At the corporate gala, Ryan Albright’s assistant, without any sense of propriety, splashed a glass of wine on an investor and then publicly berated him. To retaliate, the investor demanded Vanessa personally atone for it, or he would withdraw his investment. To ensure the company's successful public listing, Ryan handed me a drink that he’d spiked, then pushed me forward to smooth things over. He looked at me, his eyes filled with a struggling reluctance. “Vanessa is different from you. She just graduated; she’s pure and innocent.” “Daisy, don’t struggle. I will compensate you once the company successfully goes public.” When I fully came to, I looked at the man across from me, my voice hoarse: “The agreement you mentioned, I’ll sign it.” 1 Arthur Grant closed the file in his hands, adjusted his gold-rimmed glasses, and cast a dismissive glance my way, a faint smile playing on his lips. “Then I wish us a pleasant partnership, Ms. Albright.” I looked at his polished, urbane demeanor, my face pale as I recalled the scene from last night. When the smarmy investor had slung his arm around me, ushering me towards a private room, the elevator doors chimed open. Arthur Grant stood perfectly straight inside, like a divine apparition. Seeing the elevator about to close, I immediately cried out to him for help. The man was then viciously beaten to the ground, his gruesome, blood-soaked image still vivid in my mind. I swallowed hard, unsure if my choice was truly the right one. Pushing down my apprehension, I managed to say to him: “Pleasant partnership.” As I gathered my things and left the hotel, I ran straight into Ryan Albright and Vanessa in the lobby. He had his arm intimately around Vanessa. Upon seeing me, Ryan awkwardly released her. Vanessa, however, excitedly rushed forward, feigning concern, her face a mask of gratitude, but her eyes were full of defiance. “Daisy, are you feeling okay?” “Did that old man… hurt you? I’m so sorry, it’s all my fault for being so foolish. If I had known, I would have just put up with his harassment, and you wouldn’t have been… ruined.” The crowd, catching wind of the gossip, fell silent for a moment, secretly scrutinizing me, their gazes a mix of disdain and pity. Ryan, hearing Vanessa’s words, a subtle flicker of disgust crossed his face. He pulled Vanessa back to his side, reprimanding her. “Put up with what?!” “A woman’s self-preservation is paramount.” Watching him ignore me, a wave of bitterness involuntarily washed over my heart. I stepped forward, looking at him through tear-filled eyes. “Ryan, nothing happened last night.” “Do you believe me?” Ryan’s expression froze for a second, a flicker of emotion in his eyes. Vanessa tugged at his sleeve, her red lips pouted, and she said, sounding troubled: “But Mr. Sterling said he’d withdraw his investment if we didn’t make amends to him, and this morning he called Ryan to say the partnership was continuing.” “I know every woman would choose to run from something like this, unable to accept reality.” “But, Daisy, you can’t lie just to save face!” Hearing that, I clenched my fists, glaring at her with resentment. “You shut your mouth!” Last night, as I was shivering and dazed in an ice-cold bath, Arthur Grant pulled me out, dragged me to the wall, and forced me to listen with my ear pressed against it. On the other side of the thin wall, they were popping champagne, celebrating loudly, preemptively toasting to the company’s certain public listing once this deal was secured. Ryan looked at me with displeasure, faulting me for yelling at his young assistant. “Why are you yelling at her? What did she say that was wrong?” I stared at the man before me, tears gradually welling in my eyes. It seemed my uncharacteristic reaction startled Ryan. He uncharacteristically stepped forward, put his arm around my shoulder, and whispered coaxingly: “Daisy.” “You have to believe your sacrifice is valuable. Once the company goes public, I will truly compensate you.” Seeing that I remained silent, impatience gradually showed in his eyes. His tone hardened, and he grudgingly said: “Don’t you just want to marry me?” “I promise you, as soon as the company goes public, we’ll have our wedding.” “Is that enough?!” Looking at his impatient expression, a wave of self-mockery washed over me. Daisy, this is the man you tirelessly pursued, burning everything to stand by his side. The thought of spending my entire life with him had now utterly vanished. I looked up, held back my tears, and looked at him, saying firmly: “No, I don’t want to marry you anymore.” At my words, Vanessa’s face bore a sneer of triumph, and she immediately cheered: “That’s great! You’re not good enough for Ryan anyway!” But Ryan’s face abruptly darkened, his gaze heavy and fixed on me. He said nothing, trying to force my compliance with his silence. In the past, whenever his face fell silent like that, I would immediately apologize and try everything to appease him. But this time, I didn’t avert his gaze. Each word clear and deliberate for him to hear: “Ryan Albright, I’m serious.” “I.” “Don’t want to marry you anymore.” “This relationship ends here.” “Daisy!” He roared my name. I remained unmoving. After a tense staredown, he sneered. “I’ll wait for the day you regret this.” With that, he abandoned me there, pulling Vanessa away. 2 That evening, as I packed my belongings in my apartment, my phone chimed, signaling a new post from a special