Everyone knew that the only reason Olivia Bennett became Jerrell Barlow's girlfriend was because Eleanor Vance went abroad.

Everyone was also waiting for a good show.

Waiting for the show where Olivia would be dumped by Jerrell when Eleanor returned.

But no one knew that Olivia was waiting too, waiting for the day Jerrell would say they were breaking up.

...

5:30 P.M., City Hall.

After the last divorcing couple left, a staff member walked up to Olivia, sympathy in his eyes: "Hello, we're getting ready to close. The person you're waiting for still hasn't arrived?"

Olivia tightened her grip on the marriage application form and said softly, "Just a moment, let me make one last call."

She took out her phone and called Jerrell.

The call screen already showed twelve missed calls, and this last one, unsurprisingly, was rejected as well.

Olivia silently closed her phone, said she was sorry, and left City Hall.

The moment the doors of City Hall closed behind her, she stopped in her tracks.

In the next instant, she raised her hands, tore up the marriage application, and threw it into the trash can.

This was the third time Jerrell had stood her up on the day they were supposed to register their marriage, and it would be the last.

She loved Jerrell, but she wasn't a pathetic creature without self-respect.

Jerrell, loving you ends here.

After getting into a taxi, Olivia opened her Posts.

She saw that a mutual friend of hers and Jerrell had just posted: [Joyful to have an old friend back, words cannot express the happiness. Welcome back, Eleanor. The future is bright!]

In the photo, Jerrell, whom she hadn't been able to contact all day, was sitting right there, and sitting closely beside him was Eleanor.

His first love, his childhood sweetheart.

And also Olivia's former best friend.

The three of them grew up together, but now that Eleanor had returned, she was the only one not told.

Olivia took a deep breath and then liked the post.

Before the person could react, a WhatsApp message from her boss popped up: [The Skyways Corporation case is yours.]

Olivia's spirits immediately lifted.

She replied 'Okay', then looked up at the driver: "Excuse me, could we change the route to Apex Corporation?"

The Skyways Corporation case involved hundreds of millions. Rather than going home to be alone, she preferred to go back to the firm and work overtime.

It wasn't until 10 P.M., when the city lights were bright.

Olivia finally came out of the firm and called a car to go home.

The house was pitch black and incredibly desolate.

Olivia was already used to this scene; she washed up and planned to go to sleep.

Unexpectedly, the doorbell suddenly rang.

Olivia had to get up to open the door, and the moment she did, she froze.

She saw Jerrell dead drunk, currently leaning against Eleanor.

Olivia felt a sharp pang in her chest at the sight.

After a few seconds of silence, she finally said to Eleanor, "Long time no see."

"Long time no see."

Eleanor also smiled, asking seemingly casually, "Why didn't you come to my welcome banquet today?"

Eleanor still had that same aloof look from before, wearing a white dress with long, straight black hair.

Olivia also maintained a normal tone and said, "Today was originally the day Jerrell and I were supposed to get our marriage registration."

The air around them instantly stagnated.

Eleanor's eyes flickered, and then she showed an apologetic expression: "I'm sorry then, I held you guys up."

"It's fine, it's not a big deal."

Olivia glanced at Jerrell, thinking calmly: she wasn't planning on marrying him anyway.

She took a step back, making room.

"Do you want to come in and sit for a bit?"

Eleanor paused, then politely declined: "No, I just got back to the country and still have a lot to do. I'll leave Jerrell in your hands."

"Jerrell gets headaches when he's drunk. Remember to make him some hangover tea tomorrow morning, and add extra honey..."

She stopped mid-sentence and smiled meaningfully: "Oh, I forgot. You're his girlfriend now, so you probably know all this."

Eleanor's words pricked Olivia's heart like thorns.

Of course she knew. Every little detail about Jerrell was something she had learned perfectly clear over the past ten years of secretly loving him.

Olivia didn't lose her composure; instead, she smiled: "It's quite rare that someone who abandoned Jerrell for an overseas research institute offer still remembers his preferences so clearly."

Eleanor's expression froze.

Olivia closed the door and helped Jerrell into the bedroom.

After wetting a towel in the bathroom, she had barely wiped Jerrell's face when he opened his eyes.

The next second, Jerrell's burning kiss fell upon her.

Olivia tried to push him away, but Jerrell's strength was so overwhelming that she couldn't break free at all.

In the bedroom, the dim yellow light cast the shadows of two tightly intertwined figures.

Olivia's nails unconsciously scratched Jerrell's lean back muscles.

Jerrell let out a grunt of pain and muttered deliriously in her ear: "Eleanor, stop messing around."

