Chapter 14
915words
By the time I walked out of my room, he was already fully dressed, sitting on the sofa in the living room, seemingly waiting for me.
He had changed into a pure black custom-tailored suit of the highest quality that I had never seen before. His hair was meticulously combed, revealing his smooth, full forehead.
He just sat there, naturally emanating a... dominant aura that seemed to reign over everything.
That was another, completely unfamiliar, superior existence to me.
"Are you leaving?" I looked at him.
"Yes." He nodded.
"Because of what I said yesterday?"
He didn't answer, but instead picked up a document from the sofa and handed it to me.
"What is this?"
"Divorce agreement."
These four words were like four ice-cold blades, stabbing mercilessly into my heart.
I looked at him in disbelief, my whole body trembling. "Why?"
"My task has been completed." He stood up, looking down at me, those eyes containing nothing but pure, cold detachment. "You've taken back the company, and your mother's follow-up treatment costs are no longer an issue. Our agreement ends here."
"So from beginning to end, it was just a task, just an agreement, is that it?" I looked at him with reddened eyes, "Then why did you kiss me last night?"
His gaze flickered for a moment.
But she quickly regained that cold calmness.
"It was just a normal physiological reaction between an adult man and woman under the influence of alcohol," he remarked cruelly and dismissively. "Miss Sullivan, you didn't take it seriously, did you?"
My heart completely shattered the instant I heard those words.
So all the tenderness, all the unspoken understanding, all the heartfelt moments, were just my own one-sided delusions.
Tears could no longer be held back and came rushing forth.
I looked at him, trying to find even the slightest hint of reluctance on his handsome but cold face.
But there was none.
Nothing at all.
"Fine." I sniffled, forcing myself to swallow back my tears. I took the divorce agreement from his hand and, using all my strength, managed a smile that looked worse than crying. "I understand. I wish you all the best."
After speaking, I didn't look at him again, turned and walked into the bedroom, slamming the door shut with a "bang."
With my back against the door, I slowly slid down to the floor, buried my face deep in my knees, and broke into loud sobs.
Outside the door came the sound of his departing footsteps, and that gentle yet world-endingly heavy sound of the door closing.
He left.
With all his secrets and all my love, he completely vanished from my world.
As if he had never appeared at all.
For the month that followed, I lived like a walking corpse.
I worked frantically, numbing myself with endless meetings and documents.
Under my leadership, the company quickly got back on track. My mother's condition also gradually stabilized thanks to the best treatment available.
Everything was getting better.
Except for me.
My heart felt like it had a hole carved out of it that nothing could fill.
I still lived in that apartment. The second bedroom remained exactly as it was when he left. That pink Winnie the Pooh apron still hung on the kitchen wall.
Sometimes I would have illusions that when I opened the door, I would see him wearing that ridiculous apron, saying to me: "You're back?"
And then, reality would give me a resounding slap across the face.
Besides me, the room was empty.
I signed that divorce agreement. But I didn't mail it.
I locked it in the deepest part of the drawer.
Today was the Sullivan Group's first and most important annual shareholders meeting since its restructuring.
At this meeting, I would be officially appointed as the group's CEO.
At the same time, we would also announce a collaboration with the country's top financial conglomerate—the "Shaw Empire."
This collaboration is crucial to Sullivan Group's future.
It's said that the elusive young ruler of the "Shaw Empire" would personally attend today.
I had prepared for this for a long time.
I wore my most expensive suit, applied my most exquisite makeup, and walked into the venue in ten-centimeter high heels.
Like an invincible queen, I accepted everyone's congratulations and admiration.
Only I knew how empty my heart was.
The meeting began.
Everything was proceeding smoothly.
Until......
"Now, let's welcome the president of Shaw Empire—Mr. Lucas Shaw, to the stage with our warmest applause!"
Amid thunderous applause from the audience, the heavy door of the conference hall, symbolizing power and status, slowly opened.
A tall and straight figure walked in under the embrace of countless spotlights.
Top-tier tailored handmade suit, meticulously styled slicked-back hair, exuding a powerful aura of authority that warned others to keep their distance.
At this moment, time seemed to stand still.
My breath stopped as well.
I watched that man who, under everyone's gaze, walked step by step onto the stage.
Looking at that familiar face, which had appeared countless times in my dreams, stirring both love and hate within me.
My brain exploded with a "boom" into a brilliant display of fireworks.
Lucas... Shaw?
Luke Shaw?
So...
So, that casual joke I made turned out to be true.
So, he really was the heir to a financial empire.
A ruler of the empire whom I have no right even to look up to.
