Millie didn't respond. Even though Julia hadn't finished speaking, she already knew the outcome—death."Maybe it's for the best. Otherwise, she'll just cause more trouble. She's so vile, she deserves every bit of suffering," Julia muttered, her anger even more intense than Millie's at the mention of Joanna.After all, if it weren't for Joanna, her daughter's marriage wouldn't have ended in such a mess. Joanna was the epitome of betrayal. After everything they had done for her, she turned around and stabbed them in the back. It was pathetic.Millie gazed out the window. The glowing city lights felt miles away from the heavy weight sitting in her chest. Meanwhile, Terrence, half-asleep, kept mumbling her name."Mills…"Mills, listen to me, okay?"No, don't…"His voice faded in soft, incoherent murmurs.Julia sighed deeply. "Your father has spent his whole life worrying about you, Mills. You can't break his heart again."Millie glanced up, memories of countless arguments with
After freshening up, Millie applied some light makeup. By the time she grabbed her bag and headed downstairs, Julia had already set the table for breakfast.That day, Millie wore a black-and-white suit, paired with a coat. Her hair was elegantly tied up, and her lips were adorned with a soft red hue. An indescribable grace enveloped her, radiating a sense of nobility that felt almost untouchable.Terrence was still asleep, having indulged a bit too much the night before.Outside, the Christmas tree in the yard was already beautifully decorated.Millie let out a resigned sigh. Unfortunately, her business trip meant she would have to wait until the night to admire the tree her father had so lovingly adorned."Mom, I'm off on a business trip. I should be back around midnight," she called toward the kitchen.Julia replied, "Alright, take care. Call if you need anything."Millie hummed in acknowledgment, grabbed a sandwich, and headed out.When Julia emerged from the kitchen, all sh
From the tone of the message, Natalie could tell Damien was furious. He was known for his calm demeanor, so if she could feel his anger through a text, it meant he was genuinely upset.She didn't dare respond further. After quickly sending a brief apology, she sat back quietly in her seat.Meanwhile, Millie was enjoying the peace and quiet in business class. She opened Twitter and saw that the guest list for Queen's Night had just been released. The event was happening that evening. Rachel was out of the country, so she wouldn't be attending. But Everly's name stood out, prominently displayed on the top. Falling on Christmas, Queen's Night was set to be an unforgettable evening.Millie soon found herself pulling out her notebook and pen. Inspiration struck, and she suddenly had the urge to design jewelry again.Christmas had always been her favorite time of the year, though she hadn't celebrated it properly in ages. Rachel hadn't forgotten, that was why she had called early tha
Millie cast a meaningful glance at Natalie before stepping out of the station. As soon as they exited, she spotted a young man holding a sign that read, "Lynx Knowledge Institute."Raising an eyebrow, she confirmed it was indeed the professor's lab before approaching him. The young man noticed her and quickly waved, a smile breaking across his face."Hello, I'm Millie Caldwell," she introduced herself."It's wonderful to finally put a face to the name! Ms. Caldwell, you're even more stunning than in the pictures!" the man exclaimed. He ran a hand through his hair as he spoke, clearly a bit shy.Millie was indeed captivating. In the bustling crowd at the train station, she stood out as the most striking presence.Although her outfit was nothing extravagant, she radiated a unique charm that set her apart. While Natalie was attractive in her own right, standing next to Millie made her seem somewhat ordinary.However, an unsettling feeling gnawed at Millie. When she stepped off t
Millie immediately understood what Rafael meant by "overstepping boundaries". It also explained the shouts echoing from the alleys. Those were a release after moments of pleasure.Natalie, however, looked puzzled. "What does that mean?""Harfush is a chaotic city. Didn't your uncle warn you?" Millie shot her a sideways glance.Natalie froze momentarily. Damien had only mentioned that she'd be joining Millie on a business trip, calling it a good learning experience. He hadn't said much beyond that."You shouldn't have come, Natalie," Millie said bluntly.Her words sparked an irritation in Natalie. "Why not? Is my presence bothering you?" she snapped. "You always have to be in control, don't you, Millie?"Before Millie could get another word in, Natalie had already launched into a rant. She fell silent, her gaze lingering on Natalie. The words "It's dangerous here. You're not ready for this", hovered on her lips but never came out.Honestly, if Natalie got herself in trouble, it'd
An unremarkable storefront stood before Millie and Natalie. The sign outside read "Lynx Knowledge Institute", though it looked more like a roadside diner than a research lab.Rafael gave a sheepish smile. "We're not wealthy, but we make do. Don't worry. Our technology is top-notch!"He then gestured toward the door. "Please, this way."Millie stayed silent. She trusted the professor. Otherwise, she might have thought this was some kind of scam or trap.Natalie, still shaken from the recent accident, was being extra cautious. She refused to walk ahead and chose to stay close to Millie, her usual chatter replaced by uneasy quiet.For once, Millie savored the rare moment of peace.The two women followed Rafael inside. The storefront's exterior might have been shabby, but the lab's interior told a different story. It was modern and had clearly been renovated in the past few years.As they ventured deeper, Millie scanned her surroundings. After passing through the reception area, the
If Stephen had gone to Yerwick City, he would have become someone of great importance. The group talked late into the afternoon, so engrossed in conversation that they didn't even notice they had skipped lunch.Around 6:00 pm, Rafael interrupted, saying, "Let's head out for dinner. I've already reserved a table."It was only then that Millie glanced at the time. She then offered an apologetic smile to Stephen. "I completely lost track of time while chatting with you. I'm sorry about that."'We've just been lost in conversation," Stephen replied, not one for small talk. "Let's go, then. We'd love to treat you to dinner as a welcome to Harfush," Rafael offered with a warm smile.Millie couldn't help but steal another glance at him. He had such a sunny disposition and was undeniably handsome.As they made their way out, her phone buzzed.Winston: "Where are you?"Winston: "It's Christmas. I didn't want to bother you all day, but do you have time to spend the evening together?"
