She's out of Your League Now (Millie and Winston)

League 12

Millie watched as Winston grabbed Joanna’s wrist while ignoring her.

The sense of weightlessness as she fell felt particularly vivid to her, and at the same time, her heart was filled with despair.

Winston had never chosen her–not once, no even when she was also in genuine danger.

“Mills!” Joanna pretended to cry out in concern.

Millie stumbled down to the turn in the staircase before coming to a stop. The pain she felt in both her body and her heart made her feel suffocated.

Slowly raising her head, she saw both Winston and Joanna looking down at her.

Words could not describe the embarrassment, anguish, and despair she felt.

She didn’t fall far enough to put her life at risk, but she had certainly lost all her strength.

Winston glared at Millie with a look of abhorrence as he rebuked her, “It was only a few days ago when you pushed Joanna into the water! She still hasn’t fully recovered yet, but here you are slapping her, and you even tried to push her down the stairs! You’re vicious, Millie!”

Millie’s gaze quivered. She let out a helpless chuckle as she listened to his accusations, but even as she smiled, tears rolled down her cheeks.

He didn’t have a single ounce of trust in her.

No matter what happened, as long as Joanna was hurt, it was always

her fault.

“Mills didn’t do it on purpose, Win. She’s just too upset…” Joanna quickly tried to appease Winston.

Winston’s tone became even harsher as he retorted, “Is that reason enough to hurt you? You’re too soft–hearted, Joanna! That’ll only make her feel like she can bully you even more!”

Joanna didn’t expect Winston to scold her as well.

Her eyes reddened with tears as she lowered her head and said in an aggrieved manner, “I’m sorry, Win… I’ve caused trouble for you again…”

Winston belatedly realized that his tone had been a bit too harsh. He -quickly explained, “I didn’t mean that, Jo. You’ve never caused

trouble for me.”

Back when he got abducted, Joanna had risked her life just to save him, so how could she ever be considered a bother to him?

Because of what Joanna did for him back then, he was willing to defend her no matter what, even if she did the most terrible things.

Joanna looked up, her eyes still watery. She still seemed to be in shock from her earlier ordeal.

“In that case, can you not hold it against Mills either?” she asked meekly.

There was still a visible slap mark on her face, and her right cheek was starting to swell up. She looked so pitiful that it was hard for anyone to stay mad at her.

And yet, despite how much Joanna suffered, she was still pleading on Millie’s behalf. Meanwhile, Millie would only ever try to defend herself and stubbornly refuse to admit her fault.

Winston thought this was the difference between Millie and Joanna.

“Alright. I’ll do whatever you say,” Winston said to Joanna as he stroked her head gently.

Taking in their loving exchange, Millie felt as though her heart was being ripped into pieces. She lowered her gaze and clenched her fists so hard that her palms started bleeding.

With the help of the wall, Millie slowly got on her feet. She felt a throbbing pain coming from her forehead. She touched the spot with her hand, only to see blood on her fingers.

She had put on a strong front for so many days now, holding in the aggrievedness she felt—but today, there was finally a crack in her

armor.

Millie bit down on her lip as tears kept streaming down her face. She sobbed in silence.

If she had known from the start that the price to pay for loving Winston was to end up battered and bruised both physically and emotionally, she never would have loved him.

Winston glanced at Millie and saw the way she wobbled on her feet. He frowned, and shockingly, he felt a tinge of concern.

However, when he thought about the way she hurt Joanna just now, his disdain for her intensified.

How many things had he told her not to hurt Joanna? Why wouldn’t she listen?

“Don’t ever show up here again, Millie!” Winston issued an ultimatum.

Clutching her forehead, Millie looked up at Winston. Her gaze was

dim.

“I didn’t slap her, Winston, and I didn’t push either. It’s up to you whether or not you choose to believe me,” she said in a weak but

curt voice.

“I saw the truth with my own eyes. How dare you try to argue with me?” Winston snarled as he approached Millie, his gaze flashing piercingly.

Clutching Millie’s neck, he gritted his teeth and growled, “Do you even have a heart, Millie?”

She kept bullying Joanna, but Joanna would try to put in a good word for her every time. Joanna had never held anying against her, so why couldn’t she be nicer to Joanna?

If she would only just treat Joanna a little better, he wouldn’t be so harsh on her every time! She of all people should know full well that he wouldn’t let any harm come to Joanna!

Millie tried her best to stay on her feet. Her pupils trembled weakly as her tears continued to roll down her face, dripping onto the back of Winston’s hand.

It was searing hot.

Her eyelashes trembled as she looked at Winston. This time, her gaze was no longer filled with affection.

“You’re the heartless one, Winston,” Millie declared.

Upon hearing her words, Winston’s brows furrowed hard as rage washed over him.

Millie sniffled and held back her tears before questioning, “Winston, are all the security cameras in your house just for show? Do you not know how to check the footage?

“This has happened far too many times now. You always pin all the blame on me without even bothering to check the security footage first. Are you afraid that the love of your life isn’t as kind as she pretends to be, or are you afraid to realize that you’ve misjudged me?

