Chapter 341

Chapter 341:
Meanwhile, Millie emerged from the bathroom, the distant explosions echoing through her apartment.
Drawn to the commotion, she slipped onto the balcony in her pajamas. Overhead, the night unfurled in showers of light—bursts of color exploding across the city skyline, spinning and shimmering in every imaginable shape.
A warm breeze swept past as she curled up in the lounge chair, her gaze lifted.
The fireworks painted her face in fleeting, shifting hues.
Lost in the spectacle, Millie found herself drifting back to a memory—a year ago, on the night of their hasty wedding. He’d brought her outside, beneath a velvet sky, to the lawn of their new home. With a spark in his eyes, he pressed a fuse into her hand, a quiet smile lingering on his lips. “Go ahead. Light it,” he murmured, his voice soft with mischief.
Her curiosity flared. Millie bent to ignite the fuse, and he gently drew her back, his arms circling her waist as they watched together.
The firework shot up with a piercing whistle, and she gasped, laughter bubbling out as it burst in a brilliant spray overhead.
But before her laughter had faded, a chain of fireworks suddenly erupted across the city skyline, their dazzling blooms multiplying in every direction.
The city below was ablaze with color, all set off by her single spark.
“I snuck this into the wedding plans,” he’d whispered against her ear, his breath sending a pleasant shiver down her spine. “Do you like it?”
She’d turned, eyes shining, and nodded enthusiastically. “It’s perfect. I love it.”
She could still see the tender curve of his smile, the way his eyes softened with genuine affection just for her.
But now, all of that warmth—and the heart behind it—belonged to someone else entirely.
All across Crobert, brilliant fireworks painted the sky for what seemed like forever, drawing crowds out of every neighborhood to marvel at the spectacle. Curiosity bubbled up in the crowd.
“There haven’t been any official announcements about fireworks lately. Is there some special reason tonight?”
m𝓸r𝓮 𝓾ρda𝓽es 𝓲𝓷
Another chimed in, “I tried checking, too. The last festival wrapped up weeks ago, and the local schedule shows nothing planned for today.”
Puzzlement spread among them. “So what’s the story, then?”
Someone guessed, “Maybe some wealthy guy is trying to win over his girlfriend. Remember when Brandon and Millie tied the knot last year? The city was alight with fireworks all night long.”
Another voice softened with nostalgia. “That’s right. I’ll never forget it. The whole place glittered for hours. No one but Brandon could pull off something that extravagant.”
A note of disappointment crept in. “Such a shame, really. They didn’t even make it past a year, and now everyone says Brandon’s with Vivian.”
Sympathy surfaced. “Careful what you say. Vivian’s gone through enough as it is…”
Far from the chatter, Vivian stood at her window, eyes drawn to the fireworks blazing above Crobert.
A memory surfaced—Brandon had handed her the divorce filing receipt the very day he and Millie had made things official. She knew exactly when it happened.
For weeks, she kept to herself, quietly steering clear of anything that might upset Millie.
.
.
.