The next second, the fitting room curtain was yanked open. Gina was about to scold her assistant, Claire Shaw.

When she saw it was Lincoln, her face went pale instantly.

Lincoln stood in the doorway and gave Gina a bitter smile.

"Gina, I thought you really cared about my injured foot. I thought you were having someone try on my outfit for tomorrow's party.

"If Nathan hadn't tipped me off and told me to come watch the show, I never would've known that this was all just wishful thinking on my part. There’s no need to wait until tomorrow. I'll return everything you gave me right now."

His hands trembling, he stripped off the custom-tailored suit and the million-dollar watch, hurling them at Gina.

When he yanked off the VP badge from his chest, his gaze turned malicious. He deliberately threw it at my face.

The pin on the back of the badge scratched my cheek, drawing a thin line of blood. It stung.

Gina did not look at me for even a second. She only stared at Lincoln, not even flinching when he threw things at her.

The look in her eyes made my whole body tremble.

During the year she loved me most, she used to look at me that way. That was when I had just turned down the offer from the foreign tech giant to stay and help her build her startup from nothing.

To save money, I survived on bread and pickles. Malnourished and overworked from business dinners, I ended up in the hospital with a bleeding stomach ulcer.

In my daze, I saw Gina holding my hand, her eyes full of concern, swearing she would never let me suffer again.

Now, that look belonged to Lincoln.

"Gina, from now on, we're strangers. I wish you and Nathan a lifetime of happiness."

Lincoln's eyes filled with tears, looking utterly resolute. As he turned to leave, he suddenly crouched down, clutching his chest.

Gina panicked. She dropped to her knees and pulled out medicine she carried with her.

"Lincoln, you have asthma. Don't get worked up. Take your medicine."

"Stay away from me. I don't want to see you."

Lincoln gasped for air, playing the role of the wounded martyr perfectly. He forced himself to stand and left.

I instinctively reached out to stop Gina from going after him, trying to explain.

"I didn't tell him. I had no idea you were bringing me here to try on an outfit. I would never—"

Gina jerked away from me like I was diseased. Her eyes were full of disgust.

"Nathan, you couldn't even wait one day? If anything happens to Lincoln, I'll make you wish you were dead."

My hand froze in midair. A mocking smile tugged at the corner of my lips.

The lover I had shared a bed with for seven years was threatening to make me wish I were dead over Lincoln.

I pulled my hand back.

Gina went after him without hesitation.

Claire hurried forward to manage the situation. "Mr. Harper, Ms. Whitmore spoke in haste. Let me take you to the hospital to get your face treated first."

I shook my head and refused. I simply took off the suit I was wearing. Things that did not belong to me looked ridiculous on me anyway.

My phone chimed. My resignation had been approved. It seemed Gina truly hated me now.

That was fine.

I left the bridal shop and went to the office to pick up my files.

As I passed by, people sneered.

"Did you hear? That guy tried to scam money from Ms. Whitmore and got caught by Mr. Morris. Now he's slinking out of here to resign."

"Remember when he used to be Ms. Whitmore's favorite? But the tables have turned. Can't compete with true love, I guess."

I had heard these kinds of taunts so many times they no longer affected me.

After Lincoln rose to power, he made my life miserable at every turn. He sent back proposals ten times over for revisions.

The workplace veterans sensed the shift in power and started dumping their work on me too.

I used to fantasize about the day Gina's plan would be over and I could prove everyone wrong. Now, looking back, it seemed so childish.

The person in the records room could not wait to get rid of me. They shoved the files into my hands carelessly.

As I walked out of the company, I saw that Lincoln had posted something new on social media.

The photo showed their hands tightly clasped together at sunset. The Patek Philippe watch Lincoln had thrown away was back on his wrist.

The caption read, "She said love comes without warning. I said I'd never stop hoping she'd feel the same."

My finger slipped and I accidentally liked the post. I quickly unliked it.

Gina showed no reaction.

By the time I got home, it was late. I had not eaten all day, so I made myself a bowl of instant noodles.

Halfway through eating, Gina came home. She smelled faintly of alcohol.

She had low alcohol tolerance. I used to care about her and never allowed her to attend drinking events.

In the past, I would have asked her where she had been drinking and made sure she hydrated and took aspirin. Now, I kept my head down and continued eating without looking up.

She kicked off her heels. Her nose twitched and her brow furrowed.

"Why didn't you wait for me? Didn't I tell you not to eat this kind of junk at home?"

Gina hated the smell of instant noodles. She thought it was cheap and disgusting. Now that I thought about it, what she found disgusting were the years we struggled together.

She walked over and accidentally bumped into my bag sitting on top of my suitcase. The documents I needed for going abroad scattered on the floor.

She picked up my passport. Her expression shifted slightly, then she suddenly smiled.

"Nathan, are you upset? Are you throwing a tantrum about going abroad?"

She casually tossed the passport back into my bag without a care.

Having made up with Lincoln, she was in a good mood. She pressed down on my shoulders with practiced ease.

"I got too into character today and was harsh with you. I apologize.

"But we've been planning this trap for a year. We can't let it end so sloppily.

"I've already convinced Lincoln to come back, but he'll definitely be on guard for a while. You and Anna just need to wait a bit longer. A month at most. Once I find the right opportunity, I'll humiliate him.

