"Miss Morgan?" The nurse's voice broke through the fog in Brynn's mind and pulled her back to the present.

Blinking hard, Brynn steadied her hand enough to sign her name.

A few moments later, the staff moved her toward the operating room.

Once the anesthesia began spreading through her veins, a heavy darkness washed over her like a tide.

Somewhere inside that blur, she thought she heard someone calling out to her.

The voice pushed through the haze, wrapped in the sharp smell of antiseptic and the faint metallic scent of blood.

In that drifting state, she caught a glimpse of a seventeen-year-old Richard held down by villagers, his fierce gaze cutting through the crowd to find hers.

Another image surfaced. The early days of B&R Law Firm. She had once run straight into Richard's arms, wearing a smile that felt warm and full of hope.

Then the scene changed again. Rena appeared in a white wedding gown, leaning into Richard's embrace, while she herself stood quietly nearby, her smile long gone.

When awareness finally settled back into her, the only sound Brynn recognized was the steady beeping of the monitor beside her.

Pale moonlight slipped through the blinds and spread a cold glow across the hospital room.

She kept her eyes on the wavering line that reflected her vital signs.

As the last traces of anesthesia faded, the incision began to pulse with sharp and steady pain.

Her hand groped beneath the pillow until she found her phone. The screen showed 3:17 a.m.

The agony intensified, and she pressed the pain-relief pump again and again, though nothing seemed to work. Her body instinctively folded in on itself.

Warm tears traced down her cheeks while her thoughts scattered in every direction.

She finally learned that when the pain was at its peak, tears were purely physiological.

By the time dawn pushed through the dimness and climbed over the windowsill, Brynn's ringing phone dragged her out of a shallow sleep.

The incision had throbbed through the whole night, and she had barely drifted off just before sunrise.

Richard's name glowed on the screen.

A strange distance settled in her chest as Brynn stared at it.

Once she answered, Richard's cold tone split through the quiet. "Brynn. I tore up your resignation letter. You're expected at the firm by nine. We have a case that needs you."

"I..." Brynn opened her mouth, hoping to tell him she was in the hospital.

Before she could say another word, Rena's teasing voice drifted through the line. "Richard. Where did you put my hot chocolate?"

That single sentence struck Brynn like a bucket of ice thrown over her head. A sour sting climbed up her throat. She bit down on her lip and ended the call at once.

A faint, humorless laugh escaped her as she bowed her head. With a single motion, she swiped across the screen and blocked the familiar number without a hint of reluctance.

Every move she made carried a clear finality. Not even a shadow of longing remained.

......

Five days after Brynn's surgery, the attending physician arrived to remove her stitches. He studied the CT scan with a deep frown. "You had severe appendicitis and complications. You really pushed yourself too far. If this had been delayed even half a day more, the outcome would've been dangerous."

Propped up against the headboard, Brynn still looked drained of color. She offered him a faint smile. "I understand. It won't happen again."

When her discharge day finally arrived, the rain that had soaked the city through the night had just stopped. Clouds still blanketed the sky, yet the air felt clean and cool, filled with the earthy scent of newly damp soil. Along the road, the trees and shrubs shimmered with fresh droplets, their leaves bright and glistening.

After finishing the discharge paperwork, Brynn lingered beneath the hospital awning and drew in a long breath of crisp morning air. It felt like she was clearing out every trace of disinfectant that clung to her lungs. Only then did she lift her hand to call for a taxi.

When the cab drifted past the B&R Law Firm, her eyes moved toward the building for a brief moment before she shifted her gaze back to the steady flow of traffic. Her expression remained unreadable.

......

Inside the law firm, Richard stood before the tall picture window that overlooked the restless streets, watching cars weave through the morning rush.

Jerold Griffiths, his long-time friend, tried Brynn's number again. But he couldn't get through.

"She's still not picking up," Jerold muttered with a sigh as he lowered the phone.

A deep furrow formed between Richard's brows, and his expression turned cold.

Jerold pressed his lips together, concern edging into his voice. As the firm's third partner, Brynn's silence unsettled him as well.

"Richard. What happened this time?" he asked with a puzzled frown. "Brynn's really upset, isn't she? It's already been a week. You two have argued plenty before. She's always bounced back eventually. Why is it different now?"

