Chapter 188

Vivian saw no need for another meeting with Eva; at this point, it was just a meaningless gesture.

In her mind, Eva's name was already listed as a contributor-if Evans Entertainment or Eva herself wanted to stir up drama, she'd paint the whole thing as a desperate attempt by a nobody to chase clout.

Besides, she had the perfect scapegoats lined up. If things got messy, Vivian could simply claim the entire debacle was a calculated ploy masterminded by Millie and Charles.

In Vivian's mind, the cleanest outcome was Eva quietly pocketing the money. But if Eva refused and forced things into court, VVivian wasn't worried.

By the time any legal storm settled, she'd be comfortably married to Brandon, protected from any

fallout.

Her confidence swelled-her plan was airtight and nothing could go wrong.

Back at the hospital, Millie tucked Ari in and went to double-check the copyright registration for her song.

She couldn't shake a nagging sense of confusion.

What exactly was Vivian aiming for?

The copyright registration was as clear as day and Eva would win in court without breaking a sweat.

The infringement wasn't really massive, and if Vivian could drag things out with high-powered attorneys,at worst, she'd end up with a slap on the wrist-a public apology, a fine, and an end to the unauthorized use. StiIl, Vivian's public image would be shattered regardless.

Was Vivian really so hell-bent on winning that she'd risk her entire reputation, justfor the chance to marry Brandon before her time ran out? Did she actually believe she could control the timing and twist things in her favor?

Millie couldn't make sense of it. No matter how she looked at it, Vivian's scheme seemed self-destructive.

Meanwhile, Brandon gave up trying to change Vivian's mind and drove away, frustration simmering beneath the surface.

As he passed the psychiatric clinic where he and Vivian had once visited, a memory surfaced-the doctor had said some documents would be mailed to his place. But up until that very morning, nothing had arrived.

Uneasy, Brandon pulled over and walked into the facility, hoping to get answers. At the front desk, he learned the doctor he needed was out for the day.

With a patient sigh, he laid out his issue to the receptionist. "Documents are usually processed by the archive.You can check with them," the receptionist advised,gesturing politely.

Brandon gave a silent nod and stepped out, missing the hushed exchange between the receptionist and a nearby staff member as soon as the door swung shut behind him.

"Isn't that new guy stationed in archive now?"

"Yeah. He used to mess things all the time in his old department. After a huge blowup with his supervisor,they shipped him off to records. But he's still making a mess over there-no one can keep up with his screw-ups. Honestly, I'm tired just thinking about it."

"Let's hope that gentleman gets his paperwork sorted."

As their conversation lingered in the air, Rita came over, catching the end of it. "What's going on?" she asked, her tone light but curious.

The receptionist perked up instantly."Oh,Rita,let me fill you in..."

By then, Brandon had already made his way to the archive.

He found a young man sprawled lazily across a chair,barely keeping his eyes open.

Brandon's brow furrowed as he stepped closer.

"I'm here to inquire about a mailed document," he said, his tone even but edged with impatience.

The man behind the desk barely stirred-he looked half-awake,bleary-eyed, rubbing sleep from his face as if it would clear his mind. "What are you looking for?" he mumbled, blinking at Brandon.

"| haven't received a document I was expecting. I'd like to check its status," Brandon replied, voice clipped but polite.

"Okay," the man grunted, massaging his temples before fumbling for his glasses. He perched them crookedly on his nose, logged into the mail tracking system, and glanced up. "Name?"

"Vivian Simpson," Brandon answered automatically,assuming they wanted the patient's name.

As the man began typing, Rita strode in, her heels striking the floor with quiet authority.

"What's going on here?" she asked, giving both men a sharp look.

The man straightened instantly, suddenly alert."A patient's family member is here to check the status of a mailed document," he said, eager to explain.

Rita's expression shifted-she'd already heard about why Brandon was here from the receptionist.

In her mind, she replayed the scene from the other day when Vivian had left the doctor's office with Brandon and then come back alone, deep in conversation with the doctor.

While Rita couldn't recall every detail, she suspected they'd discussed changing the delivery address.

Brandon, meanwhile, seemed completely in the dark. "I understand," Rita said calmly. "Please check what went wrong."

"Right away, Dr. Carpenter," the man replied,springing into action. After a moment, he turned to Brandon. "The document's already been sent out and signed off."

Brandon's brow furrowed as he pressed. "But I never received it."

"Verify the address to see if there was any mistake,"Rita directed, her tone steady but firm.

"On it!" The man double-checked, and then read out the destination, finishing with, "Vivian Floral Design,Vivian Simpson."

"That's the address on record," he said, shooting a quick, uncertain look at Brandon.

Brandon kept glancing at Rita, unsettled by the strange undercurrent in her demeanor.

When the man read out the delivery address however, Brandon's gaze sharpened. Had he gotten it wrong?

He was certain he'd given his own address-so how did the document end up at Vivian's studio?

The man looked up and inquired, "Is something wrong,sir?"

Brandon forced a tight smile and shook his head.

"Can you print another copy for me right now?"Brandon asked, hoping to collect it in person and avoid the hassle of waiting for mail again.

"Of course, sir. But I'll need to verify your identity first," the man replied with a calm tone.

Brandon gave a slight nod and handed over his ID without hesitation.

As the man started to key in Brandon's name, Rita quickly stepped in. "You'll find the authorization notes faster in the patient's medical record. If the recipient was able to receive the mail, there should already be a record of it."

The man offered a quick nod, pulled up Vivian's medical file, checked the necessary details, and,after confirming the authorization, returned the ID to Brandon. "Please hold on. I'll print it for you now."

"Thanks," Brandon said, slipping his ID back into his wallet.

Relief washed over Rita, though she kept it hidden.

She reminded herself that she needed to call Milie to update her emergency contact-something they'd clearly let slip through the cracks.

Brandon had always been listed as Millie's emergency contact.

Since her health was steadily improving and she rarely needed to reach out to anyone for medical emergency, nobody had bothered to update the information. But overhearing the receptionist's casual chatter jolted Rita into sudden unease-a flash of dread tightening her chest.

The man in the archive had a reputation for : carelessness. Rita couldn't shake the worry about what damage he might uInwittingly cause.

He'd already earned himself a string of blunders back when he worked the front desk.

If he decided to look up Brandon's name in the system and accidentally accessed Millie's confidential file, it would be a clear violation of patient privacy-something the clinic was supposed to protect at all costs.

Worse, Rita knew Millie would never want Brandon to find out she'd been seeing a psychiatrist.

If that detail slipped out, it would be a catastrophic lapse for the facility.

Luckily, Rita had kept her guard up and intervened just in time.

If she hadn't, things could've easily spiraled out of control.

At last, the records clerk finished printing, slid the document into a folder, and passed it across the counter to Brandon.

"Thanks" Brandon murmured, and then requested the man update the address back to his own apartment.

Rita lingered silently nearby, keeping her expression neutral.

She made sure her gaze never drifted toward the computer monitor-she hadn't caught a glimpse of any confidential details.

After the paperwork was sorted out, Brandon walked off with the folder tucked under his arm.

Rita grabbed a few supplies from the archive,feigning a casual errand as she slipped out.

But just as she turned the corner, she nearly collided with Brandon.

He blocked her path with a measured look. "Do you have a minute to talk?" he asked.