Lucian became quiet and was about to say something when his phone suddenly rang.

He lowered his eyes to the screen. The caller was Stella.

He did not stay away from me while answering the call, and his face unknowingly became softer.

“Hmm, it’s good that you got back home. You did very well today. Rest soon.”

“The island trip? About that, let’s go after attending the European summit first.”

Europe summit.

We decided earlier this year to attend the conference together so we could grow into a new market.

After finishing the call, he seemed to forget the small issue from before and casually explained things to me.

“Ciara, for the Europe summit happening in a few days, I’ll take Stella with me.”

“You’re already one of the senior people in the company. With you staying behind to handle things, I feel less worried.”

I feel less worried.

Those four simple and fluttering words left me frozen in place.

So, plans truly could not follow changes.

What changed was never the plan itself, but the person inside his plan.

Lucian did not notice my face suddenly turning white, or maybe he noticed but simply did not care much.

He picked up the car keys and headed outside.

“The light in Stella’s home is broken. I’m going there to change the light bulb.”

I calmed my feelings and gently nodded.

Still, Lucian paused near the door, as though waiting for me to fix his untidy collar like before.

But I only walked closer and shut the door.

Once the door closed, I leaned my back against it and slowly lowered myself onto the floor.

I did not know how long I stayed there. Only after my legs started feeling numb did I hold onto the wall and slowly rise, then walk toward the study room.

After switching on the computer, the cold white light shone on my blank face.

The mouse moved and opened that email I had looked at many times already.

The words inside the email sounded honest and recognized all the work and effort I gave during the past eight years.

They even prepared a special investment plan fund document using my name.

It was completely unlike Lucian’s endless “next time.”

Once I finished discussing the exact onboarding details with the CEO of the competing company, I got up and pulled out the proposal from the shelf that I had partly completed earlier.

I had started preparing this proposal near the end of last month.

Based on the schedule, if nothing went wrong, it would be completed and carried out on the first day of my promotion as general manager.

But since Lucian chose to give that position to another person, there was no reason for me to hand this contract to him anymore.

The loud sound of an engine rose from outside the window.

My hand trembled, and I instinctively lifted my eyes toward the clock hanging on the wall.

Three hours had already gone by since he left.

From downtown to Stella’s residence, going there and back only took around fifteen minutes.

What kind of light bulb needed that much time to replace?

I did not want to continue thinking about it.

The study room door slowly opened, and Lucian stood by the entrance.

“Why are you still awake?”

I stayed silent.

Lucian walked inside, and the moment he noticed the proposal in my hand, his expression paused briefly.

Maybe he also remembered how much hard work I had poured into this proposal and how excited I had been to carry it out on my first day as general manager.

“Ciara, why did you bring the proposal out again?” His voice sounded natural, though a little cold. “Even if you’re not the general manager, the proposal can still be carried out.”

“It makes no difference, Ciara.”

No, it didn't make a difference.

I quietly denied it in my heart.

When he saw me staying silent, he didn’t continue speaking. He put an arm around my shoulder and gently said, “Alright, sleep now. We’ll discuss work tomorrow.”

I didn’t move.

“Lucian, let’s break up.”

Lucian’s hand on my shoulder suddenly stopped moving for a second.

Then, he laughed. “Isn’t it only one job position? Right now, you are Mrs. Lucero. Why are you arguing with a young girl? Ciara, don’t be so narrow-minded.”

“When the company becomes public, I’ll give you a higher position, something even above general manager, okay?”

His voice sounded tired but amused, and he did not take my words seriously at all.

After saying that, he ignored my response, turned around, and walked to the bathroom.

I watched his back and quietly said, “Lucian, I’m not becoming general manager anymore.”

“I’m preparing to become a new partner.”

Lucian paused his steps before leaving.

Only after a while did he turn around. His eyes no longer looked at me as gently as they once did.

He rubbed between his brows, sounding a little irritated.

“Ciara, why do you always cause trouble without reason?”

“I told you already, Stella is still a newcomer. I only want to give her some support. Also, promotions must follow the company rules and process. It’s not like you become a partner whenever you want.”

I ignored his words and continued talking to myself. “It’s next week.”

“The ribbon-cutting ceremony for the partner promotion is already being prepared.”

Lucian quietly stared at me for a few seconds, then suddenly gave a cold laugh. “Ciara, how did I never notice before that your attitude is this bad?”

“Yes, I promised your mother, but you also need to understand my situation. The company is preparing to go public right now, and I cannot allow any problems. Can’t you try to understand a little?”

His accusing words came directly at me.

The past me probably would have become emotional after hearing only a few words from him, then immediately stepped back and stopped talking about the promotion anymore.

But now, I had already made up my mind to leave.

In his eyes, during the company’s public listing period, nothing could go wrong.

So he kept choosing to blame me again and again.

And Stella, whose job experience was much lower than mine, still received everything I never got.

Even while the company was preparing to go public, he still spent so much effort promoting her and even went with her on an island vacation.

I should have realized it much earlier.

When I lifted my head again, my heart was calm.

“I promised my mom that within three years, she would see me get promoted.”

“The three years are almost finished, Lucian. I don’t have any extra time to waste on you now.”

Lucian went silent, his face slowly becoming red. After holding back for a while, he unwillingly left behind one sentence, “Completely unreasonable.”

Then, he walked away.

This time, I did not follow him anymore. Instead, I turned around and returned to the bedroom, carefully placing the onboarding certificate into the bedside drawer.

The drawer contained every important document from those eight years.

It included the ID card and household register for marriage, even the prepared speech for the promotion event.

