During my time with Eulalie, I had owned little.

A few pieces of clothing, a set of office equipment, that was all.

Silently, I stepped into her room, intending to retrieve the engagement ring I had given her. But the moment I opened the wardrobe, I froze.

Inside, everything was neatly arranged, but none of it was mine. Rows of men’s suits and trousers filled the space, all two sizes too small for me.

I didn’t need to check further. I already knew whom they belonged to.

In the corner of the wardrobe, half-hidden beneath the pristine folds of River’s clothes lay the ring box I had once placed in her hands.

Tossed aside. Its edges were chipped, its paint peeling.

River’s belongings were carefully placed, while my ring, the symbol of our supposed future, had been discarded without a second thought.

At that moment, there was nothing left to misunderstand. Love and indifference had never been clearer.

The door creaked open behind me, followed by Eulalie’s sharp voice.

“What are you doing here? Who let you into my room?!”

She stormed in, flustered, furious.

“I told you to go home! I never said you could touch my things!”

Before I could react, she snatched the engagement ring from my hand.

She glanced at the open wardrobe and faltered, her anger momentarily subsiding. Her voice softened as she explained, almost hesitantly, “The dry cleaners near River’s place broke down, so I brought his clothes here to wash them.”

A rare explanation. But it meant nothing to me.

I gave a slow, indifferent nod, barely sparing her a glance before turning toward the door.

She frowned and quickly stepped in front of me, blocking my path.

“Why aren’t you saying anything? I already explained!”

“Are you still upset about the wedding?”

I towered over her and from this angle, I caught the fresh mark she had tried to conceal on the back of her neck.

A deep shade of red. Newly made.

Looking at her feigned indignation, a wave of nausea swept over me.

“Don’t you think you’re being hypocritical?”

Eulalie froze, her expression shifting for the first time, confusion flickering across her flawless features.

“Let’s break up. This is pointless.”

She stood still as if the words hadn’t fully registered.

Eulalie was born privileged, wealthy, well-educated and effortlessly beautiful.

She had never lacked admirers. Someone like her, with such high standards, would never tolerate humiliation.

Yet, surprisingly, she didn’t throw a tantrum this time.

Silence stretched between us until she finally spoke, her voice unexpectedly gentle.

“Are you sick? Or just feeling unwell? I think you’ve been overworked lately. Get some rest at home and stop overthinking. Our engagement is a matter between our families. You can’t just call it off on a whim.”

At the mention of “engagement,” something in me snapped back into focus.

I met her gaze, a trace of mockery flickering in my eyes.

For a fleeting moment, I had actually thought she cared.

How laughable.

She wasn’t worried about me, only about what she stood to lose if our engagement was broken.

A quiet, bitter chuckle escaped me.

How foolish of me to believe, even for a second, that I mattered.

To her, the only thing that ever mattered was my money.

“No—”

Just as I opened my mouth to refuse, she suddenly bolted out of the room.

“Something happened to River! I have to go back right now!”

“You stay home and rest. I’ll be back later.”

With that, she threw the door open and disappeared.

And just like that, the words I hadn’t finished saying were swallowed whole, left hanging in the empty air.

In her haste, the ring box slipped from her grasp, tumbling to the floor before rolling to a stop at my feet.

I bent down and picked it up.

The pink diamond, the size of a pigeon egg, gleamed under the light, a gem I had personally flown overseas to bid for at an auction. The design alone had taken painstaking effort and the production had stretched over three long years.

Yet, despite everything, she never cherished it.

Just like how she had trampled my love beneath her feet without a second thought.

Without hesitation, I tossed the ring into the trash, along with the last remnants of affection I had for her.

Before leaving, I contacted the company’s legal team and had them draft a contract to formally dissolve our engagement.

With everything settled, I walked out of the house I had spent years in, never once looking back.

That evening, a friend sent me a message inviting me to a gathering.

I accepted without a second thought.

In the past, I had never bothered socializing, always reserving my time for her. But whenever River called, she would drop everything and leave without hesitation.

Now, I no longer had to consider her.

The gathering was in full swing, the air thick with laughter and conversation. Amid the lively crowd, Claudette Graham caught sight of me and raised a brow in surprise.

"You’re not with your fiancée tonight?"

I shook my head, my tone light. "No, we broke up."

My words sent a ripple through the crowd, curiosity flickering in their eyes. I knew what they were thinking.

For years, my love for Eulalie had been no secret. We had finally gotten engaged, only to have it all fall apart so suddenly.

Who wouldn’t be shocked?

But Claudette was quick to recover. Without missing a beat, she poured me a drink, her lips curling into a smirk.

"Forget it, then! If it’s over, it’s over. I have no doubt you’ll find someone even better."

Laughter and chatter soon resumed, the tension dissolving as the atmosphere turned lively again. Perhaps they feared I would linger on heartbreak, wallowing in regret.

But I simply smiled. I wasn’t grieving.

After a few rounds of drinks, I stood up, heading for a short break in the restroom.

Yet, just as I reached the doorway, I froze.

