"Ryder! Ryder!" a voice called out from the end of the street.

Ryder looked up and saw Seth—with Laura standing beside him, looking visibly awkward.

It wouldn't have been hard to brush off the situation. After all, she was his boss, and he was her assistant. Saying they were on a business trip would have been perfectly reasonable.

The problem was that Laura was draped in Seth's jacket, and they were standing too close to appear purely professional. Instead, they looked more like a couple out shopping together.

With Harry also present, Laura felt the need to explain herself.

"We were just in the area for a business meeting and were about to head back. It got a bit chilly, so Seth gave me his jacket," she said quickly.

Harry scoffed.

Trying to ease the tension, Laura asked, "What about you two? What brings you here?"

"We came to try on suits, to make sure they fit," Ryder replied.

"Don't worry, they'll fit perfectly. They were tailored to your measurements," Laura assured him.

Ryder nodded without saying much else.

Unable to tolerate the awkward atmosphere any longer, Harry tugged on Ryder's arm. "Alright, alright. We're both tired. Let's head back."

In the taxi, Ryder opened Seth's social media feed. As expected, there was a new post.

Seth: [Laura, you're the best! What other boss would take a whole day to go shopping with their assistant?!]

Harry saw it too. "Wow. One of them is busy building the stage, and the other is tearing it down."

On the way home, they passed a jewelry store.

After a moment's hesitation, Ryder asked the driver to stop and went in to buy a pearl necklace.

Later that night, Laura didn't return home until deep into the night.

When the door finally opened, Ryder, who had been waiting, pulled out a box containing the pearl necklace he had bought.

He took Laura's coat from her, his eyes dropping to her neck, and noticed she was already wearing a new necklace.

"What's that?" he asked, gesturing toward her neck.

"Oh, this?" Laura touched the silver necklace lightly. "Seth got it for me. He said my neck looked too plain and thought this would suit me better."

Ryder's hand tightened around the box.

"Silver doesn't suit you. Pearls match your style better," he said coldly.

Laura frowned. "Why are you talking to me like that? So harsh, like you're picking a fight! It's Seth's thoughtful gift, and I think it looks good on me."

Ryder froze for a moment.

He vividly remembered how, back in university, Laura had told him she only liked pearl jewelry. That memory was why, even when money was tight, he had saved up to buy her a pearl necklace.

Now, she didn't care about that necklace or about him.

How quickly people changed...

Ryder glanced toward the bedroom and chuckled, feeling a strange sense of release.

"Harry's going on a business trip soon," he said, his tone calm. "His grandmother lives alone, and she's getting on in years. I'll be staying with her for a few days to help out."

"That's fine. Just be back before the wedding," Laura replied.

"Oh, and you've been so busy planning the wedding by yourself. Let me take over the rest of the arrangements. I should contribute too," he offered.

Laura approached and hugged him from behind, nuzzling her face into his back. "Thanks, hubby!"

Ryder gently pushed her away. "Alright, I'm tired too. Let's get some rest."

For the second time recently, Laura felt something was off about him.

She wanted to ask him what was wrong, but her phone rang before she could say anything.

"Laura! I fell asleep in your office after dinner and just woke up! The lights are off, and I'm locked in! Help me, Laura!" Seth's voice was loud enough for Ryder to hear clearly, even without the speaker on.

Laura hesitated, glancing at Ryder.

He waved her off. "It's late, and leaving Seth alone in the office isn't right. You should go check on him."

Laura, feeling relieved, grabbed her phone and rushed out while reassuring Seth.

Watching her leave, Ryder put down the gift box in his hand.

The surface was damp with sweat. He opened the box and stared at the pearl necklace inside for a long time.

Laura didn't come home that night.

-

The next morning, Ryder woke up and sat by the window, gazing outside for a long time.

Most of the projects at work had already been handed off, and the wedding preparations were nearly done.

With his departure imminent, his thoughts turned to the people he still needed to say goodbye to.

