The coastal breeze whipped Scarlett’s wedding gown around her as she embraced her childhood friend, Julian. The crowd around them chanted in unison, “Marry them! Marry them! Marry them!” Julian looked at Scarlett with a gaze so full of adoration it twisted something inside me. He knelt on one knee, taking her hand and bringing it to his lips. Clutching my aching chest, I turned and walked away. “Honey, I’m back!” “This business trip absolutely killed me.” Scarlett burst through the door two nights later, rushing towards me the moment she stepped inside. If I hadn’t been on the same business trip, if I hadn’t seen her and Julian intimately dressed in wedding attire with my own eyes… Perhaps, I might still believe that her entire world revolved around me as she ran into my arms. I sidestepped, avoiding her embrace, my face a mask of indifference. Scarlett’s steps faltered. A flicker of annoyance crossed her eyes. “Honey, why the long face? Are you upset because I was gone for too long?” She put on a sweet act, her arms gently opening, trying to melt into my embrace, just like she’d done countless times before. I remained silent. Before, whenever she’d pull that hurt, sweet act, I’d drop everything instantly, my world revolving around her. But now, I just sat there, unmoving. Scarlett’s face crumpled with feigned hurt, her eyes slowly welling up. “Honey, why are you treating me like this?” Her voice cracked, as if I were the one who had wronged her. “I have things to do. I’m going to rest.” Instead of heading to our bedroom, I turned towards the guest room. I barely stepped inside before Scarlett followed. She wrapped her arms around my arm, her soft body pressing against me. “Hmph, I even bought you a gift! And you’re giving me the cold shoulder the moment I get back?” With that, she held up an exquisite gift box. “Look! I bought you a watch. Do you like it?” She opened the box as she spoke, revealing an expensive men’s watch. But I knew this watch all too well. It was from a series I particularly liked, and Julian, who constantly tried to one-up me, had also expressed his admiration for this exact model to Scarlett. Scarlett had even promised to get him one for his birthday. Just this morning, I’d seen a photo Julian posted on his Ins story. He was wearing another, even more expensive watch from the same series, with a caption boasting that Scarlett had specially picked it out for him. Another photo showed a discarded watch in a trash can. It was the exact one Scarlett was holding in her hands. “Is it appropriate to give me something Julian threw away?” I asked, my voice chillingly cold. Scarlett’s face instantly paled. She quickly stammered, “I’ve always treated Julian like a brother. Giving him a watch… you’re not really upset about that, are you?” “I’m not particularly bothered, I just want a divorce,” I stated calmly. Scarlett froze, her face etched with disbelief. In the past, even if she’d just been angry and said she didn’t want to talk to me, I couldn’t bear it. But this time, I was the one suggesting divorce. “Liam, do you even know what you’re saying?!” Scarlett’s voice shot up, a clear tremor in her last words. “You want to divorce me over *this*?!” Her tone was a mix of anger and bewilderment. “It’s just a watch! Even if the one I gave you was discarded by him, it’s still worth a lot! I was willing to spend millions on you, and you’re still angry?” I couldn’t help but want to laugh. When did our relationship start being measured by money? She was always like this, never thinking she was in the wrong. If she couldn’t argue with me, she’d blame everything on me. I glanced at her dispassionately, unable to say anything more. “You’re absolutely beyond reasoning with!” she spat, then stood and left the guest room. I stood there, looking out at the bright sunny day, my thoughts drifting back a few years. I remembered how we met. It was outside a shopping mall. I was working a part-time promotional gig for the mall, wearing a uniform and a bunny ear headband because they thought I had ‘the look’. I was handing out flyers when I saw a few sleazy guys harassing Scarlett, their hands reaching for her face. No one around seemed willing to step in. Without hesitation, I rushed over and punched one of the jerks to the ground. But they outnumbered me. To protect Scarlett, I took some hits. Finally, my head was struck by a stick, and I blacked out. The thugs fled. Through the haze, I felt Scarlett cradling me, crying out amidst the noisy crowd. She was so gentle, so soft. She was the first person who had ever cried for me. Chapter Two After that day, I was left with lingering effects – occasional headaches in stressful situations. But I never regretted it. Because in my heart, she was the one worth fighting for, worth protecting with everything I had. Later, Sinclair Corp. came to our university to recruit, and Scarlett personally hand-picked me.
