Chapter 223

Myron's hand was smeared with tears and blood as he held on to Brandon, who stood there, looking completely broken.

Darden was shocked.

He had known Brandon since they were boys, and Brandon had always been the one who led their circle.

Brilliant and capable, Brandon had steered the Watson Group through a flawless transformation,raising it to the top of Crobert's three giants.

To Darden, Brandon was as solid as a granite wall against a raging storm. He had always carried himself with authority.

He had never seen Brandon cry before.

Darden's eyes darted around, catching sight of

Myron.

He had never imagined that the ever-smiling, gentle,seemingly refined Myron could carry such menace.

The look Myron had given him earlier had sent a genuine chill down his spine.

That gentle attitude had been nothing but an act!

Myron made his move without the slightest hesitation when he had to.

What had happened? How had it all come to this?

Instinctively, Darden glanced toward the car parked in the distance.

Was this because of Millie?

As he wrestled with the thought, Myron gave a cold mirthless laugh.

"Brandon, do you really think a few words and some tears will make me hand her back to you? You must be out of your mind." Myron's voice was cold. "Also,she's not some trinket to be claimed. You never

respected her, Brandon. You never cared about what she felt, about her sadness or her happiness."

Brandon swallowed down his grief, raising his face to look at Myron. "What if she says she loves me? That she wants to be with me? Would you let her be with me?"

The two men stared at each other, and the parking lot fell into a tense, heavy silence.

Finally, Myron spoke. "Hasn't it been that way all these years?"

Millie's heart had once belonged to Brandon, and for that reason, Myron had been content to just quietly protect her.

He remained in the background, never interfering.

He only wanted her happiness.

But over time, he saw the truth. Millie wasn't happy She was often in tears, and he could no longer bear to watch her suffer.

Brandon was speechless, lowering his face as if a memory had been awaken in his mind.

"I saw that photo, from Eldoria... years ago," he said at last.

Myron gave a small laugh. "It all began even earlier than that."

"Please," Brandon whispered. At this, Darden glared at Brandon in shock.

Myron didn't respond. He simply stared at Brandon,his eyes cold.

When Brandon looked up again, he saw the determination in Myron's eyes.

Brandon understood at once the silent response-Myron would never let go.

Brandon gave a low, bitter laugh.

He didn't know how it had come to this, how everything had spun out of his control.

And now, he could do nothing to change it.

"| won't let her go," Brandon muttered. Blood and tears streaked down his face.

"Myron, I will not let go!" he repeated himself fiercely.

Myron's eyes stayed cold as he looked at the man before him. At last, he released Brandon's hand.

He let go of Darden, drew a handkerchief from his pocket, wiped his palm, and tossed it toward Brandon.

"Whether you let go or not doesn't matter," Myron said. "You should understand that she's my girlfriend now...No-"

He paused, and then continued, "Millie is my fiancee.She's accepted my proposal. She wears my ring.We'll live together, get married, have children, and grow old side by side."

Myron's eyes swept over Brandon, his expression filled with contempt. "As for you...you can keep living with Vivian."

There was more Myron could have said.

Vivian's treatment of Millie was far from settled, and he already had plans in motion. But Brandon didn't need to know them.

With that,Myron glanced at Darden.

Darden quickly stepped aside, knowing better than to get in his way.

Myron turned and walked towards the car.

Darden rushed to steady Brandon.

They both looked up just in time to see Myron lift Millie gently from the car.

She stirred faintly at his touch.

"Where are we?" she asked, her voice drowsy.

"The parking lot," Myron replied with a gentle smile softening his face. With his free hand, he shut the car door. "It's alright. Go back to sleep. I'll carry you upstairs."

"Mm..." Millie purred, wrapping her arms around his neck and resting her head against him.

Holding her close, Myron turned to give Brandon and Darden one last look before stepping into the elevator.

Brandon's chest burned with anger, his eyes fixed on them with fury.

Darden let out a sigh.

"Brandon, let's get you cleaned up," he said gently.

But Brandon shook his head. He wasn't going anywhere; he needed to see Millie and explain things.

There was no way he could wait another moment.

Before he could move, his phone rang with a call from Eugene.

Brandon frowned.He knew Eugene was with Vivian,and he felt an instant wave of reluctance at the mere thought of her.

Still, he answered.

"Mr. Watson, something's wrong..." Eugene's voice held hesitation.

"What is it?" Brandon asked, wiping at the grime on his face.

"Miss Simpson had another depressive episode and cut her wrist again," Eugene said with a weary sigh.

"I'm at the same sanatorium as before. I know you're busy, and I didn't want to reach out. But she said..."Eugene swallowed nervously, and then said, "She said if you don't come, she'll end things and take the secret from a year ago to her grave."

Darden, listening from nearby, instantly caught the meaning.

"That's a threat!" he snapped.

The day's events had already soured his opinion of Vivian. He had let her use his villa for her streaming,and now she was repaying him with endless trouble.

He even suspected she was behind the damage to his water pipes.

"Brandon," Darden said, teeth clenched, "you can't let her keep pulling you around just because she cut her wrist. You need to figure out how she even got into your house. Besides, my place is still flooded."There was a hint of frustration in Darden's voice.

Brandon tightened his grip on the tissue in his hand.

His eyes drifted toward the elevator, as if willing them to pierce the walls and reach Myron and Millie.

"Mr. Watson?" Eugene called anxiously from the phone.

"I see," Brandon said at last.

Vivian's mess would have to be dealt with first.

Depression?

Brandon let out a humorless laugh.

After overhearing Vivian's doctor's call last time, he had looked into the man and uncovered proof of their conspiracy.

He had chosen not to expose her then, sparing her

feelings. But now, she was using the same trick again?

And there was still the question of how she had entered Serenity Villa.

With these issues in mind, Brandon climbed into the car with Darden, and they drove off toward the sanatorium.