Kathleen bit down hard on her lower lip, the metallic tang of blood spreading in her mouth.

She gave a faint nod, her voice barely a whisper. “It was my choice. Now that you’ve found her, I’ll honor our agreement. I’ll file for divorce.”

David studied her pale face, his gaze lingering for a moment before his tone flattened. “Good. It’s sensible of you.”

Standing there, watching them, Kathleen felt utterly ridiculous.

Seven years of love. Seven years of waiting. And in the end, it had all been nothing but a one-sided performance—a solo act of her own delusion.

She was about to leave when a waiter with a tray suddenly slipped, crashing straight into her.

The impact was too sudden, too strong. She stumbled and fell, her forehead striking a pillar with a sickening thud.

“Ms. Kathleen! Are you all right?”

Emily tugged at David’s sleeve, a flicker of amusement barely concealed in her eyes. “Mr. David, you should help her up.”

David’s gaze shifted to Kathleen. His brow furrowed almost imperceptibly. “I’ve found you now. Other women’s affairs have nothing to do with me.”

The words cut like a blunt knife, sawing slowly into her heart.

Warm liquid trickled down her temple, blurring her vision.

The commotion quickly drew the attention of the surrounding guests.

“Oh my god, she’s bleeding! Why isn’t Mr. David helping her?”

“What’s going on? Who’s the woman with Mr. David?”

Their stares—sympathetic, mocking, voyeuristic—pressed down on her, suffocating.

Kathleen lifted her head. Through a hazy red film, she saw the two figures standing close together not far away.

David was leaning down, speaking softly to Emily. His fingers gently brushed a stray hair from her shoulder. That tenderness… it was something she had never received, not once in all seven years.

Her heart clenched as if caught in a vise, the pain stealing her breath.

Gritting her teeth, she pushed herself up against the cold pillar. Without another glance at them, without acknowledging the stares around her, she walked out of the banquet hall, one deliberate step at a time.

Outside, she took a deep breath and dialed a number.

A familiar, surprised voice answered almost immediately. “Kathleen?!”

“Julie,” Kathleen’s voice was weak but steady. “Is your studio still willing to take me?”

“Of course we are!” The voice on the other end grew even more excited. “But I thought you were staying for your husband. Why the sudden—”

“I’m getting a divorce,” Kathleen cut in, her tone eerily calm, as if discussing someone else’s life.

A brief silence followed, then a gentle reply. “Okay. I’ll be waiting for you.”

Julie was her college friend who ran a painting studio in New York. She’d urged Kathleen to come over again and again, insisting her talent shouldn’t be buried.

But Kathleen’s mind had been filled with David. She’d long since tossed her beloved oil paints into some forgotten corner.

She touched her chest. It had been packed full of her obsession with David. Now, it was time to live a life of her own.

Kathleen returned to her apartment near the office. After tending to her wound, the tears finally came—falling like a broken string of pearls. She cried until the sky outside lightened to the pale gray of dawn, her eyes swollen and puffy, before she finally forced herself to get up.

The moment she stepped into the lobby of Logan Group that morning, her assistant hurried over. “Vice President Kathleen, the Chairman wants to see you in his office.”

She rubbed her temples. News of last night must have reached her father’s ears. A scolding was probably unavoidable.

Her mother had passed away when she was young. She and her father had never been close.

In his eyes, her marriage to David was never just about feelings. It was the keystone of the alliance between the Logan and Sterling families.

But as she reached his office door, she heard the sound of cheerful laughter from within.

Kathleen peered through the cracked door, watching David and Emily seated together on the sofa.

“David, we can’t thank you enough for handing the S Project over to Logan’s Group. You have my word—we won’t let you down.” Logan’s voice was thick with sycophancy.

David answered with casual indifference. “No need for formalities. Emily mentioned you were her benefactor. It’s just a project—nothing significant.”

“Of course, of course!” Logan rushed to agree, his tone oozing compliance. “You and Emily are clearly meant to be. As for Kathleen, don’t worry. Whatever you decide, I guarantee she won’t say a word against it.”

Their words struck her like hailstones—sharp, cold, relentless.

Her heart seized, then shattered. The weight of it pressed down on her lungs, making every breath heavy and labored.

She’d always believed her father held at least a shred of affection for her. Now she knew the truth: against profit, her feelings meant nothing.

“Ms. Kathleen?” Her assistant’s soft voice came from behind, noticing her prolonged stillness.

The sound alerted the room’s occupants. Drawing a deep breath, Kathleen pushed the door open and stepped inside.

“You’re here. Good timing—there’s something you should know.” Logan’s tone was flat, as if discussing the weather. “You’ll be stepping down as Vice President of the Project Department. Emily will take over.”

Her heart plummeted. She had come to discuss her resignation and plans to go abroad, but never in her worst nightmares had she imagined her father would hand over the position she’d fought seven years for—so casually, like a favor—to Emily.

Fresh out of college, she’d given up her passion for oil painting and forced herself into Logan’s Group, just to keep pace with David. Starting as a junior clerk, she’d worked through endless nights revising proposals, chasing projects, negotiating with clients. Seven years of grinding effort had earned her that VP title and the respect of the entire company.

“By what right?” Her voice trembled, the restraint she’d mustered beginning to crack.

