Jane walked out of the magazine office and immediately saw Tom leaning against his black Cullinan, lost in thought.

As she approached, she finally understood what Wendy meant by "a surprise."

The interior of the black car was filled with bright red roses, blooming vibrantly.

Except for the passenger seat, the backseat and the trunk were completely stuffed with roses.

Behind her, she could still hear the voices of a few close female colleagues from the office.

They were hiding behind the company sign, sneaking glances in their direction, giggling and nudging each other.

Whenever Tom came to pick her up, he often brought her something she liked.

Cakes, drinks, or a variety of snacks she enjoyed.

Her colleagues had seen it many times, but they still teased her every time. "Whenever your boyfriend shows up, the whole office gets a treat. We're really benefiting from you, Jane!"

Jane always tacitly acknowledged these remarks, brushing them off with a smile. She would then share whatever Tom brought with everyone.

Now, they were probably all waiting for a chance to divide up the roses in his car.

She called out, "Tom."

Tom lifted his head, but his expression was unpleasant, his demeanor still icy. "Show some respect. I'm your brother."

Jane froze for a moment.

Then she slowly nodded. "Okay."

"I was too harsh last night. Don't take it to heart."

"Okay."

"But you're not a child anymore. Pushing someone down the stairs like that is dangerous. Don't ever do it again."

Jane looked up in disbelief, her anger bubbling over. "So, you're here today to interrogate me?"

Tom's expression darkened. "You still don't realize what you did wrong, do you?"

"Tom, you've known me for over 20 years. Even if I really wanted to harm her, I wouldn't be stupid enough to do it in my own house!" Jane shouted in frustration but instantly regretted it.

What was the point? She was leaving anyway.

No matter how much she explained, it wouldn't change anything.

"Forget it. Leave. Stop bothering me at work."

When Jane returned to the entrance of the workplace, her previously cheerful colleagues seemed to notice something was wrong and looked at her with concern.

"Jane, did you have a quarrel with him?"

"Don't be mad. He brought all those roses to apologize. Give him a chance!"

"Exactly, Jane, you're so lucky, but you don't even realize it. A boyfriend like him is one in a million!"

Jane kept a neutral expression and said quietly, "Stop crowding around. Get back to work."

Her strong photography skills gave her a respected voice in the magazine office.

The younger colleagues listened to her, reluctantly returning to their desks, looking disappointed.

Wendy, who was the closest to her, tugged on her sleeve and asked softly, "Jane, can I ask for just one rose? I saw his car was full of flowers, and even prepared a vase."

Jane felt a headache coming on. "I'll buy you one myself later. I won't let your vase sit empty."

Back at her desk, she was still distracted and irritated.

She tried to process some photos she had taken earlier, but her phone buzzed.

[Image] [Image] [Image]

[Which one do you like best? Blushing shy face.jpg]

Hailey had sent several pictures of various nightgown styles.

Rather than nightgowns, they looked more like lingerie.

The designs revealed far too much, leaving little to the imagination.

Moments later, the messages were all deleted.

Hailey. [Sorry! Sent it to the wrong person.]

Jane turned off her phone and shoved it into the drawer.

They both knew Hailey hadn't sent it to the wrong person. She did it on purpose.

It wasn't until after work that Jane retrieved her phone and turned it back on.

There were no missed calls.

No texts.

No WhatsApp messages.

Nothing.

Before, if she didn't respond for more than half an hour, Tom would call her nonstop or rush to the office to find her.

Now, he didn't.

Her Twitter feed notified her of a new post.

When she opened it, the scene was all too familiar—

The black Cullinan, filled with vibrant red roses.

Hailey was holding a large bouquet, standing in front of the car with a radiant smile.

The caption read: [Thank you, my love. This is the best birthday gift I've ever received.]

'Oh, so, today is Hailey's birthday,' thought Jane.

Everything in the car had been prepared for Hailey.

After work, Jane didn't feel like going home.

But Tom’s mother, Linda Howard, called her, worried. "Jane, why are you working so late these days? It's not safe for a young girl like you. I'll have Tom pick you up."

Jane no longer wanted to ride in his car.

Neither the passenger seat nor the roses belonged to her anymore.

"There's no need, Linda. I'll take a cab home."

"Alright then. Stay safe, dear."

Jane hailed a ride and returned home, only to find Tom and Hailey already there.

Hailey was dragging a large suitcase out of her room. "Jane, you're back!"

Jane was instantly furious. "Who gave you permission to go into my room?"

Tom immediately slammed his cup down heavily and said, "I gave her permission. What's the problem?"

Jane stared at him, anger simmering. "Without my permission, what right does she have to enter my room and touch my things?"

"Jane, this is the Howard family's residence. Hailey is my fiancee. She can enter any room in the Howard family's residence as she pleases."

Jane felt as though a bucket of cold water had been dumped over her.

Hailey softly "scolded" him, her voice gentle. "Tom, how could you talk to Jane like that? You'll make her sad."

