My fiancé used his influence to snatch my government enterprise position, handing it to the local beauty instead. When I confronted him, he was utterly unmoved.

“A woman like you should not be roaming around. Your place is at home, doing laundry and cooking,” he declared.

In response, I quit the factory on the spot, announcing my plan to head south for work. My fiancé, who had been accusing me of being petty, was left speechless.

“You've never even left town before. You think you can suddenly make a living down south? Don't act recklessly,” he scoffed.

The village beauty, who had always benefited from my hard work, was equally taken aback. "You've been in textiles since you came of age. Outside, you're bound to struggle," she chimed in.

Watching their deceitful faces, I smirked inwardly. I couldn’t wait to see her try persuading the seasoned workers at the enterprise without my backup.

...

As I gazed at the list of promotions posted at the factory entrance, disbelief washed over me. The promotion that was rightfully mine had gone to Celia Matthews.

I suddenly remembered spotting Eden Arnold, my fiancé, with Celia near Mr. Davis’s building the other day, loaded with parcels.

Suspicion quietly crept into my mind.

Eden, being the son of the town head Mr. Arnold, had initially aided in establishing the factory. If Eden wanted Celia in the position, Mr. Davis would likely comply.

I rushed to Eden’s house, desperate for an explanation. But he remained aloof, saying, “Aleena, what makes you think the position was yours? Was your name on it?”

“Celia is not only beautiful but also talented; the position was always meant for her!”

His face showed no trace of guilt or regret.

My heart grew cold. He knew all too well the effort I had put in to earn that title. I worked tirelessly day and night, only to watch it slip from my grasp.

Seeing my silence, he continued impatiently, “Aleena, stop daydreaming. The position belongs to Celia, and that’s final!”

“Besides, why do you need that title anyway? Once we're married, you’ll stay at home doing laundry and cooking. Stop trying to overstep!”

“And by the way, it’s work hours now. Running off like this counts as slacking! Don’t expect me to defend you if things go awry.”

His words were full of protection for Celia and disdain for me.

I bit my lip, my gaze growing colder. He had long intended to pave the way for Celia at my expense. But I refused to back down!

Tears welling in my eyes, I looked up at Eden, voice strained, “Eden, I am your fiancée! You know how crucial this title is to me, so why betray me?”

Perhaps he’d never seen me so distraught, as Eden hesitated, his tone softening slightly. “Aleena, with this title, Celia can aim for the director’s position. Just let her have it this time.”

“When the opportunity arises, I’ll help you next time, okay?”

I laughed coldly. “The enterprise only offers new titles every five years, with only three spots available. Do you understand how long I’ve prepared for this?”

“Even if there is a next time, why does she get to go first? Haven’t I sacrificed enough for her?”

Despite her looks, Celia’s abilities were lacking. I often handed her my completed work and redid her portion for her.

Seeing my determination, Eden lost his temper. “Aleena, don’t be silly. The position’s been announced, and no one can change that!”

“If you don’t want your job at the factory, go ahead and make a scene. Let’s see if anyone buys your nonsense!”

“If not for the favors your parents did for my family, how could I be engaged to an orphan like you?”

Hearing Eden’s angry retort, I chuckled softly. “Eden, since you’re so fond of Celia, why not marry her instead? Our engagement is off!”

“A man like you, who plays both sides, isn’t worth my time, Eden!”

His face flushed with anger, but before he could respond, I continued, “Don’t try to use the factory job to threaten me. I'll go and resign with Mr. Davis directly.”

---

Without waiting for his response, I turned and walked out, ignoring Eden’s shocked expression. He quickly blocked my path, grabbing my arm, and scolded, “Aleena, why are you causing a scene? Without the factory job, what’s your plan?”

I looked at the man, now flustered, and calmly replied, “Since there’s no room for me here, there’s no point in staying. I'm heading south.”

His eyes were full of disbelief upon hearing my answer. “Are you joking?”

“You’ve grown up here, barely knowing where the town gate is. And you think you can earn money down south? Don’t make a spectacle you can’t retract!”

Before I could reply, Celia burst through the door, her expression revealing she’d been eavesdropping.

She approached me with feigned concern, “Aleena, I know you have misunderstandings about the title situation.”

“But that’s the enterprise’s decision; we couldn’t interfere!”