David spoke first. “Emily holds a Doctorate in Business Administration from Harvard. Isn’t she more qualified than someone with just an undergraduate degree?”

Kathleen’s face drained of color. Looking at the three of them, she felt nothing but absurd, sickening despair.

“What if I refuse?” Her voice was quiet, but carried a rare, stubborn edge.

“I am the Chairman of Logan’s Group. I have the authority to make personnel decisions.” Logan’s tone turned icy. He picked up the phone and dialed his assistant. “Issue a notice immediately: Kathleen is relieved of her duties as Vice President of the Project Department. Emily will assume the position.”

The moment he hung up, Emily finally spoke, her voice soft and hesitant. “Mr. Logan, I… I don’t have any management experience. Maybe Kathleen should keep the role. I could start from an entry-level position and learn.”

“That won’t be necessary. I have faith in your abilities.” David reached over and gently ruffled her hair, his tone dripping with affection. “Besides, I’ll be here to help you.”

Logan immediately chimed in, his face creasing into an ingratiating smile. “With David’s support, there’s nothing to worry about.”

Emily turned her gaze to Kathleen, unable to contain a triumphant little smile any longer. “Kathleen, I’ll be relying on you to handle the handover, then.”

The sight of their cozy little trio was a knife to her heart.

Suffocating, she turned on her heel and left without a word, refusing to spend another moment there.

Later, Emily followed Logan’s secretary to complete her onboarding paperwork.

Kathleen returned to her own office to organize the handover materials.

Then the door opened again.

It was David.

David approached, his gaze lingering on Kathleen with a complexity she couldn’t decipher. He was silent for a moment before speaking. “Are you… okay?”

That hint of concern in his voice sent a treacherous tremor through her heart, a lump rising in her throat. Her reply, however, came out flat. “I’m fine.”

She paused, lifting her eyes to meet his. “I’ll have my lawyer draft the divorce papers later. Let’s get this over with as soon as possible.”

David studied her—eyes swollen and red, face pale, yet still holding herself together with that stubborn strength. An unexpected softness stirred inside him.

He frowned. “We don’t have to get a divorce.”

Kathleen’s head snapped up, surprise widening her eyes.

But his next words snapped her back to reality instantly.

He stated it plainly, as if it were the most reasonable thing in the world. “You can keep the title of Mrs. David. But my love belongs to Emily. You understand that, don’t you?”

Kathleen stared at him, at that utterly unapologetic expression, and suddenly laughed—a low, bitter sound laced with mockery. “No, thank you.”

“I may not be extraordinary, David, but I have enough self-respect not to fight over another woman’s man. And I certainly don’t want a marriage without love. I’ll step aside. May you and Emily have a long and happy life together.”

Her blunt refusal caught him off guard. His expression stiffened before his face darkened. “Fine! Divorce it is. Just don’t come crying and begging me to take you back like you did before!”

Kathleen didn’t bother responding. She simply lowered her head and continued organizing the documents on her desk.

Just then, Emily walked in. “Kathleen, I’m here to go over the project handover with you. Is now a good time?”

Before Kathleen could answer, her assistant rushed in, breathless. “Vice President Kathleen! There’s a problem with the steel reinforcement at the East District site! The crew has stopped work!”

Kathleen’s heart clenched. This project had been her focus for over half a year. A problem with the steel reinforcement was no minor issue.

Even though she’d already decided to resign and leave the country, this was a project she’d personally shepherded. It was about the safety of future residents. She couldn’t let anything go wrong.

She stood up immediately, grabbing her jacket. “I’m heading to the site.”

“I’ll come too!” Emily chimed in, her eyes flicking toward David with a hopeful gleam. “It’ll be a good chance to learn from Kathleen how to handle emergencies.”

Without hesitation, David said, “I’ll go with you. Construction sites are chaotic. It’s not safe.”

Kathleen’s steps faltered for a second. Her fingers tightened around her jacket before she strode out quickly.

At the site, the midday sun beat down, baking the ground.

David held an umbrella the entire time, most of its shade angled over Emily. He kept leaning in, asking her in a low voice, “Are you hot?” “Do you want to wait in the shade?” He even warned her about the mud, telling her to watch her trousers.

Watching them, Kathleen felt a sharp, needle-like pain behind her eyes.

She remembered her own early days at the company, running projects on sites like this. One summer, her back had peeled from sunburn, and she’d gone to David that night, crying. He’d just given her a dismissive glance. “If you can’t handle a little hardship, how do you expect to make it in this business?”

Back then, she’d thought she just wasn’t tough enough. Now she understood. It wasn’t about her strength. It was simply that he didn’t love her. Even a word of concern felt like a waste to him.

After finally working out a replacement plan for the steel with the contractors, the group prepared to leave.

As they passed beneath a newly finished floor of the structure, a sharp, groaning crack echoed from above. Chunks of concrete began to rain down.

Before Kathleen could react, a slab of cement half her height slammed into her back.

Agony exploded through her body. Pinned face-down, the crushing weight made it impossible to move. Every breath felt like tearing.

She struggled to lift her head. Through the dust, she saw David shielding Emily tightly with his body, pulling her toward the exit.

Summoning every ounce of strength, Kathleen screamed, “David! Help me!”

David whipped his head around. Seeing her covered in blood and debris, his heart lurched violently. Instinctively, he took two frantic steps toward her.