Chapter 179

Chapter 179:
His phone buzzed against his palm, and Brandon’s lips curved into a cold sneer, certain that Millie had finally decided to face him. Instead, his grandfather’s name flashed across the screen, wiping the smugness from his expression. His brow creased with mild concern as he reluctantly answered the summons.
“Grandpa,” he said, his voice carefully controlled.
“Return home tonight without delay!” Derek’s words crackled with unbridled fury through the speaker. “Brandon, don’t foolishly assume that just because you currently control the Watson Group’s operations, you possess unlimited freedom to act however you please. I still draw breath in this world!”
Brandon’s fingers massaged his throbbing temples as he surrendered to the inevitable summons, his tone shifting to one of practiced diplomacy. “Grandpa, please don’t allow yourself to become so agitated. Such emotional turmoil proves detrimental to your health.”
“Now you suddenly express concern for my health?!” Derek released a bitter, contemptuous snort before abruptly ending their conversation.
On the opposite side of the city, Millie stared down at her phone’s illuminated display as it announced an incoming call. Derek’s name flashed insistently across the screen. After wrestling with uncertainty for several long moments, she finally pressed the answer button. However, once the connection established itself, she remained frozen in silence, unable to force words past her constricted throat.
Derek also maintained his quiet stance on the other end. After approximately three tension-filled seconds passed, a long, weary sigh escaped from his aged lungs and traveled through the speaker.
“Millie, would you come visit me tonight?” Derek’s voice had transformed into something gentle and coaxing. “Even if you harbor deep resentment toward Brandon, you could still find time to see this old man.”
Millie’s fingers tightened around her phone until her knuckles turned white, her internal struggle finally resolving as she nodded into the empty air. “Alright,” she whispered, her voice barely audible. “I’ll be there.”
Indeed, she recognized the necessity of returning to the Watson Mansion. Numerous unresolved issues demanded her attention and required final closure.
ⱠⒶⵜẸŞ₸ ₡Ḥ₳₱₸ɆⱤŞ ⱻ
Time seemed to accelerate around her, and darkness gradually descended upon the city. After maneuvering her vehicle into the familiar parking space, Millie stepped onto the pavement with legs that felt unsteady beneath her weight. Following many days of absence, she found herself standing once again before the imposing gates of the Watson Mansion, her past and present colliding in the gathering twilight.
The Watson Mansion stood proudly on the northern outskirts of Crobert, in a neighborhood known for its exclusivity and charm. This particular stretch of land was owned entirely by the Watson family, with no other property in sight—quiet, private, untouched.
At the heart of the estate lay a stunning lake shaped like a full moon, the centerpiece of the mansion grounds. Locals often called it the Moonlit Estate, a poetic name that suited the way the water shimmered under the night sky and how the house wrapped gracefully around it.
Painted a soft, pale yellow, the mansion took on a dreamy glow after sunset. When the lights were on, it looked like a moon glowing gently on Earth, peaceful and perfect. Nestled beside the lake, the mansion was a picture of quiet beauty.
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