he'd seen her smile like that.

Then his eyes dropped to another smaller photograph tucked in the edge.

He recognized it. That was years ago, in Eldoria.

"So... you'd already noticed her back then," Brandon thought.

A hollow laugh slipped from his lips. "Myron, you planned this from the start."

Brandon could still hear Millie's voice in his head. "Look ahead. Hold on to the people by your side. Stop hurting those who love you like you did to me."

The sun was bright, yet Brandon felt like his heart was drenched in rain.

He had only ever loved Millie.How was he supposed to just "look ahead" when she was walking away?

"Brandon!" Darden's voice came from beyond the sunflower field.

"I've got back-up!" he called out. "Do we go after them?"

Brandon pulled his eyes away, walked straight to the vehicle, opened the door, and got in.

"Drive," he said. "Let's go after them."

···

Meanwhile, on Elliott Group's end, the key players had already left, but the aftermath stirred nonstop chatter.

"Myron pulled it off; he proposed!"

"Millie and Myron are officially engaged!"

The news spread like wildfire.

Whatever talk there had been about Myron losing interest in Millie was silenced.

He loved her fiercely and had proven it openly.

Since the experience hall was set up like an interactive showcase, it drew a lot of attention.

Visitors who came were deeply moved and ended up making purchases, not just because the new designs were outstanding and Elliott Group's quality was reliable, but also because the venue and storytelling created a powerful emotional pull that sparked a surge in sales.

For those arriving later, a particular highlight drew attention: the pair of prop documents Millie had once placed inside the exhibit.

But they had been replaced. In their place now stood a gemstone sculpture, crystal-clear and flawless.

The sculpture featured a dragon, carved in striking detail, shielding something beneath its massive wings.

Visitors leaned in, trying to see what the dragon was protecting.

It was a single teardrop.

While the meaning was left open to interpretation, rumors continued swirling.

"I heard Brandon's assistant, Eugene, stormed into Serenity Villa and cut Vivian's livestream."

A bunch of people saw it; there was a full crowd at the gate!"

"So Vivian went in to livestream without Brandon's permission?"