Chapter 5

The next day, I went to work as usual.

I needed to finish this project quickly so I could leave Sinclair Corp. sooner.

Soon after I arrived, Kevin appeared at my desk again.

He stood with his arms crossed, smugly saying, “Liam, how do you still have the nerve to show up at work?”

I put down my pen and leaned back in my chair, responding as calmly as possible:

“I’ll submit my resignation after I finish this project, which I’m sure Julian would be happy about. So, if I were you, I wouldn’t cause trouble right now. Instead, you should help me finish this project efficiently.”

Kevin paused, clearly realizing my words weren’t empty threats.

But then, he sneered:

“But I think if you can’t finish the project and leave, your reputation in the industry will be ruined, and it’ll be tough to find another job. Mr. Julian would probably prefer that outcome, wouldn’t he?”

As he spoke, he reached out to touch me. I grabbed his wrist and twisted hard, then kicked him.

He cried out and fell to the floor. I grabbed the water bottle from my desk and smashed it against his face.

“Your mouth just loves to run, doesn’t it?”

“You want to mess with me? Don’t you know who you’re dealing with!”

“Do you really think being Julian’s lapdog means you can bark at everyone?”

I spoke with force, each word seeming to accompany a crack against his teeth.

Design department colleagues heard the commotion and gathered, but no one stepped forward to stop me. Kevin usually lorded his power over everyone, and he’d made many enemies, but everyone was too scared to speak out.

Soon, Julian rushed over, his face pale, shouting, “Call the cops! Why are you all just standing there? Call the cops!”

“Security? Get over here and restrain Liam!”

Julian was clearly terrified. I was known for my calm demeanor, and no one had ever seen this violent side of me.

“Don’t call the police!”

Scarlett suddenly stormed through the crowd, her tone sharper with Julian. “Calling the police will affect the company’s image!”

“But CEO Scarlett, Liam attacked me!” Julian protested.

Scarlett took a deep breath and looked at me. “Liam, I didn’t realize you were so violent…”

“From the first day he joined, he’s constantly caused me trouble. You wouldn’t believe me if I told you, so I just recorded our conversation. You can listen for yourself.”

I calmly opened my phone and played the recording of Kevin and me.

Scarlett’s expression instantly became complicated. She even glared at Julian, realizing he was behind all this.

I stood up and met Scarlett’s gaze. “Being targeted like this every day, if I kept letting it happen, I might as well just resign. So, do you still think this is violence? I’m just defending myself!”

“Hmph, you didn’t ‘tolerate’ anything. I think you’re the most vicious one,” Julian sneered from the side.

I pointed at him. “Shut your mouth! If I wasn’t vicious, how do you think I protected Scarlett from those thugs back then, fighting off several of them alone? My condition is a result of that day!”

At these words, the whole office erupted. No one had known about that part of Scarlett and my past.

Someone whispered, “What exactly is the relationship between Liam and CEO Scarlett?”

I didn't answer, just looked at Scarlett, waiting for her reaction.

Chapter Six

Scarlett took a deep breath, and to everyone's surprise, she took my hand and said, “I am Liam’s wife. We’ve been secretly married for years. We didn’t make it public because he didn’t want special treatment.”

At these words, the whole office erupted. Kevin, lying on the floor, also stared wide-eyed, terrified.

But I pulled my hand away, stating calmly, “CEO Scarlett is right, but we are indeed getting a divorce soon, and I’ll be resigning once this project is complete. So, everyone can just pretend nothing happened.”

This time, the shock in the room reached its peak. They couldn't understand why I would divorce Scarlett.

I ignored Scarlett’s pale face, crouched down, and patted Kevin’s cheek:

“Here’s a lesson for you, Kevin. When your boss tells you to target someone, you’re just a disposable pawn. You’ve already made yourself dirty.”

I turned to Julian. “Mr. Julian, shouldn’t Kevin be fired?”

Julian gritted his teeth. “Kevin is my assistant. He’s very capable. I won’t…”

But Scarlett cut him off. “Fire him. Immediately.”

I stood and looked at Julian. “Sinclair Corp. doesn’t tolerate scandals. A project director instructing his assistant to bully a key technical expert—that would cause too much damage if it got out.”

Julian trembled with anger, but was speechless.

I added, “But I guess it doesn’t matter. You have the capital to be reckless, don’t you? Who can resist a man as popular with women as you?”

At that moment, Julian’s face visibly drained of color, then turned a furious shade of crimson.

He froze, his lips trembling slightly.

It was clear he wanted to say something, but before he could, Scarlett’s icy glare stopped him.

Helpless, he could only glare at me with seething hatred.

In his infinite rage, this seemed to be his only outlet.

I ignored him, turned back to my desk, and opened my computer to continue working.

The sooner this project was done, the sooner I could leave this place.

Aside from us, the direct participants, the other employees stared wide-eyed, utterly bewildered.

The entire office was thick with tension and unease.

“CEO Scarlett, if there’s nothing else, I’ll get back to work.”

Julian forced a smile, greeted Scarlett, and turned to leave.

The atmosphere in the office was clearly not to his liking.

“Mr. Julian.”

Just then, Scarlett called out to Julian’s retreating back, breaking the awkward silence in the office.

“CEO Scarlett, do you have any other instructions?”

Julian stopped, a wide smile plastered on his face as he looked at Scarlett.

Scarlett stood there, her gaze lingering on me for a moment before she looked at Julian and said coldly:

“Mr. Julian, due to your staffing error and the negative impact it has had on the company, I’ve decided to suspend you. You can go home tomorrow and rest.”

6.

