Chapter 4

I knocked on Declan's office door, with the resignation letter in hand.

When he saw me, his brow furrowed. "What are you doing here?"

"Mr. Gibson, this is my resignation," I explained as I handed him the envelope.

Declan froze for a moment, then his expression darkened. "Are you seriously quitting?"

"Yes."

"So, yesterday was all just an act, huh? You pretended not to care, but here you are, trying to make a scene?" he shot back with a sneer. "Scarlett, do you think you can survive without me?"

Back then, I had cut off ties with my family to be with Declan. They never thought he was anything special. And at the time, he hadn't become the mafia don.

He had always been the last one anyone expected to rise to power.

But I loved him for who he was, not for his status. That was why I moved to this city, and the very reason he believed I'd never leave him.

I had no intention of letting him know that I was leaving. With someone as controlling as him, he'd never let me go if he found out.

"I'm just tired. I need a break from work, that's all. I'm not picking a fight with you."

Declan's expression turned grim. He studied me, trying to figure out if I was telling the truth.

Moments later, he slipped the letter into a drawer and said, "Then, take a leave of absence. There's no need to resign."

I pressed my lips together and turned to leave. Since I had already made up my mind, his approval didn't matter anymore.

I had just reached the door when I heard a panicked voice behind me.

"Declan, what do I do? My necklace is missing!"

It was Beatrice. She looked frantic, clutching a fancy gift box. "I swear I left it right here! How could it just disappear?"

Declan's face tightened, but his tone stayed soft as he reassured her, "Don't worry. I'll help you find it."

Then, he looked up and barked at the security, "Run a full check! Find out who took Beatrice's necklace."

…

In an instant, the office erupted in chaos, with people whispering and speculating all around.

"Seriously? Someone dared to steal from Beatrice?" Someone gasped.

Another voice rang out. "That's a diamond necklace! It's worth a fortune!"

"If I find out who did it, I swear I'll make them pay!"

I stood at the door, hesitating. It didn't feel right to leave now.

It was then that Declan spotted me. "Scarlett, wait. You're getting searched, too."

With that, he ordered security to block the exit and sent everyone back to their desks.

One by one, people lined up to have their workstations searched. And soon, it was my turn.

Declan looked at me. Suddenly, his eyes caught the small teddy bear figurine in my drawer. For a split second, guilt flashed across his face.

He had given it to me when we first started dating. It was a token of love. Still, he waved it off and ordered, "Empty the drawer!"

The security guards tore through my belongings.

In the next second, the teddy bear hit the floor and shattered into pieces. Just like the five years we had spent together, it was now broken and beyond repair.

They rummaged through everything I had but found nothing.

All of a sudden, Beatrice exclaimed, "I found it!"

She dug through the pile of clutter and pulled the necklace from a narrow gap. "How did it end up here?"

Declan glanced at me, his face unreadable. Without warning, he slapped me hard. "Scarlett Fletcher, what do you have to say for yourself? Apologize to Beatrice now!"

I pressed a hand to my burning cheek, and something inside me broke. My eyes stung with unshed tears, but I stood tall. "I didn't take it, and I'm not apologizing. If you don't believe me, check the surveillance footage. And for the record, I don't give a damn about her necklace."