Standing right there, so close I could hear her breath hitch, was Eulalie.

And leaning heavily against her, his face flushed as red as a ripe apple, was River.

She simply smiled indulgently and patted his head as if soothing a child.

I had no intention of lingering. I was about to turn away when River suddenly called out my name.

"President Everly, what are you doing here?"

His voice wavered and the moment the words left his lips, he shrank back timidly.

"Eulalie has been out socializing all night. How do you have time to be here enjoying yourself?"

Just like that, the air tensed. Eulalie’s face darkened in an instant.

"I told you to stay home and rest! Why did you follow me here?"

A rest day. No business obligations.

Who exactly was so important that she needed to spend the night drinking with them?

I didn’t even need to think about it.

It was just another excuse.

My gaze flicked between them, the way he leaned into her, how she held him so naturally.

The sight was enough.

A cold laugh escaped my lips as I turned away, unwilling to waste another second on them.

I had barely taken a step when Eulalie’s voice rang out, sharp and commanding.

"Who said you could leave? Come back here!"

Before I could even acknowledge her, the private room door swung open.

Claudette stepped out.

Her gaze flickered from me to them and a knowing glint flashed in her eyes.

She leaned in slightly, her voice carrying an amused lilt.

"Why are you still standing here?" she teased. "I’m drunk already."

Even as a joke, she kept a respectful distance, something neither of them seemed capable of.

A small smile tugged at my lips. "It’s fine, I’m coming back now."

It was a simple exchange. Nothing more. Yet, in the next instant, Eulalie’s expression twisted with fury.

"Larkin! Who is she?"

River was nearly shoved aside, his face darkening as a flush of anger crept up his neck.

"President Everly, how could you do something like this in front of Eulalie?" he demanded.

Claudette let out a low scoff.

"Oh? So the powerful can set fires, but the rest of us can’t even light a lamp?"

The air crackled with tension, the argument teetering on the edge of escalation.

I leaned in slightly, my voice low. "You should go first. I’ll be back soon."

Claudette cast one last sharp glare at Eulalie before turning on her heel, making her way leisurely back to the private room.

As soon as she disappeared from sight, Eulalie’s expression softened ever so slightly. Her voice, however, remained gentle only for the one in her arms.

"River, go back first. I need to talk to him."

He clearly wasn’t pleased but nodded nonetheless. "Alright, I’ll wait for you outside."

Silence settled over the hallway as his footsteps faded into the distance.

Only then did Eulalie finally speak, "If you’re trying to make me jealous, you don’t have to put on such an act."

I held her gaze, searching for the right words to describe the feeling in my chest. But none came.

Instead, my voice was calm and resolute.

"I won’t be involved in your company’s matters anymore."

She narrowed her eyes at me, studying my face before letting out a scoff.

"Oh? I was planning to have River take over your position anyway. You not showing up saves me the trouble of dealing with extra paperwork."

"You’re still the same as before, always trying to get my attention with these petty tactics. Honestly, I’m disappointed in you."

Arrogant. Conceited. Some things never changed. A quiet chuckle escaped me. "No need to trouble yourself over it. Since we ran into each other, you might as well sign the contract while you're at it."

For weeks, I had placed contract after contract in front of her, waiting for her signature.

Her company had been walking on thin ice, teetering on the edge of financial collapse. She needed partnerships desperately. Without them, the consequences would be irreversible.

I had handled everything for her, yet she never so much as glanced my way.

Just as expected, the moment she saw the word "contract," she scrawled her name across the page without hesitation.

Only then did her tone shift, growing softer as her gaze lingered on me.

"So this was about business. You could have just waited for me at home."

She paused as if expecting a reaction.

"I only brought River out tonight because of work. Don’t overthink it," she continued smoothly. "Tomorrow, I’ll take you to get our marriage certificate."

Taking back the document, I exhaled a silent sigh, masking the relief that settled in my chest. My voice remained indifferent.

"There’s no need. I don’t want to see you again."

She was just about to snap when her phone rang.

In an instant, her tone shifted into something softer, almost tender.

"Alright, alright, I’ll be right out." A brief pause. Then, with quiet concern, she added, "The wind is strong outside. Wait for me in the car."

She cast me one last glance before turning on her heel, the sharp clicks of her high heels fading as she strode away.

I lowered my gaze to the contract in my hands, a quiet chuckle escaping me.

This wasn’t a business contract.

It was the agreement to terminate our arranged marriage.

Back when we had set the wedding date, I had made her a promise, one she likely never even considered.

As long as she was my wife, I would have poured every ounce of my strength and resources into supporting her.

I had wanted her to understand that, despite how our marriage began, my feelings were real. I had been willing to give her everything.

We should have gotten our marriage certificate long ago.

But on the day we were supposed to, River fell ill, food poisoning, they said. She left without hesitation, running to take care of another man.

I waited outside the marriage registry the entire day. She never came.

Night fell and all I received was a single message:

[River is sick. I need to stay with him. We’ll get the certificate another time.]

I had been upset, but I didn’t blame her.

Now? I was just grateful.