From the start, I knew Scarlett chose me only to repay a favor. And to avoid any rumors about her, I poured all my passion and effort into my work. Professionally, we were clearly defined as boss and subordinate. But in private, she loved calling me “Mr. Bunny,” and would always pester me for piggyback rides, saying that being carried by me was when she felt safest. Later, we naturally fell for each other. But Scarlett’s family elders didn’t approve. She fought fiercely against her family’s wishes, and that’s how our marriage came to be. The Sinclairs’ precious daughter marrying me, a man from an ordinary background, was seen as settling for less and an embarrassment in their eyes. So, we had no lavish wedding, just a quiet ceremony at City Hall. In public, I couldn’t even stand too close to her, as her family worried it would damage their reputation. With my work abilities and achievements, I should have been promoted to Department Head long ago, but the Sinclairs adamantly opposed it, keeping me as a low-level employee. For Scarlett, I endured all of it. She said that outside, she could be the formidable CEO Scarlett, but at home, she wanted to be my sweet girl. I thought we would live happily ever after. Until three months ago, when Julian returned from overseas. Scarlett took me to pick him up at the airport. The moment they reunited, Scarlett actually threw her arms around Julian in a tight embrace. In front of the bustling crowd, Julian excitedly swept Scarlett into his arms and spun her around. Anyone watching would have thought they were long-lost lovers reuniting. Scarlett, fearing my jealousy, quickly explained that they were childhood friends, and she saw Julian as a younger brother. Julian, knowing how to play the game, called me “bro” like we were best friends and even brought me a gift. At the time, I was foolishly naive and didn’t think much of it. Soon after, Julian joined the company. Despite knowing nothing about the business, he begged Scarlett to make him a Director. Scarlett knew that position meant everything to me, yet she still gave it to Julian. From then on, the two of them were inseparable at the company, both in public and private, appearing uncomfortably close. Though I felt uneasy, I believed Scarlett whenever she offered an explanation. Until that day, when I saw her in a wedding gown, embracing Julian tightly, and facing the crowd’s shouts of “Marry them!” She didn’t even object, not even a single word of explanation or an attempt to distance herself. I loved her, but I couldn’t love her to the point of losing myself and my dignity. My heart was completely dead. I wanted a divorce. I don’t know how long passed before I fell into a deep sleep, only to be awakened by a familiar scent. “Honey, I’m starving. Can you make me breakfast?” Scarlett’s nose gently brushed my cheek. I pushed her face away. This face, which once mesmerized me, now filled me with disgust. Scarlett stumbled, nearly falling. Her brow furrowed. “Are you serious? You threw a tantrum yesterday, and I came here specifically to make up, to give you an out, and you push me away?”
I ignored her, silently getting up and heading to the bathroom. Scarlett called after me, “Liam, what is your attitude? I’m not going to argue with you this time, but if you ever do that again, I’ll…” “You’ll what? Divorce me? Fine. Let’s go to City Hall right now.” “Are you out of your mind? When did I ever say I wanted a divorce?” “Liam, what’s gotten into you? You’ve been acting weird since yesterday!” Scarlett finally lost her composure, her emotions erupting. I gave her a cold glance. “Didn’t you and Julian already make your intentions clear on the beach?” Scarlett froze, her expression instantly flustered. Her words tumbled out disjointedly. “You couldn’t possibly know! I already had PR delete everything from that day!” “I was there that day. I saw it all with my own eyes.” “I saw Julian holding you tight, the crowd chanting for him to marry you, him kneeling, and you smiling back at him. Everything you both did, I saw it all.” “No, it’s not like that!” “Listen to me, honey, there’s a misunderstanding! Julian and I…” Chapter