**Boom!**

Scarlett’s voice wasn’t loud, but it still sparked a small murmur of discussion in the quiet office.

Everyone looked at Scarlett and Julian in astonishment. No one had expected Scarlett to impose such a severe punishment on Julian.

Julian stood frozen for a long moment, then looked at Scarlett, his face incredulous. “Scarlett, are you crazy? You’re suspending me for *this* incompetent waste of space?”

“Incompetent waste of space? What gives you the right to call him that?”

Scarlett sneered at Julian, then said with a stern face:

“Liam is Sinclair Corp.’s technical core. The entire company’s operations are built upon the foundation Liam established. The company can exist without a Director, but it cannot exist without Liam.”

At that moment, Julian was so choked by Scarlett’s words that he couldn’t speak.

He stared intently at Scarlett, frozen for a few moments, before finally gritting his teeth and nodding heavily:

“Fine, since CEO Scarlett has made her decision, I respect the company’s punishment.”

“Good. Suspension is indefinite. Go home and wait for further notice.”

Scarlett’s expression was cold, her icy gaze more chilling than a summer air conditioner.

Julian looked at the cold Scarlett, clenching his fists tightly. Then he abruptly turned, pushed through the crowd, and left the office in disgrace.

Though I had heard their conversation and knew Scarlett was doing this to get back at him for me,

I didn’t look up at either of them, my fingers still rapidly tapping on the keyboard.

I understood that Scarlett’s actions, while ostensibly defending me, were actually a way to manipulate me.

Chapter Seven

For my sake, she could make anyone in the company leave.

That way, if I ever wanted to leave the company, I would be painted as the villain.

Scarlett didn't bother me again. Instead, she walked over to my side, the earlier coldness melting from her face as she looked at me with a warm smile:

“Liam, don’t forget the family dinner my parents arranged. Make sure you’re not late.”

“Scarlett, don’t put on a show for everyone here. I told you we’re getting a divorce. You don’t need to do this.”

I still didn't look up, my voice flat as I rejected her enthusiasm.

To prevent myself from being emotionally manipulated again in the future, I had to make my stance clear now.

Hearing my answer, Scarlett visibly froze for a moment, even her breathing hitched.

But only for a moment. Her face quickly returned to its warm expression. She leaned in gently and whispered in my ear:

“Honey, this entire company is your life’s work. Can you really bear to abandon the empire you built with your own hands just for your stubbornness? And you have a team, you have colleagues who fought alongside you. Can you bear to see them lose their livelihoods because of you?”

At that moment, I, who thought I could face all this calmly, felt my heart twist with a familiar ache.

She was right. Those were the things I cared about most.

It seemed my guess was right. She was resorting to emotional manipulation.

My fingers paused on the keyboard on my desk. After a moment, I nodded heavily:

“Whatever you say.”

After these few soft words, my fingers once again tapped the keyboard, and I continued working without looking up.

Nothing lasts forever, and I had to take responsibility for my own future.

I didn’t want to live like this anymore.

Seeing my resolve, Scarlett said no more. She stood up and turned to leave.

Her heels clicked crisply on the floor, echoing through the office.

*Tap, tap, tap…*

At that moment, it was like a predator marking its territory, declaring its dominance to everything around.

7.

During lunch, the atmosphere in the office remained incredibly tense.

Everyone seemed to be still reeling from the morning’s events. My colleagues dared not speak, only occasionally glancing my way, their eyes filled with a thirst for gossip.

“Liam, are you and CEO Scarlett… really getting a divorce?”

Daniel, a colleague I usually got along with, walked over, holding a cup of coffee.

I gave him a bitter smile, saying nothing, just nodding gently.

“Ah…”

Seeing my silence, Daniel awkwardly chuckled, took a sip of his coffee, and turned to leave.

“Liam, did what happened yesterday make CEO Scarlett misunderstand something? I’m willing to go to her office and explain again… I really was just worried yesterday; I didn’t mean anything else.”

Chloe, the female colleague who had helped me find my medicine yesterday evening, walked over, her face full of apology.

“It’s okay. This has nothing to do with you. If anything, I should thank you.”

I looked at Chloe, shaking my head slightly, letting out a long sigh.

Chloe looked at my tired face, biting her lip. She wanted to say something but ultimately didn’t, sighing before she left.

I watched Chloe’s retreating back, gently rubbing my temples.

The dull throb of yesterday’s headache still lingered, and today’s aggravating events made my mind feel like a complete mess.

Julian’s provocations, Scarlett’s threats, the undercurrents in the company…

All of it felt like an invisible net, trapping me tighter and tighter.

In the afternoon, the project team held a meeting.

As the lead technical expert, I reported on the progress to senior management as usual.

In the conference room, Scarlett sat at the head of the table, her gaze occasionally sweeping over me, carrying an unsettling tenderness.

I tried my best to ignore her, focusing on explaining the project details.

Just as I was about to conclude, an unfamiliar voice suddenly spoke up.

“Mr. Knight, your project progress seems to be lagging.”

I looked up and saw a middle-aged man in a suit.

He sat next to Scarlett, his smile friendly, yet exuding an unsettling pressure.

“This is Mr. Davies, a representative from Cloud Corp.”

Seeing the confusion in my eyes, Scarlett smiled and explained,

“Cloud Corp. is one of the investors in this project, so Mr. Davies is concerned about the progress.”

I frowned, looking at the unfamiliar man. A sense of unease rose within me.

Chapter Eight

Although Cloud Corp. was a partner of Sinclair Corp., I had never heard of any external involvement in the investment details of this project.

Now, this man suddenly appearing felt like someone with ill intentions.