For eight whole years, I had waited for him every single day.

Yet what I received again and again was only “next time.”

Once I locked the drawer, I lay back on the bed.

The phone suddenly vibrated.

A message had arrived from the CEO of the rival company.

[Ms. Bernard, your work results are very impressive, and our company is sincerely looking forward to you joining us.]

[The legal team is already handling the process. When do you think it is suitable to officially share this news?]

After thinking about Lucian, my fingers paused for a second before typing:

[I will settle my private matters as quickly as possible.]

[I will officially join next week.]

The other side answered very fast. [The office has already been prepared based on your preferences. You can come by and check it anytime.]

I thanked him and switched off my phone.

While lying on the bed, I stared at the ceiling, but I did not feel the happiness or comfort I had imagined.

I wanted to give everything a proper ending with Lucian and with the company.

This was not simple.

Eight years, tied together for too long, buried deep inside my heart and soul.

Pulling myself away was bound to hurt badly.

But I knew I needed to leave.

I had already completed the resignation letter.

I planned to give it to Lucian the following day.

Maybe because he was still upset about yesterday’s matter, Lucian went to the company earlier that morning without waiting for me.

When I reached the company, I happened to see him inside the office with Stella, talking happily.

Stella sat halfway on the office table, while most of her body almost rested against him, yet Lucian showed no intention of moving away from her.

My steps stopped for a moment. I waited outside for quite some time, but in the end, I still knocked on the door.

After hearing the knock, Stella softly cried out and quickly tried climbing down from the office table. However, because she could not keep her balance, she stumbled and fell into Lucian’s arms.

Lucian quietly calmed her down a few times. When her cheeks became red because of what he said, he finally gently let her go.

Watching that close scene made me suddenly think about the beginning years of the company.

At that time, although everyone already knew I was the girlfriend who helped him build everything from the ground up,

Lucian still did not want to publicly reveal our relationship. To avoid suspicion, he even announced that I was no longer allowed to casually enter and leave his office.

If there was a work report, I even had to book an appointment and send an application a day before.

Even after going in, I still could not remain there for over ten minutes.

But now, as I looked at Lucian with a smile on his face, I finally understood.

So from the start until the end, the thing he wanted to avoid was not suspicion, but me.

I smiled bitterly at myself, then placed the resignation form I was holding onto the desk and waited for his signature.

Still, Lucian did not even glance at it. Instead, he frowned and asked, “Didn’t I tell you to file it early? Why didn’t you submit it this time?”

I parted my lips, wanting to tell him that after today, I would be leaving.

I came today to hand in my resignation and pack my belongings as well.

But before I managed to speak, he suddenly looked like he felt sorry for me. He lifted his hand and pushed my resignation paper aside.

“Okay, I’ll review the documents later. Go outside first.”

I hesitated again and again, wanting to tell him that it was not a work file, but my resignation document.

But after seeing Stella weakly rest against Lucian once more, I held the words back.

Soon after, I stepped out of the office, returned to my workspace, and began arranging my things.

I did not have many personal belongings. A single bag could fit all of them.

During these eight years, I had kept giving everything to him and the company.

I had turned into someone completely different from who I used to be.

Still, it was good that I would leave soon.

Right after I finished packing, Lucian walked out of the office.

The moment he saw me, he walked straight toward me, his voice sounding heavy.

“Ciara, let’s talk.”

He probably already noticed my resignation application.

I smiled lightly, my voice distant. “President Lucero, there is nothing for us to say anymore.”

“Nothing to say anymore?” Lucian nearly bit out the words. “Ciara, do you still think you are that outstanding graduate everybody wanted back then?”

“Once you leave Syntra Technology, where do you think you can go?”

“This field is very small. Everyone already knows you belong to me. Without me agreeing, let’s see who has the courage to employ you!”

I stared at him while pain slowly passed through my heart.

After the eight years I spent beside him, this was the way he looked at me.

At least I should thank him for finally showing his true feelings before I walked away.

I ignored his angry shouting, held the box in my arms, and walked out of the company.

Behind me, I could still hear Lucian’s furious yelling and Stella’s soft voice pretending to calm him down.

But none of those things mattered to me anymore.

That night, after arriving at the rival company, I remembered there was still one file left at Syntra Technology.

So I took a taxi back.

Inside the company, only Lucian’s office still had the lights turned on.

I walked near the door and was about to knock, but voices speaking inside suddenly reached my ears.

They were Lucian’s other business partners.

“Lucian, are you really going to ignore Ciara now? What if she truly leaves for another company?”

My hand holding the doorknob suddenly stopped.

Right after that, Lucian’s careless voice came from inside.

“You still can’t see how she is? She’s mad because I gave Stella the general manager role. She’s purposely making a scene and acting difficult!”

“Let her quit. I’d like to see what company dares hire her without me agreeing to it. In the end, won’t she still return and obediently work her way up from the bottom?”

Stella laughed sweetly. “Oh, this really is my fault. A lot of people at the company are asking if Ciara left because of me.”

“But the pointer stopped on me first. How could anyone know that would happen?”

Lucian’s other partners quickly agreed. “Stella knows how to think about the whole company. Ciara’s different. Even after following you for eight years, she still only knows how to create problems without reason.”

My hand slowly let go of the doorknob.

Maybe because Lucian believed I wouldn’t really leave, he signed the resignation paper very fast.

That actually made it easier for me to start at the new company.

On only my second day at the new company, I signed an important client.

During the next few days, I stayed busy with work the whole time.

Of course, I also didn’t know that, on the other side, Lucian was quietly staring at my chat window.