Chapter 225

A rush of intense hatred tore through Brandon, and his stare carried the chill of a man ready to kill.

Vivian faltered for a split second, thrown off balance.How had Brandon figured out her depression was nothing but an act? Did that mean he'd also uncovered the truth about her fake stomach cancer?

Vivian kept her eyes down, terrified that even a glance at Brandon might betray the secrets she was hiding.

"Speak up!" Brandon's voice erupted like a whip,sharp and cold, with a dangerous edge that made her flinch.

Vivian's chest tightened.

She hadn't prepared for this kind of confrontation, so she blurted out through tears, "It wasn't me."

She pulled the needle free and broke down completely, her sobs wild and unrestrained.

"It wasn't me!" She shouted, her tone spiraling into frantic hysteria. "I don't know who's after me,Brandon,but someone's trying to ruin me! Is it Millie?Eugene? Or somebody else?"

Her cries grew louder, the desperation in them believable enough to pass for real.

But Brandon's eyes stayed cold, his expression unmoved.

"Brandon, if you think I'm lying, then let me die..."

She twisted on the hospital bed, making a wild attempt to slam her head into the wall.

Still, Brandon didn't move, his gaze frozen on her like ice.

Vivian's mind raced. Should she actually go through with it? Did she really have to crash into the wall now?

She hesitated, uncertain.

"Go on," Brandon taunted, his lips curling. "Weren't you about to slam into the wall and end it all? Why aren't you doing it?"

His tone dripped with mockery.

Vivian braced herself, ready to give her head a light tap against the wall and fake a collapse, only for a sudden knock to interrupt her.

Relief flooded Vivian, and she quickly wiped at her wet cheeks before glancing toward the door.

The same attending physician from earlier stepped in.

Clutching at the chance, she blurted, "Please,doctor! You have to help me, l-"

But the doctor's face hardened. "Vivian, I'm done covering for you."

Brandon's smirk deepened as Vivian froze in place.

"You!" Vivian snapped, pointing a trembling finger at

the doctor, her eyes blazing and her words momentarily stuck in her throat.

"Stop pretending already," the doctor said, darting a wary glance at Brandon. "Mr. Watson's been aware for some time. I'm just an ordinary man, and I can't afford to take risks. Vivian, whatever's going on between you two, settle it yourselves. Leave me out of it."

Every part of him screamed a desire to cut ties completely.

Vivian's fury burned hotter.

Her gaze flicked back to Brandon.

Brandon still wore that mocking smile, his dark eyes cutting into her like blades.

"Who paid you off to frame me?" Vivian snapped,turning around to glare at the doctor with seething accusation.

The doctor, however, came prepared. Without a word, he pulled a small recorder from his pocket and

hit play, letting the sound of their earlier scheming fill the room.

Once the recording ended, he handed the device straight to Brandon. "Here's the original copy. I've given you everything. I'm out of this now."

He didn't wait for a response, slipping out and shutting the door behind him with a sharp bang.

Brandon turned the recorder over in his hand before pressing the button again. Vivian's own voice spilled out again-"Just diagnose me with depression, say l can't handle stress, especially from Millie, and that l need Brandon's care and attention..."

This time, the color drained from Vivian's face for real, stripping away the painted paleness her makeup had created.

Brandon stopped the playback and raised the recorder as evidence.

"Got anything to add?" he asked with a cutting smirk.

"Or are you going to tell me it's all fake?"

Vivian's lips parted as if to speak, but nothing came out.

"You're finally smart enough not to pile on another lie," Brandon said coldly. "This is the original recording. It can be verified by voiceprint identification."

Brandon's voice went frigid, almost daring her to answer."Vivian, what else do you have to say now?"

Vivian stared at Brandon, knowing the act was over.

There was no point hiding anymore.

"Fine," she admitted. "I made it all up. I was never depressed."

Without warning, Brandon's hand clamped down on her shoulder, pushing her back until she hit the wall.

His eyes burned red, and his jaw was locked tight.

"Why would you do something like this?" The words came out low and strained, forced through clenched teeth.

Wasn't she the one who always claimed to be gentle and sincere?

Hadn't she insisted she only had six months left to live, saying all she wanted was to spend that time with him?

He had ended his marriage to Millie and stayed by her side. So why was Vivian still lying, still going after Millie?

But Vivian only laughed.

"Why?" Vivian's lips twisted into a smirk. "Isn't it obvious? If I didn't pull all of this, Brandon, would you have given me more of your time? Even with me supposedly dying, you still kept your distance. I had to push further, to make you see me as a patient, to make you remember what you promised."

Vivian's gaze locked on Brandon's as her voice rose."You swore, Brandon. These last six months, you'd be with me, you'd love me."

"| already left her!" Brandon's voice thundered with

fury.

"But you still won't marry me!" she shot back. "You won't even touch me!"

Her breathing turned sharp and heavy with anger.

"Didn't you send Eugene to ask how I got into Serenity Villa? Fine, I'll tell you."

Vivian's glare cut straight through Brandon.

Each word landed with deliberate weight. "Simple.I guessed the password. I went through every number I could think of, yours, hers, even the ones tied to both of you. The date that signified Watson Group's complete transformation. Your wedding day. Millie's birthday. Even dates I dug up from other sources, like when you two were in Flesta."

Vivian's glare burned with pure malice toward Millie."And guess what? The front door's code is her birthday. The code to the small bathroom? The day you married her!"

Her mouth curled in contempt. "You swore you'd love

me-and this is what you call keeping that promise?"

"Vivian!" Brandon's voice explodedd like a crack of thunder.

"I did it intentionally." Vivian straightened her back and met his eyes without flinching. "I walked in there on purpose, went live on camera just to humiliate her,to show everyone that I, Vivian, have taken her place as Mrs. Watson, and she's nothing but a discarded woman."

Brandon's hand dug harder into Vivian's shoulder the pressure so fierce it felt as if he wanted to snap her in two.

So all those words before were just a performance.

Every move had been about going after Millie, about hurting her.

A discardded woman?

He'd never let Vivian degrade her like that.

Still, Vivian pressed on. Suddenly her lips trembled

her eyes glistened red, and the tears came on cue."Brandon, I know I crossed the line, but | couldn't stop myself."

Once more, she slipped into her victim act.

"I envy her for having your love, while I gave you everything and still couldn't win your heart. I know l made mistakes..." Her voice cracked as she sobbed."I won't be jealous of her anymore, Brandon. Just...don't leave me."

It was all calculated, carefully chosen emotions, a few undeniable truths twisted into a different story.

She wanted him to believe her love had blinded her,that her missteps came from passion, and that she was ready to change.

Brandon stared at Vivian, a hollow laugh escaping him.

He had wronged Millie time and time again for a woman like this.

Right then, his self-loathing deepened, cursing

himself for ever believing Vivian could be kind and gentle.

The red in his eyes deepened.

"I don't raise my hand against women," Brandon said,loosening his grip on Vivian's shoulder.

"But if pretending to be depressed is what you enjoy..." His tone dropped to ice. "Then you can live with the real thing."

Before Vivian could even process the words,Brandon's gaze had shifted, and he was already walking away.

Eugene was waiting just outside.

Brandon murmured a brief instruction to Eugene.

With a firm nod, Eugene replied, "Understood. I'll make sure Miss Simpson gets a true taste of it."

"Also..." Eugene hesitated, and then pulled out a folder and handed it over to Brandon. "Mr. Watson, I just found this in the archive. It's Mrs. W- Miss

Bennett's file."