Chapter 3

Lydia Lane pov

The internal group chat was full of people mocking me.

“No matter how hard a foil struggles, she’s still just a foil. The moment the first love comes back, all she can do is get lost.”

I didn’t leave the group, and I didn’t explain. I was at my desk, organizing the last few handover checklists.

That afternoon was the Titanic Ruins Restoration Project progress meeting.

Nora sat in the main seat, with the proposal I had stayed up writing placed in front of her. She read it haltingly, stumbling whenever she reached professional terms.

A partner frowned and interrupted her. “Ms. Wells, I’d like to ask, why does the entrance exhibition hall deliberately avoid the north entrance?”

Nora flipped through the proposal in her hands until her face went white. Then she looked to me as if asking for help.

Of course the polished public version didn’t mention it. Because beneath the north entrance was the old drainage ditch that could collapse at any moment. That was something I had discovered only after going to the muddy site three times myself.

The entire conference room was waiting.

With a dark expression, Ethan looked toward me in the corner and ordered, “You answer.”

I snapped my notebook shut and didn’t even lift my eyes.

“Sorry, Mr. Hayes. Under the current credit split, I’ve got no standing to weigh in here.”

The conference room instantly became so quiet you could hear a pin drop.

Nora’s tears fell all at once. “Lydia, do you have to publicly embarrass me like this?”

Ethan shot to his feet, suppressing towering rage. “Meeting adjourned!”

Once everyone had left, Ethan locked the conference room door behind them. His voice was as cold as if it had been dipped in ice. “You enjoyed publicly embarrassing Nora today, didn’t you?”

“I simply didn’t step onstage for her again.”

“She just came back. There are many things she’s not familiar with yet!”

“If she’s not familiar with them, then she shouldn’t be shamelessly occupying the lead creator’s name!” I refused to back down.

Ethan stared at me, his teeth clenched. “You didn’t used to be this petty.”

“That’s right.” I only found it absurd. “In the past, I was at your beck and call. Even after you drained me dry, I still had to smile and say it was fine. Of course you thought I was useful.”

“But Ethan Hayes, the past is the past, and now is now.”

“Now, I will not yield another inch! Anything that belongs to me, I won’t give away a single piece of it!”

Nora suddenly pushed the door open and came in, crying tearfully fragile. “Ethan, I quit! Since she looks down on me anyway, staying here would only be humiliating!”

She made as if to leave, but Ethan pulled her into his arms at once, then turned and stared hard at me.

“Apologize to her! Lydia Lane, don’t make me say it a second time!”

I didn’t move.

Ethan roared, “Apologize!”

I picked up the documents on the table and threw them directly in front of Ethan. “This is the safety hazard explanation for the north entrance. There’s no apology. I’ve given you the risk warning. You’d better take care of yourself.”

I pulled open the door and strode out.

Behind me came the deafening crash of Ethan smashing a teacup, followed by the sound of shattering glass.

But I didn’t look back even once.