She's the Best

Rosalyn replied, "It's a resignation letter."

She would never lie to him, even if it was a white lie, as what he hated most was being lied to.

However, that left Carl's expression darkening. "Just let HR sort it out from now on, no matter whose resignation letter it is. Don't waste time on anything beyond your job description—if you have time to spare, why not go spend time with your grandma?"

And with that, he turned to leave.

Rosalyn's smile faded as he closed the door behind him. "But it's my resignation letter, Carl…"

-

At six in the evening, Rosalyn headed to Quayle Mansion with Carl.

Zoe came running to their car as they stopped, smiling at Carl with both joy and shyness.

On the other hand, the white dog in her arms didn't seem to like Carl very much and was barking at him incessantly.

"Quit it, Eggy. It's Daddy," Zoe chided.

That left Rosalyn pursing her lips, and she sneaked a glance at Carl, as he never liked cats or dogs since he was allergic to their fur.

Even so, she was left watching as he tapped the dog's head at the very next moment. "Feisty little thing, aren't you? Bark at me again, and I'll tell your mommy to send you away."

Rosalyn felt her own heart swelling with bitterness—she used to own a cat, and even though she mostly kept it caged, he had told her to send it away because of his allergy.

Now here he was, being all nice to Zoe's dog and touching it.

It was almost like his allergies were automatically cured when it was someone he actually loved.

Zoe giggled just then. "Come on, Carl. My parents are waiting inside."

She was a dancer and naturally had a slender, graceful figure. Her voice and eyes were also filled with tenderness—what man wouldn't take pleasure in such gentle charms?

Even as a woman herself, Rosalyn couldn't help staring at the woman.

Nonetheless, while Zoe and Carl walked on ahead, Rosalyn and the chauffeur quickly unloaded the bags and boxes of gifts they had brought along.

It was an important formality, as Carl had come to meet Zoe's family to discuss the finer details of their wedding with her parents.

As everyone sat down in the living room, Rosalyn sat in a corner, notebook in hand and taking notes, looking professional and dutiful.

Lawrence Quayle, Zoe's father, eventually said, "Well, that's all we can think of."

But at that point, every page in Rosalyn's notebook was already filled.

However, Zoe's mother, Allison Quayle, appeared concerned. "Are you sure you've written everything down, Ms. Jones? Did you miss anything?"

"Don't worry, Mom." Zoe smiled as she turned to Roslyn. "Haven't you heard people saying that it's easier to get yourself a Carl than a Rosalyn? Carl has kept her by his side even after so long precisely because she's the best."

As she finished, she wrapped her hands around Carl's arm and tugged. "Right, Carl?"

"Yes, there's no reason to worry when Ms. Jones is on the task," Carl said.

However, he was shooting Rosalyn a glare, a clear threat that she had better not mess up.

As Zoe had put it, Rosalyn had been by his side for so many years, flawlessly helping with everything from business to private matters, be it important or trivial.

That was why Rosalyn was fine with anyone else doubting her, but not Carl.

And he had to threaten her with that!

The coldness in her disappointed heart grew even colder just then.

"Oh!"

That was when Zoe exclaimed in realization and turned to Rosalyn with a smile. "Ms. Jones, would you mind becoming my bridesmaid? Come on, Carl—ask her!"

Rosalyn thought about her itinerary for that day. "Sorry, but I'll be busy."

Still, Zoe ignored her and purred, "Please, Carl—clear her schedule and make her my bridesmaid! I'd like to see her wear a bridesmaid dress and stand by our side, to witness the moment of our happiness."

Rosalyn almost sighed out loud right then.

Despite Zoe's gentle and almost harmless appearance, there was no question that she was a master at mind games. She clearly knew that Rosalyn was a rival and had her sword at the ready to cut her down…

-

On the way home, Rosalyn was silent, while Carl kept rubbing between his brows wearily.

When they reached Maple Park, Rosalyn alighted and nodded at Carl formally. "Goodnight, Mr. Grant."

"Wait—get me some ointment. My allergy is acting up," Carl said, loosening his tie right then to reveal the rash that had already covered his neck.

Who Says You've Been Dumped?

Rosalyn refused. "You should get a doctor instead, Mr. Grant."

The crease on Carl's brow deepened—it was the first time she had ever said no to him!

Without another word, he grabbed her by her wrist and dragged her into his villa, slamming the door loudly shut.

"Don't think I can't see that you're upset," he growled with an icy glare.

So he was aware.

And yet, he'd still let her suffer.

The bitterness in Rosalyn's chest swelled so much that her nose turned runny. "You had every part of me for seven years, but you dumped me in a flash, and now, you're telling me I'm not supposed to feel upset?"

There wasn't so much as a warning when he left her for Zoe. Even if he only considered her a tool and wanted to marry another woman, he could at least have the courtesy to say so.

But Carl never did, as he was immediately and publicly dating Zoe in a flash, and right before Rosalyn's eyes.

As if she really was just an ordinary assistant to him.

"Who says you've been dumped?" Carl snapped.

Still irritated by his allergies, he pulled at his collar buttons forcefully, with each snapping audibly as they fell off, baring his chest and revealing more rashes.

Rosalyn had been there when he suffered episodes in the years before and knew how much pain he was in.

Although her inner voice told her to walk away—that whatever happened to him was none of her business—she couldn't help getting the allergy ointment, since she couldn't bear to see him suffer.