Richard remained silent, his reflection a cold silhouette against the glass.

"Do you think she might be ill?" Jerold asked quietly.

Ill? The word made Richard's brows tighten slightly. From what he remembered, Brynn had always been lively and full of energy. He had never once seen her bedridden. Moreover, since she had no one else in town besides him, she would have told him immediately if something were wrong.

"I talked to her on the phone. She didn't sound sick," Richard replied in a low, steady tone.

At least, she hadn't said anything about it.

For years, even the tiniest nick on her finger sent her running to him so he could blow on it, as if that alone could cure her. If she were truly unwell, she wouldn't keep it from him.

Yet she blocked his number. That alone told him how deeply she resented him now.

Jerold let out a breath once he heard that. "If she's fine, then why hasn't she even asked for a day off? It's been hectic at the office…"

Then he shifted the topic with a pointed look. "Richard, you really crossed the line this time. Anyone would be upset if their partner left them alone at their own wedding celebration."

When Richard still refused to speak, Jerold rolled his eyes dramatically. "Never mind. Brynn will come around in a few days anyway…"

Richard's mouth pressed into a hard line before he finally spoke. "The firm doesn't keep people who refuse to work. Tell HR that if Brynn doesn't show up tomorrow, she's dismissed."

In his mind, this was the one consequence Brynn would never risk. The firm had always been the place where she clung closest to him. He felt certain she wouldn't choose to walk away from it.

Jerold gave a small grin and nodded. "Alright. I'll let everyone know. Once Brynn hears it, she'll probably show up first thing tomorrow."

From the moment Jerold met them, he had seen Brynn trailing after Richard at every turn.

For Brynn, Richard was everything she cared about.

For Richard, though, the dynamic was far different. He saw her as a shadow he couldn't quite shake off, something unnecessary lingering behind him.

Brynn had always been the one unable to step away. If Richard had held even a fraction of true affection for her, he never would have abandoned her during the wedding to rush to another woman.

With a dismissive wave of his hand, Richard signaled that Jerold could go.

Jerold offered no further comment and walked out of the office.

Richard's eyes drifted to his silent phone. On any ordinary day, Brynn would have sent him a text even if she didn't call.

Now the screen still showed their last conversation from the wedding.

She had sent him a bright little emoji and a message that read, "I'm the happiest person in the world. I will always love you."

He never responded to it.

As usual, Brynn had filled his inbox with dozens of messages, while his replies rarely went beyond short phrases. A brief "Hmm." A flat "Got it."

Yet this time, days slipped by with no new messages from her at all. That had never happened before.

The realization irritated him enough that he tossed the phone aside.

For once, he decided he wouldn't let her soften him so easily.

......

Back at the hotel, Brynn quietly began sorting through her belongings.

During her days in the hospital, she had already reached out to a real estate agent and listed her apartment for sale. She set the price far lower than its value because she needed it gone quickly.

Earlier that morning, she signed the transfer papers. The apartment no longer belonged to her.

Just then, her phone buzzed against her leg.

When she checked the screen, she saw the HR head's name flashing.

She pressed her lips together and spent a long moment deciding whether to answer. Eventually, she picked up.

"Hello, Brynn. When are you planning to return to work? Mr. Yates said if you don't come back soon…" The person on the other end hesitated before finishing. "You'll be fired..."

"I turned in my resignation earlier," Brynn answered.

"What?" The HR head froze for a moment. He seemed to stumble over whatever he meant to say. "Then... you..."

Brynn already knew the company expected a two-week transition once a resignation letter was filed.

She had never been the type to walk away from unfinished work. Since she had made up her mind to leave, she intended to finish every task required of her so no one else would be burdened.

That was why she added, "I'll return to the firm soon so I can take care of the handover."

"Alright. Alright. I'll wait for you at the office," the HR head replied with a relieved exhale.

When the call ended, Brynn drew in a steady breath.

Her apartment had been sold, and once she completed the transition, she would be free to go.

Even so, a faint ache still pulsed along the incision on her abdomen.

After taking a moment to steady herself, she flagged down a taxi and headed straight for the law firm.

Her presence seemed to lift the mood the instant she stepped inside.

"Brynn..."