Joanna abruptly looked up. True enough, the two security cameras. in the corner of the corridor would’ve caught everything that happened.

She gulped, feeling panicked.

Millie’s words stunned Winston, and she leaned in closer as she continued to ask, “Which is it?”

Winston’s gaze darkened. He couldn’t respond to Millie’s question.

Millie shoved him away before glancing at Joanna, who was frantic. She couldn’t resist cursing, “What a bitch!”

Joanna sure knew how to put on an act!

Winston immediately grabbed Millie and snapped, “How dare you speak to Joanna like that, Millie? Apologize to her!”

“Apologize?” Millie repeated as she looked Winston in the eye. Their gazes met, but this time, her once love–filled eyes were now filled with hatred and hostility.

Millie smirked. She looked like a weatherbeaten rose that remained proud and captivating despite her bruises.

“I’d rather die than apologize,” she said softly.

Then, she pushed Winston away and walked down the stairs with the help of the banister.

Frowning, Winston yelled after her, “You’re beyond reason, Millie!”

“You’re the one who’s beyond reason, you fool!” Millie retorted.

Since he liked that bitch so much, she wished him and her a happy life together.

Infuriated, Winston yanked off the painting on the wall before tugging on his tie.

59

| +15 BONUS

Millie was always testing his limits. When did she develop such a sharp tongue?

“Win…” Joanna called out softly.

Winston frowned. His anger continued to rise. The situation with Millie left him feeling unusually irritable. “I’ll get Eli to take you to the hospital for a check–up.”

“You’re not coming with me?” Joanna asked meekly.

“I’m busy,” Winston replied before leaving the house.

Joanna’s fists tightened as she watched him leave. He never

would’ve reacted this way in the past. He would’ve brought her to the hospital himself.

What happened today? Why did he lose control of his emotions? Was it because of Millie?

Could it be that he had developed feelings for Millie?

Joanna looked at the security cameras again and felt anxious.

On the third basement level beneath the grandest skyscraper in Yerwick’s city center, there was a mysterious base fully automated with AI technology. It was known as M Base.

The base was owned by someone named M who operated alone on the black market. The enigmatic M was willing to take on all sorts of jobs, regardless of which side of the law it fell on. Thus, the reputations of M and M Base became unshakeable.

However, nothing had been heard of from M Base for five years now.

On the dark web where the black market transactions were held, the account that belonged to M Base had not logged on for years, but even so, its reputation and legends of its past deeds lived on.

When Millie arrived at the base, Marvin was already there waiting for her.

She had bandaged her forehead and changed her outfit–looking a lot colder and more aloof now.

“Are you okay, boss?” Marvin asked when he noticed her bandaged forehead.

“I’m fine,” Millie said indifferently

Marvin

made a bold guess. “Did Winston hit you?”

Laughing, Millie replied, “As if I’d let him.”

She put up with all of his rebukes because she loved him, but why would she put up with such treatment if she no longer loved him? She wasn’t going to put up with him anymore.

Since Millie didn’t seem to be in the mood to share, Marvin didn’t, ask about her injury. Instead, he asked, “Did you get the ring, boss?”

Humming in response, she opened up a black jewelry box. Inside it was a silver ring with an M carved into it. It was a simple, elegant- looking ring.

And, indeed, Millie was M, the mysterious boss of M Base.

Five years ago, Millie was so obsessed with being with Winston that she’d closed down M Base.

When she married Winston, she gave the ring to Winston as his wedding ring, thinking that she would give up her life as M for good.

But now, she was back!

“Are you ready?” Millie asked Marvin, whose excitement was palpable. He was ready, alright!

Standing in front of the entrance to the base, Millie opened the

compartment on the right and placed the ring inside it.

In a flash, the white–colored entrance lit up, surrounded by a blue glow. A screen projection appeared in front of Millie and Marvin. Nôvel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive © material.

A robotic voice echoed along the three basement levels. “M Base, activate.”

“Welcome home, M.”

Millie let the scanner scan her face, and immediately the entrance to the base opened up. Everything was brightly lit. A the lights turned on, and the robots that had been shut down for years finally started moving again.

“Welcome home, M,” the robots greeted in unison.

It was an imposing and magnificent display.

A large transparent screen could be seen in the center of the hall of the base, and the latest updates from the black market were whizzing by swiftly.

“Goodness me! Has anyone else noticed it yet? M base is back online!

“What did you say? M base? The one that suddenly disappeared without a trace five years ago?”

“Oh, my goodness! I can’t believe it’s happening! Good news, everyone! M is back! The great M is back!”

Millie smiled as she watched the messages on the screen.

Oh, yes. She was back, alright.

Marvin chuckled as he remarked, “I now know what it means when we say a person’s reputation lives on even when they’re not around.”

Millie walked over to a room. She placed her finger on the fingerprint scanner, and the door opened. This was her office.

She sat down in front of the computer and clapped her hands. Instantly all of the AI–programmed equipment in the office was activated.

The computer screen lit up and opened to the black market website. on the dark web.

“Greetings, M. You have been gone for 1,609 days. Welcome home.”

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