Vernon had returned, looking exhausted. He was even holding a bouquet of fresh flowers. He walked toward me with no trace of guilt or remorse.

"Avril, I brought you your favorite roses."

Red roses represented sincere and passionate love. Right now, those flowers looked like a joke in Vernon's hands.

I accepted the roses. Thinking that I was no longer angry, Vernon began to explain. "It's Peggy Cahill. She's been diagnosed with bone cancer. All she wants is to marry me.

"Since I grew up with her, there's no way I'd let her down. We're getting engaged in three days. You've always been considerate. You understand why I'm doing this, right?"

From Vernon's tone, it didn't sound like he was explaining himself. It was more like he was informing me of his decision to get engaged with Peggy Cahill.

What a coincidence. I would be leaving in three days too.

I nodded in silence. In the past, Vernon could never stand how emotionally sensitive I was. He said I always sought reassurance from him whenever there was a minor issue. I would keep asking him whether he loved me.

Eventually, I got rid of that attitude and also learned how to be patient.

I didn't make a fuss, nor did I keep asking Vernon whether he still loved me. Vernon cast me a glance, looking somewhat startled.

"I'll be moving in with Peggy tomorrow. For the next few months, you might have to put up with being alone. Peggy's a patient. Compared to you, she needs my company more than ever."

I set the roses down with a smile. Seeing that I hadn't objected to his decision, Vernon approached me, wanting to caress my face.

In the past, Vernon never took the initiative to touch me. But this time, I subtly moved away from him.

A clear lipstick mark was visible on the collar of his shirt. The sickly sweet smell of perfume on him drifted into my nostrils, making me feel like I was about to throw up.

Vernon became furious, knowing that he had been rejected. Without a word, he quickly left the apartment.

I tossed the roses and cake into the rubbish bin. Then, I started packing my things.

I didn't want those flowers. I no longer wanted Vernon in my life either. As for the apartment where I had lived for six years, I was no longer attached to it.

The next day, I returned to the office. I was at my desk, holding the resignation letter I printed.

I had gotten to know Vernon at college, and that was where we fell in love too. After he got a job at this tech company, I followed him there as well. I rejected any plans Mom and Dad had made for me and started out in an entry-level position at the company.

After getting together with Vernon, I did everything I could to tease him. However, it didn't matter if I wore something revealing, pretended to have fallen into his lap by accident, or tried to kiss him while I was drunk.

As long as we crossed the line, Vernon would fiddle with the rosary beads around his wrist. Then, he would look at me calmly with restraint. He seemed like a man with no desires—a saint who accidentally ended up in the human world.

It had been six years since we got together. From the moment I learned that Vernon had made a reservation at the hotel, I was filled with hope, thinking that he was ready to take things to the next level.

In the end, it was just my wishful thinking.

A colleague nearby walked toward me. Once she noticed the resignation letter on my laptop, she was slightly taken aback.

"Avril, you'll be promoted to director soon. Why are you resigning all of a sudden?"

I smiled. "I'm getting married soon. When the time comes, I'll get a new job."

My colleague, Lisa Fisher, congratulated me with a smile. "Lately, everyone at the office seems to be getting married. Last night, I saw Mr. Floyd's Instagram post. He's getting engaged!

"It's no surprise that Mr. Floyd and his girlfriend are a perfect match. I heard they're childhood sweethearts.

"Back then, I was wondering who could ever melt his heart. He's so stoic! Now, I know better. It could only be his first love!"

Suddenly, I found it hard to smile. I checked my phone and realized that Vernon had blocked me on his main and alternate Instagram account.

Vernon's main account was for personal use. After he left the apartment last night, he blocked me on Instagram right away.

On the other hand, Vernon's alternate account was used for work, and all of our conversations there were purely professional.

At that moment, Vernon led Peggy into the office. Peggy's face was glowing, and a radiant smile played on her lips. She didn't look like someone who was supposed to be sick.

Vernon began introducing Peggy to everyone in the office. "She's our new Technical Director, Peggy Cahill. Let's welcome her. You'll be working closely together in the future."

Lisa looked startled. Her gaze shifted between me and Peggy. Finally, she greeted Peggy, saying, "Hello, Ms. Cahill!"

I said nothing as I tightened my grip on the resignation letter.

But Vernon stared at me with displeasure. "Avril, everyone's already greeted the new director. What's this behavior?"

Peggy chuckled before extending her hand to me. "We'll be working closely in the future. Let's support each other."

As soon as I reached out to shake her hand, Vernon pulled Peggy's hand back. "You're a director, so there's no need for you to be so polite with these entry-level employees. Come on. I'll show you around so you can get acquainted."

Vernon and Peggy walked away, leaving me behind with my hand still extended. I was still rooted to the spot in shock, looking like a clown.

Lisa pulled me aside to our desks and began gossiping. "Avril, you saw her earlier, right? That's Mr. Floyd's fiancée!

"That pink diamond necklace around her neck was given by Mr. Floyd. I heard it's worth millions! But what he did was way too obvious!

"You've been working at the company for five years. Everyone here knows how capable you are. But Mr. Floyd just gave your spot away so easily to someone else!"

I nodded distractedly. From the start, I already planned on resigning from my job. After Vernon passed me over and made Peggy director, it was even clearer to me now that I meant nothing to him.

