Chapter 188

Chapter 188:
“Brandon.”
“Millie.”
“Good evening, Brandon. Good evening, Millie!”
A group of cousins drifted over, smiles and greetings mingling as they arrived. A few of them had spouses in tow, their numbers swelling the crowd. The source of thɪs content is
With new faces gathering, Millie decided it was time to clear the air.
“Honestly, there’s no real mystery,” she said. “Like Babette said, Watson Group broke new ground first—that was…”
The real victory. Mr. Perez had resources and connections we needed to move forward, and our deal with him was about lifting a blockade, nothing more. As for the so-called wager…” Millie’s voice softened as she glanced down. “There was a bet, but it was just a bit of fun on Mr. Perez’s part. It didn’t influence the partnership in any meaningful way.”
Brandon studied Millie, his gaze lingering. Memories of Flesta flickered through his mind. In those ten short minutes he had been called away, he never found out what passed between Millie and Egbert. He only left to sign the deal. When he returned, all he saw was Millie plunging into icy cold water. The shock of cold blue, the blood, and the child they lost left a scar that never faded. Not once, in all the years since, had they dared speak of that night again. The last thing he ever wanted was to watch her break down in tears like that again.
“That’s all there is?” Babette asked, still looking for holes in the story.
“That’s everything,” Brandon answered before Millie could, his voice firm. “You’re wrong about her, Babette. She isn’t the person you’re making her out to be.”
Without another word, he took Millie’s hand and led her away from the crowd.
Babette remained rooted to the spot, fists balled in frustration. Casimir swirled his wine, a smirk curling at the corner of his mouth.
“Feeling left out?” Casimir’s tone was light but needling. “You always got along best with Brandon. But now, you put him in the middle and wound up pushed aside. Tough break, huh?”
Babette shot him a glare, retorting, “Why don’t you stay out of it for once?”
As Brandon and Millie slipped away, Millie couldn’t help but replay Babette’s pointed words in her mind. One question echoed above the rest—Babette’s casual remark: “Millie, have you heard the latest? Word is, Mr. Perez is making his trip to Crobert.”
Her brow creased with unease, fingers tightening around the stem of her glass.
With Derek’s message that he wouldn’t be joining them for dinner, the entire family soon found themselves seated along a sprawling dining table, the evening carrying on. As always, Millie took her seat right beside Brandon. Around them, the dinner table buzzed with chatter, silverware chiming, and glasses raised in constant toasts.
Halfway through the meal, one of the elders steered the conversation toward the child.
Millie braced herself, half expecting Brandon to join in and question her, but to her surprise, he skillfully sidestepped the subject. He gave nothing away except, “We’ll address that issue for everyone in detail another time.”
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