Olivia stiffened violently.

Amidst the unstoppable, twisting pain in her chest, she weakly closed her eyes and endured it in silence.

Afterwards, Olivia glanced at Jerrell, who had fallen into a deep sleep beside her. Forcing herself up, she dug out a contraceptive pill from the nightstand and swallowed it.

Her stomach burned like fire, but she felt numb to it. Lying beside Jerrell, it took an unknown amount of time before she finally fell into a heavy slumber.

The next day.

As soon as the alarm rang, Olivia woke up, finding the space beside her already empty.

She quickly got up to wash, only to bump into Jerrell as he was about to leave.

He stood perfectly straight, wearing a well-tailored suit, his eyes completely unruffled: "Remember to take your pill."

Olivia paused.

Her heart was violently yanked once again.

She didn't mention that she had already taken it, casually replying: "Okay."

He didn't want her child.

Perfect. She didn't want to have his child anymore, either.

Jerrell got his answer and was about to head out, but suddenly remembered something. "I was busy yesterday and forgot to go for our marriage registration with you. Let's go another time when we're free."

This was already the third time Olivia had heard this exact sentence from his mouth.

She had nothing left to say, only replying, "Alright, whenever you have time."

This calmer-than-expected attitude made Jerrell stare at her for a moment. In the end, he said nothing and walked out the door.

As soon as Olivia arrived at the firm, she hurried over to the administrative director. "You don't need to approve my marriage leave anymore."

The director looked at her in astonishment. "What happened?

Aren't you getting married? Did the wedding date change?"

Olivia shook her head and replied, "No, I'm just not getting married anymore."

Seeing the director's shocked expression, she handed over a stack of documents.

"Also, I've applied for a permanent transfer to Germany. I'll be leaving next month."

The director was even more stunned, confirming repeatedly, "Are you sure?

You have no foundation in Germany. Going there means starting all over again."

Olivia smiled, her face serious.

"The top executive positions here are saturated. If I want to move up, don't I have to start over?"

After leaving the director's office, Olivia returned to her own, opened her files, and began to work meticulously.

By the time she got off work, it was already 9 p.m.

As soon as Olivia returned home, she saw Jerrell typing earnestly on his tablet.

His sleeves were casually rolled up, revealing his muscular forearms.

Seeing Olivia return, Jerrell closed his tablet and looked at her calmly. "Eleanor is back in the country, did you know?"

"I know."

Olivia met his gaze coolly. "When you got drunk yesterday, she was the one who brought you home."

Jerrell paused.

But then he raised an eyebrow slightly, bypassing the topic entirely. He simply said, "It's Eleanor's birthday in a few days. She wants to invite you to her birthday party."

Olivia stared at him and asked, "If she wants to invite me, why is she having you tell me?"

Jerrell's tone was nonchalant. "She's working at my research institute now. It was just brought up in passing."

The corners of Olivia's lips twitched, an indescribable hint of mockery surfacing in her eyes.

She clearly remembered that five years ago, when Eleanor went abroad, Jerrell had sworn he would never work with her again in this lifetime.

Now that she was back, how could those words be treated as if they were never spoken?

Olivia couldn't be bothered to bring up the past. She just replied, "Got it," and abruptly ended the conversation.

A few days later, on the day of Eleanor's birthday.

Jerrell had disappeared early in the morning.

After washing up, Olivia went to the walk-in closet to change. Looking at the wardrobe full of white dresses, she suddenly zoned out.

She suddenly realized that over the years, she had loved so humbly, even to the point of unconsciously imitating Eleanor.

Eleanor loved wearing white, so she followed suit, even though what she truly loved was dazzling red.

Now that she had made up her mind to leave, she might as well start with her clothes.

Olivia dug out an old dress from five years ago from the depths of her closet—a fiery red mermaid dress that perfectly accentuated her beautiful waistline.

Looking at her unfamiliar yet familiar self in the mirror, she pinned up her straight hair and applied bright red lipstick.

At noon, Olivia arrived at the agreed venue right on time.

Just as she reached the door of the private room, a shrill voice rang out from inside: "What?

Eleanor, you actually invited Olivia?

Why did you invite her? Can she even understand what we're talking about?"

"Exactly. She's just a regular State University graduate, while all of us here are Ivy League alumni, or at least hold master's degrees.

If it weren't for Jerrell, she wouldn't even be allowed through the door of our gatherings."

"Jerrell, now that Eleanor is back, give us a straight answer. Between Eleanor and Olivia, who are you going to choose?"

Olivia paused in her tracks.

