Chapter 2

I stood up and said coolly, "Why would Bryan need my assistance when he is so outstanding at his job? Besides, didn't you already reserve the director position for him long ago?"

Ignoring my bewildered colleagues and Caitlin's sharp shouts of reprimand, I turned and walked straight out.

Caitlin chased after me the entire way, only catching up when I was downstairs hailing a cab.

Panting, she suppressed her irritation and explained, "What are you so angry about? Mr. Eaton is a relative of Bryan's, so I'm only sucking up to him for the sake of our future."

Seeing that I still wasn't speaking, she grabbed my hand. Then, she pulled a watch from her pocket and put it on my wrist.

"I got you this. Do you like it? Remember back when we'd wince at spending 50 dollars on a single meal? Now we're wearing watches worth thousands of dollars. Zane, trust me—things are only going to get better for us from here on out."

If I hadn't known she had bought Bryan a limited-edition Rolex worth a hundred thousand dollars, I would have been thrilled to receive the most expensive gift in our seven years of dating.

But at this moment, all I could do was let out a cold laugh. It felt utterly meaningless.

Caitlin saw me smiling and thought she had managed to appease me. Playfully, she spread her fingers out in front of me.

"Once I get promoted to CEO, we'll get married. You'd better have the ring ready by then, Mr. Groom."

Watching the delight plastered all over her face, I chose not to tell her that Donovan Eaton was actually my relative, not Bryan's.

That was why, no matter how badly things had blown up this time, I was the only one who could salvage it. Whether the partnership continued or not rested entirely on my say-so.

It was just that this time, I had no intention of cleaning up Caitlin's mess.

When the time came, not only would her dream of becoming CEO go up in smoke, but she would be thrown out on the street as well.

I had always responded to her every need. This time, however, I didn't make a single gesture.

She awkwardly withdrew her hand and patted me on the shoulder, trying to act as if nothing had happened.

"Hey, come on now. As a man, you need to learn to be magnanimous. Don't bother cooking dinner tonight. I've booked us a restaurant. I'm taking you out to eat."

I glanced at her. So, she actually remembered that today was our anniversary.

In the first couple of years, we had been big on rituals. But as we got busier, we stopped celebrating.

I knew she was only doing this to make it up to me. Once, I would have been overjoyed. But belated affection was cheaper than dirt, and I no longer cared for it.

"I'll just pretend you never said anything about wanting to resign," she continued briskly. "Take a good rest this afternoon. During your suspension, I'll have to trouble you to keep an eye on the project.

"Bryan's nothing more than a rich playboy. When it comes to the technical side, you're the only one I trust. I've already sent you the address. Don't be late, okay?"

Her phone rang, and she turned to head back inside to answer it.

I didn't bother checking her text. I wasn't going to that restaurant tonight, and I had even less intention of helping her with the project.

I took off the cheap watch and tossed it into a nearby trash can without a second thought. Then, I turned around and called Uncle Donovan.

"Uncle Donovan, I've resigned from my job."

On the other end of the line, Uncle Donovan fell silent. After a few seconds, he asked what I planned to do about my relationship with Caitlin.

"I'm going to break up with her."

Uncle Donovan was delighted and immediately said he would cancel the partnership. He even comforted me, saying, "Good for you for breaking up. I never thought you two would last anyway.

"Caitlin's the type of woman who only takes and never gives. The important thing is that you've come to your senses. Go home and apologize to your parents. Family is family; you don't stay mad at each other forever."

I gave a vague response and chatted for a few more minutes. Then, I hung up and took a cab home.

As the scenery flew past the window, I found myself unconsciously reminiscing about my past with Caitlin.

Back when I was studying abroad, I had been drawn to her resilient, ambitious spirit. We met, got to know each other, and fell in love during college.

But just as I was about to introduce her to my parents, they adamantly opposed the relationship. They pointed out the cracks in our daily life, insisting she wasn't right for me and that love between people from such different backgrounds would never last.

Furious at my parents' surveillance and what I saw as an overwhelming need to control me, I severed ties with them just to be with Caitlin.