Chapter 88

News of the "scandalous affair" barely had time to settle before Brandon issued instructions to Eugene.

"Reach out to Evans Entertainment. Track down Eva and see about drafting a new contract. The payment can be negotiated," Brandon said, voice cool and steady.

Vivian had boldly claimed Eva's song as her own creation, and though he disagreed with how things had played out, the fallout still had to be managed.

After relaying his orders, Brandon found his mind drifting back to Millie.

He wondered, almost involuntarily, how she might have approached such a problem.

A faint shake of his head dismissed the idea.

Millie, he knew, would never have allowed herself to get trapped in such a scandal-matters like these wouldn't have fazed her in the slightest.

A fleeting image flashed in his mind: Millie's laughter as she strolled with that little girl,her happiness obvious even behind a mask.

Moments like that felt like a distant memory-when was the last time he'd seen her look so content?

With chaos swirling around him, Brandon pressed his fingers to his temples, trying to quell the ache starting behind his eyes.

Just then, Eugene hurried into the room, urgency clear in his steps.

"Mr. Watson, there's been a development regarding Mrs. Watson.." he said, hesitating only briefly before offering the tablet for Brandon to see.

There was nothing more Eugene could do; the situation had slipped beyond his control.

Brandon reached for the tablet, eyes scanning a series of snapshots-Millie laughing with Charles as they moved in and out of the Evans Entertainment offices.

Photo after photo captured Charles stopping by the hospital during the days Millie was admitted,making his presence impossible to ignore.

One of the latest updates was a brief video-Millie, carrying a young girl with her face artfully blurred,disappeared into a private dining suite. Not long after, Charles followed behind, his arms full of children's gifts.

A bold headline screamed from the top of the post-"Brandon Watson Duped? Millie's Disappeared for Weeks,Only to Emerge in an Intimate Family Scene with Charles Evans!"

"Bang!" A thunderous crash echoed as Brandon slammed the tablet down with all his might.

Alarm shot through Eugene's voice. "Mr. Watson! Please-"

Anger surged inside Brandon, boiling over.

A moment earlier, he'd pictured Millie's laughter and warmth with that child, imagining her content.Had all that joy really come from her time with Charles?

Wasn't Giffard's involvement already enough-now Charles was part of it too?

Charles, of all people. Didn't he have Serena in his life already?

What possible reason did he have for weaving himself so tightly into Millie's world?

"Give me the location,"Brandon instructed, eyes fixed on Eugene and meaning the restaurant from the latest viral video.

Eugene,always efficient, handed over the address without delay.

Car keys in hand, Brandon wasted no time-he was out the door and gone from the Watson Group building in an instant.

Behind the scenes, it was Vivian who had set this whole leak in motion.

Stirring up Brandon wasn't her main objective. Instead, she believed the real challenge lay in reining Serena in.

Serena seemed to never care about the personal drama between Charles and Millie, so Vivian's real aim was to push her buttons.

Vivian felt certain that, once Serena caught wind of these trending rumors, her anger toward Millie would flare.

On top of that, Vivian saw the scandal as a timely diversion-for herself and for Serena's next performance. If Millie's so-called"affair" was all anyone talked about, it would conveniently shift the spotlight, even if Brandon happened to get caught up in the mess.

That consequence hardly mattered to her.

Eva's catalog didn't concern Vivian either. Since Heavenly Melody first aired, Evans Entertainment had only managed to send a single legal warning, and nothing had come of it.

To her, that silence meant they were unwilling to fight-so settling things privately, if it came to that would be easy enough.

After all, Vivian knew she held something over Serena that others didn't.

In her mind, Charles' feelings for Serena far outweighed anyloyalty he might have had to Eva.

Back at the restaurant, the news had already reached everyone in the private room.

Alexia's temper flared. "What kind of story are they spinning? Are we invisible? It was a big group dinner, yet they made it look like an intimate date between you two?"

A gentle squeeze from Millie steadied Alexia's hand.

"Paparazzi thrive on this sort of drama. Don't let it get to you," Millie murmured, and then smiled softly at Ari. "Are you finished eating? I have to deal with something, so would it be okay if Alexia takes you back later?"

Because the adoption procedures weren't yet finalized, Ari still needed to return to the warfare center before bedtime.

With a small, thoughtful nod, Ari turned her eyes to Alexia for reassurance.

Catching the look, Alexia immediately understood. A quick word with Millie later, she gently gathered Ari into her arms.

The meal was almost finished anyway, so Millie and Charles took the lead, slipping out first to attract any lingering attention. That way, Alexia and the others could exit quietly after the coast was clear.

With the exit swarming with cameras, Millie made no effort to hide her face as she climbed into the car beside Charles, giving the photographers exactly what they wanted.

Any misunderstandings about her relationship with Charles could be sorted out later, since the truth was simple-it had been a dinner with friends, not some secret lover involving only them and a child.

Her status as an Evans Entertainment employee made her visit completely reasonable, and Charles'hospital visits could easily be explained as friendly concern.

All Millie wanted was to protect Ari from the circus outside.

Not long after their car disappeared into traffic, Brandon's Aston Martin tore past them, engine roaring.

By the time Brandon stormed into the private dining room, he found only empty chairs and a couple of servers clearing the table.

Alexia had already whisked Ari away to another part of the restaurant, making sure nothing would go wrong.

Only the cleaning crew remained for Brandon to question.

"Where did they go?" he asked, his tone ice-cold.

The waiter gave him a puzzled look. "They finished eating and left, sir."

It couldn't have been more obvious.

A surge of frustration made Brandon's jaw clench and his hands curl into fists.

Checking his phone for updates, he was greeted with the latest headline."Millie and Charles Spotted Departing Together."

Photos circulating online even captured his own Aston Martin, and now a crowd was beginning to form outside the restaurant.

Anger simmering, Brandon strode away, thumbing Millie's number into his phone.

Only the automated message greeted him-"The number you've dialed is currently unavailable..."

Reaching his car, he slipped through the gathering throng, but his calls continued to go unanswered.

His irritation mounted as he fired up the engine and drove out of the parking lot.

Down the boulevard, his phone stayed glued to his hand, Millie's number dialed again and again.

No matter how many times he tried, her silence held firm.

Blood pounding in his ears, Brandon stomped the brakes in frustration.

He sent a message, asking,"Millie, what's the meaning of this?"

But her reply never came.

He typed again. "Tell me what's going on between you and Charles. I deserve to know."

Nothing. Not a single word.

He shot off another message. "Is it because I've been spending time with Vivian? Are you trying to get back at me?"

Every plea was met with silence.

"Bang!" In a fit of rage, Brandon pounded his fist against the wheel.

"Honk-" A sharp blast from the horn split the quiet night.

Defeat pressed down on him, leaving him with a hollow sense that nothing he did could change the outcome.

He despised feeling so powerless.

After a moment, he steadied his breath, swung the car around, and made for Serenity Villa-the place he and Millie called home after they got married.