Three “Enough! No explanation is needed. I don’t care what his reason was, even if he was dying – if you had any respect for me, you wouldn’t have agreed to such inappropriate requests!” Scarlett’s face hardened. “I don’t need to explain myself, because to me, Julian is just a friend. I swear, I have never betrayed you!” “Emotional infidelity is still infidelity, Scarlett. Whether it’s a lingering glance or a physical act, the color of betrayal still feels the same to me.” I said calmly, “Scarlett, we’re getting a divorce. You should prepare yourself.” With that, I turned and left. Upon arriving at the office, I immediately immersed myself in work. Even though our department revolved around me, my workspace was cramped, a constant reminder of my undervalued position. I wanted to leave, but I couldn’t. I had signed an agreement that prevented me from resigning before the project was completed, or I would face severe consequences. Just then, a man approached. It was Kevin, Julian’s assistant. Kevin casually tossed a folder onto my desk, saying arrogantly, “Liam, your design draft was rejected. You’re paid so much, yet you can’t even handle a simple task? What exactly do you do around here?” He was Julian’s lackey, constantly finding ways to provoke me. Afterward, Julian would play the good cop, then go to Scarlett to score points, taking every opportunity to belittle me. I was used to it and ignored him. The design draft I’d given Julian was just a throwaway. He had no authority to decide on truly important projects. Suddenly, I felt a sudden splash. Kevin had picked up my water bottle and poured the entire contents over my head. “Are you deaf? Didn’t you hear me talking!” Even the calmest person would lose their temper. I barely stood up when a searing pain shot through my head. I fumbled in my pocket for my medicine bottle but couldn’t find it anywhere. “What’s with this reaction? Saying a few words and you’re already faking an illness? Pathetic for a grown man!” Kevin sneered. My colleagues froze, too scared to intervene. Kevin was known for making people’s lives hell. “What’s going on?” Julian walked in. Kevin immediately fawned over him. “Mr. Julian, you see? I just said a few words to Liam, and he poured water on himself to fake being sick.” Julian smiled, feigning concern while subtly twisting the knife. “Liam, as a key technical expert, professionalism is essential. Faking illness is not good behavior.” He took two steps closer, leaning in and whispering in my ear, “Headache acting up again, huh? When are you finally going to drop dead, Liam? Hurry up and die, so I can be with Scarlett, haha.” “You!” The headache intensified, and I collapsed onto my desk. A female colleague, Chloe, seeing my distress, rushed over to help me find my medication. She quickly located the pill bottle and bent down to put the medicine in my mouth. However, Kevin suddenly grabbed Chloe’s head, forcing her face towards mine, making it look like she was kissing my cheek. Then he shoved her, sending her tumbling right into my arms. “What are you doing?!” Scarlett’s furious voice suddenly echoed, like a wife catching her husband cheating.
That was Julian’s calculating move. Seeing Scarlett approach, he deliberately set me up. This way, the usually assertive Scarlett would get angry. And he, in turn, could seize the opportunity to console Scarlett. I had no energy to explain, but Chloe had kindly helped me. My silence would only drag her down with me. “I’m not feeling well. She was helping me find my medicine,” I said, standing up, trying to explain. Kevin, seeing his chance, eagerly spun a false narrative. “CEO Scarlett, don’t let Liam trick you. I just walked by, and he was harassing a female colleague!” Scarlett’s face instantly darkened. She gave me a cold glare, then turned to Chloe for confirmation. “Is that true?” Chloe looked flustered. Kevin stood nearby, threatening her with his eyes. She gritted her teeth, clearly torn, and then gave me an apologetic glance. “Yes…” she whispered, her voice barely audible. I sighed, understanding her difficult position. “Liam, how could you do this?” Scarlett’s tone was filled with disappointment. “Even if you’re a key technical expert, you can’t just harass my female employees!” Julian feigned a sigh beside her. “I heard you’re married. Imagine how heartbroken your wife would be if she found out.” I had just taken the medicine, feeling a slight relief, but this argument made me feel unwell again. “I’m really not well. I need to go to the