Farewell to Love: The CEO's Desperate Chase novel Chapter 102

As the lights dimmed, a golden serpent of light swept swiftly through the hall, weaving between the tiers and gilded balconies, circling the grand dome before coming to rest—at last—on Tyler, and the deep blue tanzanite stone before him.

At that very moment, outside the villa, a drone-mounted lantern burst into a breathtaking display of fireworks. Trails of shimmering sparks floated silently down, illuminating the quiet night sky with a delicate, transient beauty.

Dazzling. Astonishing. Unforgettable.

And then—gone.

The house lights inside flickered back to life.

For a heartbeat, the room held its breath, the hush so complete it seemed to echo. Then, suddenly, the silence shattered into a tidal wave of noise.

Clapping erupted, thunderous and unrestrained, accompanied by a crescendo of voices—excited, incredulous, almost feverish in their pitch.

Even outside, where the villa's soundproofing ought to have muted everything, the cheers were unmistakable.

"Something huge just happened in there!"

"Why hasn't anyone found out what's going on yet? It's been ages!"

"I have no idea. Everyone who knows anything is being so secretive. And trust me, these are people who don't care about money—you couldn't buy a word out of them!"

"I'm dying over here! What the hell happened?"

"Call everyone—get the whole crew over here! As soon as the second half wraps up, we block every exit. No one leaves until we get the story!"

"On it!"

"Text, call, whatever—get everyone down here! Even if it's just the cleaning staff, bring them in!"

"And the dogs too—bring anyone you can!"

Outside the villa, journalists and paparazzi scrambled, dialing furiously, summoning reinforcements. Cars and people converged from every direction, closing in with a single-minded urgency.

Inside, the excitement was electric.

So what if she'd spent seven years by his side?

So what if she'd carried his child?

None of it mattered—not compared to Vivienne.

She would be Mrs. Tyler Erickson, wife of the city's most powerful man—the head of Erickson Group. That was her destiny.

But Tyler, hearing Vivienne's words, only glanced at her, silent.

The tanzanite stone.

At first, he'd merely asked Vivienne if she liked it. But after the intermission, the truth became clear: he hadn't bought that stone for Vivienne.

Lifting his gaze, Tyler stared across the room—eyes narrowing with a dangerous glint—at the woman quietly returning to the shadows of her seat.