"Brynn, you made it back..."

Several young assistants hurried toward Brynn, their voices bubbling with relief and excitement. Their bright expressions carried such sincere affection that it warmed her chest.

"I'm only here to finish the handover," Brynn said, cutting through their enthusiasm with a gentle smile as she addressed one of them. "I'll be assigning my ongoing cases to you."

"You're really leaving?" The assistants traded startled looks.

Brynn offered a calm smile and answered, "Yes."

......

While Richard was reviewing documents, Jerold burst into his office the moment he heard Brynn had returned.

"Brynn's back!" He wore a triumphant grin. "I knew she couldn't stay away from you. The second she heard you planned to fire her, she hurried right back!"

Richard fixed him with a flat stare. "You sound unusually idle. Should I let you handle a few of my cases?"

Jerold's grin vanished as he shook his head over and over.

Richard's cases were the ones everyone avoided. They were difficult, dangerous, and carried heavy responsibilities. Despite the high payout, Jerold knew he did not have the skill to take them on.

Just as Jerold turned toward the door, Richard said, "Have Brynn come in."

Jerold's smirk returned. "On it."

Across the office, Brynn was finishing her handover when she heard someone greet Jerold. She glanced up and found Jerold looking straight at her with that familiar mischievous smile.

"Brynn, Richard wants to see you in his office," he said.

Brynn rose from her seat.

Jerold matched her pace as they walked, leaning closer to whisper, "Let me tell you something. If you're dealing with someone as cold as Richard, you've got to stand your ground. Stop giving in to him so easily. Think about it. He even had the nerve to skip the wedding. You've let him get away with too much!"

Brynn placed her hand on the doorknob before glancing back at him. "Would you like to come in with me?"

"No, no." Jerold flailed his hands in refusal. "I wouldn't dare step inside. I know better than to poke that bear. You handle it."

Without waiting for her reply, he hurried off to his own office.

Brynn steadied herself with one breath, then pushed the door open.

Richard's office remained a place of severe order. The heavy wooden furniture and shelves filled with legal volumes created an atmosphere that pressed down on anyone who entered.

He sat behind the wide desk, focused on the papers in front of him.

"What can I do for you?" Brynn stood in front of him.

The coldness in her tone made Richard's pen stop mid-stroke. He lifted his gaze to her, a faint crease forming between his brows.

After a week had passed, her appearance had changed. The softness that once framed her face had faded away. She wore a plain white shirt with black trousers, which made her look even more slight than before.

"Have you been sick?" Richard's brows drew together. "Why have you lost so much weight?"

Even though her appendectomy had been a small procedure, it was still surgery. A week of slow recovery had taken six pounds from her frame.

"Was there something you needed?" Brynn steered clear of his questions and kept her tone strictly businesslike.

Richard's frown deepened, a strange discomfort rising in him. He had tried to show concern, yet she refused to soften even a little.

Yes, the ruined wedding had been his fault, but it had happened because a life had been at stake. Why had she grown so distant?

With that thought tightening his chest, he said coldly, "You've been gone for a week. Do you actually think I wouldn't fire you?"

Brynn kept her expression composed, her tone steady. "My resignation letter has already been submitted."

"I haven't approved of it."

"Based on labor regulations, you have no right to deny—"

"Brynn!" Richard cut her off, his tone sharp and rising without restraint.

Brynn's lashes quivered at the sound, and she pressed her lips together without offering another word. She turned her eyes away, refusing to engage further.

The room settled into a heavy stillness.

After a long moment, Richard spoke again coldly. "There's a meeting this afternoon. You'll attend with me..."

"Listen, I already told you..." Brynn repeated every word with quiet resolve. "I've resigned."

Richard's expression darkened instantly. "Are you finished with this nonsense?"

How could she truly walk away? How could she actually leave him? The thought seemed impossible to him.

From the day their paths crossed, she had clung to his side, enduring every cold look and harsh word he threw her way.

No matter how often he turned from her, she was always there when he looked back.

Because of that history, he believed more than anyone that she would never walk away from him. Resignation? The idea seemed absurd.

"Enough with this behavior! Are you actually convinced I won't sign off on your resignation?" Richard's voice dropped to a harsh, low rumble.