hospital immediately.” I struggled to take a step. But Kevin reached out to block me. “You can’t leave. Who said you could just walk out?” “Let go of me!” I forcefully struggled out of his grip, accidentally falling to the ground. I noticed Julian’s foot subtly pulled back, and it clicked instantly. Chapter Four “Liam, you’re such a faker. You always play the tough guy, but now you’re suddenly so fragile?” Kevin sneered. Julian, meanwhile, feigned concern. “Don’t just stand there, someone help Liam up.” But Scarlett coldly ordered, “No one move! If he likes pretending to be sick, let him pretend!” I gasped, the searing pain in my head making it almost impossible to breathe. I could only weakly whisper, “Please… call an ambulance…” Scarlett paused. “What’s he saying?” Kevin immediately twisted the facts. “CEO Scarlett, he’s actually cursing you out…” “Enough!” Scarlett snapped, cutting Kevin off. Just then, Chloe bravely stepped forward to clarify. “CEO Scarlett, he’s saying to call an ambulance! Liam suffers from severe headaches; everyone in our department knows.” Scarlett finally realized. She quickly ordered, “Get him to the hospital! Now!” Kevin still tried to stir trouble. “CEO Scarlett, don’t worry, he’s definitely faking it.” “You shut up!” Scarlett glared at Kevin. The pungent smell of hospital disinfectant was the first thing that brought me back. By my bedside, Scarlett and Julian were practically glued together, heads bent in conversation, their faces alight with an inappropriate intimacy. I silently shifted. Julian was the first to notice I was awake. He suddenly put on a pained expression, his body gently twitching. “Julian, what’s wrong?” Scarlett asked, clutching him anxiously. “Sister Scarlett, my chest feels so tight, like I can’t breathe.” Julian said weakly. “I’ll get the doctor!” Scarlett hastily stood up, her gaze sweeping over me for only a brief moment before she hurried away. The doctor soon arrived. Seeing that I was also awake, he started to ask about my condition, but Scarlett cut him off. “Doctor, don’t mind him. Please check on my brother first, he’s in worse shape!” I smiled bitterly. This was the woman who swore to spend her life with me. The nurses wheeled Julian away, Scarlett following closely, never once looking back at me. I shook my head, my resolve for divorce strengthening further. I forced myself to sit up and left the hospital alone, returning home. I grabbed a bite to eat, then started packing my belongings. A little later, Scarlett also returned home. She rushed into the bedroom. Seeing me still there, her expression softened slightly. “Honey, are you feeling better? Is your head still hurting?” she asked gently. I truly wanted to laugh. She had abandoned me to take care of her “dear brother,” and now she asked this question? Didn’t she find herself ridiculous? Such an act! I gave her a cold glance, continuing to pack my clothes. “Scarlett, at the hospital, your choice said it all. Stop pretending.” “Liam, don’t say that. I really was worried about you,” Scarlett’s voice held a hint of panic. “Scarlett, from the moment we met until now, I’ve never asked you for anything. But now, I’m begging you, release me. Let’s get a divorce.” “No! I only ever loved you!” Scarlett hugged me from behind, her face pressed against my back. “In your heart, Julian is more important than I am. Even strangers could see there was something going on between you two.” I pried her hands away and turned to face her. “Let’s get a divorce. That way, you two can be together without any qualms.” Just then, the doorbell rang. Julian, dressed in a hospital gown, appeared at the door, looking extremely fragile. “Sister Scarlett, I was scared being alone at the hospital. Can I stay here tonight?” he asked cautiously. Scarlett looked at him, surprised and full of sympathy, then turned to me. “Liam, Julian is scared. Let him stay for one night.” I laughed. “So he gets to pretend to be sick and needs comfort, but I, who am actually dealing with a medical condition, am just supposed to fend for myself? Is that it?” “Whatever. We’re getting divorced anyway.” I picked up my suitcase, ready to leave. Scarlett grabbed me, pleading, “Liam, don’t be like this. Julian is just sick and wants to feel safe. Do you really have to get a divorce over this?” “Scarlett, whether he came tonight or not, divorce is inevitable. Besides, he’s not an orphan, does he not have his own home? Why does he have to come here?” I said coldly. Chapter Five “Sister Scarlett, Liam, please don’t