She certainly knew that Jerrell's friend didn't welcome her.

Jerrell was the leading figure of the younger generation in theoretical physics.

His colleagues prided themselves on being elite intellectuals, always looking down on her educational background, thinking she couldn't compare to Eleanor and wasn't worthy of standing by Jerrell's side.

Actually, she didn't think she was inferior in any way, but for the sake of Jerrell's social life, she had always swallowed her pride and endured it.

But now, there was no longer any need for her to endure.

Olivia took a deep breath, pushed the door open, and walked right in.

The people inside saw her, but showed not a hint of embarrassment at being caught talking behind her back. Instead, they teased: "Oh, Olivia is here. We were just joking around..."

Amidst the rustling laughter, Olivia also forced a smile: "It is quite funny. I wonder if your entire year's salary adds up to my bonus for a single month?

How do you manage to live with such confidence?"

The entire private room instantly fell dead silent. They all stared in shock at the person who used to take their teasing without uttering a single word.

The man who had just spoken turned pale, then flushed red.

Jerrell looked up at Olivia and said coldly: "Olivia, this kind of joke isn't funny."

Olivia looked back at Jerrell.

When the others made 'jokes' about her, he ignored it; but the moment she retorted, he had something to say.

Essentially, it was just because he shared the exact same views as these people.

He also looked down on Olivia's degree, felt she couldn't compare to Eleanor, and believed he was settling for her...

A heavy feeling settled in Olivia's chest, just as Eleanor came forward with a sweet smile to 'smooth things over'.

"Oh my, Olivia has always had a big temper since we were kids. Don't hold it against her, everyone."

The sheer bitchiness of this bitch remark was practically suffocating.

With Olivia's usual temper, she probably would have started a fight with Eleanor right then and there. But strangely, after making the decision to let Jerrell go, she couldn't even be bothered to argue with Eleanor.

Olivia chuckled and sat down: "Yeah, what can I say? I just have a bad temper."

Eleanor was the most surprised one, seeing that Olivia actually didn't argue with her.

It was only a good while after Olivia sat down that the people at the table started talking again.

Someone even deliberately raised their voice: "Julian, your project this time is a national-level one. The research funding alone is tens of millions."

"Unlike some people, who only make dirty money!"

Olivia couldn't be bothered to say another word to these people. After all, she wouldn't be seeing them again after this.

But looking at Jerrell, who remained completely indifferent to these remarks, she ultimately scoffed inwardly, feeling sorry for herself for a few seconds.

When the gathering ended, Jerrell rushed to settle the bill. The two of them walked ahead, while Olivia trailed behind.

Olivia suddenly remembered that before Eleanor went abroad, this was exactly how the three of them used to be.

After Eleanor left the country, Olivia finally became Jerrell's girlfriend, stepping out from behind him to walk by his side.

She thought she had changed everything.

But it turned out that the moment Eleanor returned, everything would just revert to the way it was.

The three of them reached the hotel entrance. Jerrell looked earnestly at Eleanor and asked, "Is anyone coming to pick you up?"

Eleanor nodded and replied, "My brother will be here soon."

Just then, a car pulled up at the entrance.

As the door opened, a child threw himself at Eleanor: "Happy birthday, Auntie!"

The next second, the child saw Jerrell and whined affectionately: "Uncle!

You haven't come to see me in so long!"

Olivia froze for a moment.

Jerrell instinctively glanced at Olivia, but first looked down to pat the child's head, then instructed Eleanor: "Text me when you get home."

Eleanor nodded at him, then cast a glance at Olivia.

There was no flaunting in her eyes, yet it was as if she was telling Olivia: See that? Even if my relationship with Jerrell was severed for five years, you still can't compare.

Only after watching the car leave did Jerrell turn back to Olivia: "Let's go."

Olivia paused before catching up with his pace.

Once they got in the car, Jerrell finally explained: "I used to be pretty close with that kid. I didn't expect Eleanor wouldn't have told him we broke up."

Hearing this, Olivia turned to look at him. The car lights were off, and she could only see half of his face hidden in the shadows, the exposed half unreadable.

Olivia pondered his explanation, ultimately just letting out a soft chuckle.

The one who misunderstood was the child. Just now, Jerrell only needed to say one word to clear things up with him, but he didn't.

Yet now, he was explaining it to her instead...

Isn't that ridiculous?

Olivia turned her head away, looking out the window.

Getting no response, Jerrell looked at her, his gaze involuntarily stopping on her bright red dress.

His brows immediately furrowed as he said: "Also, don't wear red dresses anymore. It doesn't look good on you."