"Are these people always so arrogant?" Millie asked, frustration creeping into her voice.Rafael nodded. "This is actually considered mild. You should see the ones who spit at you."Spitting was far worse than merely flipping someone off. They didn't care about being dirty or the possibility of carrying diseases.Millie pressed her lips together and asked, "Why is it so chaotic here? Doesn't anyone manage the city?""They do," Rafael replied. "But it's hard to maintain control with so many homeless people. The city is vast, and there are too many people to screen one by one."Millie rested her chin on her hand, acknowledging that some cities were simply like this. Perhaps that was part of what made Harfush feel so overcrowded.Still, she believed that one day, the city would find its order.…Moments later, the car arrived at the entrance of an upscale restaurant. The surroundings were tranquil, showing no signs of trouble.After Millie stepped out of the vehicle, Stephen imme
While in the hospital, Millie rubbed her arms to keep warm. Then, the person on the bed woke up.Millie turned her head and looked at the person on the hospital bed. Winston's eyes were dull and showed signs of exhaustion. Their eyes met, and neither of them said a word.The nurse entered and saw that Winston was awake, so she patiently asked about his condition.He just kept looking at Millie without saying anything.Millie glanced at the nurse, signaling that she could continue with her work. Winston seemed fine now."You're not allowed to drink anymore," Millie said, her voice calm and indifferent.He closed his eyes, turned his head away, and didn't look at her again.Millie frowned and asked, "What do you mean by turning your head?"Winston remained silent, unable to speak because of the tightness in his throat.Millie poured a glass of water and asked him, "Would you like some water?"He still remained silent.Millie grew impatient and said, "Then I'll call Eli to take
Other than that word, Everly couldn't hear anything else."Dad, I can't hear what you're saying at all." Everly was becoming frustrated.Thomas exclaimed, "I said, Mills!""Yes, you're talking about Mills. And then? What about her?" Everly was extremely confused.She picked up her phone to check the time—it was already 3:00 am.She was about to lose it. From New Year's Eve till now, she did nothing but take care of Thomas."Dad, why don't we just go to sleep?" Everly didn't want to listen anymore.Whatever it was, she would be nice to Millie and not go up against her.She didn't like Millie before, but that was simply because she disliked how obsessed Millie was with romantic relationships."Oh! Ah!" Thomas suddenly started grumbling as he threw back the blanket. "Why can't you understand?"He was getting agitated.Everly was also getting extremely agitated. What exactly did she need to understand?He wasn't even speaking loud enough."I mean your sister! Millie!" Thomas s
Everly, feeling exasperated, helped Thomas off the couch and took him to the bathroom.Thomas lifted his head. His face was flushed, and his eyes dazed over. "My daughter, my daughter, I didn't throw up…"Everly looked at the mess on the ground and felt a headache coming on. Thomas had already thrown up, yet he still claimed he hadn't."You're drinking so much even though you can't handle it!" Everly shouted."What are you saying? It's like you're saying, saying, saying… ugh!" Thomas immediately leaned over the toilet, unable to finish his sentence. It was like he was speaking in tongue twisters, and no one could understand him.Everly sighed. She twitched her nose and turned to go outside to wait for him.Ten minutes went by, and Everly had finished tidying up the house. There was no sound coming from the washroom where Thomas was.Everly furrowed her brows and called out, "Dad?"Fine. It seemed like he was going to end up sleeping on the toilet.Everly walked over and, as ex
"I'll go get your medicine for you. Wait a moment." Millie intended to get the medicine from the bedside table.But then, Winston grabbed her arm. His palms were sweaty, and when he held her hand, it felt so hot it was as if he might burn her.Millie looked down at him.Winston looked up at her face, worried that if he let go, she might disappear.However, he knew very well that Millie wanted to leave, and he couldn't stop her."Millie, do you really have to give up on me?" Winston asked again, seeming determined to get an answer.Millie furrowed her brows, breathing heavily."Do you have to?" He looked at her. "Hmm?"Millie felt her heart tighten, and she just couldn't bring herself to say, "I have to let you go.""Winston," she called to him.Winston had no more strength left in him, as if he couldn't wait any longer to hear those words from her.He suddenly bent over and fell to the ground.Millie paused for a moment, then she quickly crouched down. "Winston?"She immed