fight. I’ll just go.” Julian feigned an attempt to leave. “You’re not going anywhere!” Scarlett stopped him sternly, then glared at me. “Liam, I’m letting Julian stay here. Do you have a problem with that?” “I have no problem, because we’ve already decided to divorce,” I said calmly, unwilling to argue further. Scarlett stomped her foot in anger. “Why are you so stubborn? I love you, Liam! Julian is just my brother!” I let out a soft laugh. “Scarlett, I’ll give you a choice. Send him away and promise to cut off all contact, and I won’t bring up divorce again. Otherwise, agree to the divorce.” Scarlett was torn. Julian couldn’t help but complain, “Bro, why are you so petty? You’re seriously jealous of me?” “Don’t mind him!” Scarlett said softly to Julian, then glared at me. “Liam, don’t be so unreasonable!” I shook my head and turned to leave, my heart feeling nothing. At this time of day, the sounds of families having dinner echoed from every household in the neighborhood. Watching the warm lights and hearing the sounds, I thought back to all my moments with Scarlett, all the love and promises we once shared, now all empty. Ever since Julian came back, everything had changed. She was no longer my Scarlett. The moment I saw her in a wedding gown, intimately intertwined with Julian, I completely gave up on her.
The next day, I went to work as usual. I needed to finish this project quickly so I could leave Sinclair Corp. sooner. Soon after I arrived, Kevin appeared at my desk again. He stood with his arms crossed, smugly saying, “Liam, how do you still have the nerve to show up at work?” I put down my pen and leaned back in my chair, responding as calmly as possible: “I’ll submit my resignation after I finish this project, which I’m sure Julian would be happy about. So, if I were you, I wouldn’t cause trouble right now. Instead, you should help me finish this project efficiently.” Kevin paused, clearly realizing my words weren’t empty threats. But then, he sneered: “But I think if you can’t finish the project and leave, your reputation in the industry will be ruined, and it’ll be tough to find another job. Mr. Julian would probably prefer that outcome, wouldn’t he?” As he spoke, he reached out to touch me. I grabbed his wrist and twisted hard, then kicked him. He cried out and fell to the floor. I grabbed the water bottle from my desk and smashed it against his face. “Your mouth just loves to run, doesn’t it?” “You want to mess with me? Don’t you know who you’re dealing with!” “Do you really think being Julian’s lapdog means you can bark at everyone?” I spoke with force, each word seeming to accompany a crack against his teeth. Design department colleagues heard the commotion and gathered, but no one stepped forward to stop me. Kevin usually lorded his power over everyone, and he’d made many enemies, but everyone was too scared to speak out. Soon, Julian rushed over, his face pale, shouting, “Call the cops! Why are you all just standing there? Call the cops!” “Security? Get over here and restrain Liam!” Julian was clearly terrified. I was known for my calm demeanor, and no one had ever seen this violent side of me. “Don’t call the police!” Scarlett suddenly stormed through the crowd, her tone sharper with Julian. “Calling the police will affect the company’s image!” “But CEO Scarlett, Liam attacked me!” Julian protested. Scarlett took a deep breath and looked at me. “Liam, I didn’t realize you were so violent…” “From the first day he joined, he’s constantly caused me trouble. You wouldn’t believe me if I told you, so I just recorded our conversation. You can listen for yourself.” I calmly opened my phone and played the recording of Kevin and me. Scarlett’s expression instantly became complicated. She even glared at Julian, realizing he was behind all this. I stood up and met Scarlett’s gaze. “Being targeted like this every day, if I kept letting it happen, I might as well just resign. So, do you still think this is violence? I’m just defending myself!” “Hmph, you didn’t ‘tolerate’ anything. I think you’re the most vicious one,” Julian sneered from the side. I pointed at him. “Shut your mouth! If I wasn’t vicious, how do you think I protected Scarlett from those thugs back then, fighting off several of them alone? My condition is a result of that day!” At these words, the whole office erupted. No one had known about that part of Scarlett and my past. Someone whispered, “What exactly is the relationship between Liam and CEO Scarlett?” I didn’t answer, just looked at Scarlett, waiting