“You’ve been at the factory since adulthood. Apart from textiles, you don’t know much else, and you’re just young and inexperienced. Heading down south alone—isn’t that risky?”

“Besides, you and Eden are about to marry. If you leave suddenly, what about Eden?”

I chuckled inwardly at the charade. Did they think I couldn’t see through their schemes?

Their real concern was that without me, Celia would have no safety net at the factory. I couldn’t wait to see how she'd fare once I departed!

I smirked at the two deceitful faces before me, “Won’t my leaving satisfy your desires?”

“With me gone, you can be together without any obstacles!”

Ignoring their darkening expressions, I left Eden’s house without another word.

Back at the factory, I knocked on Mr. Davis’s office door.

Upon hearing my decision to resign, Mr. Davis was visibly surprised. “Aleena, have you really thought this through?”

“You know, nowadays, positions fill up instantly. If you leave, someone else will take your place. Returning would be challenging.”

I nodded, answering with certainty, “I’ve made up my mind, Mr. Davis.”

He studied me for a long moment before asking, “Is it about the title, Aleena?”

“You’re young, with many doors open. You could still—”

“Mr. Davis, it’s not just about the title,” I interrupted.

“I’ve been considering quitting for weeks. The title was merely the final push.”

Suddenly, he seemed to understand, chuckling softly, “Are you leaving to marry Eden? To settle down and start a family?”

I shook my head, unabashedly stating, “No, we’ve broken off the engagement. After quitting, I plan to explore opportunities in the south.”

Even amid progress and openness, people often held conservative views. Breaking an engagement was seen as disgraceful, but I couldn’t care less.

Mr. Davis froze momentarily, then awkwardly adjusted his glasses.

Seeing my determination, he reluctantly approved my resignation.

After leaving the textile factory, I headed straight home and began packing my bags. I hadn’t lied to Saylor; I really was planning to head south. But it wasn't to start a business; I was set to join the nation's Ignition Project. Besides Eden, no one else knew about it.

Truthfully, my ambition was never limited to working in textiles; I aspired to become a top aerospace intelligence officer. Yet, Eden never took me seriously. He always belittled me. When I shared my dream with him, he regarded me like I was speaking nonsense. I distinctly remember his snide remark:

"Aleena, are you dreaming with your eyes open? A country girl like you probably can't even read properly! And you want to be an aerospace intelligence officer? Don't make me laugh!"

His words cut deep. From that point on, I kept my dream to myself. But I never abandoned it. Whenever I could, I would dive into books. Over the years, most of my earnings went to the library.

Two years ago, I began submitting my designs to the relevant authorities. Sadly, I never got any replies until last month. A letter arrived unexpectedly, containing details about the Ignition Project along with an invitation. Seeing it was exhilarating.

But joining the project meant being cut off from the outside world for anywhere between three to ten years or even more. At the time, I hadn’t let go of Eden entirely and still entertained thoughts of marrying him, which made me hesitate.

Now, though, I was ready to pursue my dream freely. Just as I finished packing, my front door swung open. It was Eden and Celia. Seeing my luggage, Eden quickly approached and questioned me:

"Saylor told me you quit your job! Aleena, you’re being utterly reckless!"

Celia stepped forward, feigning surprise at the sight of my suitcase:

"Leena, you're not seriously considering heading south all by yourself, are you? You should think it over; there's still time to change your mind."

"You should really beg Eddie here. If he softens up, perhaps he could say a few nice things to Saylor to revoke your resignation."

Before I could answer, Eden scoffed:

"I won't beg for her. If she had even half your sense, she wouldn’t be in this situation. It’s good she resigned; she can stay home, doing laundry and cooking, instead of embarrassing herself out there."

"Celia, if you need Aleena’s help in the future, just give her a shout. She’s jobless now, so she's got all the time in the world."

At this point, Celia’s eyes gleamed with delight, and she said teasingly to Eden:

"Eddie, you're just too sweet!"

I looked at the pair in front of me and felt sick with disgust.

"Has it occurred to either of you to ask what I think?"

"Eden, how can you be so arrogant? You think I'd help your darling for free? Dream on; you’d better go back to bed and snuggle your pillow."

Eden's face flushed with anger.

"Aleena, you’re being irrational!"

"If that’s what you think, then get out. Don’t make me spill the dirty secrets between you two."

With that, I showed them the door and booted them out without another word.