Millie tightened her grip on the doorknob and turned to look at Winston.He stood next to the coffee table, his hands dangling awkwardly at his sides. The expression on his face seemed profoundly sorrowful. Although they were close, it felt as if a huge ocean stood between them when he looked at her, making it impossible for him to bridge the gap.Winston made a slight groaning sound, licking his lips and breathing heavily. His body was also swaying a bit. His stomach felt extremely uncomfortable, churning violently as if he might throw up at any moment.What bothered him even more was the comment Millie had just made.She said, "Let's end this."End it? But how would they just end it? Then were her seven years over just like that? Did his guilt and regret count for anything?She could move on from him, love someone else, and marry them. But what about him? He could never forgive himself for the rest of his life…Could they just end it?"Millie. Tell me, how are we supposed to
"Listen." Millie bit her lip but finally mustered up the courage to speak. "Let's end this between us."During those years with him, she caused her family a lot of worry and concern. She no longer wanted her family to worry about her.Or perhaps, she had become scared. She didn't want to gamble with her feelings anymore."Winston, I admit defeat. I don't have the courage to go through this with you again." Millie's voice was choked with emotion as she struggled to hold back her sadness while saying this.Winston instinctively reached for her hand."Millie, you promised me. You said you'd give me a chance. Why?" His eyes suddenly turned bloodshot, and his voice was so hoarse it seemed like he could barely speak."There's no reason. The new year has begun, and I hope you get better. Don't come looking for me anymore." Millie pulled away from Winston's hand, turned around, and got ready to leave.He suddenly hugged Millie tightly and said, "Don't…"Winston's voice seemed to pierce
Millie opened the car door and pushed Winston inside the car.Winston fastened his seatbelt in the dark by himself.Millie got into the car and saw him sitting there quietly, which made her smile and sigh.Millie drove at a moderate speed. The road was busy, with many people out to watch fireworks, while others were heading home.Winston looked to the driver's side, his gaze fixed on Millie.Millie could sense that he was watching her, but she kept avoiding eye contact. Her mind was preoccupied with the messages her dad had sent.Let him go… The question was, could she give up on him?Millie furrowed her brow and rested her hand on her forehead, deep in thought."Did I make you hate me…?" Winston's raspy voice suddenly sounded next to her ear.Millie looked over at him with confusion."Does my drinking make you hate me?" he asked again, just like a child afraid of upsetting Millie."No." Millie shook her head.Despite having drunk too much, he still made an effort to pay at
After the video call ended, Millie placed her phone on the table.Thomas said to Millie, "Hahaha! Mills, look, he can't handle his drink!"Having been the son-in-law of the Caldwell family for three years, I only just found out that he can't hold his liquor."Millie gave a wry smile. This statement seemed to be a double-edged sword. For three years, he hadn't visited the Caldwell family even once. Winston was truly ruthless at that time.Winston quickly explained to Millie, "Millie, I haven't had too much. I can still drink, honestly."His face was completely flushed, and it was clear that his speech was slurred.The two of them had already finished a bottle of vodka.Thomas was even ready to switch to a different type of alcohol.Thomas had spent many years away from home and was quite a heavy drinker. His drinking ability was different from that of Winston.Winston could ask Eli to drink on his behalf if he didn't want to, but if Thomas was trying to win resources for Rach
At the dining table, Thomas and Winston started drinking vodka.The TV was showing this year's New Year Gala while Millie was quietly eating pierogi.She hadn't had homemade pierogi for three years, and they tasted so good. It felt like being back in her childhood, celebrating the New Year with her family. That was what made the festival truly special.Millie looked at her grandparents with a constant smile on her face. She felt happier than she had ever been before.She wished her parents were here too. Oh, those two…Just as she was thinking about this, her phone rang. It was Terrence calling.Millie answered the call without saying a word and pointed the camera toward Thomas.This year, Thomas had no one to drink with, so he turned to Winston for company.Terrence was lounging in the sun when he caught sight of Winston. His eyes widened in surprise, and he immediately set down his juice."Who is that? Am I seeing this right?" Terrence sat up straight, his voice filled with