Hearing this, Olivia's heart trembled.

Was it really that she didn't look good in a red dress, or did Jerrell just prefer her to dress like Eleanor?

Olivia closed her eyes and fell silent.

Seeing her stay silent, Jerrell's eyes grew cold, and he stared straight ahead without another word.

Upon returning home, Olivia went straight to the study.

She was going to Germany soon, so naturally, she needed to master German. Fortunately, she had a foundation in it from before, so picking it back up wasn't too difficult.

She didn't hide her studying from Jerrell, but he never asked, seemingly completely indifferent to what she was doing.

The next day, the first phase of the Skyways Corporation case officially reached an agreement.

Olivia took the opportunity to host a cocktail party, inviting many insiders from the financial circle. It was a huge success, and for the first time, she got drunk at a party.

Olivia's good friend Judith Hayes frowned and asked: "Why didn't you guys stop her? You really let her get drunk.

What do we do now?"

The others looked at each other, completely clueless.

"Does Olivia have a boyfriend?"

"I don't think so. Why not give that guy a chance? He likes Olivia, just tell him to take her home."

Judith clicked her tongue. Just as she was about to take Olivia home herself, she saw her phone ring.

The name on the screen was "Jerrell".

Judith answered it and put it on speaker.

An indifferent male voice immediately sounded.

"Olivia, where are you?

Why aren't you home yet?"

Though the man's words were cold, they proved his identity.

Olivia really did have a boyfriend!

Everyone was taken by surprise.

Only Judith frowned at the coldness in the man's words and spoke up: "Hello, I'm Olivia's colleague. She's drunk right now. Can you come pick her up?"

The other end of the line went silent for a moment.

The man's voice suddenly turned inexplicably cold: "Address."

Someone hurriedly gave the address before the man hung up.

The colleagues were even more astonished and started whispering among themselves.

"It's been years, and I've never heard that Olivia had a boyfriend."

"Exactly. Olivia has worked overtime so many times, and I've never seen anyone come to pick her up."

Only Judith glanced at Olivia, whose face was flushed from drinking, and let out an inexplicable sigh.

By the time Jerrell arrived at the venue, Olivia had already sobered up halfway and was sitting on the sofa in a daze.

Jerrell walked up to her, but she just stared at him blankly without saying a word.

Jerrell quickly and carefully looked her over before coldly questioning: "Is this necessary?"

Was it necessary to drink to this extent just for a job?

Olivia's mind was fuzzy, but she instinctively wanted to reply, "Of course it is."

But she could sense Jerrell's displeasure, so she didn't talk back. Instead, she tugged at the hem of his shirt and mumbled coquettishly: "Let's go home."

Jerrell felt an inexplicable tightness in his chest. He greeted Judith, who was studying him from the side, then picked Olivia up and carried her away.

Then, as soon as she got into the car, Olivia fell asleep in the passenger seat.

Jerrell unconsciously glanced over.

Seeing that she was wearing a white shirt under her trench coat today, his brows instantly relaxed.

Sure enough, this looked much better.

At least it looked better than red, not nearly as seductive.

After returning home, Jerrell took Olivia into the bathroom. He had intended to make her sober up, but she grabbed his tie and pulled him down.

Haphazard kisses landed on his face and his Adam's apple.

Lust surged in Jerrell's eyes. Finally unable to hold back, he pressed a hand to the back of her head and kissed her back.

Everything returned to peace.

Olivia lay on the bed. Her mind had finally cleared, but her body didn't even have the strength to roll over.

Jerrell stepped out of the bathroom unhurriedly. Perhaps because he was satisfied, his features were uncharacteristically gentle.

Suddenly, his phone rang.

Seeing the caller ID was Eleanor, he answered immediately.

Eleanor's panicked voice came through: "Jerrell!

I accidentally burned the pan while cooking, and now it's on fire. What should I do?"

Jerrell's expression changed drastically: "I'm coming over right now!"

Hanging up, he went to change his clothes. Seeing Olivia staring intently at him, he instinctively offered an excuse: "There's an emergency at the institute. I have to go out. Don't wait up for me tonight."

After saying that, he didn't even wait for Olivia's reaction. He quickly changed and left.

With the click of the door, the house fell into a desolate silence once again.

Olivia hadn't said a single word; she just closed her eyes in humiliation.

They had just been intimate, the lingering warmth not even faded, yet he couldn't wait to rush off to another woman...

An unknown amount of time passed.

Olivia's phone also rang.

She picked it up to look, and it was the very same person—Eleanor.

