“Alright, we’re on our way.”

“I can’t talk right now. This is too much.” Adrian hung up.

“Let’s hurry to Adrian’s place,” Lyra urged me.

“Adrian? That sounds awfully affectionate.” I frowned.

“He graduated from the same university as me. He feels like a younger brother to me,” Lyra explained. “Come on, stop being jealous. He’s not feeling well, we need to get there quickly.”

“Address,” I demanded.

Lyra quickly gave me the address.

“How do you know his home address?” I asked flatly.

“What do you mean?” She frowned. “I personally hired him as my assistant. Is it a problem that I know his home address?”

“Didn’t you hear how he just called me ‘Mr. Driver’?”

“He doesn’t know your identity.”

“So what? Just because he doesn’t know who I am, he can treat me like that? Barking orders at your driver?”

“Damien, when will you learn? He’s unwell, of course he’s distracted. Just drive.”

I turned and stared at Lyra. Her face was full of anxiety, her eyes brimming with worry. I had never once seen her like that when I was sick.

“Damien! Adrian is an orphan. He needs extra care. Don’t take it too much in your heart.”

She suddenly rummaged through her bag. “Oh, look! I brought you a gift from this business trip. I know you were upset I couldn’t be there for your birthday. Adrian even helped me pick it out, you’ll love it.”

I grabbed the gift and flung it out the window. She hadn’t even been on a trip. And the thought of Adrian “helping pick it out” made me sick.

“You’re out of line. Get out and pick that gift. Right now,” she said quickly.

I didn’t move.

“Forget it then,” her tone darkened. “We’re going to Adrian’s place now.”

I still didn’t move.

“Get out of the car. This is my car.”

“Fine, if you told me so.” I pushed open the door, spotted the gift lying on the ground and stomped on it twice.

Lyra slid into the driver’s seat, rolled up the window and floored the accelerator, speeding away.

I knew from that day forward, our paths would inevitably diverge.

I pulled out my phone and made a call. “Terminate all collaborations with the Aldridge Family. Halt any ongoing projects immediately.”

My family had opposed my relationship with Lyra from the very beginning, even cutting off all financial support. But during my years in the military, I had built a legendary reputation and forged powerful connections. After I was discharged, those connections helped me establish my business empire.

Over the past three years, I had built my own wealth and influence, to the point where even my family could no longer control me. They had finally agreed to let me meet Lyra formally.

All this time, my empire had been quietly supporting the Aldridge Family, helping their business flourish.

From this day onward, Lyra and I would have no ties. The Aldridge Family would receive no more support from me.

But to say I wasn’t hurt would be a lie.

I went to a restaurant, ordered a bottle of wine and sat there in silence, drinking as memories of our years together washed over me.

After leaving the military, I carried deep psychological scars. Being with Lyra had helped me slowly heal and I had given her my entire heart.

“Love is giving without expecting anything in return. Thinking this way keeps you from getting angry when the other person doesn’t love you back.”

I couldn’t help but recall the words of an old friend.

Thinking of it that way, there truly was nothing to be angry about.

I had set her free. And now, I would begin a new life of my own.

Later that evening, Lyra called. My heart had already settled into calm and I answered without hesitation.

“Adrian is in the hospital. I’m staying with him tonight. I won’t be coming home.”

“Okay.”

I replied with a single word before hanging up. From now on, she could stay with him however she wished.

Inside the hospital, Lyra’s expression was tinged with unease. She had thought long and hard before making this call. Today, it was nearly impossible to find another excuse not to go home, but claiming she would stay with Adrian made her anxious about how I might react.

Still, she couldn’t bring herself to leave Adrian alone, so she steeled her nerves and called me. As her best friend had advised, this was “desensitization training”, a way to gradually get me used to Adrian’s presence. That was why she had finally chosen to call.

What she hadn’t expected was my flat response: “Okay.”

The single word left her feeling strangely hollow inside.

But she had no time to linger on that emptiness. Calls began pouring in.

She answered several in quick succession, her expression darkening with each one. Suppliers and distributors threatened to end their partnerships, the newest project had run into serious snags and the bank was demanding repayment of loans.

“President Lyra, President Lyra,” Adrian kept calling out, but Lyra brushed him off impatiently and rushed back to the company.

The next morning, I arrived at the office. Though my official role was bodyguard and driver, Lyra had given me a private office due to my special status. But today, I came only to pack my things and resign.

As I sat at my desk writing my resignation letter, someone knocked on the door.

“Come in.”

Adrian pushed the door open. “Damien, I didn’t know your background yesterday. I’m sorry for offending you.”

He stood there in a posture of submission, but the faint curl at the corner of his lips didn’t escape my notice.