"I don't require your approval." Brynn lifted her gaze to meet his. "After I finish my handover, I'll be gone. And I'll have everything completed before the day ends."

Richard's face darkened like a gathering storm. Just as he opened his mouth to respond, a knock sounded at the door, and Jerold peeked inside. "Richard, we still need to—"

Before Jerold got another word out, Richard snatched the nearest folder and flung it toward the doorway. "Leave!"

The folder slammed onto the floor, papers flying across the entrance. Jerold vanished in an instant.

Brynn's brows tightened in a small frown.

Because Richard rarely showed much feeling, she had almost never witnessed him lose control. Even on the days when he was annoyed, the most he ever did was tighten his brows. Seeing him throw something was entirely new.

She shifted her gaze away, keeping her face composed. "As for the shares I hold in the company. You can cash them out for me based on the current market value..."

Before the rest of her words could leave her mouth, Richard rose sharply from his chair and closed the distance between them.

His height cast a heavy shadow over her. A cold edge flickered in his eyes, carrying a contempt that stung.

He delivered each word with deliberate force. "Brynn, if you walk out and resign, then you should never think about returning."

As Richard's threat lingered in the air, the entire office slipped into a heavy, stretched silence.

He kept his gaze locked on Brynn, fully expecting his stern warning to push her into admitting she had crossed the line.

For five long years, regardless of the circumstance, she had always bent to his will without question. That history was the reason he felt so certain she would never follow through with resigning.

In his mind, others might walk away from him. But not Brynn. She wouldn't. She simply wouldn't.

But the flustered apology he waited for never appeared. Instead, Brynn lifted her chin slightly, a quiet smile touching her lips. "I've made up my mind," she said in an even tone as she set the resignation letter on his desk. "If we're finished here, I'll take my leave."

She pivoted toward the door right after speaking, not granting Richard another look. Every step she took was firm and certain, as though she had already detached herself from this place.

Richard froze in disbelief. Out of all the reactions he had imagined, this had never crossed his mind.

Wasn't she the one who should be pleading for him to keep her? Wasn't she the one who should be rushing to explain that she only acted out of frustration? Wasn't she the one who always soothed his temper the moment it flared, just as she had done so many times before?

He had no idea how she could change so abruptly or so completely.

"Brynn!" he called out the instant her hand touched the doorknob, his voice edged with urgency and something dangerously close to fear.

He expected her to pause. He expected her to look back. But she didn't.

She opened the door with steady resolve.

Right outside, Jerold had been pressed against the doorframe. He lost his balance and lurched forward, nearly falling into the room. His face reddened as he said, "Uh… I was just about to come in and look for Richard..."

Brynn glanced at him briefly, offering a restrained nod before slipping past him. She walked toward her workstation with a firm and unbroken stride. Her figure looked slight, yet it carried a resolve stronger than he had ever seen in her before.

Richard stood rooted in place as Brynn walked away without once looking back. A tight, unfamiliar pressure twisted in his chest, stronger and heavier than anything he had felt before.

Jerold rubbed the back of his neck, glancing between Brynn's fading silhouette and Richard's icy expression. He attempted a weak smile. "Hey, Richard, I was just coming over to talk to you..."

"Shut up!" Richard snapped, the words cutting sharp as his breathing grew uneven. He had never allowed himself to fall apart like this.

Seeing that something was seriously wrong, Jerold shut the office door in a hurry to block the curious stares from outside. After taking a few steps toward Richard, he let out a weary sigh. "Can't you talk to her nicely? You know how she is. If she actually leaves, how's this firm supposed to keep running?"

Richard cast him a frigid look, his tone edged with a hint of defensiveness he didn't intend to show. "You heard her clearly, didn't you? She was the one who pushed for a resignation!"

Jerold stared at him in disbelief, unable to wrap his mind around it.

Resignation? That had to be a joke. Brynn walking away from the law firm? Walking away from Richard? No one would buy such a notion. How could she ever bring herself to leave?

When Jerold came to himself, he finally asked, "Why did you have to go that far? Saying she shouldn't even think of coming back? Isn't that basically a threat? She was only upset. You could've eased the situation. Why push everything to the edge?"

"Enough!" Richard yanked at his tie in frustration, yet the tightness in his chest refused to go away.

