Chapter 4

The blabbermouth Betty said, "Don't tell me it's really like everyone said. Are you really faking your dad's death to get attention? What a mess. No wonder Cara is closer to that assistant of hers. You're so useless. You can't even keep your own wife under control.

"What a shame. I was planning to have her introduce a match for my nephew, you know? Preferably an only daughter of a wealthy family."

She openly stated the purpose of her visit without the slightest restraint.

I clenched my fists.

In their eyes, only Cara's wealth and status mattered. They had never thought much of Dad or me. I had assumed that, at the very least, they would respect Dad out of family ties.

It turned out I had been deluding myself.

Pointing at the door, I said frigidly, "Get out."

They were stunned. Betty was about to put on airs as an elder, but I didn't give her the chance.

When none of them moved, I grabbed a wreath nearby and hurled it at them. "Get out! All of you, get out!"

I drove them all outside in one furious sweep and slammed the door shut amid their astonishment.

After cursing outside for a while, my relatives left.

I said, "Dad, I'm the only one here to see you off on your final journey. I hope you won't mind."

After tidying up the memorial hall, I took Dad's urn to the cemetery by myself and laid him to rest.

The next day, I went to the company to resign, my eyes bloodshot from staying up all night.

The moment I stepped into the HR office, I heard people discussing a new directive from Cara. She had instructed them to arrange a new office for Warren and to renovate it.

"Ms. Lavigne really spoils Warren. Not only is she giving him a private office, but she's even planning to get him a new house. I'm so jealous."

As they spoke, someone noticed me and hurriedly warned the others.

"Mr. Zane." The employee who had been speaking greeted me reluctantly with a grimace.

I handed over my resignation letter.

Ignoring their discussion, I calmly said, "I'm here to process my resignation."

The HR staff froze for a moment before instinctively rejecting it. "You need to initiate an OA application to resign."

I answered, "That's not necessary. I have authorization to resign directly. Ms. Lavigne signed this document that gives me permission."

I handed over the paperwork.

I had obtained it from Cara a month ago. I took the blame for Warren and accepted responsibility for the project's losses. In return, she gave me the right to resign directly and waived the non-competing clause.

"As long as you take the blame for Warren, I'll sign it," Cara had said.

While seated in her luxurious office chair, she had continued, "But can you really bear to resign? The company gives you one of the highest salaries in the industry. If you leave, do you think you'll ever find a position this good?

"Don't act out of anger. I'm only helping Warren because I feel sorry for him. If that's why you're upset, it's unnecessary."

What she didn't know was that this wasn't a spur-of-the-moment decision. I had made up my mind to resign a long time ago.

The moment she promoted Warren over more senior employees to Executive Assistant and gave him authority to recruit staff beyond his role, I had already started planning my departure.

"Sign it. I'll take full responsibility," I said.

After confirming the document's authenticity, HR began processing my resignation.

Around me, people whispered.

"I've never heard Warren mention this document. Could this be another one of Julian's stunts for Ms. Lavigne's affection?"

"He sure has a lot of tricks. His dad's death didn't get Ms. Lavigne's attention, so he's using resignation as a threat now. What a schemer."

I paid no attention to them. I let them take photos and gossip about me in their private group chats. Once I received my resignation certificate, I left without looking back.

…

In the blink of an eye, three days passed by. Today was the day I was scheduled to receive my divorce decree. I went to the courthouse early that morning and obtained it without any trouble.

At the same time, I saw dozens of new posts Warren had uploaded. He must have unblocked me. All of his posts had been published over the past three days.

As I scrolled through them one by one, I realized that every place Cara had taken him was somewhere she had always promised to take me but never had.

The promises she once made to me were now being fulfilled for Warren. Even the angles of the photographs were the same ones she had specially learned for my sake.

Now, she was using them all on Warren.