for her reaction. Chapter Six Scarlett took a deep breath, and to everyone’s surprise, she took my hand and said, “I am Liam’s wife. We’ve been secretly married for years. We didn’t make it public because he didn’t want special treatment.” At these words, the whole office erupted. Kevin, lying on the floor, also stared wide-eyed, terrified. But I pulled my hand away, stating calmly, “CEO Scarlett is right, but we are indeed getting a divorce soon, and I’ll be resigning once this project is complete. So, everyone can just pretend nothing happened.” This time, the shock in the room reached its peak. They couldn’t understand why I would divorce Scarlett. I ignored Scarlett’s pale face, crouched down, and patted Kevin’s cheek: “Here’s a lesson for you, Kevin. When your boss tells you to target someone, you’re just a disposable pawn. You’ve already made yourself dirty.” I turned to Julian. “Mr. Julian, shouldn’t Kevin be fired?” Julian gritted his teeth. “Kevin is my assistant. He’s very capable. I won’t…” But Scarlett cut him off. “Fire him. Immediately.” I stood and looked at Julian. “Sinclair Corp. doesn’t tolerate scandals. A project director instructing his assistant to bully a key technical expert—that would cause too much damage if it got out.” Julian trembled with anger, but was speechless. I added, “But I guess it doesn’t matter. You have the capital to be reckless, don’t you? Who can resist a man as popular with women as you?” At that moment, Julian’s face visibly drained of color, then turned a furious shade of crimson. He froze, his lips trembling slightly. It was clear he wanted to say something, but before he could, Scarlett’s icy glare stopped him. Helpless, he could only glare at me with seething hatred. In his infinite rage, this seemed to be his only outlet. I ignored him, turned back to my desk, and opened my computer to continue working. The sooner this project was done, the sooner I could leave this place. Aside from us, the direct participants, the other employees stared wide-eyed, utterly bewildered. The entire office was thick with tension and unease. “CEO Scarlett, if there’s nothing else, I’ll get back to work.” Julian forced a smile, greeted Scarlett, and turned to leave. The atmosphere in the office was clearly not to his liking. “Mr. Julian.” Just then, Scarlett called out to Julian’s retreating back, breaking the awkward silence in the office. “CEO Scarlett, do you have any other instructions?” Julian stopped, a wide smile plastered on his face as he looked at Scarlett. Scarlett stood there, her gaze lingering on me for a moment before she looked at Julian and said coldly: “Mr. Julian, due to your staffing error and the negative impact it has had on the company, I’ve decided to suspend you. You can go home tomorrow and rest.” 6. **Boom!** Scarlett’s voice wasn’t loud, but it still sparked a small murmur of discussion in the quiet office. Everyone looked at Scarlett and Julian in astonishment. No one had expected Scarlett to impose such a severe punishment on Julian. Julian stood frozen for a long moment, then looked at Scarlett, his face incredulous. “Scarlett, are you crazy? You’re suspending me for *this* incompetent waste of space?” “Incompetent waste of space? What gives you the right to call him that?” Scarlett sneered at Julian, then said with a stern face: “Liam is Sinclair Corp.’s technical core. The entire company’s operations are built upon the foundation Liam established. The company can exist without a Director, but it cannot exist without Liam.” At that moment, Julian was so choked by Scarlett’s words that he couldn’t speak. He stared intently at Scarlett, frozen for a few moments, before finally gritting his teeth and nodding heavily: “Fine, since CEO Scarlett has made her decision, I respect the company’s punishment.” “Good. Suspension is indefinite. Go home and wait for further notice.” Scarlett’s expression was cold, her icy gaze more chilling than a summer air conditioner. Julian looked at the cold Scarlett, clenching his fists tightly. Then he abruptly turned, pushed through the crowd, and left the office in disgrace. Though I had heard their conversation and knew Scarlett was doing this to get back at him for me, I didn’t look up at either of them, my fingers still rapidly tapping on the keyboard. I understood that Scarlett’s actions, while ostensibly defending me, were actually a way to manipulate me. Chapter Seven For my sake, she could make anyone in the company leave. That way, if I ever wanted to leave the company, I