Chapter 212

Minutes dragged on in a slow parade.

By the morning, Millie was already setting the stage for Elliott Group's newest launch event, the Golden series.

Bright sunflowers transformed the street, filling the space with energy and joy as sunlight poured over their bright yellow petals.

Nestled among these blossoms, a delicate pathway curved around a stream of shimmering gold that never stopped flowing.

Designers had outdone themselves with that thoughtful detail.

Cameras clicked as Millie stepped forward, her smile as radiant as the display itself. She greeted the crowd."This river represents time. Some says time slips away like a river, always moving and always changing. But this one flows differently."

Confused expressions rippled through the audience as her words hung in the air.

Eager to clear things up, she continued, "Let's invite some of you to join us, and you'll see what I mean."

Millie waved to the staff, who began.selecting volunteers from the crowd.

Excitement quickly bubbled up as someone cried out, "Vivian's just gone live!"

Another voice called, "Where is she right now?"

Someone else chimed in, "Look at that place! That villa is stunning!"

A slight frown crossed Millie's face as she glanced toward the uproar.

Vivian was supposed to be lying low, claiming she needed time to rest before her big broadcast debut.

Despite that, Charles had mentioned to Millie that Vivian's first stream would take place at Darden's villa.

Millie had come to know Darden fairly well over the years since he was one of Brandon's close fríends. Also,there was a shop assistant at Elliott Group's store named Alyssa Hammond, who people said used to date him.

That was right-Alyssa and Darden had broken up.

Not long ago, Millie had watched Alyssa stand her ground against Darden during a heated exchange.

She still admired how Alyssa handled the situation.

"But hang on, wasn't Vivian supposed to stream from Darden's villa? This doesn't look like it. Isn't this Brandon's place?" someone wondered aloud.

Millie's thoughts scattered as a different voice piped up., this isn't Darden's. That looks exactly like the house Millie and Brandon moved into after they tied the knot!"

"Are you serious?"

The shock was clear.

A hush fell as everyone turned their attention to Millie,who was at the heart of the launch event and the mind behind the new product.

The surprise wasn't limited to the people present. Online viewers began buzzing too, flooding the chat with questions and comments.

Social media platforms erupted with gossip.

Instead of the expected venue, Vivian had chosen an extravagant mansion tucked away in the hills for her live broadcast.

Luxury was everywhere in that villa-a sprawling courtyard, high on the hillside, offering a breathtaking view of the city's twinkling lghts at night.

It did not take long for eagle-eyed viewers to figure out exactly where she was.

As soon as Vivian stepped inside, cameras caught a glimpse of Millie and Brandon's wedding portrait displayed proudly on the far wall.

That alone settled any doubts.

"Unbelievable, she's really there!"

"How did Vivian manage to get into that house?"

"Picture this: while Millie leads another Elliott Group's major product launch event, Vivian's over here streaming her first luxury flower showcase inside Millie and Brandon's home!"

"Who let her through the door? Was it Brandon himself?"

"If Brandon truly cared about Millie, why would he let Vivian do this and even leave their wedding photo up for the world to see?"

"This drama is too good, I have to see Millie's reaction."

Word spread like wildfire, and Eugene was alerted almost immediately.

Within moments, Derek called Eugene into the office.

"Eugene, what's going on over there?!" Derek's words came out sharp with anger.

Caught off guard, Eugene replied, "Mr. Watson, I'm stilI looking into it. Miss Simpson was supposed to be streaming from Darden's place. Somehow, it's ended up at Serenity Villa."

"I want answers now! And get Vivian out of that house,right away!"

Derek's rage was written all over his face, cheeks turning crimson.

Calls to Brandon went unanswered.

Eugene did his best to explain,"Mr. Watson left for Proidan at the crack of dawn to handle a work emergency. I think he's still dealing with that mess, so he probably doesn't have cell service."

Maybe the poor signal out there was why Brandon hadn't picked up.

Derek snapped,∵Gt Darden on the phone, right now!"

"Right away!"

Several rings later,Darden finally picked up.

Hangover still lingering, he shuffled groggily toward the bathroom, completely oblivious to the chaos that had erupted.

"Huh? What's going on?" He swayed with each step, fumbling his way toward the bathroom as if the floor shifted beneath him. "Yeah, Brandon told me Vivian would use my place for her stream. She didn't show up?Where did she end up? Wait, she's at Brandon and Millie's house? This is a disaster!"

Sudden panic wiped away Darden's drowsiness. He splashed water on his face, threw on his clothes, and dashed outside in a rush.

Phone pressed to his ear, he called his villa staff while running to his car.

"Somebody tell me what's going on over there!" Darden yelled.

One of his employees answered right away,"Mr. Harris, we had a busted pipe. Water flooded the whole villa.

Miss Simpson's crew said the broadcast couldn't go forward, so everyoneleft."

Relief gave way to exasperation.

"Unbelievable!" Darden murmured.

Ending the call, Darden jumped behind the wheel and tore off in the direction of Serenity Villa.

···

On the Internet, the story only gained momnentum. Back at the Elliott Group event, crowds swelled, and the noise was overwhelming.

Curiosity focused on Millie, who stood right in the thick of the excitement while people crowded closer and snapped photos.

A crowd had their cameras raised, snapping pictures and recording Millie, their eyes fixed on her, waiting to catch every flicker of her reaction. All eyes were locked on Millie, with everyone holding back their laughter, just waiting for the moment she would give them a reason to let it loose.

Rivalry between Millie and Vivian was now the hottest headline, both online and in person.

Comment sections exploded with wild opinions.

Heated debates broke out at the venue as well.

The whole thing was impossible to ignore.

Even as the commotion grew, more and more people converged on the spot, drawn by the drama swirling around Millie.

Just then, a staff member from Elliott Group hurried over as Millie's walkie-talkie crackled with Myron's voice.

"Millie..."

She cut him off."Let me go first, Myron. I already know what's going on with Vivian. I'll take care of the fallout, but before that, I need to ask you something. Is it alright if I bring up that other matter?"

Quietly, she shared her plan with Myron and waited for his answer.

"Of course. Go ahead," Myron replied without hesitation.

"Perfect."

After placing the walkie-talkie aside, Millie turned her full attention to the gathered crowd, a warm smile spreading across her face with not a hint of worry.

A level-headed person knew every story had two sides.

Vivian no doubt believed she had set Millie up for a public fiasco.

What Vivian considered sabotage, Millie recognized as a golden opportunity.

With so many people drawn in by the drama, Millie saw a room full of potential supporters, handed to her on a silver platter by Vivian herself.

"Ladies and gentlemen, since we've gathered such an incredible audience foday,Fdlike fo take this chance to launch a full live broadcast for everyone's enjoyment."

Her words carried easily through the microphone, capturing the crowd's attention.

A giant screen nearby flickered to life, and a staff member quickly passed Millie the livestream gear.

Thinking on her feet was second nature to her.

Vivian might have tried to turn the spotlight on herself, but Millie was ready to shine right alongside her.

"Come with me-let's take a walk through this river of time together."

With a genuine grin, Millie invited everyone to join her, leading them into the shimmering path of the golden river.

Meanwhile,Vivian watched from her own setup, masking her jealousy with a mocking smile.

"Keep playing mysterious, Millie. Your downfall is coming soon!"

A second later, Vivian's own confident smile was projected onto her live stream for all her viewers to see.

"Ladies and gentlemen, our first luxury floral design livestream officially starts now."

Onlookers wasted no time, splitting their screens to watch both broadcasts unfold side by side, eager to compare every moment.