Chapter 95

When Millie didn't respond, Brandon continued gently, "r'H take over Arl's tréatment. Pll bring in the best medical team. She'll get better."

"She's my child, Brandon. You don't need to worry about her," Millie finally said.

In that moment, she made up her mind not to take his money anymore.

If he had any decency left, he'd return the Bennett family's possessions once the divorce was finalized.

That would be fair compensation for everything she had done for him over the years.

"Giffard is a skilled doctor. He'l take good care of Ari," she added, her tone calm but firm.

Brandon's temper flared again.

"Isn't she my child too?" he snapped. "Do you even hear yourself right now?

Millie clenched her fists. She wanted to answer back, but stopped herself.

Only a week remained before the divorce could be finalized. Just seven days to go.

She couldn't afford to make things more complicated now.

Also, Ari would be legally adopted under her mother's name. Brandon would never have any claim to her.

But Brandon wasn't done. "I know you and Alexia are close-that's fine. But what's really going on between you and Giffard?"

Millie looked up, disbelief crossing her face. "Are you seriously accusing me now? There's nothing between us."

Brandon gave a bitter laugh.

He locked eyes with her, his voice cold. "I saw it myself. You and him were getting a little too close in that hospital room."

Millie paused, thinking back. Then it clicked.

"So that was you standing outside the hospital room door?"

He didn't answer. Just stared at her.

Was that supposed to be a confession? That he'd caught her?

She actually found it absurd.

A laugh escaped her lips.

"And who exactly are you to judge me?" she asked, a faint smile playing on her face. "You think P'm the one in the wrong? Your affair with Vivian is public knowledge. And now you're here,trying to lecture me about inappropriate relationships? Don't you think that's just a little hypocritical?"

There had never been anything inappropriate between her and Giffard. She'd made that clear to him that day, and nothing had happened since.

But even if there had been-so what?

Brandon's jaw tensed.

"So which one is it? Giffard? Charles?" he asked after a long pause. someone else entirely? What's the goal here? To make me jealous? Get me to leave Vivian?"

He didn't stop. "I've told you before, Millie. You'll always be my wife. Just wait six more months. Vivian won't be in the picture much longer."

He sighed and said sharply, clearly irritated, "Whatever this is, just stop."

Millie studied the man in front of her.

Half his face was cast in shadow, but his eyes remained vivid, piercing.

She used to love those eyes, especially when they reflected her, made her feel like she was the center of his world.

But now, those same eyes were hiding someone who could say such heartless things. He was defending another woman while telling her not to make a scene.

Did he truly belleve she belonged to him, no matter what?

Silence settled between them.

In the dim light, the only thing that sparkled was her earring catching the faint glow.

Just then, Brandon's phone buzzed.

He pulled f out, and Milie saw the name on the screen: Vivian.

She looked away and smiled faintly.

Brandon didn't answer.

The phone kept vibrating, but he made no move to pick it up.

"You're not going to answer?" Millie said, her voice edged with sarcasm. "Maybe she fainted again. You should go check on her."

"Enough!" Brandon snapped, unable to hold back any longer.

He hated it when she talked to him like that.

But Millie just stared at him coolly, that same composed smile still on her lips.

Brandon gripped his phone tightly, as if about to speak-but thought better of it.

Without a word, he slipped it back into his pocket.

Suddenly,nearby, someone's chain-strap purse knocked into a table, sending a bottle of red wine crashing to the floor.

It shattered on impact, wine spilling across the floor.

"Oh! Mr. Watson, I'm so sorry!" that woman exclaimed, rushing to get a waiter to clean the mess.

The sound and sight snapped Brandon back in time-to that year when he and Millie had gone on a business trip to Vascuosia. The hot spring hotel. The wine. The laughter.

"What if they want us to drink, Brandon? I'm not sure how much I can handle," Millie had asked back then.

They'd heard that the client they were scheduled to meet in three days had a fondness for alcohof.

Brandon had smiled reassuringly. "Don't worry. You won't have to drink.

At the time, Watson Group was in a period of transition-welf-established in Crobert, but still struggling to gain a foothold in the new sector.

"Even ifit comes to that, I'll take care of it," he promised.

But Millie had smiled, glancing at the wine bottle the client had sent over. " want to share the burden with you. Why don't we try it now? Let me see how much I can hand//she said, still smiling."That way,I'll know my limit before the meeting."

"Are you serious?" he'd asked, looking into her eyes.

She didn't reply. Instead, she reached for the bottle, opened it with steady hands, poured two glasses and handed one to him.

He took it, and she tapped her glass gently against his. Her eyes sparkled with excitement.

"To landing this contract," she said, and then tipped her glass back and finished it in one go.

He watched her, smiling, and mirrored her action.

She poured a second round and raised her glass again.

"To your health and happiness, Brandon." Another glass down in a single breath.

The alcohol brought a warm flush to her cheeks.

Outside, snow fell thick and fast. Inside the hotel room, the air was warm and inviting

He thought she looked absolutely adorable, and leaned in to kiss her.

Her lips tasted like red wine and laughter.

"I'm still fine!" she declared, nudging him playfully as she poured another.

"This one's for Watson Group's smooth transition... and this one's for you, Brandon.May you always stay as handsome as you are!" she added with a soft laugh.

They Jost count of how much they drank. Bottle after bottle arrivred at their room.

Eventually, she began to sway slightly, glass still in hand. "This one... she sfarted. She looked at him,eyes soft, heart open. "This one's for out everlasting happiness, Brandon."

But she only managed to take a few small sips from that last glass. She was too dlzzy to finish.

He kissed her again, holding her by the waist as wine spilled unnoticed onto the floor.

The atmosphere turned electric.

"We'll be happy," he whispered, his voice low, rough with emotion.

He pulled her onto his lap. Their breath mingled.

That night, they lost track of kisses, of time, of limits. They tried new things-there in the room, and again in the hot spring.

Red wine stained the floor. Her skin carried the scent of him and the wine.

Back at the wine tasting event, a waiter arrived to clean the mess.

The red liquid was wiped away slowly, methodically.

Millie turned aside, lost in the memory of that winter in Vascuosia. It had been so bitterly cold outside.

"Al cleaned up," the waiter said, collecting the broken glass.

The woman who had knocked the bottle apologized once more before hurrying off.

Brandon stared at the floor as it slowly dried. For reasons he couldn't name, the sight left him deeply unsettled.

They had once loved each other fiercely. Endured so much together. Now, all of it felt impossibly distant.

Where had it all gone wrong?

He didn't know. So he stayed silent.

At some point, the phone in his pocket had stopped buzzing.

Now, they just sat there, a heavy blanket of silence hanging between them