would be painted as the villain. Scarlett didn’t bother me again. Instead, she walked over to my side, the earlier coldness melting from her face as she looked at me with a warm smile: “Liam, don’t forget the family dinner my parents arranged. Make sure you’re not late.” “Scarlett, don’t put on a show for everyone here. I told you we’re getting a divorce. You don’t need to do this.” I still didn’t look up, my voice flat as I rejected her enthusiasm. To prevent myself from being emotionally manipulated again in the future, I had to make my stance clear now. Hearing my answer, Scarlett visibly froze for a moment, even her breathing hitched. But only for a moment. Her face quickly returned to its warm expression. She leaned in gently and whispered in my ear: “Honey, this entire company is your life’s work. Can you really bear to abandon the empire you built with your own hands just for your stubbornness? And you have a team, you have colleagues who fought alongside you. Can you bear to see them lose their livelihoods because of you?” At that moment, I, who thought I could face all this calmly, felt my heart twist with a familiar ache. She was right. Those were the things I cared about most. It seemed my guess was right. She was resorting to emotional manipulation. My fingers paused on the keyboard on my desk. After a moment, I nodded heavily: “Whatever you say.” After these few soft words, my fingers once again tapped the keyboard, and I continued working without looking up. Nothing lasts forever, and I had to take responsibility for my own future. I didn’t want to live like this anymore. Seeing my resolve, Scarlett said no more. She stood up and turned to leave. Her heels clicked crisply on the floor, echoing through the office. *Tap, tap, tap…* At that moment, it was like a predator marking its territory, declaring its dominance to everything around. 7. During lunch, the atmosphere in the office remained incredibly tense. Everyone seemed to be still reeling from the morning’s events. My colleagues dared not speak, only occasionally glancing my way, their eyes filled with a thirst for gossip. “Liam, are you and CEO Scarlett… really getting a divorce?” Daniel, a colleague I usually got along with, walked over, holding a cup of coffee. I gave him a bitter smile, saying nothing, just nodding gently. “Ah…” Seeing my silence, Daniel awkwardly chuckled, took a sip of his coffee, and turned to leave. “Liam, did what happened yesterday make CEO Scarlett misunderstand something? I’m willing to go to her office and explain again… I really was just worried yesterday; I didn’t mean anything else.” Chloe, the female colleague who had helped me find my medicine yesterday evening, walked over, her face full of apology. “It’s okay. This has nothing to do with you. If anything, I should thank you.” I looked at Chloe, shaking my head slightly, letting out a long sigh. Chloe looked at my tired face, biting her lip. She wanted to say something but ultimately didn’t, sighing before she left. I watched Chloe’s retreating back, gently rubbing my temples. The dull throb of yesterday’s headache still lingered, and today’s aggravating events made my mind feel like a complete mess. Julian’s provocations, Scarlett’s threats, the undercurrents in the company… All of it felt like an invisible net, trapping me tighter and tighter. In the afternoon, the project team held a meeting. As the lead technical expert, I reported on the progress to senior management as usual. In the conference room, Scarlett sat at the head of the table, her gaze occasionally sweeping over me, carrying an unsettling tenderness. I tried my best to ignore her, focusing on explaining the project details. Just as I was about to conclude, an unfamiliar voice suddenly spoke up. “Mr. Knight, your project progress seems to be lagging.” I looked up and saw a middle-aged man in a suit. He sat next to Scarlett, his smile friendly, yet exuding an unsettling pressure. “This is Mr. Davies, a representative from Cloud Corp.” Seeing the confusion in my eyes, Scarlett smiled and explained, “Cloud Corp. is one of the investors in this project, so Mr. Davies is concerned about the progress.” I frowned, looking at the unfamiliar man. A sense of unease rose within me. Chapter Eight Although Cloud Corp. was a partner of Sinclair Corp., I had never heard of any external involvement in the investment details of this project. Now, this man suddenly appearing felt like someone with ill intentions.
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