"But I know you're anxious, so I can—"

From two days to one month. At the end of the day, she just could not let him go.

Why bother making up excuses to deceive me?

"No need." I cut her off, slurped up the last of my noodles, and wiped my mouth with a napkin.

"Let's break up."

The moment those words left my mouth, I felt relieved. Gina's hand, which had been massaging my shoulders, froze.

I brushed her hand away and stood up to clean up the trash.

The alcohol had gone to her head. Her patience for coaxing me ran out, and her expression turned cold.

"Nathan, I just went to comfort Lincoln for a bit, and now you want to break up with me?

"Or is it because I didn't advance you those three months of salary? Your sister is fine. It's not like she'll die without that money. Why are you throwing a fit at me?"

At the mention of my sister, my heart twisted painfully. My eyes turned red, but I had cried all my tears the day Anna died.

"Yes. It's because of those three months of salary.

"Gina, you can drop tens of millions on a mansion for Lincoln without blinking. Is it really that hard to give me 30 thousand dollars?"

At the mention of money, Gina's eyes filled with scorn. She kicked over the trash can.

"It’s no wonder you kept saying you didn't want to play this game anymore. Turns out you're just vain. Lincoln was right. You're just like everyone else, trying to get money out of me."

I knew Gina grew up in foster care without much. She had an obsession with money.

I did not bother defending myself. I just said coldly, "Even though you removed me from my VP position, the amount of work I did didn't decrease at all. You should pay me an equivalent salary. I'm not asking for much. Just give me 70 thousand to make up the difference."

Seventy thousand was enough to buy out seven years of feelings and wipe the slate clean. I could use that money to buy Anna a burial plot abroad.

Gina's gaze turned ice cold.

"Nathan, I've endured humiliation for a year, and it was all for you. To be honest, if you weren't my boyfriend, you never would've been VP in the first place. Once we get married, everything will be yours anyway. Why are you in such a hurry?"

"It's just 70 thousand dollars. I'll give it to you. 70 thousand or seven million, what does it matter?"

Gina grabbed her phone and threw it at me. I did not dodge and let it hit my cheekbone.

The wound the pin had left earlier that day started bleeding again.

Gina's pupils contracted. She moved toward me.

Meanwhile, I picked up the phone and transferred 70 thousand dollars to myself.

"Thanks."

Gina bit her lip, swayed, and collapsed onto the couch, curling into a ball with her brow furrowed. I knew she was sulking, but I did not want to comfort her.

I went to the kitchen to wash the dishes, put them away, and wiped down the counter until it was dry.

She must have thought I was making her something to help with the hangover. Eyes still closed, she murmured softly.

"Not too warm."

I smiled bitterly to myself, grabbed my suitcase, and left.

It turned out leaving for real was a quiet thing. I did not even make enough noise to wake someone who was tipsy.

I found a hotel at random and checked in.

Lincoln sent me a video to taunt me.

From a security camera angle, Lincoln was drowning his sorrows at a bar. Gina arrived right after and snatched the glass from his hand.

Gina was utterly humble. She knelt at his feet, begging him to put on the million-dollar Patek Philippe.

"Lincoln, I was wrong. At first, I was messing with you because of Nathan. But you're so upright and kind. You refused to accept anything I gave you. The first time you accepted a gift from me, my first reaction wasn't anger. It was happiness. Maybe I've been in love with you all along."

All the delays, all the reassurances, were just excuses for favoritism.

Lincoln was smug.

"Nathan, don't forget to tuck Gina in. And don't get too upset if she calls out my name in her sleep."

In the past, I would have lost my mind over this.

Now, I just replied. "Take care of your own girlfriend. The key's under the planter by the door."

I turned off my phone and slept soundly.

The next day, I arrived early at the airport to meet my future colleagues. Then I got a call from Gina.

"Why didn't you come to work today?"

I found it odd. Did she not know I had resigned?

I was about to speak when she muttered. "I got drunk yesterday. Why did you call Lincoln to take care of me? Does torturing yourself like some jealous fool make you happy?

"Today's his birthday, but I won't let him steal the spotlight. I've decided to give you back your VP position first.

"Get to the office. I sent Claire to bring Anna from the hospital so she can be there with you.

"See? I'm thinking of you. We can do the wedding a bit later. I'll make it worth the wait."

I knew her well enough to recognize she was trying to give me an out. For her, this was practically generous.

"Gina, we're not married."

Gina made a small sound of acknowledgment. Her fingers curled the corner of a document, and her lips curved upward.

"I know you want to get the license before the wedding. I can agree to that. Want to go today?"

My tone was flat. "So there's no need for a wedding. We broke up a long time ago."

There was only silence on the other end.

Suddenly, Claire's voice broke through.

"Ms. Whitmore, something's wrong. Mr. Harper's sister—"

Gina frowned, waving her hand irritably. "Forget about bringing Anna. Cancel the VP appointment ceremony too. He's just throwing a tantrum over the breakup. Like I'm going to keep babying him forever."

Claire sounded panicked.

"That's not it, Ms. Whitmore. The hospital said that Mr. Harper's sister has already passed away, and he bought a plane ticket abroad."