Chapter 256

Chapter 256:
Brandon shot him a look that made Darden shift uncomfortably, self-conscious under the scrutiny.
“No, wait, that’s not how I meant it,” Darden stammered, rubbing his jaw. “She’s actually doing something for herself now. I heard she’s gotten into secondhand luxury appraisals—guess all those designer handbags I bought her finally came in handy.”
Brandon stared into his drink, lost in thought.
What had Millie been doing these days, really?
Three whole weeks had slipped by since they filed for divorce, and aside from the fact that she was working on adopting Ari, he was completely in the dark about her life.
Darden, sensing the tension had eased, leaned in. “Alright, man. Spill it. What’s actually going on with you?”
Brandon took another measured sip, the liquor burning down his throat, and then quietly recounted everything that had unfolded that afternoon.
Darden’s eyes widened in sudden realization.
So this wasn’t about Vivian at all—everything came back to Millie and that little girl.
Knowing how desperately Brandon had always wanted a child, Darden couldn’t say he was shocked.
“Look, you didn’t even know she was sick. That’s not on you,” Darden assured him, clapping him on the shoulder. “Just focus on making sure she gets the best treatment now.”
From Darden’s perspective, Brandon had handled meeting an unrelated child far better than he’d anticipated—especially given how prickly the man could be.
Darden’s eyes traveled across the litter of empty bottles. In all their years of friendship, he’d never seen Brandon like this.
Brandon just sat there, silent. Official source is.net
“If you really want kids, you know adoption is always an option,” Darden ventured, trying to sound practical. “Family, close friends—there’s always someone who’d be happy to have you step in.”
Brandon gave a slow shake of his head, dismissing the idea.
It just wasn’t the same.
He couldn’t put the reason into words, not even for himself.
The urge ran deeper—a stubborn longing for a child that belonged to him and Millie, no one else.
But then there was Ari. She wasn’t his or Millie’s by blood, and yet, somehow, Brandon found himself accepting her without hesitation—because Millie had. The feeling crept in, quiet and unexplainable, as if some invisible thread had tied them together.
When Ari’s tiny hand lightly patted his to comfort him, Brandon felt it down to his soul—a jolt of fate he couldn’t explain.
For a fleeting moment, an image surfaced in his mind: the deep blue tanzanite stone locked away in his safe, its brilliance secret and untouched.
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