Chapter 243

Chapter 243: Follow current novᴇls on
“Honk—” A sharp blast from the horn split the quiet night.
Defeat pressed down on him, leaving him with a hollow sense that nothing he did could change the outcome. He despised feeling so powerless.
After a moment, he steadied his breath, swung the car around, and headed for Serenity Villa—the place he and Millie had once called home after they got married.
As Brandon’s car wound its way up the hill toward Serenity Villa, Millie scrolled through a barrage of phone notifications.
A note of unease crept into Charles’ voice. “Could this stir up any trouble for you?” Personal risk hardly fazed him. Years at the helm of an entertainment company had thickened his skin against gossip, and bachelorhood gave him little to lose. Still, the court of public opinion reserved its harshest judgments for women. Millie’s name could be dragged through the mud based on nothing more than whispers, even though they both knew they had nothing to hide.
Still, Charles couldn’t honestly say his feelings for her were strictly business. Yet, he carried himself with restraint. He recognized the lines that should not be crossed and always kept his distance. From the hospital to Evans Entertainment and even at social functions, they never let their relationship drift beyond the space shared by colleagues and friends.
Millie gave a small shake of her head, unconcerned. “No big deal. I’ll handle it with a statement,” she murmured, already typing away. A calmness settled over her. In contrast to her straightforward partnership with Charles, the messy entanglement between Brandon and Vivian was something else entirely. No point in delving into that now. Instead, she set her phone aside and said, “It won’t matter soon anyway. Brandon and I will have our divorce finalized in a few days.”
Call after call from Brandon had lit up her screen, along with a flood of unanswered texts. None of it surprised her; it was exactly why she had silenced his every call. Full disconnection wasn’t an option, not with legal loose ends and Bennett family business still unresolved. For now, he stayed in her contacts, if only for convenience.
There was no sense in sparking a confrontation before the divorce was official. She made up her mind to stay quiet and out of sight until the papers were finally signed.
With that, Millie focused her attention on polishing her statement.
A sidelong glance from Charles lingered on her profile before he spoke again, hesitation in his words.
“What happens if he backs out?” Charles asked quietly. “Before the divorce is finalized, either of you could still stop it from happening.”
Her eyes flicked over the post one final time before she pressed “publish.” “He won’t.” A steady confidence colored her voice as she turned to watch the world blur by outside. “Vivian’s running out of time. If Brandon wants to fulfill her last wish, divorce is the only way forward.”
Beyond the glass, the street glimmered with the leftover confetti, a silent echo of some other couple’s new beginning. The truth struck her; she and Brandon had barely made it through a single year as husband and wife.
Memories of that whirlwind wedding still lingered, bright and fresh. The venue had been transformed into a lavish ballroom, gleaming with luxury. The dress she wore was worth a fortune. Brandon had orchestrated the whole affair, pouring his energy into every rushed detail, determined to make it flawless for her.
.
.
.