Olivia suddenly had a gut feeling that this was Eleanor trying to show her who was boss.

Listening to the ringing, she finally pressed the answer button, and Eleanor's affectionate voice came through the line.

"Jerrell, let's get back together."

"You still love me, right?"

Otherwise, you wouldn't have left Olivia's side to come to me just because of a single phone call."

Olivia's breath hitched.

She couldn't help but grip her phone tightly.

Jerrell's hoarse voice still came through clearly: "I do still love you."

The next second, the call was hung up from the other end.

The cold light of the phone screen illuminated Olivia's pale, bloodless face.

At this moment, Olivia didn't know whether to be heartbroken that Jerrell had abandoned her without hesitation over a single call from Eleanor.

Or to be heartbroken that even though Eleanor had chosen her career over him, Jerrell could still forgive her time and time again.

Lying quietly in bed, Olivia recalled something she thought she had long forgotten.

It happened during the first year Eleanor went abroad, the same year Jerrell won his first major physics award.

Olivia had happily brought flowers, wanting to surprise him backstage, only to overhear a conversation between Jerrell and his classmate.

"The project you and Eleanor worked on won the grand prize. Aren't you going to take this chance to go abroad and win her back?

Don't tell me you're planning to stay with Olivia from now on.

Aside from her pretty face, Olivia isn't good enough for you in any other way."

And Jerrell, after a long silence, replied.

"I'll think about it."

The next day, he lied to Olivia: "I'm going abroad for an academic conference. I'll be back in a week."

Even though Olivia was already Jerrell's girlfriend at the time, she didn't dare ask him directly: "Are you going to see Eleanor?"

She didn't dare to ask, afraid that if she did, he would break up with her.

Olivia could only say with red eyes: "I'll wait for you to come back."

Olivia suffered through the week, finally waiting until Jerrell returned to the country.

That day, Jerrell, who never drank, got dead drunk.

He leaned on Olivia's shoulder, hazy with intoxication: "Olivia, it's just the two of us from now on. You won't leave me, right?"

Olivia remembered how her heart ached beyond words at that moment, hugging Jerrell and promising: "I won't leave you."

Once those words were spoken, she held onto them for five years.

Olivia always thought she could wait until the clouds parted to see the moonlight, but she never expected to grow tired before that day ever arrived.

At this very moment, with slightly red eyes, Olivia finally let out a sigh.

"Jerrell, I'm sorry, but I'm going to break my promise."

She was going to leave him.

She didn't want his love anymore.

Early the next morning, Olivia went to Apex Corporation.

Only to learn that the executives from Germany were visiting Kingston for an inspection today, and after the inspection, they suddenly had a whim to hike Palo Canyon.

As an employee about to be transferred to Germany, Olivia had no choice but to tag along.

She hiked for hours, only barely making it halfway up.

Just as she was sitting on the steps panting heavily, a bottle of water was suddenly handed to her.

Looking up, it was actually Jerrell!

Olivia was stunned, thinking she was hallucinating.

Jerrell opened the water and fed her a few sips before she caught her breath and asked: "Why are you here?"

Jerrell didn't answer, but instead introduced Olivia to the man beside him.

"This is my girlfriend, Olivia."

Then he introduced the man to Olivia: "A researcher from Windvale Province, Michael Pendelton."

Olivia reached out her hand and smiled politely: "Hello."

Michael returned the handshake, beaming brightly: "Well, well, Jerrell, I didn't know your girlfriend was this gorgeous. You really lucked out.

By the way, where does your girlfriend work?"

Jerrell froze for a moment, then mumbled, "A small firm."

Olivia raised an eyebrow at him.

She knew perfectly well that Jerrell had absolutely no idea where she worked...

They had been together for five years, and she had never changed jobs, but did that even matter to Jerrell?

So Olivia filled in the details herself: "I work at Apex Corporation."

Michael was startled and playfully punched Jerrell.

"Why are you being so modest?

That's Apex Corporation, one of the Big Four in the world. If Apex Corporation is considered a small firm, then there are no big firms left in the country!"

Jerrell stiffened.

He gave Olivia a complicated look and fell silent.

Michael didn't think much of it, full of energy for the hike: "I'll head up first, you guys catch up soon!"

Jerrell gave a grunt of acknowledgment, and he left.

Leaving Jerrell and Olivia alone, walking forward at a slow pace.

Jerrell's jaw was tight, lost in his own thoughts.

Olivia sighed and simply laid it out: "I work at Apex Corporation as a fund manager, responsible for fund investment and management."

Jerrell lowered his eyelashes, avoiding her gaze: "Why are you telling me this?"

