Chapter 354:

They arrived soon after.

Brandon stepped out, crossed the wet courtyard, and entered the house. He turned on all the lights. Still, the place felt hollow.

He didn’t go to the bedroom. He lay down on the sofa instead. Staring at the ceiling, he felt like he didn’t belong to this world.

His phone buzzed again.

He looked at it.

The clock had just struck midnight.

It was a restless night for nearly everyone.

Police combed the area, relentless in their search.

At the hospital, doctors and nurses worked nonstop to stabilize the patient.

Vivian managed to gather a few details through quiet inquiries.

Charles couldn’t bring himself to call Millie. Instead, he reached out to Alexia. But even after hearing everything from her, the tension in his chest refused to ease.

He paced for a while before finally settling at his desk, trying to bury his nerves in company work.

Brandon remained on the sofa, eyes wide open, unable to sleep.

His thoughts wandered aimlessly. At some point, he stepped outside, standing beneath the overhang, silently watching the sky fade from black to grey. The ashtray near the chair was stuffed with cigarette stubs.

Millie stayed in bed, the curtains drawn wide. She lay quietly, staring at the heavy rainfall tapping against the window.

When dawn broke, the rain let up.

She checked the clock. It was still early, but she didn’t feel like staying in bed. She decided to pick Ari up sooner than planned.

After getting dressed and gathering her things, she left for the children’s home. Elsewhere, at the Elliott estate, rain still dripped steadily from the edges of the roof.

𝐿𝒶t𝑒st chαptєrs in g𝓪lnovels.c𝑜𝑚

The study smelled of fresh coffee. Myron sat with a book in hand.

Jayceon, having just woken up, stretched out his arms as he descended the stairs.

As he passed by, he glanced into the study.

“You’re already up?” he asked, stifling a yawn as he walked in.

Myron, still reading, didn’t reply right away.

He closed the book after finishing the chapter, set it aside, picked up his coffee, and took a slow sip. His eyes settled on the courtyard, where the rain had begun to ease.

Across the city, the streets buzzed with motion as people started their day.

Though the rain had ended just in time, the morning traffic remained jammed. Millie had set out early, which allowed her to pick Ari up ahead of schedule. They spent some time playing at a quiet park before Millie dropped her off at kindergarten.

Once done, she made her way to the courthouse.

She pulled into the parking lot, the documents needed resting on the seat beside her.

Would Brandon show up on time today? She wasn’t sure; she could only wait and see.

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