Then she turned to Jane and explained, "Jane, the household staff told me that Tom's clothes and shoes had always been stored in your room. You've got so many clothes, and he was taking up half your closet, leaving no space for you. So I took the initiative to move all his clothes to our bedroom."

Jane recalled how clingy Tom used to be with her.

Because of him, she had never even received a love letter in her entire life. He had scared off any potential admirers.

Later, he had even moved his clothes into her bedroom, claiming it was so she could choose his outfits and ties every morning.

She knew his wardrobe better than he did.

Jane quickly ran upstairs and dashed into her room.

The chaos inside made her think her room had been ransacked by burglars.

Her clothes, shoes, and makeup were strewn everywhere, the mess overwhelming.

Pointing at the disaster, she angrily questioned Hailey, "Is this how you 'move clothes'?"

Hailey's eyes turned red, and she stammered, "I'm sorry, Jane, it was an accident..."

"An accident that left my room looking like a mess? Your accidents are truly extraordinary!"

Tom frowned and reprimanded her. "Jane, watch your tone!"

Jane let out a bitter laugh. "So, even when I've done nothing wrong, it's still my fault, isn't it?"

"Hailey is your future sister-in-law. You should respect her."

"Tom, why don't you come and see for yourself?"

Tom walked upstairs, and for a brief moment, his expression froze when he saw the mess.

But only for a moment.

The next second, he looked at Hailey with a fond smile and chuckled. "Let's leave the cleaning to the servants from now on."

"But I don't want anyone else touching my clothes, especially... my nightgowns."

She emphasized the word "nightgowns," her cheeks flushing a deep red.

Tom nodded helplessly. "Alright, I'll handle it from now on. You can just sit back and relax, okay?"

Hailey playfully stuck out her tongue. "Tom, am I a bit silly?"

"It's fine. With me here, you can be as silly as you want."

Jane closed her eyes, overwhelmed by disgust.

She had never hated the notion of a resignation notice period more.

If it weren't for it, she would already be on the other side of the ocean, free from this nauseating scene.

"Jane, tell me how much Hailey damaged—clothes, equipment, everything. I'll compensate you."

Jane couldn't help but laugh.

Tom was going to solve the problem by paying her money?

He was using such a solution on Jane?

Hailey even nudged her arm and whispered, "Jane, you can ask for more. He’ll pay you whatever the amount you come up with because I was the one who caused the mess."

Tom looked at Hailey indulgently. "Are you siding with an ousider to rip your husband off?"

Hailey made a silly face. "Well, I'll soon be Jane's sister-in-law. Since I’m older, then I’ll have to take care of her!"

Jane sneered. ‘Siding with outsiders? I’m the outsider now?’

Yes, they were the closest pair now.

She, an adopted daughter of the Howard family, was indeed nothing more than an outsider.

Her phone suddenly rang.

It was Mr. Westwood.

Forcing herself to calm down, she answered, "Mr. Westwood?"

Mr. Westwood's voice came through the line. "Jane, I remember that your bird photography project was exceptional. The magazine's editor-in-chief wants to see the original negatives. Can you send them over?"

"Of course, Mr. Westwood. Just give me a moment."

Jane returned to her room.

She habitually stored her negatives in a locked drawer.

When she reached for the key, she realized the cabinet was wet.

"Jane, I'm so sorry," Hailey chimed in from behind her. "I accidentally spilled coffee earlier. I didn't want to stain your cabinet, so I cleaned it with water..."

The more Jane listened, the colder her heart grew.

Ignoring Hailey, she quickly unlocked the drawer.

When she pulled it open, her heart sank completely.

Rows upon rows of negatives were soaked.

Some had already unraveled, others were discolored, and many were tangled together. The water had turned brown from the damage.

These were three years' worth of photography work—all destroyed.

Jane trembled with anger, unable to speak.

At some point, Tom had entered the room. When he saw the state of the drawer, he said indifferently, "Calculate the cost of these negatives. I'll pay for them as well for Hailey."

Jane finally exploded. "Can she even afford it? She might not have any idea what these negatives mean to me but do you not know either?"

Tom frowned slightly. "The negatives are ruined now. Losing your temper won't change that. Hailey only wanted to help me organize my clothes. Spilling the coffee was just an accident."

"An accident? So an accident just wipes everything clean? If you accidentally kill someone while driving, is a simple apology enough to settle it?"

"Jane!" Tom's tone turned harsh. "Don't be unreasonable. Negatives and human lives aren't the same! If the photos are gone, just take more. It's not that serious."

On the other end of the phone, Mr. Westwood, concerned by the raised voices, asked, "Jane, is everything okay at home?"

Jane took a deep breath and replied, "Mr. Westwood, I'm afraid I can't provide the negatives for now. I'll find time to retake the photos and send them to you."

"That's fine. Don't rush. The visa process will take at least 2 weeks anyway."

"Alright."

