My tone was firm, leaving no room for Aria to hesitate.
But she only thought I was making things difficult for her.
“Are you mentally ill? Why are you cursing your son to die for no reason?”
“I already said I punished Percival. Zayden won’t touch him again. Stop overreacting.”
After she spoke, she yanked the ring off my finger.
“Zayden’s been feeling down lately. This ring is a unique design I had custom-made. I’ll use it to cheer him up.”
I looked at her in shock.
Aria turned her head away, guilt flickering across her face.
“It’s only temporary. Once I light sky lanterns and get him the world’s most expensive diamond ring, I’ll give this back to you.”
“Don’t worry, he doesn’t like second-hand things. Don’t be so petty.”
She looked completely justified as if that wasn’t our wedding ring.
As if no vows of loyalty had ever been engraved on it.
Before I could speak, she clutched the ring and turned to leave.
As she passed the shelf where Percival’s urn was placed, she suddenly stopped.
“What’s this?”
Percival finally received his mother’s attention.
But it had only come after his death.
I choked up, my voice low as I answered slowly.
“It’s Percival’s…”
My words were cut short by a phone call. Aria glanced at the screen and quickly walked away.
I watched her figure grow smaller and finished the sentence to the empty room.
“…ashes.”
It was just as well she hadn’t heard.
Even better, I didn’t have to see her pretend to be shocked.
Or watch her put on a show of false grief in front of Percival’s urn.
Though perhaps that was only my own wishful thinking.
More likely, she would have said coldly, “Dead is dead.”
The next day, I packed my things and went to the company one last time.
As soon as I handed my resignation letter to HR, one of my subordinates stopped me.
“Brother Calix, are you leaving because President Aria gave the department manager position to Zayden?”
I looked at him, my expression stiff.
“You’re saying Zayden has already taken over the whole department?”
But Zayden had only ever been Aria’s assistant.
He had never managed any external projects.
How could he possibly lead an entire department?
My subordinate looked furious.
“You don’t know that scumbag? He strutted in today like he owned the place. Just seeing his face made me sick.”
No sooner had he finished than Zayden walked out of the office, his tone sharp as a blade.
“You’re fired. Pack your things and get out.”
My subordinate roared in anger.
“On what grounds?”
Zayden looked smug, his eyes glinting with disdain.
“On the grounds that I’m your superior. If I say go, you go.”
Then he paused, lips curling into a sneer. “Unless you kneel and apologize.”
My subordinate’s face went red with rage, and he lunged forward to strike him, but I reached out and stopped him.
Only then did Zayden pretend to notice me.
“Oh, so it’s Manager Jarrett, no, Mr. Jarrett.”
He thought for a moment, and then a sinister smile spread across his face.
“Since your former subordinate caused trouble, as his ex-supervisor, you should clean up his mess.”
He looked down at me, his tone dripping with disdain.
“Kneel and bow for him.”
At those words, discontented murmurs rippled through the crowd.
Seeing the commotion outside the office, Aria quickly stepped out.
The moment Zayden spotted her, his expression shifted in an instant.
Aria walked up to me, her voice sharp. “What’s going on? Are you bullying Zayden again?”
Before I could open my mouth, Zayden spoke up, his tone sickeningly gentle.
“Sister Aria, don’t blame Brother Calix. I stole his position, so he’s upset. That’s understandable.”
I stood there in silence, watching him put on his performance.
Aria’s eyes softened when she looked at Zayden, but when they turned to me, they brimmed with hatred.