contact. I opened TikTok and saw a video of Ryan Albright and Vanessa. They were kissing by the ocean, beneath a spectacular fireworks display. Watching the scene, memories washed over me like a tide. When our love was at its peak, he promised to give me the most romantic fireworks show, proposing to me beneath them. I put my phone away. My packed bags and boxes made my heart feel empty. I always thought I’d spend my entire life with Ryan, and I’d bought so many things to decorate my dream home. But leaving, it turned out, wasn’t as hard as I’d imagined. After sending my luggage away, I went straight back to the office. Walking into my office, I found my belongings scattered haphazardly in a corner. The entire room had been redecorated in pink. I looked outside my door. My colleagues avoided my gaze, pretending to be busy with their tasks, heads down and silent, until an imperious voice broke the quiet. “Quick! Throw that table out too! It’s hideous!” “What outdated taste?!” Vanessa walked in, looking triumphantly at me. “Oh, I’m so sorry, but Ryan said this office is mine starting today.” “I saw you hadn’t come in, so I just… tidied your things up a bit.” “Old woman, you’re not mad, are you?” I merely glanced at her, ignoring her, and instead crouched down in the corner, searching for a trophy that was very important to me, but I couldn’t find it anywhere. I looked up, fixing my gaze on Vanessa. “Where did you hide my trophy?” Vanessa pulled out a cylindrical glass trophy from her desk. “Are you talking about this cheap trinket?” I extended my hand towards her. “Give it back.” She looked at me, her eyes filled with malice, her red lips curling scornfully. I had a bad feeling, and I was about to snatch the trophy from her. The next moment, the trophy was violently smashed onto the floor. I froze, staring at the glass shards on the ground. The rage I had suppressed for so long finally erupted, and I shoved her away. “What the hell gives you the right to smash it?!” This trophy was the first National Innovation Award I’d won in college. It was thanks to the success of this project that Ryan Albright’s company was able to get off the ground in its early stages. It was only later, when the company lacked clients, that I abandoned my beloved R&D work and shifted to sales. Since then, the trophy had always sat in the most prominent place, a reminder to myself never to abandon my original aspirations. I had originally planned to ask him to let me step back and return to research and development after we married. I crouched down, picking up the metal base. My name and honors were inscribed on it. Even broken, I would gather the remnants. Behind me, I suddenly heard soft whimpers and Ryan’s enraged voice. “Daisy! What did you do?!” I turned around, my heart pounding. Vanessa flung herself into Ryan’s arms, her face streaming with tears. There was a smear of blood on her elbow, pierced by a shard of glass. “Waaah… it hurts so much, dear Ryan…” Ryan cupped her elbow, tenderly blowing on it, then glared at me, saying angrily: “Daisy, how can you be so vicious? Was your good-girl act all a facade?” “It was my decision to have Vanessa take your place! You don’t have the guts to confront me, so you bully a simple, freshly-graduated girl, taking your anger out on her!” I stood up, looking at them. I thought back. I had indeed pushed Vanessa, but I hadn’t pushed her to the ground. My peripheral vision could still tell if anyone was nearby. “I didn’t do it.” “If you didn’t do it, who did?! Are you going to say you didn’t push her?! Do you think I’m blind?! Still trying to argue when you’re caught red-handed!” The colleagues outside, hearing the commotion, covertly peered in. “Get over here and apologize to Vanessa right now!” “You have no situational awareness whatsoever! How did you ever manage sales all these years?! Your quotas?!” “Was it all by schmoozing clients beyond professional boundaries?!” I clutched the metal base in my hand, the humiliation in my heart surged, and my suppressed indignation uncontrollably spilled out. I was leaving anyway. Better to say my piece now. My eyes blazing with anger, I roared at him: “Ryan Albright, how can you insult me like this? Do you have any conscience left?!” “How much have I sacrificed for this company over the years?! Drinking until my stomach bled! Staying up until dawn to revise proposals! You’re right, you are blind!” “Now you’re not just completely denying all my hard work and achievements! You’re throwing dirt on my name too!” “Who told you this? Vanessa?” “You trust her that much?! You’ve only known her for half a year!” With that, I glared at him. Ryan was speechless for a moment. He hadn’t expected me, usually so compliant, to defy him. His face instantly darkened. He felt utterly humiliated in front of his employees. I didn’t want to deal with them anymore. Just as I was about to leave, Ryan’s hand suddenly grabbed my arm with force. SLAP! A powerful slap landed on my face, and a ringing filled my ears. Everyone froze in shock. “You hurt someone and think you can just run off? There’s no such easy way out in this world!” “Vanessa and I may have only known each other for half a year, but she’s purer and cleaner than you! How could a freshly-graduated person possibly play the games you’ve been navigating in the world of men for years?!” “I trust that she wouldn’t lie to me.” “And right now, she’s injured, while you stand there