Tom, catching the word "visa," asked sharply, "Visa? Are you going abroad?"

Jane hung up the phone.

She calmed herself for a moment, then silently began cleaning up the mess on the floor. "Mr. Westwood's visa expired. He's too old to travel back and forth, so he asked me to help him with it."

Tom asked suspiciously, "Isn't Mr. Westwood's daughter in the country? Why doesn't he ask her to handle it?"

Jane replied sharply, "Why don't you give his daughter a call and ask her?"

"I don’t have the time."

"Then stop asking so many questions."

Jane spent the entire night tidying up the bedroom.

Jane decided not to take the clothes and shoes that were ruined by Hailey away. She simply piled them up in the corner of the wardrobe.

She managed to save a few rolls of film.

However, the negatives had been soaked in water, causing severe distortion, so they were no longer usable.

As for the bottles and jars of cosmetics, the liquids were mostly drained, and the powders had been soaked through, rendering them unusable as well.

Hailey. [Today is just a warning.]

Hailey sent her a message.

It stayed for two minutes.

Just before the two-minute mark, it was recalled.

This way, Jane could still see it but there would be no evidence left behind.

However, after the previous incident, Jane had been cautious.

The moment she received the message, she took a screenshot.

She sneered and sent the screenshot to Hailey.

This time, Hailey did not respond for a long while.

Jane truly wanted to laugh.

Did she really think her tricks could work repeatedly without her being on guard at all?

Hailey was underestimating her too much.

After about ten minutes, Hailey finally replied.

Hailey. [What’s the meaning of this?]

Jane. [Nothing, just a warning.]

After sending this, she turned off her phone.

She didn’t care if Hailey would recall her messages or not.

She no longer cared about how Tom would react after seeing it.

Since the day she decided to leave, she should no longer have any expectations from him.

The next morning, during breakfast, Linda noticed that Jane’s face looked off and asked with concern, "Jane, did you not sleep all night? Why do you look so bad?"

Jane muttered nodded and said, "I didn't sleep well, but it's fine. A few days of rest and I'll be fine."

Linda said, "That's right, you need to take good care of yourself these days. You'll be busy with Tom's wedding."

Jane looked up. "Has their wedding been set for a date?"

"Yes, it's next weekend. Didn't Tom tell you? That boy used to tell you everything, even the smallest matters, but he didn't mention such a big event like his wedding. I can’t believe that..."

Next weekend.

Jane looked at the calendar.

That day happened to be the day she was leaving.

At that moment, Tom and Hailey came out of the bedroom.

Hailey acted as though nothing had happened, smiling and greeting Jane. "Jane, I've talked it over with Tom. You're going to be the chief photographer for our wedding. You have to make me look good in the photos."

Jane directly refused, "I have something to do that day. I can't come."

Hailey pouted her lips. "Are you still angry about what happened yesterday? I'm sorry, I apologize... If you're still mad, I... I'll kneel and apologize to you..."

She bent down slightly as if to kneel.

Tom immediately grabbed Hailey. "There’s no need for this."

Seeing this, Linda stepped in to smooth things over. "Hailey, there's no need for this. Jane cherishes her films the most. She's definitely upset, but there's no need for kneeling."

Hailey said, feeling wronged, "I just feel like I can't do anything right. I'm really sorry, Jane."

Tom comforted her. "Just be more careful in the future. Now, let's eat. Weren't you just complaining about being hungry?"

Hailey smiled and stuck out her tongue. "Well, that's because of you! If you hadn't insisted on making a scene this morning... I wouldn't be so tired and hungry."

"Alright, it's all my fault. Now sit down and eat."

Tom pulled out her chair and helped her sit down, even personally placing a napkin on her.

Once she was settled, he sat down beside her.

While spreading jam on a slice of bread, he said, "Jane, my wedding is next weekend. Whatever you have planned, cancel it. Come be the photographer for our wedding. It'll be a way to honor the friendship we've had for over 20 years."

The doorbell suddenly rang.

The servant went to answer it, and a woman they didn't recognize stood outside.

"May I ask who you are looking for?"

The visitor was a plain-looking middle-aged woman, smiling as she said, "Hello, is Ms. Lawson here? I'm from a charity organization. She contacted me and said she wanted to donate a batch of clothes to the poor in the mountains. We had arranged for me to pick them up today."

Jane immediately stood up. "I'm Jane. I've packed all the clothes. I’ll fetch them for you right away."

She went upstairs, packed all her clothes into several large bags, and handed them to the middle-aged woman.

The woman expressed her gratitude. "Thank you, Ms. Lawson, for your kindness. The weather is getting colder, and many girls in the mountains don't have enough clothes to get through the winter. These clothes will help a lot of people."

"It's nothing. Please make sure to deliver them to them as soon as possible."

"Thank you, rest assured..."

"Wait—"

Tom suddenly walked over, looking confused. He looked down at the six or seven large bags of clothes on the floor, furrowing his brows.

"Did you donate all your clothes?"