For the first time, he recognized something unsettling beneath that emotion. It was anxiety.

He didn't understand any of it. Hadn't he always found Brynn clingy and exhausting? Hadn't he wished she would stop leaning on him so much? Now that she finally had it, why did it feel like he couldn't breathe?

......

At her workstation, Brynn surveyed the space that had seen her through so many long days and late nights, and a strange sense of calm washed over her.

She pulled open a drawer, uncovering the small objects tucked inside.

A faded movie ticket from their very first date, even though Richard had spent nearly the entire showing answering work messages on his phone.

A simple metal bookmark that he had tossed her way after a business trip, claiming it was merely something a client had handed him.

A box of chocolates, warped and sunken from age. His assistant had handed them out to every woman on Valentine's Day, and she had been one of them.

There was also a single fruit candy, its wrapper rubbed thin. He had given it to her long ago when her stomach ached, and her blood sugar had dipped, pulling it from his pocket with an irritated frown.

Every small thing had once held meaning for Brynn. She had kept them as if they were priceless. Now, they struck her as almost absurd.

She let out a faint pull of her lips, gathered the items together, and dropped them into the trash can.

The gentle clatter sounded startlingly loud in the stillness of the office. Her coworkers looked on without a word, unsure what to say.

Brynn placed the last of her personal belongings into a small box, then surveyed the office that had absorbed so many years of her devotion.

The certificates on the wall marked the cases she had fought for. The rows of plants she had selected and tended to at each desk. Even the coffee machine in the break room she had chosen after listening to everyone's tastes.

This place had carried five years of her devotion and affection, but the moment had finally come to let it go.

Without looking back, she walked away, her figure slipping into the elevator within seconds.

The doors eased shut, closing off every lingering stare behind her.

......

Inside his office, Richard stood near the tall window, his posture straight but unnaturally tense.

Although an urgent email waited on his screen, his eyes kept drifting toward the door, unable to settle on the words before him.

The weight in his chest kept growing, as if someone had set a stone on top of his lungs.

Jerold released a weary sigh as he approached. "Richard, you've really messed up this time. Brynn wasn't bluffing."

Richard's brows pinched together, and a faint, dismissive smile tried to hide the unease beneath. "She's just putting on a show. She'd never leave me."

"That was before everything fell apart. This is about the wedding!" Jerold said in frustration. "What woman can stand being left behind on her wedding day? On top of that, I saw her packing for real. She wasn't playing around. She gave away everything she kept here, like she was cutting every tie to this place... and to you."

Richard pressed his lips into a thin line as Brynn's steady, indifferent gaze replayed in his thoughts, deepening the unease curling in his chest.

He searched his memory for the last time she had truly been furious, yet all he recalled were the countless moments she forgave him quickly, no matter how he acted.

"She wouldn't really stay mad at me..." Richard muttered, sounding as if he needed the reassurance himself. "Anyone else might walk out. But Brynn wouldn't..."

Jerold shot him an exasperated look. "That was the old Brynn! People change when they're pushed aside over and over. Listen, go buy her a gift and apologize properly. If you're lucky, she might cool down."

Richard didn't answer right away. Apologize? He had never lowered himself like that. And how was he supposed to choose a gift?

He dragged a hand across his forehead, irritation tightening his features. "I don't know what to buy. You go pick something for me."

Jerold stared at him in disbelief. "Richard Yates! A sincere apology means doing it yourself. You can't just—"

Before he could finish, Richard's phone began to ring.

He lifted a hand to silence Jerold and took the call, his voice slipping back into its usual composed and businesslike tone. "Hello, this is Richard speaking..."

Jerold could only shake his head as he watched the transformation, the earlier panic neatly hidden behind a polished front.

He drifted toward the window and caught sight of Brynn stepping out of the building with a box in her arms. Her slim figure blended into the flow of pedestrians until she disappeared completely from view.

A faint jolt went through Jerold's chest. For some reason, a troubling certainty settled over him. This time, Brynn might actually be gone for good.

Back inside the office, Richard continued talking to the client with perfect steadiness, his tone smooth and controlled, as though nothing had unraveled moments earlier.

However, Jerold noticed his free hand tightening and loosening over and over again, betraying everything his voice tried to hide.