As she applied the ointment, Carl grasped her hand as he said, "Rosalyn, I never said I'm leaving you, and you said you'll never leave me. That's a promise neither of us must forget."

So he remembered that—and here she thought he had forgotten.

She had quickly been taken by his good looks after she took him home, and they spent much of the following days eating, sleeping, and having sex in her rented apartment.

That was until one day, neither of them could afford anything.

After that, Carl worked as a mascot, wearing a giant fluffy costume to sell snacks to children on the streets, using what money he had to buy her food.

That was until he collapsed from heatstroke one day.

When Rosalyn asked him why he had gone that far, his exact words were, "I can't let my woman suffer with me."

That one line claimed her heart, and she stayed with him for the next seven years, dedicating her heart and soul to him. Even she couldn't deny that he had also rewarded her with everything good that he could give.

There were times when her other friends were skeptical about Carl's affection, and she would confidently tell them that Carl would never marry anyone else other than her.

As it turned out, reality always had a painful way to expose itself to those who were in denial.

In the end, Carl was marrying another woman.

Under the dim lights, Rosalyn's eyes glimmered as she asked, "Don't you see the irony in saying such things when you're marrying someone else?"

"You're the one I want to marry," Carl told her, caressing her cheek with his other hand. "You'll understand what the deal is with Zoe during the wedding.

"You were there for me throughout the darkest moments of my life. No one could ever replace you."

Taking her hand and kissing it, he leveled his dark, inscrutable eyes at hers as he continued, "Just remember—whatever you think I have with Zoe is no more than an act. You have to believe that I will always love you… Can't you believe me?"

No, she refused to believe him.

If he had actually wanted to marry her, then he just had to marry her after all the successes he had achieved in the past seven years.

"Carl…"

However, Carl's phone rang before she could finish, and she saw that it was the nursing home calling.

No! She must have left her phone in the car!

And if the call was from the nursing home, it must mean something had happened to her grandmother.

Quickly picking up the phone, she answered, "Hello? Yes, it's me… Okay, I'll be right there..."

She turned to Carl as she hung up.

Her grandmother had nagged her about wanting to see Carl, but she really wasn't sure about bringing him along.

Why Make Promises You Can't Keep?

Julia, Rosalyn's grandmother, took her hand and put it on Carl's palm.

Then, she tried to shove a card between their hands as she said, "This is the wedding fund I've saved up for you. Now that you're finally marrying Carl, you can use it for whatever you need!"

Rosalyn's tears were raining, and she was afraid to look Julia in the eyes.

News of Carl's wedding must have spread everywhere, and even Julia would have seen it, but she simply presumed that Rosalyn was going to be the bride.

Turning to Carl, she squeezed his hand as she pleaded, "Please promise me you'll be good to Rosie, Carl."

"Don't worry—I'll be good to her as long as I live," he replied. "We've vowed to always stay together, in this lifetime and the next."

Four years ago, on a business trip, Carl took her up Mount Eternity where they prayed and vowed.

It was then that Carl promised he would stay with her—not just in this life, but also the next.

But that promise was already broken in this life.

As it turned out, nothing was set in stone, and promises were made to be broken.

"Please bring me to the wedding hall on the day of," Julia said.

"We definitely will," Carl smiled. "We need to pay our respects to our elders."

For once, he wasn't a haughty CEO, but just Rosalyn's boyfriend.

Nevertheless, Rosalyn felt like she had something stuck down her windpipe as she left the nursing home.

Fighting back tears, she demanded, "Why would you make promises you can't keep?"

There was no way he was bringing Julia to his wedding, so why would he tell her otherwise?

However, Carl was staring at his phone, answering Zoe's text as he answered, "No harm in keeping the old girl cheerful—she'll forget about it soon anyway."

So everything he had told Julia was nothing more than lies—whether it was loving her and being good to her, or never leaving her.

That was when he held out his phone to Rosalyn so that she could see the screen. "Zoe made supper and sent it over to my place. I'll head over—you can take a cab home."

He was perfectly calm, but he seemed to have forgotten that she was his.

She loved him, only for him to show her that being affectionate with another woman was nothing less than hurtful.

"Yeah," she replied with just one word, as she was afraid she might start crying if she said another.

Love could stop, but the pain would still be there, tearing one part from the inside.

And over the last three months, Rosalyn had suffered the worst of that pain.

As such, she wondered if Carl would hurt too, when he learned that she was marrying someone else.

Soon, Carl and his car disappeared into the endless darkness of the night.

He said he loved her, but here she was, left alone in the desolate night…

She wasn't that lovesick—she understood that Carl's love for her had faded when Zoe returned to the country.

Even though he was willing to sweet-talk her, it was probably because she was still useful to him.

Just last week, she overheard him telling a friend, "If Zoe didn't want her to organize the wedding, I would've told her to leave."

So he kept her around because it pleased his fiancee.

Rosalyn's palm hurt from clenching, and she turned to look at her grandmother's room.

The light was still on, and she could vaguely see Julia's hunched figure.

Rosalyn was an orphan—her mother had died soon after giving birth to her.

It was Julia who had taken her in and raised her—she was Rosalyn's only family.

The fact that Julia was still alive after being diagnosed with stage four cancer two years ago was nothing short of a miracle.

All Julia wanted was to see Rosalyn marry and be happy.

And Rosalyn didn't want to disappoint her.

Taking out her phone, Rosalyn texted the contact she had set as a favorite: [Would you care to marry me?]