Chapter 1457:
Ari faced the boy steadily. Though still awkward, his expression softened.
“I’m sorry for biting you. I was too angry.” She held out the bag to him.
He hesitated, so Ari gently pushed it into his hands. His eyes widened the moment he peeked inside.
“Okay,” he murmured.
A bright smile formed on Ari’s face.
“But I don’t regret fighting you,” she said, lifting her chin.
The boy froze.
“You said bad things about my mom. But you and your mom apologized yesterday, so we’re even now,” Ari continued.
He looked embarrassed but nodded.
“Let’s be friends from now on. But don’t say things like that again, okay?” Ari offered her hand.
He stared at it, then finally broke into a grin and shook it.
The other kids burst into applause. Soon, they were opening gifts, laughing, and running around like nothing had ever happened.
The bell rang for class.
Myron and the butler finally turned away. Tears glittered in the butler’s eyes.
“Ari is incredible,” he whispered.
As they walked off, he added, “That wasn’t backing down. She just showed who she is.”
Myron nodded. He recognized Ari’s ability to address the situation in three parts—the fight itself, the cause and her attitude, and their subsequent relationship. Each was handled with clarity and independence, without adult intervention, just like Millie.
There was no need for a new school. Ari could stand her ground.
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Meanwhile, Brandon was taken into the operating room for his first surgery. Several international specialists had worked together over the past days just to give his legs the best chance of recovery.
He stared at the ceiling as the anesthetic spread through his veins. He wondered if he would ever walk again.
He thought back to the fire at the factory. Watching Millie beaten and covered in blood shattered him. When the falling beam pinned his legs, he accepted that a wheelchair might be permanent.
In the blur of pain, memories flickered. He remembered being a lonely child watching Millie’s family from afar, wishing for a home like theirs.
Later, she gave him one. She gave him warmth and two children—though none of them made it to this world.
But he lost sight of everything he once treasured. Pride and jealousy ruined what he should have protected. He destroyed the life he once begged for.
“Millie…” he whispered, drifting under the anesthetic.
The doctor checked the monitor. “Alright. Let’s begin.”
The team took their positions, and the operation started.
The days seemed to crawl by at an agonizingly slow pace. Ari’s bruises began to fade, each day bringing a bit more strength. Myron’s own health also took a turn for the better.
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.
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