I got the shattered phone repaired, and when I turned it back on, the messages froze the screen for a long, long time.
Most were from people in the same industry who knew us, from friends, from colleagues at the company.
Every one of them had rushed to ask me what was true.
I didn't reply to a single message. Instead, I posted one thing on my feed.
【From here on, may we each be well.】
The post had barely gone up when the company's HR manager called me.
She hemmed and hawed, but the meaning was perfectly clear.
I'd been fired, and my position would be taken over by Faith Curry.
I didn't cry, didn't make a scene, didn't even demand an explanation. I accepted it calmly.
I knew this was Harold's revenge on me.
He blamed me for refusing to play along, blamed me for saying things I shouldn't have.
It didn't matter. I no longer wanted to stay at that company anyway.
Calmly, I placed a call to Harold.
Maybe he was waiting for me to come crawling back, because he picked up almost at once.
His voice was as cold as ever.
"If you want your position back, then come apologize to Faith."
"She isn't cold-blooded like you. Bow your head to her, and you'll still be the vice president of the company."
He said it from on high, as if the position were charity he was handing me.
But he'd forgotten that half of this company had once been mine.
I wanted to argue, but I suddenly realized I didn't even have the strength left to fight with him.
"Harold, let's break up."
I gripped the phone, and my voice came out perfectly steady.
But before I could finish, a soft, coquettish moan came through from his end.
"Harold, who are you talking to? Why aren't you done yet?"
"I feel so awful…"
Her voice was faint, yet it detonated in my head with a roar.
Harold stammered out a reply.
"It's nothing. Just a call from a client."
And with that, he hurried to hang up.
The room fell silent. I looked at the cold phone in my hand, and inside, I felt completely at peace.
【Host, target mission Harold Gilbert currently has only 40 affection points remaining.】
【Please keep up the good work, Host.】
For once, the system offered a word of encouragement.
I stood where I was, thinking of nothing, staring blankly into the distance.
It was a long while before I answered softly.
"Understood."
Early the next morning, the sound of workers coming and going through the apartment jolted me awake.
I opened my door to find Harold directing the movers to haul my things out.
Seeing me up, he gave me a cold nod.
"You're awake. Faith's system issued a new mission. It needs you to move out of this apartment."
"In a bit we'll act out a little scene with her, and afterward I'll have the workers move everything back for you."
I stared at him steadily. From start to finish, he didn't dare meet my eyes.
I gave a self-mocking laugh, a trace of relief in my voice.
"So you won't even leave me my last bit of peace, is that it?"
"Harold, this is my house. What gives you the right to move my things?"
"But I'm the one who bought it for you."
The room went abruptly still. Panic flickered through Harold's eyes for an instant, as if he hadn't realized he'd say something so cruel.
He froze there for a moment, then stole a few careful glances at me.
Faith walked over smiling and laced her fingers through his.
"Harold's right. He bought this apartment. He has the right to decide whether you get to keep it."
As she spoke, she gently undid two buttons of her shirt, baring the kiss mark at her collarbone.
"But now he wants to give it to me. Hand it over."
I looked at their clasped hands, and there was no ripple left in my heart.
"Fine. It's yours."
