Chapter 71

Brandon's body radiated warmth as his strong arms wrapped firmly around Millie's waist.

For a moment, Millie stood frozen, arms stiff at her sides. Then, gathering herself, she slowly placed a trembling hand on his chest and gently but firmly pushed him away.

A faint spell of lightheadedness washed over her,though it had nothing to do with intoxication.

They boarded the buggy in silence, heading toward Brandon's place in the estate.

The journey unfolded in silence, a quiet tension stretching between them. Not a single word passed until the vehicle rolled to a halt near a cluster of trees.

"Mr. and Mrs. Watson," Matthew began respectfully,"Mrs. Norma Watson told me to remind you that Mr.Derek Watson expects to see you both first thing in the morning. So, you'll need to spend the night here at the estate." He paused, observing the emotional distance between them with a quiet sigh. "Truthfully,they've both been deeply concerned for a while now.Asking you to stay is just a pretense. What they really want... is for you to open up to each other."

He brushed at the corners of his eyes, visibly emotional. "I still remember when you first brought her home, sir. The way you looked at each other-it was like something out of a storybook. So much love back then. I just... I don't understand how it got tothis point."

He cleared his throat and blinked quickly, brushing away the shimmer in his eyes. "Please... talk. Maybe that's all it'll take to set things right."

With a heavy breath, Matthew stepped back and disappeared into the night.

Above them, the night had fully unfurled, stars cloaked behind drifting clouds.

Golden lights lit the path ahead, winding softly through the trees toward a certain villa.

Brandon took the first step, heading into the grove without a word. But Millie didn't follow.

Sensing her stillness, he stopped and looked back over his shoulder. "What's wrong?" he asked.

"I'll head back for now," Millie said quietly,her tone even. "I'll come by in the morning."

She turned to leave, but before she could take another step, Brandon reached out and caught her wrist.

"Millie," he said, his voice steady but low. "It's been days since we last saw each other. Don't you think it's time we talked?"

Talk? Was there truly anything left to say?

A few steps away, the silver light of the moon spilled across the surface of the lake, turning the ripples into sheets of soft glass.

Brandon's voice cut through the silence again, this time firmer. "At the very least... about the child.I deserve an explanation." His grip remained firm. "You never gave me answers. And I can't face them-my grandparents-without knowing the truth."

Millie turned her face away, her gaze drifting into the darkness.

After her session with Rita,she drifted along aimlessly,unsure of what to do next.

Sometime later, Charles mentioned that the charity event's funds were finally being allocated and asked if she'd like to see where the resources were directed.

Curious about how the money from the tanzanite sale was utilized,she accepted.

That was how she found herself standing in frontof a welfare center in Crobert. She had purchased a painting at the auction-Ari's painting-without knowing it would lead her here.

Maybe it was fate. Or maybe... the child she lost had found another way to stay close.

Tanzanite. A donation. A painting bought on impulse.All of it had woven a path that led her to Ari.

The young girl had been left at the shelter long ago,discarded by her biological parents due to a chronic illness.

For a number of reasons, her condition had gone untreated for years. The fundraising event turned out to be a turning point.

After only a handful of encounters, Millie felt something deeper, like it had been meant to happen.So she made a decision.

She would adopt Ari. She would make sure she received the medical care she deserved, give her a proper education, and walk beside her through every stage of life.

But there was one problem-Millie wasn't thirty yet,the legal minimum age to adopt. So,she reached out to the only person who could help, her mother.

That afternoon, she found herself standing outside her mother's small business, watching silently from across the street. After several long moments, she took a breath and called out for the first time in ages,"Mom."

Millie's mother agreed to help with the adoption paperwork. Though the legal process would take time,it had already begun.

Officially, Ari would be registered as Millie's younger sister-but everyone involved knew the truth.

Millie was the one who longed to be Ari's mother. And Ari understood that, too.

When Ari expressed her wish to attend school, Millie found a small private preschool in Crobert, one that respected children's privacy and emotional needs.