unharmed!” I clutched my face, staring at him in disbelief, a wave of bitterness washing over me. Even in our worst arguments before, he had never laid a hand on me. Today, for Vanessa, he broke that rule. There is no greater sorrow than a dead heart. Everything I wanted to say was trapped in my throat. At this point, I no longer wanted to argue. “Dear Ryan, please don’t argue with Daisy over me.” At that moment, Vanessa, who had been feigning fragility in Ryan’s arms, let out a soft, sobbing whimper. “My wrist hurts so much.” Ryan frantically scooped her up. As he left, he glanced at me, issuing three commands. “I’m transferring you to Maplewood County.” “You can come back when you’ve reflected enough.” “Pack your things and get out.” 3 Just as I checked out of the hotel, Mrs. Albright, Ryan’s mother, suddenly contacted me. She was one of the few people here who truly cared for me. “Sweetheart, did you and Ryan have a fight?” “I went to the company yesterday, didn’t see you, and Mikey told me you were transferred to Maplewood County. Tell your Auntie what Ryan did wrong, and I’ll make him fix it.” I gently moved Mrs. Albright’s hand from mine and said solemnly: “Auntie, Ryan and I have broken up.” “I’m leaving today, and I might not come back.” “Broken up!” Mrs. Albright sat up straight in shock, looking at me with concern. “Did Ryan do something wrong?” … “Is it that new assistant he hired?” A flicker of sadness crossed my eyes. “Ryan and I have already cleared things up. Thank you for all your care before.” “My flight is this afternoon, and time is running out, so I won’t bother you any longer.” I stood up, grabbed my suitcase, and prepared to leave. Mrs. Albright stopped me, clutching my luggage, refusing to let go. “Sweetheart, listen to Auntie. Men will be men; they all stray sometimes. He just made a mistake any man would make.” “Believe me, as long as you marry Ryan, with me backing you up, those little home-wreckers outside won’t shake your position one bit! I only recognize you as a part of the Albright family!” Just then, a sound came from the doorway. I turned to look, and it was Ryan. Mrs. Albright happily went to meet him. “Sweetheart, look, Ryan’s back! He still cares about you very much. Hurry and clear up this misunderstanding, and you can get married next month.” Ryan’s face abruptly darkened when he heard the word “married.” He stormed towards me with an air of fury. “Daisy! Who gave you the nerve?! You dared to come bother my mother again, making her trick me into coming home?!” “You’re just using my mother’s affection for you, trying to pressure me, aren’t you?” “Didn’t you say you didn’t want to get married when I brought it up before?” As he spoke, a smug expression actually spread across his face, and he looked at me triumphantly. “Regretting it now, aren’t you?” “I knew you couldn’t let me go, that you didn’t want to go to Maplewood County.” “Just beg me, then get on your knees and apologize to Vanessa, and I’ll keep you at the company. How about it?” “As for marriage, since you missed one chance, we’ll see about your performance next time.” Mrs. Albright frowned, immediately sensing something was wrong. She patted Ryan’s arm and said: “How can you talk like that?” “Daisy didn’t seek me out; I sought her out.” “You better promise Daisy you’ll fire that little home-wrecker and never contact her again!” Ryan scoffed. “Well, isn’t this something, Daisy. You’re quite popular with older people, both men and women. You’ve got my mom completely charmed, making her listen to your every word.” I looked at the mother and son, and the last shred of goodwill I had completely vanished. I went along with his words. “Fine. As long as you fire Vanessa and get on your knees to apologize to me, I’ll marry you immediately.” Ryan was taken aback, an “I knew it” expression spreading across his face. “You wish.” Just then, his phone suddenly rang, its distinct ringtone echoing through the room. I remembered. So many times before, when that ringtone sounded, he would avoid me to answer the call. “Hello, Vanessa, what’s wrong?” My dead heart still felt a momentary prick of pain, like a needle. So they had been having an affair all along. “Okay, wait right there for me. I’ll be right there.” Mrs. Albright grabbed his sleeve. “No! You’re not going anywhere today! Apologize properly to Sweetheart! I want Daisy as my daughter-in-law!” “I want a daughter-in-law! I want grandchildren!” Ryan impatiently glared at me. “Mom, stop messing around.” With that, he pushed his mother aside and left without looking back. Mrs. Albright clutched her bruised waist, staring in shock at the empty doorway, slapping her thigh and wailing: “What a disgrace to the family! My son’s forsaking a woman of good fortune to marry a troublemaker!” Then she looked at me, saying pitifully: “Sweetheart, please take Auntie to the hospital. Auntie will definitely make Ryan come to his senses.” I frowned, glancing at my watch. Time was already short. I refused: “I’ll call an ambulance for you.” “Goodbye.” As I left, I heard a chorus of wails and cries from behind me. By the time I boarded my plane, news of Arthur Grant and the Grant family heiress’s engagement had already dominated trending topics. The accompanying photo was a candid shot of Arthur Grant and me at the reception. And my fiancé by contract was already waiting for me at the airport.
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