Olivia replied calmly: "So next time you can introduce me to others like this, instead of just saying 'my girlfriend' and leaving it at that."

She wasn't just Jerrell's girlfriend; she was her own person.

Jerrell frowned, his tone tinged with displeasure: "Our work involves completely different fields. How could I possibly know anything about Apex Corporation?"

Olivia fell silent for a moment, then smiled with a sigh.

"Yeah, we are completely from two different worlds."

The smile was fleeting. She looked ahead, where her boss was waving at her.

"Anyway, gotta run—my boss is waving me over."

Olivia quickened her pace and walked forward.

Reaching the observation deck, Olivia walked up to her boss, who looked pointedly at Jerrell behind her and asked.

"Your boyfriend?"

Olivia nodded: "Yes."

Her boss asked jokingly: "Are you really willing to go to Germany alone?

Not bringing him along?"

At this moment, Jerrell also walked up beside her, gazing calmly at the mountains.

His facial features were sharp and deep, not much different from before.

Olivia chuckled softly and was the first to look away.

She knew Jerrell didn't speak German, so right then, she answered openly in German, right to his face: "I am."

Coming down from Palo Canyon, Olivia properly saw off the group of executives.

Turning around, she only saw Michael, who pointed at the store: "Jerrell went to buy water."

Olivia nodded.

Michael was a chatterbox and struck up a familiar conversation: "My trip here, hiking Palo Canyon is secondary. The main thing is to do the opening test for the Deep Space Science and Art Museum, a branch of Griffith Observatory.

This is a project your boyfriend has been working on for five years. It opens tomorrow, you'll definitely come, right?"

Olivia remembered seeing Jerrell open the Griffith Observatory website before. Without thinking much of it, she just said: "He didn't tell me about this, and besides, I have a meeting tomorrow afternoon and can't get away."

Michael paused for a moment, then immediately pulled a ticket from his bag and said casually, "Oh, he probably just forgot.

You're his girlfriend, how could you not come?"

Olivia took the ticket, her expression unreadable.

When Jerrell returned, he handed her a bottle of water and asked casually, "What did Michael just say to you?"

Olivia shook her head instinctively. "Nothing."

Early the next morning, Olivia sat on the sofa, watching Jerrell bustle about from the moment he woke up.

He dug out the haute couture suit he only wore for award ceremonies and groomed himself impeccably, looking as if he were attending a wedding.

"I have things to do today, so I might be back late."

It was only as he was leaving that Jerrell remembered to say this to her.

Obviously, he had no intention of inviting her to the opening ceremony.

A faint bitterness tugged at Olivia's heart, but she said calmly, "Alright, I hope the opening goes smoothly today."

Jerrell froze for a second. "How did you know..."

But before he could finish, his phone rang.

He glanced at it and quickly put the matter out of his mind, answering the call with a gentle and considerate tone: "You're here?

So soon? I was planning to pick you up earlier..."

Eleanor's cool voice came from the other end of the line, muffled and indistinct.

The front door clicked shut, cutting off the last trace of sound.

Olivia took the ticket out of her bag and stared at it for a long time.

Finally, she called her assistant. "Push back my afternoon meetings. Something came up, and I can't make it."

At two in the afternoon, Olivia walked into the Griffith Observatory.

It had been five years since she was last here.

The reason for her last visit was that Jerrell was going to confess his love to Eleanor at the old Griffith Observatory.

Back then, Olivia had stood in the crowd of onlookers; no one knew that she had personally arranged the setting for that confession.

And what about today?

Would such a grand opening ceremony have its main character?

The opening ceremony had already begun, and Olivia found a spot to stand.

As the lights hit the stage, Jerrell walked up.

Tall and straight, he carried an imposing aura as he walked, drawing whispers from many female spectators.

Jerrell took the microphone from the host and spoke with ease: "This deep-space-themed science and art museum is a deep-space exploration popularization project jointly created by Kingston and our Deep Space Exploration Laboratory."

"I spent five years completing this project."

As he spoke, his gaze fell upon Eleanor in the audience, his tone taking on a magnetic tenderness: "I once made a promise with someone to go see the mysteries of the universe together.

We missed each other for five years, and this art museum is the reunion gift I built for her."

"Eleanor, thank you for coming today."

A round of applause immediately erupted from the audience, everyone deeply moved by his words.

Only Olivia stood blankly amid the cheering crowd, foolishly watching Jerrell lead Eleanor onto the stage, the two embracing under the spotlight.

Unable to watch any longer, she turned around, only to meet Michael's face, which was written all over with awkwardness.

