Dad finally spoke, deep but steady. “You’ve held on for so long. That’s already brave enough. We were late in noticing–that’s on us.”> “We never meant to ignore you,” Mom added, tears falling freely now. “You’ve always hidden the bad and only told us the good. We thought you were happy… But you’re still so young. You shouldn’t have to go through this alone.”}
Dad stepped closer, placing a firm hand on my shoulder. “From now on, you don’t have to hold it in anymore. You’re our daughter–our most precious one. Anyone who tries to hurt you again… will have to face me first.”
I lowered my head, burying myself in Mom’s embrace.
All the nights I cried quietly… All the bitterness and bruises I swallowed alone… Someone was finally holding that weight with me.
I still wasn’t physically healed. But at that moment, I felt my heart begin to piece itself back together.
That night, after Mom and Dad had gone to bed, I turned on the TV, hoping to distract myself with some drama.} Instead, there he was–Slade.
The screen flickered for a second and then it cut to a softly lit interview set.
He sat stiffly in a tailored dark suit, composed, calculated–his usual mask of control.}
His brow was faintly drawn, like he was restraining annoyance, but still trying to appear calm and collected.}
The host’s tone was even. “There are a lot of rumors surrounding your relationship with Miss Aberdeen. Care to clarify? Many think your dynamic doesn’t quite resemble a typical romantic couple.”}
Slade’s expression didn’t shift. “There’s no personal relationship. Just business.“}
I sat on my bed, watching in silence.
“And what about Miss Millicent? The two of you were seen together at a private family dinner. People are speculating.“}
He lowered his gaze. There was a brief pause.
“Millicent and I… We’re currently engaged.“>
A bitter smile tugged at my lips.
The screen cut to interview clips with his employees. The subtitles read: [Even the staff can tell–the relationship between him and Virginia was purely professional.]
One of them laughed, “Miss Aberdeen? She was leading major projects with him at the time. They worked well together, but it was strictly business.”
Another chimed in, “They didn’t act like a couple. Honestly, Sir Slade and Miss Millicent seemed more like one. Especially when the baby came–they were inseparable. Looked happy, too.“}
“And Miss Aberdeen?”
“Once the contract ended, we never saw her again. Heard she left the company.“}]
I gave a hoarse laugh. It got stuck halfway in my throat.
So everyone has seen it clearly–everyone but me.’
They all knew we weren’t lovers. And when it came to Millicent, they instantly recognized what I tried so hard to deny.”
Just then, my phone buzzed beside me.
The screen lit up–a message from Millicent.
[Giad you left. Don’t ever come back. If you come crawling back later, remember–my place was never yours to win.]
Every word was sharp and boastful like a trophy waved in my face.
I stared at the message for a moment, then I swiped and blocked her.
This time, I didn’t feel angry. I didn’t clap back. I didn’t even feel hurt. I just… laughed.
‘When have I stopped caring enough to even flinch at her gloating?‘
The judgment of others, Slade’s silence, her games–everything that used to suffocate me suddenly felt distant and powerless. And then I understood.
What kept me up at night, what tore me apart–it was never just them. It was me. I couldn’t let go.
But now… I had.
And with that, none of it mattered anymore.@
Slade’s POV
Across the city, inside a brightly lit studio, I had just slammed my fist into a coffee table in the dressing room. The table cracked.
