Chapter 221
Online chatter exploded, each commenter tossing in their own tidbits as if piecing together a scandal.
"That adds up. I mean, if Brandon really invited Vivian in, why are his wedding photos with Millie still up?"
"Exactly. Brandon might be a shameless player, but |bet he'll never tolerate strangers digging into his personal life."
"And look at that master bedroom-definitely not set up for guests."
"So, did Vivian just let herself in? And purposely use Millie and Brandon's old newlywed home as her livestream backdrop? That's beyond disgusting."
The buzz only grew louder when a clip surfaced-
grainy footage of Eugene forcing his way inside.
The moment it hit the web, every suspicion flared into certainty.
Eugene probably had the villa's code-if not before,then certainly now-and no one doubted he'd acted under Brandon's orders.
Still, the fact that he'd needed to break in suggested someone inside had locked him out on purpose.
"What the hell is happening? Can anyone explain?"
The question hung in the air, but no one had answers. The whole place was a storm of confusion.
Far from the chaos, two cars cut through the evening streets.
Up front, a sleek Bentley carried Millie and Myron;behind, a Porsche kept a steady distance, Darden at the wheel.
In the Bentley's backseat, Millie idly rolled the ring on
her middle finger, and then brushed her fingertips over the heart-shaped pendant at her chest, a faint,private smile tugging at her lips.
"Feeling tired?" Myron asked warmly, threading his fingers through hers. He lingered there, pressing each finger gently before locking their hands together as if he had no intention of letting go.
The past few days had left Millie exhausted-handling Ari's matters, overseeing the second product launch, and now enduring the unexpected mess of today had sapped her strength.
"Yeah, a little," Millie admitted in a low murmur.
Before she could say more, his broad palm eased her head down until it found a resting place against his shoulder.
At first, her spine stiffened with a flicker of nerves,but the steady, unhurried rhythm of his touch smoothed them away, lulling her like a quiet melody.
A sudden laugh bubbled out of her.
"Is this how you used to get your younger siblings to sleep?" she teased, tilting her head to glance up at him.
"Huh?" Myron blinked, caught off guard.
Her soft chuckle turned into bright laughter, the sound warm enough to draw a grin from him. Once he caught her meaning, he reached over and gave her cheek a playful tap.
"Mom and the nanny handled Adriana and Jayceon when they were little. I never had to put them to bed," he remarked, lips curving.
Then, with a faintly mischievous glint, he went on,"But... I have done it plenty of times for Kiki."
Kiki was his ridiculously spoiled, round-bellied ragdoll cat.
"To be exact, it loves it when I give it pats and chin scratches," he explained, reaching over to mimic the motion on Millie.
Millie batted his hand away with a light smack,
narrowing her eyes at him in mock outrage. "Oh, so now I'm your cat?"
Myron broke into unrestrained laughter, leaning in to tap her cheek with a teasing touch. "You really do look like Kiki right now-especially since Jayceon's been teaching it to put on a dramatic act all day. It pulls the exact same face you make when you glare at me now."
His eyes sparkled with amusement as he studied her,and truth be told, the resemblance was uncanny.
Millie had only been playing around,but his comment made her laugh despite herself.
Up front, the driver glanced at them in the rearview mirror,a smaIl, contented smile tugging at his lips.
Moments like this-lighthearted, full of warmth-were rare treasures.
After a stretch of playful back-and-forth, Myron eased her head onto his shoulder again, his touch gentle.
"Once Ari's adoption paperwork is finalized, how about you and your mother-and Ari, of course-move in with me?" he suggested, his tone casual but his eyes holding intent. "There are a few independent villas within the same estate, so both you and your mother can have your own place but still be close enough for easy visits."
He knew the history between Millie and Nicole, the tangled feelings that weren't easily unraveled.
His arm tightened around her shoulders, voice dripping with quiet resolve. "Millie... let me take care of you,alright?"
She tilted her head up to meet his gaze.
He'd said something like this before, but this time,the words carried weight.
Moving in together marked a shift-one that hinted at a deeper commitment.
She trusted Myron not to push her into sharing a room, yet she couldn't ignore how different life would
feel compared to living on her own.
Myron's voice softened, careful as if he were stepping on eggshells. "Do you need more time to think? Or... is it something you'd rather not do?"
Millie's focus shifted back to him, her eyes catching on the blur of scenery rushing past the window.
She'd already accepted his proposal to get engaged.
Now, all he wanted was for them to live together.
The words she'd spoken to Brandon earlier still echoed in her own heart-what was gone was gone,and the present was worth holding onto.
"No," she responded with a soft smile. "I was just thinking about packing my things."
"I'll have Maggie bring a few people to help you later," he noted, his palms cradling her face before pressing a warm kiss to her forehead.
"There's no hurry," Myron added, though beneath his calm tone, he was itching to fast-forward the days
until she was his completely. "Close your eyes for a bit. Charles and the others want to have dinner with us tonight."
He eased her into his arms, pulling her snug against his side.
"Alright," Millie murmured, a faint smile on her lips.Before long, her breathing slowed, and she drifted off, her head resting warmly on his shoulder.
In the Porsche trailing behind, Darden kept one hand on the wheel and flicked quick glances at Brandon.
Brandon sat rigid, eyes locked on the recording of Vivian's live stream that he'd missed earlier thanks to the choppy helicopter signal.
With each passing second, his grip on the phone grew harder, his knuckles whitening-especially when the footage panned over the bathroom and the master bedroom.
His fingers clenched until the leather case creaked,
his expression black as a gathering storm.
From the driver's seat, Darden shot him a careful glance before informing Brandon, "Eugene saw your message. But when Vivian mentioned her stream might be cut, and he couldn't reach you, so he called me.We figured if the broadcast really ended just then, everyone would pin the blame on Millie. That's why we decided to break in instead of simply cutting her livestream off. Eugene made sure to get caught on camera himself, so no one could accuse Millie for it. Once the feed was cut, he confronted Vivian while I brought in backup."
Brandon gave a single, curt nod, the shadow on his face deepening.
It had been the right move-maybe the only one.
Neither spoke again. The car sped on, headlights slicing through the fading light as the scenery blurred into a smear of color outside the windows.
When the red light held them in place, Darden broke the silence. "So, Brandòn... Vivian really showed up
on her own? You didn't give her permission?"
Brandon's eyes slid toward him, sharp and unreadable.
Flustered, Darden stumbled over his words. "I just meant-how did she even get in? When I got there,Eugene was still interrogating her."
Brandon's gaze drifted forward again, head tipped slightly, eyes shadowed. Truth was, he wanted the same answer.
The light shifted green. As the car rolled forward,Darden muttered under his breath, "Myron actually proposed, and Millie said yes. Are they really going to get married?"
Brandon kept his eyes on the road, the question hanging heavy between them.
Would they...really get married someday?