Chapter 279:

He lifted his gaze, following where she’d looked moments ago.

The spider in the corner had finished spinning its web, poised right in the center, waiting in absolute stillness.

Brandon forced himself to let go, pushing down the ache inside.

He finally understood the anger burning in Millie’s eyes tonight. For now, he would give her space—wait for a better chance, another day, to say what truly mattered.

He shut his eyes, drew in a slow breath, and fought to regain his composure.

When he finally looked up, his face had smoothed into a mask of calm. Brandon slipped into the driver’s seat of the Maybach but left the engine off, sitting motionless in the dim light.

His gaze drifted up, landing on the single lit window of Millie’s apartment. He didn’t want to leave—not tonight. If all he could do was sit there in silence, that would have to be enough.

Upstairs, Millie finished her bath and stretched out on the bed, her damp hair fanned across the pillow.

She saw his presence lingering below through the window but stubbornly refused to let her thoughts wander to him.

Outside, the night air slipped through the half-open window, carrying the faintest trace of gardenia.

And quietly, with neither of them moving, the long night slipped away. Sometime during the night, a brief rain had swept through, leaving the street gleaming with moisture.

The following morning, as Millie gazed out her window, she noticed the storm had passed, and the Maybach was nowhere in sight.

A single dry rectangle stood out against the dark, rain-soaked pavement—a silent marker that the car had sheltered there until dawn.

So, that was the end of it.

Millie drew in a slow breath, deciding right then to let the past drift away and focus on living well, come what may.

The days blurred together.

Before she knew it, the fourth round of the talent show Heavenly Melody had arrived. Twenty-seven days had already slipped by since she and Brandon filed for divorce.

Inside the recording studio, Brandon was already there, just as he had been for the previous three broadcasts. He occupied the exact same seat.

Myron, Jayceon, and Adriana showed up as well.

Vivian offered them a polite greeting, but the trio from the Elliott family ignored her, their expressions frosty. When Vivian tried to approach, they simply brushed past, claiming seats as far away as possible.

Once they were seated, Adriana and Jayceon immediately launched into another one of their endless squabbles, their sharp back-and-forth leaving no room for outsiders to chime in.

Shut out, Vivian had no choice but to turn her attention to Brandon.

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