Chapter 2

In the end, it was my parents who stayed behind to comfort me. "Why don't you come back to Pemberly with us?" It wasn't the first time they'd made the offer. I sank into the chair, meeting their hopeful gazes. They were the founders of Pemberly's most prestigious law firm, and it was their influence that led me to pursue a career in law. I was originally meant to train at their firm after graduation. But everything changed when I met Damien during my graduate studies. I decided to follow him to Aberton instead. Damien came from a rural background and harbored resentment toward those born into privilege. Aware of this, I chose not to reveal my own privileged upbringing. For five years, he believed I was just another person who'd clawed their way up from the countryside. During those years, I advanced from a junior lawyer to a trusted and respected attorney. For three consecutive years, Damien and I earned the firm's top bonuses, and we became known as the company's most formidable power couple. Things were finally starting to look up, and I often believed that Damien wouldn't mind if I finally told him the truth. But the right moment never came. Now, looking back, I couldn't help but let out a sigh. I no longer needed to tell him. "…Alright," I murmured at last. "I'll come back home." My parents' eyes lit up as they clasped my hands tightly. "That's the spirit. We'll book your flight right away. We won't let you stay here and keep getting hurt." After helping them settle in, I headed back to my place. The house was just as silent and empty as ever. I quickly cooked a batch of boxed mac and cheese and launched my Instagram app, only to see a post from Astrid. She was wearing a tight athletic outfit, posing playfully with Damien. "I tricked Mr. Thornwell out of his wedding just so he'd play tennis with me. He was a bit annoyed at first, but once I mentioned dinner at my place afterward, he brightened right up!" I felt a pang of disgust. Damien wouldn't be coming home that night, just like every night before. Fortunately, we never legally tied the knot. So I no longer had to sacrifice my own happiness. The next morning, I walked into the firm with my suitcase in tow, ready to hand over my resignation. Because of my strong performance, my supervisor, Hilda McCarthy, immediately tried to convince me to stay. We were still in the midst of a discussion when Damien appeared, carrying a stack of papers. Out of the corner of my eye, I caught sight of the love marks on his neck and noticed the sweet scent of peaches lingering around him. It didn't take much to guess what kind of night he'd had. Damien always hated it when I left kiss marks on him, saying it could cause problems at work. So even during our most intimate moments, I held myself back, clutching the bedsheets instead. It turned out he didn't mind a hickey, just as long as it wasn't from me. As soon as he walked in, Hilda let out a weary sigh. "Perfect timing. Can you talk some sense into your girlfriend? She's thinking of quitting. Did you two have a fight?" "It has nothing to do with him." "You're resigning?" Our voices rang out together. From the corner of my eye, I sensed Damien's gaze fixed on me, his lips drawn tight in a thin line. "So that's what this is about. You're mad I canceled the wedding yesterday, aren't you?" Sensing the shift in the room, Hilda quietly excused herself. As the door clicked shut, Damien stepped forward, his voice sharp with accusation. "I've already told you that the wedding was canceled because Astrid injured her leg. Why are you blowing this out of proportion?" I forced myself to stay composed and looked him in the eye. "I'm not upset," I said. "I'm just tired and could use a break. Maybe a vacation would help." But that wasn't the truth. Damien crossed his arms, his brow knitting together in suspicion. "If you want a vacation, why not just use your annual leave? Quitting suddenly will make people think you have problems with Astrid. She's just a young woman. How is she supposed to keep working here if rumors start flying?" He seemed to have forgotten entirely that I'd already exhausted all my annual leave this year, taking time off every time he canceled a wedding. But that didn't matter to him. All he cared about was how Astrid would cope at the firm. A wave of sorrow washed over me. My gaze returned to the hickey on Damien's neck, but I said nothing. "It's just a mosquito bite. Don't read too much into it," he mumbled. I was surprised he didn't get defensive. Instead, he stumbled through an awkward excuse. His words felt forced, but if I were still the person I used to be, I might have believed him. I just nodded quietly, choosing to say nothing. Damien exhaled in relief, convinced I'd finally calmed down. He smiled casually before draping his arm over my shoulder. "That's more like it. It takes real magnanimity to be a great lawyer. "Don't be so quick to quit. Tonight, I'll take you to The Gilded Fork for dinner. Think of it as my way of making it up to you." I kept quiet, and he mistook it for agreement. I wanted to bid him a proper farewell, but the words lodged in my throat. By then, I couldn't bring myself to tell him I was leaving for Pemberly. "Mr. Thornwell!" Without so much as a knock, Astrid suddenly burst into the room. Startled, Damien instinctively pulled away from me. She offered a sheepish grin. "I'm sorry to interrupt your little date, but I'm stuck on this case and just can't figure it out." Without glancing back, Damien walked up to Astrid and took the documents from her hand, reading them carefully. He lowered his head and patiently asked her where she was having trouble. Astrid leaned in deliberately, their whispered conversation unfolding right before me, creating an unspoken barrier between us. She slipped her arm through his, and they made their way toward the exit. Just before the door shut, she turned and flashed me a smug smile. The silence in the room was broken only by my steady breath. Suddenly, the emerald bracelet slipped from my wrist and smashed against the floor. Damien had gifted it to me on our first anniversary. He told me that he wished our love would be as perfect and lasting as that bracelet. I remained silent for a long while. Despite the sting of fresh cuts, I carefully gathered the shattered pieces. With them, I threw away the last traces of what we once shared.