Chapter 926:
Brandon’s face had turned the color of ash, his lips trembling as he managed to croak out, “I had no idea what was happening… I assumed she was just making a scene.”
Lynda’s eyebrows drew together as she stared at Brandon with obvious bewilderment. “She was unconscious, Brandon. Even if you were unaware of the specific circumstances, surely receiving that many calls in succession would indicate some kind of crisis.”
Brandon opened his mouth to respond, but found himself completely unable to form any kind of defense. All his justifications and rationalizations sounded pathetically weak when spoken aloud. Lynda’s logic was undeniable and devastating. There had been so many desperate calls. He said he loved Millie with every fiber of his being, yet when she needed him most, he had abandoned her completely.
Lynda headed back to work, leaving Brandon alone in the corridor. People bustled about, preoccupied with their own concerns. The wailing of sirens outside the building never seemed to end, heightening the already tense atmosphere. Brandon’s eyes, however, were blurry. All he could make out were flickering silhouettes and lights.
Eugene remained close by, standing beside Brandon’s wheelchair. He wanted to offer some words of comfort, but he had no idea what to say. He had watched the whole thing unfold, seen every detail with his own eyes. And still, he couldn’t bring himself to say Brandon was completely innocent, even though he worked directly under Brandon and the man signed his paycheck.
After what felt like ages, Brandon finally stirred. Eugene bent closer and asked quickly, “Mr. Watson, where should we head now?”
Brandon glanced up at the stretch of sky visible beyond the police station doors. It took effort for him to form words. He whispered so faintly that Eugene had to lean down to catch them. Upon hearing his boss, Eugene nodded. “Yes, sir.” He straightened, pushed the wheelchair forward, and took Brandon away.
Meanwhile, Millie sat quietly in the car. The police had officially opened a manhunt for Vivian. It was certain that once Vivian was captured, prison awaited her.
𝖂𝖆𝖙𝖈𝖍 𝖋𝖔𝖗 𝖙𝖗𝖚𝖙𝖍 𝖍𝖊𝖗𝖊: ⲅⱥ𝗅𝗇𝗈ν𝖊𝗅𝘀⸳𝖼𝗈𝗺
But Millie couldn’t bring herself to feel relieved. Everything she had gone through still haunted her like a nightmare. Every memory was like an open wound—raw, aching, and hard to heal. She stared out the car window, the buildings and streets sliding backward in a blur. Oddly, the speed of the car gave her a strange sense of escape, as though she could keep outrunning her past as long as the vehicle kept moving. She knew she couldn’t stop.
She had to keep pressing forward, staying focused on her work and her goals. She had to keep herself busy, drowning in tasks, exhausting both her mind and body so there would be no space left for pain.
Suddenly, Millie heard a soft sigh beside her. A firm hand touched her shoulder, guiding her head gently to rest against a solid chest. It was Myron. He said nothing, only held her quietly, giving her room to lean into him. Millie buried her face against his chest, and tears rolled freely down her cheeks, soaking his shirt as she wept in silence. Myron studied her delicate figure. The sight of faint strands of gray in her hair filled him with unspeakable sorrow. His heart ached for her.
In the buzzing online community, Johnny worked tirelessly to rally the shrinking number of Vivian’s supporters. “It was all just an accident! Leif misunderstood the situation. Vivian knew nothing about it. How could she possibly have planned it?”
“You can’t pin the blame for her stomach cancer misdiagnosis on her or the way foreign organizations tricked and manipulated her.”
“She’s the perfect example of what people call a ‘flawed victim.’ Yes, she has her shortcomings, but that doesn’t mean you can heap every mistake on her or exaggerate the truth. She never meant for any of this to happen.”
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