His parents had long passed away, and he had no close relatives to speak of. Still, there were a few elders he felt he needed to visit before leaving.

At that moment, Laura's call came through. "Ryder, I just heard from the project department manager that you've handed off all your work to others. What's going on?"

"I told you yesterday, didn't I? I'm taking care of the rest of the wedding planning. I can't juggle everything at once. The others in the department are seasoned employees—I trust them to handle things," Ryder explained.

"Oh, alright. I thought... Never mind," Laura dismissed.

"Mm," Ryder hummed.

After hanging up, Laura couldn't shake the uneasiness in her heart.

Something about Ryder didn't feel right, but his explanation made perfect sense, leaving her with little to question.

Suddenly, she stretched her hand into the air, making a grasping motion.

The air slipped through her fingers, leaving her empty-handed.

It felt as if something was slipping away from her—something she couldn't hold onto.

-

Ryder hailed a cab and headed to an orphanage on the outskirts of town.

This was the same orphanage his parents had supported while they were alive. The director, Alexander Sawyer, had been one of his father's closest friends.

As soon as Alexander saw him from afar, he began waving enthusiastically. "Ryder, you're here!"

He led Ryder into the orphanage.

"What about Laura? Didn't she come with you this time? Aren't you two about to get married?" he asked.

Forcing a weak smile, Ryder replied, "There's been... an issue. The wedding might not happen after all."

Alexander's expression grew cautious. "What happened? Did you have a fight with Laura?"

Shaking his head, Ryder answered, "No, it's not that. My professor emailed me recently, encouraging me to return and pursue further studies. I thought about it and decided to focus on my growth first."

"Don't give me that nonsense! I've watched you grow up—what's really going on?" Alexander pressed.

Faced with no way out, Ryder finally told Alexander about Seth.

After listening, Alexander fell into a long silence.

Eventually, he spoke. "Ryder, as long as this is truly what you want, I'll support you. All I want is for you to be happy."

For the first time since deciding to leave, tears welled up in Ryder's eyes.

Alexander's words struck something deep within him.

He nodded firmly. "Thank you, Uncle Alexander."

Alexander then asked, "Will we see you again soon, or..."

"I'm not sure. It'll probably be a while. Once everything settles down, I'll come back and visit everyone," Ryder replied.

-

After bidding Alexander farewell, Ryder picked up some fruit and headed to a nearby hospital.

Inside one of the rooms, an elderly woman with gray hair lay quietly in bed.

"Granny Bambra, it's me. I came to see you," Ryder greeted.

The old woman, Lisa Bambra, stirred, raising her head slightly.

When she saw him, a soft smile spread across her face. "Ryder, you're here."

She reached out a hand to touch his head, and he obediently leaned down to let her.

Lisa was someone Ryder and Laura had met back in university. One day, while shopping, Lisa had suddenly collapsed in front of them. The two had rushed her to the hospital.

It was only later that they learned she had no family.

Feeling a connection, the two of them had decided to look after her in her twilight years.

Over the past two years, Lisa's health had been steadily declining, and she had been frequently hospitalized.

Pulling up a chair, Ryder sat by her bedside as she took his hand.

"Ryder, I heard from Laura that you two are getting married soon, right?" she asked.

Her words made him visibly uncomfortable. Explaining things to elders was always the hardest part.

Upon noticing his hesitation, Lisa's expression grew concerned. "What's wrong? Did something happen?"

Just as he opened his mouth to respond, the hospital room door swung open.

Standing there with a bag of supplements was Seth. He froze momentarily at the sight of Ryder but quickly smiled.

"Granny Bambra, hello! Laura and I came to see you," he greeted.

Then, he turned to Ryder. "What a coincidence to see you here, too!"

Pushing past Seth, Laura stepped into the room.

When she saw Ryder, she asked, "You're here too? Why didn't you tell me?"

"It was a last-minute decision," Ryder replied. "Didn't think it was worth bothering you over."

Lisa pointed to Seth and asked Laura, "Laura, who is this?"

