Chapter: 23 Millie didn't take the idea of death lightly. She understood how serious it was. But somehow, she always ended up being the one asked to give something up. And she couldn't bring herself to honor the wishes of someone who had crossed a line in her marriage. That Millie wasn't dying didn't mean her feelings didn't matter. "What if say no?" she asked, her voice low and rough. Vivian looked stunned."Ive heard about your situation, Miss Simpson," Millie continued calmly. "Your illness has drawn a lot of attention. But whether sell my song is my decision. I'm not required to grant your dying wish. And frankly, don't even understand what you plan to do with it."She paused, and then added, "Is it for one of your livestreams? Or... for your funeral?""You..." Vivian gasped, bursting into a fit of coughs. Brandon reached for her, patting her back gently. Then he glared at Millie... It was the first time he had looked at her since she walked into the room."Don't you think that was too harsh?" he asked sharply..lw.mHis brows were drawn tight, eyes cold. His lips pressed together, his whole face carrying anger. Millie looked at him. He had changed clothes. Not the outfit from yesterday..v. She remembered pairing his suit jackets with matching shirts and ties in the large wardrobe in their home. And he was wearing one of the sets. He must have gone back home. He must have seen that she had moved out. Yet nothing in his expression showed that he cared. So be it. Millie sat up, her head tilted down behind the dark lenses of her sunglasses. She didn't look at him again." think what's really harsh is trying to force someone into selling something they've refused to part with," she said quietly. "If you choose to do that, then you should expect that not everyone will respond politely."Brandon scowled even more, the displeasure in his face thickening.w.. Before he could respond, Vivian leaned in, her voice gentle. "Brandon, it's okay. Let me speak for myself."The lights in the room cast a soft golden glow, but Vivian's crisp white Celine suit made her look even paler."Eva, truly love this song," she began, her eyes drifting toward Brandon. "It reflects so much of what I've been feeling. It's full of passion, love that hides beneath the surface, and a kind of fearfear of losing, fear of holding on too tightly. It speaks about giving everything, about the happiness that comes with that, and..."Vivian paused. "And the sorrow that comes from knowing the end is near. That kind of sorrow eats at you, slowly. It keeps you up at night, makes you question everything. But what moved me the most was the way the song lets go at the end. That release. That peace. It feels like what I'm going through nowaccepting what is, letting go of everything else, and just living what little time have left."Her voice swayed between barely holding it together and sounding perfectly at peace, as if she had faced something so heavy that even her calm was fragile. Brandon, sitting beside her, watched her with concern, his expression soft in a way Millie had never seen before. Seven years of being with him, and she had never seen that look. Not once.