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.”