Maybe it was the early abandonment or the years spent in a quiet welfare center. Or maybe it was just her age. Whatever the reason, Ari often seemed unsure,like she was still learning how to move through the world.

That morning at the preschool entrance,Ari froze.

Millie knelt beside her, gently pulling down her mask to reveal a soft, reassuring smile. "What is it?" she asked kindly. "Are you scared?"

Ari gave a hesitant nod, but then quickly shook her head.Conflicted.

Millie didn't rush her. She simply waited, calm and steady.

After a long silence, Ari looked up, her small voice barely a whisper."Mom..."

Then she immediately dropped her gaze, as if unsure she had the right.

"Do I have to call you that?" she asked, almost too quietly to hear.

Millie reached out and gently smoothed Ari's hair."Only if it feels right," she said softly. "If it's too soon,you can call me Miss Bennett, or just Millie."

Ari blinked, visibly relieved. She nodded quickly, her lips curving into a shy smile. "Miss Bennett," she said in a quiet voice, wrapping her arms around Millie for a quick embrace before dashing inside.

Millie stood still for a moment, watching as Ari reached the classroom door. The little girl turned around, gave a small wave, and then disappeared inside.

That fleeting second-Millie without her face covering -was all it took for the cameras to capture her.Despite all her efforts to remain unnoticed,someone had managed to snap the photo.

The guardianship paperwork was still in progress,which meant Millie was allowed to accompany Ari to school, but couldn't yet bring her home.

But it was only a matter of time now. On average, the paperwork was processed within thirty business days.

With that thought in mind, Millie turned to speak. "She has no ties with the Watson family. So don't worry.She won't be there to fight for your family's inheritance or property."

She slipped her hand out of Brandon's grasp. A soft wind stirred the air, and the faint warmth of the alcohol she had earlier consumed returned, making her feel lightheaded.

Without a word, she stepped out of her heels and stood barefoot on the grass, her back to him. "That's all there is to say," she continued calmly. "You've heard enough. I'll tell your grandparents the same thing tomorrow. And if you doubt anything I've said,go and check for yourself. I have no reason to lie,Brandon."

She took a deep breath, straightened her shoulders,and walked away.

"Millie!" Brandon called after her, his voice tense with emotion. "Does it really have to end like this?"

She didn't pause. She had already made her choice.

"We had a child once," Brandon called out again."You let her call you 'Mom'... so what about me? What am I supposed to be?"

The words echoed through the quiet grove, his voice carrying a weight it hadn't held before. The trees around them seemed to hold their breath.

"Or maybe this was your plan all along," he added,suspicion creeping into his voice.

In Brandon's mind, she had done all this on purpose.She had allowed the child to call her Mom where cameras might see it, ensuring that they would end up face-to-face again at the Watson estate.

Millie froze mid-step, her breath catching.

Something stirred deep in her chest-a tangled mix of emotions she couldn't name at first.

Was it anger clawing its way up, or sorrow pressing down on her heart? Maybe it was both, crashing into each other all at once.

"I never asked you this before... Back in Flesta, during those ten minutes I stepped away-what did you really say to him?" Brandon spoke. "We lost our child. Do you think I haven't suffered? I've carried that pain with

me every day since. You know exactly why I've longed to become a parent all these years. So why would you twist something so sacred-why would you use a child as part of some scheme?"

His voice came in a low, even voice. calm as still water But each word cut like glass, merciless and cold.

Her chest ached with the weight of his words.Her hands trembled, her breath caught somewhere between a sob and a scream.

How could he say something so cruel? How could someone who once held her heart speak with such emptiness?

She slowly turned to face him. He stood in the moonlight, his expression unreadable.

Perhaps it was the distance between them-or perhaps the years-but in that moment, he didn't look like the man she once loved. He wore Brandon's face,but something inside him felt hollow... twisted.

Was this really him? Or had something changed so completely that he now looked like a stranger wearing his skin?

Without thinking, Millie crossed the space between them. Her steps were swift, her heart pounding. And then-

Her hand struck him hard across the face. The sharp sound echoed into the silence.

Her palm stung, but the pain didn't matter. He had already hurt her far worse.