Chapter 73

Brandon's lips trailed lower, lingering at the small mole just above Millie's heart.

Her voice broke through the haze.

"Don't," she whispered.

He pretended not to hear.

"Will you really force me?" Millie's hands pressed against his head, her tone pleading and defiant.

He hesitated, desire warring with restraint, but his arms refused to let her go.

"Our loss in Flesta was a tragedy,Millie," he murmured,heat and longing sharpening his words. "We could try again...we could have another child."

A bitter laugh, soaked in heartbreak, escaped her. "If that's what you want, go to Vivian instead. Isn't she the one you spend every waking moment with these days? Haven't you already slept with her?"

Her voice broke, trembling with grief. "Brandon, don't do this to me. It makes me sick."

Sobs wracked her, each breath shaking her small frame with fresh waves of pain.

The words hovered on Brandon's lips-he wanted to tell her nothing had ever happened with Vivian,that she was wrong about all of it.

But Millie's mind was made up, and anything he said now would only sound like excuses.

Defeated, he let the silence grow.

Brows knitted in frustration, he finally pulled himself upright,unwilling to add to her misery.

His eyes lingered on her, rumpled and broken on the sheets.

Heat still pulsed beneath his skin, but with effort,he drew his hands away, forcing himself toturn from her.

A muscle worked in his jaw as he pressed his eyes shut,wrestling his own desire into submission.

Pale moonlight spilled across the floor, illuminating every quiet detail in the room.

He listened as her sobs slowly faded, powerless to comfort either her or himself.

A movement caught his attention-Millie straightened,gathering herself.

She quickly buttoned up her shirt, swiped the tears from her cheeks, and pulled her pants into place.Several buttons had vanished-torn away by his impatience, now nowhere to be found.

"I'll get you a new shirt," Brandon said quietly, his gaze settling on her.

Her lips were flushed and swollen, still bearing traces of where his mouth had lingered.

Desire, only moments ago pushed aside, now threatened to break loose again.

Fingers curled into tight fists as he fought for control.

Refusing to look at him, she slid off the bed,eyes fixed on the floor.

He saw her intent clear as day-she was determined to leave.

"Do you really have to go?" Brandon asked, voice tight, working to keep his temper in check.

Without a word, Millie rose, though her legs were unsteady beneath her.

Irritated, Brandon reached for her, pulling her back down to the mattress.

"Grandma expects us to remain here tonight," he said, his tone edged with warning.

Millie's reply came out cold. "I have no intention of staying. Try to force me,Brandon, and you'll only earn my hatred."

Frustration churned inside him, his jaw tight and his body tense with restraint.

She started to rise once more,and Brandon was ready to snap, but the sudden buzz of his phone cut him off.

Vivian's name flashed across the screen.

A faint crease appeared on Brandon's brow. He paused,debating, but finally accepted the call.

Vivian's voice came through, strained and uncertain."Brandon, I heard you went back to Moonlit Estate tonight-with Millie.Is that true?"

"Yes," he answered, voice flat.

With news of his return spreading through the family,it was no wonder Vivian had somehow caught wind of it.

"Are you with her right now?" Vivian asked, her words trembling, barely holding back tears. "Are you...spending the night there together?"

Brandon found himself without a ready answer.

They were meant to share the night under the same roof. But Millie had refused.

That was a detail Vivian didn't need to hear.

His silence stretched between them, and Vivian's quiet sniffles gave way to soft sobbing.

He still said nothing, lost for words and unwilling to offer empty reassurances.

After a spell, Vivian's sobs turned into a harsh cough."Ahem... ahem..."

He could hear her struggling for breath, her voice cracking through the phone. "Brandon, I feel awful...lt hurts so much tonight..."

Mid-conversation, Brandon's phone buzzed again. He glanced down to see a message from Vivian-a photo flashed on the screen.

Her face was streaked with tears, lips wiped raw, and a faint line of blood lingered at the corner of her mouth.

The image told the rest-her coughing had left its mark.

Vivian's voice trembled through the line. "Brandon,please...could you come over? I'm in so much pain

right now."

A deep frown furrowed Brandon's brow, his eyes shutting for a moment.

He gave in,replying quietly, "Alright."

Millie stood nearby, having seen and heard everything.Brandon made no effort to hide the call.

Vivian's plea hung between them-Millie knew exactly what it meant.

"Aren't you going to her?" Millie's voice was flat. "It's obvious you want to."

He shot her a look,lips drawn tight and eyes hard.

A thousand explanations crowded his mind-he wanted to say it was only because Vivian was sick.

But the coldness in Millie's gaze stopped him, and every word withered before it could reach his lips.

He rose from the bed. Once dressed in fresh clothes,he grabbed his keys from the dresser. Without making a sound, he slipped out of the room.

At the entryway, his gaze lingered on the closed door to the bedroom. He looked away and left the villa without another word.

...

Millie waited untiI she heard Brandon leave before she let out a deep sigh.

Scrambling to her feet, she locked the door in a hurry.She even dragged a table against it for extra security,and then sank to the floor, drained.

Brandon's presence still clung to her as she clutched at her collar.

Everything he said made sense. There was no way she could make it home tonight, not with her head spinning from too much wine.

Their marriage still stood on paper, with memories of nights spent together and heartbreak from the babies they lost before birth, but Vivian was his world now.

A heavy wave of emotion drove him out of the house,chasing after Vivian, while Millie knew what would happen next.

Even as she understood, her heart wanted none of it.

She had let him go a long time ago.

Brandon settled behind the wheel of his car. As he buckled in, he spotted Matthew, the butler, hurrying

toward him.

"Mr.Watson, where are you headed?" Matthew called,worry in his voice. "Your grandmother gave strict orders that both you and Mrs. Watson stay at the estate tonight."

Brandon hesitated for a moment before rolling the window down.

In the glow from the porch lights, the lines on Matthew's face seemed even deeper.

"There's something I need to take care of tonight,"said Brandon, voice steady. "I'll make sure I'm here for breakfast with Grandpa and Grandma."

Worry flickered in Matthew's eyes as he continued,"Sir, this isn't only about sharing a meal. Your grandparents hopes you and Mrs. Watson can mend things while you're here."

The thought of reconciliation hung in the air.

A memory of Millie's tear-stained face flickered through Brandon's mind.

Looking down,he avoided Matthew's gaze and stayed silent.

Matthew pleaded, "Sir, I can't let you go. Your grandmother is counting on me to bring you both

together."

Without meeting his eyes, Brandon said, "There's no need for Grandma to know the details." He then started the engine. "I'll return by morning."

Brandon guided the car away from the house, careful to steer around Matthew.

Desperation laced Matthew's voice as he shouted, "Mr.Watson,please! Mr.Watson!"

Brandon caught a glimpse of him in the rearview mirror but kept driving.

City lights blurred past as the Bentley cut through the dark, Brandon's gaze never wavering from the road ahead. Sorting through his feelings proved impossible,leaving only a storm raging inside him.

Confusion reigned over his thoughts. Even his heartbeat felt unsettled and uneven.

Finding a solution to this tangled web of emotions seemed beyond him; he tackled only what little he could manage.

Such uncertainty was foreign territory.

Every deal he handled at work showcased his confidence and calculated moves, yet tonight he felt lost.

Bit by bit, control kept slipping through his fingers.

Fear crept in with that realization.

A slow breath brought him back to the present,and he tried to block out the chaos for now.

Vivian's health demanded his attention, and he knew he had to be by her side.

Soon enough, he reached her apartment building,found a spot to park, and rode the elevator to her floor.

After a moment at her door, he pressed the bell.Vivian answered,appearing before him in the doorway.