Chapter: 42 "That won't be necessary," Brandon answered. Eugene gave a small nod, and the office slipped back into stillness. The quiet that followed felt strange, almost unnatural. Brandon couldn't remember the space ever feeling this hushed. The silence began to grate on him, stirring a wave of frustration."What exactly is happening this month?" he asked, cutting through the quiet."Do you mean in terms of work, Mr. Watson?" Eugene asked in return. "That's right.""Well, back then, Mrs. Watson usually took care of smaller problems first, like what happened today with the manager. You only got involved when something really needed your attention, so...".v.oBrandon opened his eyes and cast a look in Eugene's direction. Catching the unspoken message, Eugene shifted uncomfortably and said, "Mr. Watson, take full responsibility. should have handled it better."Brandon didn't come down hard on him. He simply gave a slight shake of his head. "Where's the contract for the new partnership?"Eugene lowered his gaze even more. "I'm sorry, Mr. Watson. The team hasn't sorted it out yet."Brandon let out a slow sigh and motioned for him to go. Eugene, clearly relieved, turned and left the room without delay. As Brandon stared at the shut office door, he couldn't ignore the truth. He had ended things with Millie so suddenly that many of the responsibilities she used to manage had fallen through the cracks..o. The office sat in a hush, broken only by the soft ticking of the clock on the wall. A sharp scent of coffee lingered in the air, its bitterness cutting through the stillness. Steam curled up from the mug on his desk, and with it, Brandon's frown grew more pronounced. He reached for his phone and read over the message he had sent Millie, where he asked her to come back with him to visit his grandparents on the weekend. There was still no reply. He could clearly recall the way she had firmly turned him down over the phone..n.cWas she still holding onto that anger? As his eyes stayed fixed on the screen, a sudden knock at the door broke his focus. He glanced up and saw Vivian standing in the doorway with a bright smile."Brandon," Vivian said as she walked in, her voice light. "I thought I'd drop by and keep you company."Brandon slid his phone out of sight and gave her a small nod...