Chapter 3

After work that evening, I had just stepped out of the company building when Carrie's car pulled up in front of me.

Gabe leaned out from the passenger seat and waved.

"Cole, sorry about this—I get carsick, so you'll have to take the back seat."

Carrie added, "Gabe came to apologize to you."

I said nothing, simply nodded and opened the door to sit in the back.

The entire ride, Carrie ignored me. She kept chatting with Gabe instead. Whenever he said something funny, she laughed so hard her shoulders shook, even reaching out to lightly slap his thigh.

It looked less like conversation and more like flirting.

When we arrived at the private room, Carrie casually handed the menu to Gabe.

"You're my childhood friend. You should know what I like without me having to say it."

Gabe rested his chin against her neck.

"Of course. I even know how many moles you have on your body."

I silently took a seat to the side. Not a single dish on the table was something I could eat.

Gabe filled my glass with wine, then picked up his own.

"Cole, let me toast you as an apology."

"Wait." Carrie stopped him, her tone half-chiding. "Drinking isn't good for your health. Just have juice instead."

Gabe picked up a glass of juice and walked over to me.

"Cole, taking the project was my fault. Please don't hold it against me."

Carrie wiped the juice from the corner of his mouth, her voice indulgent.

"Don't worry. Cole has always been generous."

I looked at her and spoke hoarsely, "This is what you call an apology?"

The atmosphere in the room froze instantly.

Gabe suddenly stood up, his eyes filled with grievance.

"It's my fault for ruining Cole's mood. I'll go write my resignation letter right now…"

"Stay right there. Let's see who dares make you leave!" Carrie grabbed his hand, then looked at me with open irritation. "He's already apologized. What more do you want? Cole, drink the wine he poured for you. Don't push your luck."

I stared at their tightly clasped hands and let out a cold laugh.

She had probably forgotten that back when she first started her business, I drank myself sick attending endless banquets just to secure major deals for her. I ended up in the hospital with gastric bleeding, barely saved in time.

From that day on, I couldn't touch alcohol at all.

Looking at things now, I felt like a complete joke.

I picked up the glass in front of me and poured the wine onto the floor.

"I don't have the fortune to accept his apology."

With that, I turned and walked out, ignoring Carrie's furious shouts behind me.

That very night, as if to provoke me, she posted on her Instagram. In the photo, she sat on Gabe's lap, the two of them locked in a passionate kiss.

I didn't react—if anything, I even gave it a like.

When my friend saw the post, he was shaking with anger.

"Is something wrong with her?!"

I just smiled indifferently. After enough disappointment, you stop feeling anything at all.

"Cole! I can't take this anymore! Are you going to do something or not? If you won't, I'll go deal with that shameless pair myself!"

"No need to rush. I'll make my move."

My friend looked at me, confused.

I handed him my phone.

When he saw the group chat I had created, his face lit up with excitement.

"All these core team members are leaving with you!"

Scrolling up through the chat history, every single one of them had submitted their resignation to HR that very day.

My friend slapped my shoulder.

"If you hadn't led this team—working day and night, drinking your way through deals to secure investments—how could Carrie ever have achieved what she has today? Bravo. Let those two continue their shameless flirtation."