Michael glanced at the two still hugging on stage, then looked at Olivia. He opened his mouth to say something, but Olivia had already calmly bypassed him and left, as if she had never been there.

She walked out of the Griffith Observatory and headed straight back to Apex Corporation.

Had she known, she would have been better off finishing that meeting.

After work, Olivia drove home.

Just as she parked, she saw Jerrell and Eleanor strolling under the dim yellow streetlights of the residential complex, looking just like a couple.

Right, Olivia remembered now.

Eleanor's apartment after returning to the country was found with Jerrell's help, located right in the building next to theirs.

Olivia slowly approached and caught their conversation.

She heard Eleanor say in a shy tone, "Thank you for the gift. I really love it."

And Jerrell's voice was as gentle as the evening breeze: "I'm glad you like it."

The two walked slowly to the entrance of the building. As they said their goodbyes, Jerrell watched her go upstairs.

But Eleanor didn't move. She bit her lower lip and said instead, "I'm really sorry for making you walk me home so late."

"If Olivia finds out, she'll probably throw another fit at you."

Jerrell's brows furrowed slightly.

Eleanor was secretly gloating when Olivia's cold, clear voice suddenly rang out from behind.

"I don't mind."

Olivia stepped out from under a nearby tree and looked calmly at Eleanor.

"You're friends, aren't you? Walking each other home is no big deal, right?"

Eleanor's face turned pale then red. She finally managed to force a smile: "Yeah, I was overthinking it."

Only then did Olivia glance at Jerrell before walking ahead.

Soon, Jerrell caught up, but he remained silent, not offering a single word of explanation.

Olivia had just returned home.

Judith sent a WhatsApp message: "This Friday, we're throwing you a farewell party. You have to come!"

Olivia smiled.

She looked up at Jerrell and asked calmly, "I have a party this Friday. Do you want to come?"

Jerrell paused, looking somewhat surprised.

This was the first time Olivia had ever invited him to one of her gatherings.

Meeting her eyes, which were as calm as still water, his heart inexplicably skipped a beat, and he agreed instinctively: "Alright, I'll be there."

On the day of the party, Olivia arrived at the venue right on time after work.

Her friends surrounded her, reluctant to let her go: "Once you go to Germany, it'll be so hard for us to see you again. We're really going to miss you."

Olivia smiled genuinely and hugged them back: "It's okay. Once I make a name for myself in Germany, I'll bring you over and take care of you."

Her friend finally smiled through her tears.

Judith, however, looked toward the door and asked in confusion, "Didn't you say your boyfriend was coming too?

Where is he?"

Olivia was about to speak when she heard Jerrell's voice from behind.

"We aren't late, are we?"

Olivia turned around, her pupils shrinking slightly. Jerrell had indeed arrived, but standing right beside him was Eleanor.

Everyone stared at the scene in astonishment.

Jerrell explained unhurriedly as usual, "Eleanor heard we were going to a party and wanted to join. Do you mind?"

Olivia forced a tight smile.

Of course she minded, but Eleanor was already here. Could she really just kick her out?

"Come in, make yourselves at home."

That was all Olivia could say.

This farewell dinner was incredibly awkward.

Right in front of her friends, Jerrell served food to Eleanor and even said, "Here, your favorite Lobster Bisque."

Judith finally couldn't hold back a cold scoff: "Jerrell, your girlfriend can't reach her favorite dish either. Why don't you serve her some too?"

As a result, Jerrell froze, completely at a loss for what to do.

Olivia knew in her heart that he had absolutely no idea what she liked.

"It's fine, I'll get it myself."

She smiled awkwardly.

The meal ended in an inexplicably awkward atmosphere.

Judith, however, was still unwilling to let it go and suggested, "Now that we're full, why don't we head to the board game cafe next door for a round of Werewolf?"

Olivia was taken aback.

She knew Judith was trying to help her save face, but she was going to break up with Jerrell tomorrow anyway...

Just as she was about to refuse, she saw Jerrell actually nod in agreement.

The group then marched off to the board game cafe in a grand procession.

Judith volunteered to be the Game Master. After distributing the identity cards, everyone closed their eyes.

The game progressed quickly. After a few rounds, the situation on the board gradually became clear.

There were two werewolves in total. Jerrell was the Seer and had successfully found the first werewolf, leaving only one.

Olivia was the Witch. After revealing her identity, she managed to survive until the final round using her antidote.

It was hard to say whether it was coincidence or fate.

In the end, only the three of them were left. Naturally, Eleanor was the remaining werewolf.

