Chapter 241:
Charles, of all people. Didn’t he have Serena in his life already?
What possible reason did he have for weaving himself so tightly into Millie’s world?
“Give me the location,” Brandon instructed, his eyes fixed on Eugene, meaning the restaurant from the latest viral video.
Eugene, always efficient, handed over the address without delay.
Car keys in hand, Brandon wasted no time—he was out the door and gone from the Watson Group building in an instant.
Behind the scenes, it was Vivian who had set this whole leak in motion. Stirring up Brandon wasn’t her main objective. Instead, she believed the real challenge lay in reining Serena in.
Serena seemed to never care about the personal drama between Charles and Millie, so Vivian’s real aim was to push her buttons.
Vivian felt certain that, once Serena caught wind of these trending rumors, her anger toward Millie would flare.
On top of that, Vivian saw the scandal as a timely diversion—for herself and for Serena’s next performance. If Millie’s so-called “affair” was all anyone talked about, it would conveniently shift the spotlight, even if Brandon happened to get caught up in the mess.
That consequence hardly mattered to her.
Eva’s catalog didn’t concern Vivian either. Since Heavenly Melody first aired, Evans Entertainment had only managed to send a single legal warning, and nothing had come of it.
To her, that silence meant they were unwilling to fight—so settling things privately, if it came to that, would be easy enough.
After all, Vivian knew she held something over Serena that others didn’t. In her mind, Charles’ feelings for Serena far outweighed any loyalty he might have had to Eva.
Back at the restaurant, the news had already reached everyone in the private room.
Alexia’s temper flared. “What kind of story are they spinning? Are we invisible? It was a big group dinner, yet they made it look like an intimate date between you two?”
A gentle squeeze from Millie steadied Alexia’s hand.
“Paparazzi thrive on this sort of drama. Don’t let it get to you,” Millie murmured, and then smiled softly at Ari. “Are you finished eating? I have to deal with something, so would it be okay if Alexia takes you back later?”
Because the adoption procedures weren’t yet finalized, Ari still needed to return to the welfare center before bedtime.
With a small, thoughtful nod, Ari turned her eyes to Alexia for reassurance. Catching the look, Alexia immediately understood. A quick word with Millie later, she gently gathered Ari into her arms.
The meal was almost finished anyway, so Millie and Charles took the lead, slipping out first to attract any lingering attention. That way, Alexia and the others could exit quietly after the coast was clear.
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