Chapter 5

Before I could speak, Elowen's mom, Sarah Marlowe, moved between us, studying me with a discerning eye. "Who is this?"

Elowen immediately jumped in, a smirk on her face. "She's just someone who runs errands for Callum. She even delivered documents for him earlier."

I could see the disdain flicker in Sarah's eyes as she looked me over. Her judgment was clear, and yet, Callum said nothing. He stood by, detached, letting them humiliate me without a word of protest.

He tugged at my sleeve, lowering his voice. "Elowen's mom has a weak heart. I promised Elowen I'd play along and act like her boyfriend in front of her. Don't ruin this for her."

In the past, I would have reacted, raised my voice, argued, or demanded respect. But today, I wasn't going to waste my energy. I was leaving soon, after all.

Just then, Callum's phone rang. It was his assistant, informing him of a critical meeting that required his immediate attention.

He was about to respond, but Elowen grabbed his hand, her tone laced with innocence. "Callum, you promised you'd spend the day with my mom shopping..."

I expected Callum to refuse. After all, he'd always placed business first.

I recalled a time when I asked him to pick up my mom from the station, and he refused, claiming work was more important. I had to rush back myself.

But surprisingly, Callum nodded without hesitation. "Don't worry. I always keep my promises."

He turned to me, a small, almost condescending smile playing on his lips. "Sylvie, if you cover the meeting for me, I might make it up to you by celebrating our sixth anniversary."

His words hit like a punch to the gut. I remembered our sixth anniversary all too well. He had promised to meet me after work, but I had waited for hours, only to discover he was with Elowen, celebrating her birthday.

That incident had led to weeks of silence between us, a wound that never quite healed. The idea that he would now offer to make it up to me felt hollow.

Had he made this offer a year ago, I might have eagerly accepted. But now, all I could feel was indifference.

"I'm sorry," I replied, my voice even. "I have other things to do."

Elowen, seizing the moment, spoke up with mock sweetness, "Sylvie, it's already after hours. What could you possibly have to do? Don't tell me you just don't like us. If that's the case, we'll leave right away, no trouble."

The tension in the air was palpable. Sarah, sensing something was off, started to show signs of distress. "Wait a second. Didn't you say she was just running errands for you? Elowen, are you hiding something from me? Are you and Callum really a couple, or is this all a lie?"

Callum quickly turned to comfort Sarah, then pulled me aside, his face hardening. "Sylvie, I've told you a hundred times. Ellie's mom can't handle any stress. Why do you keep pushing it? I thought you were being more understanding, but you're still being completely unreasonable."

I gave a calm, measured response. "I really do have things to take care of. I need to go home and grab my stuff, and I've got a bus to catch..."

Callum's expression grew darker. "So now you're using leaving as some kind of threat? I've been way too soft on you. I promised Ellie and her mom I'd spend the day with them. You have to go in my place, or don't blame me if I fire you without a second thought."

His strictness had always been the same, even when I was sick and needed time off.

But when it came to Elowen, he'd bend over backwards. A single sneeze from her, and he'd give her a week of paid leave without question.

He thought I would fold like I always had, but this time, I remained calm, pulling out the resignation letter he had signed earlier and handing it to him.

"Callum, even if you're the CEO, you don't have the right to order me around. Because just now, you did sign my resignation."

He looked at the letter in shock, finally realizing what he'd just signed. His face went cold.

"Are you serious? Is it because I spent time with Ellie and her mom? Or because I spoke up at the meeting? Or maybe because I let Elowen take your spotlight?"

He knew exactly where my frustrations lay but chose to feign ignorance.

I didn't have the energy to argue any longer and started to walk away.

But as I moved, the store clerk accidentally knocked my ring off the counter, sending it rolling toward Callum.

"This is?"

Callum bent down, picked it up, and when he saw the familiar engraving and our initials on it, he froze, staring at it.

"Sylvie, this is the wedding ring I gave you, isn't it? You... you sold it?"

Before I could respond, my phone rang. I picked it up, but my finger slipped, hitting the speakerphone button instead.

My mom's voice immediately came through the speaker.

"Sweetheart, when will you be here? Your dad and I are already on our way to pick you up."

Callum's expression shifted, panic flashing in his eyes for the briefest moment before it was quickly replaced with a colder, more controlled look.

"So this is your plan? Going back home? Sylvie, if you keep acting like this, there's no way I'm making an official announcement with you."

Every time he wanted something from me, he used the threat of the official announcement to control me.

In the past, I had longed for it, always giving in.

But now, with my decision made, I no longer cared.

I gave a small, almost imperceptible smile, and with a calm voice, I said, "Then we don't need an official announcement. After all, we never even got the marriage certificate. We were never really a married couple."

"You're being ridiculous. We've been married for six years. How could we not have a marriage certificate? Sylvie, enough with this childish behavior."