Before Laura could answer, Seth jumped in with a cheerful grin. "Granny Bambra, I'm Laura's assistant. Just call me Seth."

Lisa's gaze lingered on Laura and Seth momentarily, and a knowing look crossed her face. She turned back to Ryder as if to ask, "Is it because of this?"

Ryder smirked and gave her a nearly imperceptible nod.

The three of them stayed with Lisa until the sun dipped low in the sky. She said she was tired and wanted to rest.

"Alright then, you rest up. We'll head out now," they said.

"Ryder, you stay. Read me a few stories. I haven't been sleeping well lately," Lisa requested.

Ryder nodded and watched as Seth followed closely behind Laura, whispering something to her as they left the room.

The hospital room fell silent again.

"What about the wedding?" Lisa asked. "What are you planning to do?"

"I'll take care of it. She'll be satisfied," Ryder replied.

"And you?" Lisa pressed.

"I'll go abroad, continue my studies, and probably settle there long-term," he answered.

A heavy silence settled between them.

"Alright. Granny supports you," Lisa said.

Ryder stood up, gave her a tight hug, and left the room.

Outside the hospital, Laura's car was parked by the curb. She waved at him as he walked out.

"Come on, let's go home," she said.

Ryder raised an eyebrow. "Where's Seth? Why isn't he with you?"

Laura gestured toward the distance. "Over there. I told him to take a cab home."

Ryder turned and saw Seth sitting on the curb, crouched at the corner of the street, far away.

When he looked back at Laura, her gaze remained fixed on Seth. A wry smile tugged at the corners of his lips.

"You should drive him home instead. It's a short walk for me from here—I'll walk back," he suggested.

Laura hesitated, unease growing in her heart.

She wanted to reach out and grab his hand but faltered when her eyes drifted back to Seth.

"Alright. Be careful on your way," she said finally.

The cool night breeze swirled around Ryder as Laura drove away, leaving only the fading trail of her car's exhaust.

-

Laura didn't come home until late again.

Ryder sat on the bed, bathed in warm light, flipping through a book.

Laura leaned in to take a look. It was a book on architectural design.

"Isn't this what you studied abroad? Why are you reading it now?" she asked.

Ryder continued flipping through the pages. "No reason. I found it while packing, so I figured I'd give it another look."

Laura's instincts kicked in.

"Packing? What are you packing for?" she pressed.

"I told you a few days ago—I'm going to stay at Harry's place for a bit. Did you forget?" Ryder replied.

Relieved, Laura exhaled. "Oh, that. Right."

The room grew quiet again.

"By the way, what did you end up talking about with Granny Bambra?" she asked.

Without lifting his gaze, Ryder answered calmly, "I read her a fairy tale. She fell asleep after a while, so I came down."

Laura opened the closet and noticed it was half-empty.

Apart from one outfit of Ryder's, the rest were all hers.

"Why did you pack so much?" she asked.

"I'll be staying for a few days. Thought I'd bring a few extra things so I wouldn't have to come back for more," he answered.

She went to the bathroom next, where only her toiletries remained on the sink.

"Why did you pack all your bathroom stuff, too? Doesn't Harry have that covered?" she questioned.

"It's not my place, so I figured I'd bring my own. Just to be safe," Ryder replied.

Something about this unsettled Laura, though she couldn't quite put her finger on it. The same unease from days before crept back into her heart.

Pulling out her phone, she messaged Harry.

Laura: [Is Ryder going to stay at your place?]

Harry: [Yeah, I just moved into a new house. Why?]

Laura: [Oh, nothing.]

With confirmation from Harry, Laura's eyes returned to the sink.

The single, solitary set of toiletries stared back at her.

She didn't like the feeling it gave her—it was as if Ryder was systematically peeling himself away from her life, one piece at a time.

They were getting married, weren't they?

Laura tried to convince herself everything was fine.

"By the way, Ryder, when are you moving to Harry's place?" she asked.

"Tomorrow," he answered.