My gaze fell on him. Adrian wasn’t dressed for work, he looked instead like a new recruit in uniform. He stood stiff and straight, a medal pinned to his chest.

My medal. The military merit medal I had earned with my life.

I scrutinized him from head to toe. The uniform he wore was one I had brought back after leaving the service. The gouges on the belt were unmistakable; that very belt had once blocked an enemy’s blade for me. I had treasured it like a priceless gem.

No, this entire uniform, along with that medal, were my treasures.

“Nice outfit. Where did you get it?” I asked coldly.

“President Lyra gave it to me.” Adrian’s eyes gleamed with pride. “She said I needed to look more masculine.”

Adrian was the type of man people called a “pretty boy”, or more bluntly, effeminate. Even dressed in my uniform, he couldn’t hide his softness.

I had already made peace with breaking up with Lyra, but this scene made my blood boil. Staring at Adrian’s smug face, I barked, “Take off those clothes and get out.”

“Damien, I don’t know what I did wrong. Tell me and I’ll fix it.”

“I told you to take off that outfit and get out.”

Adrian obeyed with a show of grievance, but as he turned to leave, the corners of his mouth curled upward in a smirk.

Thud!

Moments later, Lyra kicked open the office door, her eyes blazing. “Damien, you’ve gone too far.”

“Over the uniform?” I replied coldly. “This uniform, this belt, this medal, they mean everything to me. Don’t you know that?”

Lyra’s gaze was equally frosty. “Who knows if they’re even real? I checked your background, there’s no record of you receiving any awards. Maybe you fabricated this persona to impress me.”

“Even if I had faked it, you knew how much I cherished these things. And yet you gave them to Adrian?”

“I did. Why? I can just buy you new ones. I never thought you’d be this petty.”

“President Lyra, please don’t argue with Damien. It’s all my fault.” Adrian reappeared, now draped in Lyra’s suit jacket. The sight was comical, yet deep in his eyes burned the triumphant joy of a victor.

He turned to me and said, “Damien, the fortune teller said I carry heavy dark energy and need objects of pure light energy to counteract it. That’s why President Lyra gave me these things. It’s all my fault. If I had known they belonged to you, I would never have accepted them.”

“Damien, rest assured. I’ll resign immediately and never show my face to you again. I won’t let my presence affect your relationship with President Lyra.”

“Who told you to resign?” Lyra snapped. “Your abilities are undeniable. As the company president, it’s my prerogative to give you gifts, no one can question that. Trust me, I’ll buy you something even better.”

Her voice was ice as she fixed me with a hard stare. “You humiliated Adrian by making him strip. How do you expect him to save face? I demand you go outside and apologize to him in front of every employee.”

“President Lyra, that’s unnecessary. I should be the one apologizing to Damien.”

“Stop putting on an act for me. Get out.” I could no longer stomach their theatrics. If this were a battlefield, Adrian would’ve been the first I sent to hell.

Adrian suddenly dropped to his knees. “Damien, I truly regret everything. Please don’t have those old brothers come after me. I’ll leave Canada and never return.”

“Damien!” Lyra’s voice rose sharply. “I misjudged you. I never imagined you could be this kind of man.”

She stepped forward to help Adrian up. “Don’t be afraid. With me here, no one can hurt you.”

The sight made my stomach turn. As I stood, Adrian cowered behind Lyra. From his cover, he shot me a defiant glare and secretly flipped me off.

As I moved closer, Lyra’s eyes locked on mine. “What are you doing?”

“Apologize to Adrian right now, or I’ll fire you.”

“Fire me?” I flung my resignation letter at her face. “I quit.”

She froze, staring blankly as the letter fluttered to the floor. Then, snapping back, she barked, “Stop! You think you can just walk out like this?”

“What else would you have me do? Stay and watch you two disgusting lovers put on a show?”

“Adrian and I are innocent. Watch your mouth.” Lyra’s voice trembled as she tried to control her anger, afraid to escalate things further. She lowered her tone, “You know the company is in trouble, right? You know I can’t give you wealth and status anymore. That’s why you’re leaving, isn’t it?”

“Hmph.”

I couldn’t even bother to respond. I turned and walked out.

“What are you all staring at? Get back to work!” Lyra barked at the gawking employees, sending them scurrying back to their desks.

I stepped outside the company building, stretched my arms and felt free.

“Damien, so you’re out?” Adrian called after me, his eyes full of smug victory. “Lyra has amazing figure. Never imagined she had such a wild side, but from now on, that side belongs to me alone.”

He pointed his pinky downward. “While you…You’re this.”

He pulled out his car keys and pressed the button twice. The car I had been driving beeped in response.

“From now on, this car and Lyra are mine. As for you… get down on your knees right now and apologize. And strip off your clothes. Those are company uniforms, you have no right to leave in them.”