Chapter 485:
After draining their glasses completely, they departed without ceremony. This marked their first encounter with absolutely no dialogue exchanged between them, nothing but methodical drinking to fill the hollow space.
During the journey back to his residence, the driver navigated the streets while Brandon slouched in the rear seat, his entire body radiating profound discomfort. He had never before experienced such overwhelming despair and emptiness. He questioned whether perhaps he hadn’t consumed enough alcohol to numb his pain.
Consequently, he instructed the driver to halt the vehicle and ventured into a nearby convenience store to purchase additional bottles of liquor.
From within the brightly lit store came the harsh sounds of a couple engaged in a heated, acrimonious argument.
“Don’t assume I’m some pathetic coward like that spineless Millie! If you have the audacity to flirt with others again, I’ll slice it clean off! Let’s see exactly how you manage to charm anyone without your precious ‘equipment’!” a woman’s voice shrieked with unmistakable venom.
“How can you behave in such a manner, completely abandoning any trace of feminine gentleness?” the man shot back with defensive indignation.
“Go straight to hell! Screw your ridiculous gentleness! Let me make this crystal clear—I am naturally fierce and uncompromising in this exact manner; so tell me what you’re going to do about that?”
The heated argument continued its destructive course as Brandon slowly lowered his gaze, focusing intently on the bottles of alcohol cradled within his trembling hands.
Eventually, he silently gathered his purchases and approached the self-checkout machine to complete his transaction in solitude.
Outside the store’s entrance, a gleaming Bentley glided past, carrying the joyfully laughing Millie, Myron, and Ari within its luxurious interior. Their happiness went completely unnoticed by the brooding Brandon.
The following morning, Millie stepped into the marble lobby of Evans Entertainment, arriving a few minutes ahead of schedule. She’d deliberately timed it so she’d have a chance to meet with Charles before Brandon showed up—she wanted to finalize the Elliott Group endorsement details without distractions.
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She kicked things off by filling Charles in on the latest developments. The samples she had inspected alongside Myron and Adriana remained prototypes—unshaped stones poised for transformation into finished gems.
“The Elliott Group’s new products are positioned for the mid-to-high-end market, just as they promised in our last contract,” he noted, his gaze steady.
Millie nodded in agreement. “Exactly. Plus, the Elliott Group has given me a ton of creative freedom for the endorsement, so I have an idea I want to run by you.”
Charles gestured for her to continue, a hint of a smile playing at his lips. “Let’s hear it.”
Millie brightened, her eyes lighting up with enthusiasm. “Let’s try something strategic—we can link each new song to a particular Elliott Group gemstone, but not in a way that forces people to buy both. Think of it as a pairing: every gem has its own song. The cross-promotion would be massive.”
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