The vehicle rolled on, its headlights slicing through the late-night haze.

Brandon stared out the window as the outline of the city faded further and further behind him.

A strange emptiness settled inside him, one that felt unfamiliar and heavy. There was a time when his path felt certain, his ambitions always laid out clearly before him. Now doubt had crept in, making it hard to see where he should go next.

He could still hear Millie’s voice in his mind, urging him to move on and meet someone new. Was that really the answer he needed? He could not bring himself to even consider it, and honestly, he had no interest in doing so.

Through everything, she had been the one constant. His relationship with Vivian had been nothing but a performance for everyone else to see. He had never let himself picture anyone else filling that space beside him.

People liked to say he was the most sought-after man in Crobert, that there were always others lining up to be part of his world, bending over backward for a shot at his attention. If anyone ever suggested he lacked options, they would become a laughingstock. But in truth, it was exactly like that. Nothing came to mind. He could not think of a single other person. There was no one else.

As the car continued its slow journey into the dark, Brandon felt as if he were stuck, unable to move forward with it.

At the wheel, Eugene kept his eyes on the road, sneaking glances at Brandon in the rearview mirror, clearly searching for something to say. The quiet stretched on between them until finally Eugene broke it and brought up a new topic.

“So, Miss Bennett has finally come around. That’s really good to hear,” Eugene said.

Brandon gave a small nod but offered nothing else, letting the silence fill the space again. For a moment, Eugene considered starting a new conversation, but nothing seemed right, so he kept his eyes on the road and said no more.

From the back seat, Brandon’s voice broke the stillness. “Eugene, tell me, how have things been for you in the romance department lately?”

Caught off guard by the sudden question, Eugene blinked before answering, “It’s been alright, I guess.”

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