With the documents and my resignation letter in hand, I knocked on the door to Vernon's office.

"Come in." .

I set everything on the table, including all the information I had to hand over after my resignation.

Vernon flipped through those files, and his expression darkened even further. Finally, he looked up at me with a disdainful smirk.

"Avril, I thought you already turned over a new leaf yesterday, and you won't throw tantrums anymore. Now, you're back to your usual self?" With that, Vernon threw the files toward me, aiming for my face.

I stood aside and managed to dodge the files. Then, I crouched on the floor and began picking up what Vernon had thrown to the floor.

Vernon explained, "All Peggy did was take your chance for a promotion. Besides, she and I studied the same major.

"I have full confidence in her abilities, and that's why I made her Technical Director. You're still working at an entry-level position after five years. There's no need to be this angry!"

I stacked the files together before setting them on Vernon's desk. I said calmly, "I'm not angry. All I want is to resign."

Peggy and Vernon studied the same major, and he claimed that he knew her abilities very well. But what about me?

I studied jewelry design during college. Later, I ended up pursuing a second degree for Vernon and worked very hard day and night so I could catch up with him.

In the end, all my efforts were worthless to him.

Vernon shot me a condescending glare. "Don't you know how useless you are? I've already transferred you to work under Peggy. In the future, watch and learn from her."

I smiled. "My time is precious too. I won't ever work on anything I'm not interested in."

"Fine! Then, leave! Let's see which company would even want to hire you!" With that, Vernon got up from his office chair and looked at me, his gaze filled with malice.

I turned to leave his office.

Vernon and I had been together for six years, which were all for nothing. But in the future, my world would never revolve around him anymore.

After all, he expected me to look up to Peggy.

At noon, I returned to my desk to pack up my things.

An asteroid figurine sat on the table. It was Vernon who carved it for me after graduation. Back then, he even said that I would be his whole world.

I let out a self-deprecating laugh. I gave the figurine one last glance and finally decided to take it along with me.

I held a box of my belongings. I was about to leave when Peggy suddenly hurried into the office, looking panicked.

"My apologies, everyone. The necklace I wore today seems to have gone missing. Could everyone please cooperate for a quick search?"

Everyone in the office began whispering to each other.

"I saw Ms. Cahill's necklace earlier when she first came to the office. The diamonds on it were huge! So bright and sparkly!"

"I think Ms. Cahill was being nice about it. I bet someone got greedy after seeing that necklace, so they stole it!"

"My goodness! We actually have a thief in our office. No wonder my biscuits and snacks kept going missing from my table!"

Vernon stood next to Peggy. After ordering security to block off all exits, they began searching everyone.

Once it was my turn, I set the box down so I could cooperate with the search. Clearly, Vernon was momentarily startled upon noticing the asteroid figurine at the very top of the box. However, he still asked security to dump all the contents of the box onto the floor.

Everything fell to the floor with a loud crash. The figurine was completely smashed to bits.

It was like my relationship of six years with Vernon. Once there were cracks, things between us could never be fixed again.

A few guards started going through the contents on the floor. Suddenly, Peggy covered her mouth and gasped. "My necklace!"

Her gasp of surprise drew everyone's attention. All eyes fell on me, and everyone began criticizing me behind my back.

"Oh my! It was Avril who stole the new director's necklace! If Mr. Floyd hadn't blocked the office exits, she would've been long gone with it!"

"I never expected Avril to be that kind of person! We really can't judge a book by its cover. All the new director did was take Avril's promotion. She's so petty!"

"Avril's really narrow-minded. I never realized she would do sneaky stuff like that. I'm glad she's already resigned. Otherwise, I'd be nervous to work in the same room as her!"

I turned extremely pale. I definitely did not steal Peggy's necklace. Someone had tampered with my things once I left to submit my resignation.

Fury was written all over Vernon's face as he picked up the pink diamond necklace from the pile of junk. He looked extremely disappointed in me.

"Avril!" Vernon yelled my name furiously. I looked over and noticed he had stepped all over my things. He even stomped hard on the shattered pieces of the asteroid figurine.

As soon as I looked up, Vernon slapped me without a word. "Apologize to Peggy! Why did you steal the necklace I gave her?"

At that moment, I lost all hope. Vernon was still holding the million-dollar necklace he had given to Peggy, and the cheap figurine he had given me was crushed under his foot. The figurine wasn't even worth a fraction of the necklace.

Tears instantly welled up in my eyes. Sure, my colleagues had misunderstood me. But Vernon and I had dated for six years. His slap had left me heartbroken.

Vernon actually didn't believe me.

Seeing that I hadn't responded, Vernon dragged me toward Peggy as if I was nothing but trash. He snapped at me, "I asked you to apologize! Explain why you stole her necklace!"

A satisfactory glint flashed through Peggy's eyes. But very quickly, she pretended to frown before reaching out to pull me up from the cold floor.

I shook Peggy's hand off. I clung to my last shred of pride as I got to my feet.

Although my eyes were brimming with tears, I stood tall and yelled, "I didn't take the necklace! There are surveillance cameras in the office. I want you to show the footage so I can prove that I'm innocent!

"Besides, it's just a diamond necklace! It's nothing to me!"