Chapter 56

Soon,this news spread all over social media.

"So Brandon won the tanzanite for Vivian by continuously raising the stakes?

"Yes!"

"Oh wow, this is basically him going public with their relationship! Brandon is doing everything for Vivian,like Millie doesn't even exist!"

"That tanzanite can't be worn yet, can it? It still needs to be made into jewelry. But with Vivian near the end of her life, she must've done it all for the charity."

"I can't even imagine how it'll feel for Brandon,staring at that gem after shne's gone."

"He should set it into her casket or something."

"Vivian has been running herself ragged lately.Fainting from exhaustion. And even before she collapsed, she was still asking the press to stop the speculation, to protect MAillie from the worst of it."

"She's too good. I'm sobbing here."

"How can one person be so selfless?"

"Millie, are you seeing all this? If you are, please,just divorce Brandon and let Vivian have him."

"She's just a housewife. What is she even compared to Vivian?"

Behind the scenes, Johnny was already on the move,instructing his team swiftly.

Soon, a post appeared. "Her kindness makes her an angel among us."

It painted a soft-focus portrait of Vivian-her love story with Brandon retold with cinematic flair,her goodness threaded through every paragraph.

Despite her terminal cancer, Vivian had kept working,fighting for sick children, showing up with a smile,doing what she could even as her body failed her.

And even then, she hadn't turned her illness into a weapon. She hadn't thrown darts at Millie. She'd been gracious.

Even at the auction, when Serena hiked the price up twenty-five times, forcing Brandon to pay an obscene amount, it was Vivian who spoke kindly of Serena, not scolding her, not making a scene.

The post even wove in hints of female strength,sketching Vivian as both gentle and unshakable. It struck a chord.

The moment the post went live, it stirred up a storm online.

People were crying and singing Vivian's praises. The hashtag, #SaintVivian, climbed the trending chart.

At the same time, an unconfirmed rumor began to circulate online, claiming that Serena had attended the charity gala without making any donation.

Although the gala was strictly by invitation, every guest was expected to give something-maybe buy a child's drawing or a small diary, nothing costly. To attend and give nothing was seen not just as selfish but almost like fraud.

The charity gala offered a number of ways to give.

First, the donors who provided items for the auction were automatically contributing, since 70% of all proceeds went to charity.

Second, the winners paid for what they bid on-another form of contribution.

Third,people could donate directly without bidding.

And often, those who won items still made extra donations. Like Brandon. After winning two lots, he gave even more.

No one was forced to give twice, but doing nothing at all-offering neither item, nor bid, nor donation-was shameful.Unforgivable,even.

Still, the rumor didn't spread. It stayed low, shared only among a few.

Most people were focused on Vivian and Brandon.

Even when the reporters published follow-up pieces,the spotlight didn't shift. It clung to them.

On First Avenue in Crobert, a Bugatti Centodieci sped by.

Vivian sat in the passenger seat, scrolling through her phone. A flicker of satisfaction moved across her face.

She sent a message to Johnny. "Keep the rumor about Serena going, but keep it low-key. I'll use it against her when the time's right."

After Johnny replied, Vivian tucked her phone into her bag.

Right now, she felt untouchable. Everything seemed to fall into place.

She thought about the past few days. Every move had been carefully planned, every outcome accounted for.

And that certainty gave her a high.

The car rolled to a stop at her apartment complex.

But Brandon remained seated, not getting out.

Neither did Vivian. She watched him.

Taking a long breath, Brandon reached into the back seat and pulled out the safe containing the gemstones.

Vivian's eyes glimmered, but she looked down quickly,masking her anticipation.

She knew about the 6-carat ruby pendant. Brandon had won it during the auction. She wondered now if he meant it for her as well.

The tanzanite had fetched $25 million at auction, but everyone knew it was worth just a fraction of that.

Vivian wanted the ruby pendant more than the tanzanite.

It wasn't just more expensive; it was ready to wear,not a rough stone needing time.

Of course,having both would be perfect.

And now that Brandon had acted, she needed to follow through.

So,she pulled out her phone and began transferring money to Brandon.

"I only have 1.2 million available at the moment," she said as she made the transfer. "I'll send this first and settle the rest later."

Brandon blinked,jolting back to the present.

His fingers traced the faceted surface of the deep blue tanzanite before he reached in again and brought out the ruby pendant.

"No need," he said,handing the box to her.

"But I told you l'd pay," Vivian said, trying to sound insistent. "I meant to buy the tanzanite, not this ruby pendant."

She paused, and then slowly pushed the box back toward him. "I can't take this. It's too valuable."

Brandon didn't glance at her. His eyes were still on the tanzanite.

"It's a raw stone. Not ideal for wearing," he muttered,lying without a thought.

He shut the safe. "I think the ruby suits you more."

"Really?" Vivian asked, sounding eager.

Brandon looked down.

"Yes," he answered.

"So..." Vivian's heart stirred. She kept her eyes on the pendant. "Brandon, did you bid for it with me in mind?"

Brandon stayed quiet, not looking at her.

He turned toward the window instead.

Outside, the night was silent. The trees stood tall,their shadows long and faint beneath the streetlights.

It felt serene but hollow. "Yes," he said at last, barely audible.

And in that moment, he finally understood why Millie had been angry when, a month ago, he'd said, "My child deserves the very best."