Olivia looked at Jerrell and said, "You verified my identity. As long as you vote for Eleanor with me, we can win this round."

Knowing her identity was exposed and having no defense, Eleanor simply acted coy, "Jerrell, I'm really not the werewolf. Just believe me this once, okay?"

Judith rolled her eyes. "Alright, let's vote."

Unsurprisingly, Olivia and Eleanor pointed at each other, then both looked at Jerrell.

Jerrell pondered for a moment under everyone's gaze.

He said in a deep voice, "I vote for Olivia as the werewolf."

Olivia froze.

Before she could even react, she heard her friend sneer directly, "Are you kidding me?

What's the point of playing the game like this?

Then we might as well not play at all, if everyone just relies on acting cute to get votes."

Being called out like that, Eleanor's eyes quickly turned red.

She cast a pitiful glance at Jerrell before looking at the group. "I don't know what I did wrong to be targeted by you all like this. Since you don't want to play with me, I'll just leave."

With that, she ran out the door.

Jerrell immediately stood up, glaring coldly at Olivia as he accused, "It's just a game, why are you taking it so seriously?"

After saying that, he was about to chase after Eleanor.

Olivia subconsciously grabbed his arm. "Don't go."

Her friends were all around her. If Jerrell just walked away like this, how embarrassed would she be?

Jerrell's eyes flickered; he had clearly thought of this too.

But in the end, he still pulled his hand away and said politely, "This meal is on me, please enjoy yourselves."

Then, he turned and left without hesitation.

He ultimately chose to abandon her to go find Eleanor.

Olivia stared blankly at Jerrell's retreating back, a wave of desolate sorrow washing over her heart.

Everyone present fell silent.

Judith looked apologetic. "I'm sorry, Olivia. I didn't expect it to end up like this."

Olivia snapped back to reality and forced a smile.

"It's fine, I know you guys were just trying to stand up for me.

But today was suposed to be my farewell dinner anyway. Without them here, we can speak more freely, right?"

Under the lights, her eyes were strikingly red.

Yet she smiled and raised her glass: "Cheer up!

My leaving is a good thing.

You have to wish me well, just wish me..."

She pondered for a moment before speaking through her tears.

"Wish me a bright future after I leave, and that all my wishes come true!"

The crowd exchanged glances, their eyes quietly turning red as well.

They all raised their glasses and clinked them together hard!

"Wishing you a bright future, and that all your wishes come true!"

After returning home from the gathering, Olivia received the ticketing information for the flight her company had booked for her.

[Dear Ms. Bennett, your Flight 7399 from Kingston to Germany will take off on time at 17:20 on January 24, 2025. We wish you a safe journey.]

That was the day after tomorrow.

January 24th, the exact date she would officially leave Jerrell.

Unwilling to dwell on it any longer, Olivia simply started packing her luggage.

While she was packing, Jerrell returned home.

He didn't bring up what had happened at the board game cafe earlier, and Olivia didn't ask.

However, even though Jerrell clearly saw her packing, he showed no reaction whatsoever.

"Keep busy, I'm going to sleep."

He didn't care what Olivia was planning to do; perhaps he was so certain she would never leave him that he felt entirely secure.

Or perhaps, even if he knew she was leaving, he simply didn't care at all.

As Olivia packed, she suddenly dug out two forgotten theater mystery vouchers from the bottom of a bag.

She remembered winning them in a lucky draw outside a theater with Jerrell a few months ago; they could be exchanged for a free play.

They had promised to go together long ago, but after Eleanor returned to the country, no one remembered it anymore.

Olivia held up the tickets, turning to stop Jerrell: "Let's go use these vouchers tomorrow."

Jerrell replied casually, "Sure."

So Olivia put the tickets away, placing them in the most conspicuous spot on the table.

After watching the play, there would truly be no more ties between them.

The next day, Olivia and Jerrell arrived at the theater, just in time for a classic play adapted from Virginia Woolf, "Red Rose and White Rose".

The most classic scene of this play was the male lead's monologue.

He said: Every man has two women.

Marry the red rose, and the red becomes a lingering passion smeared on the wall, while the white remains the bright moonlight.

Marry the white rose, and the white becomes a sticky grain of rice on your shirt, while the red becomes an unattainable ideal etched on your heart.

Olivia was completely mesmerized watching this scene, her eyes welling up with tears.

She couldn't help but put herself in those shoes.

Eleanor was the white rose in Jerrell's life, pure and beautiful.

And herself...

Olivia couldn't help but look at Jerrell.

Only to see that in the dim theater, he was completely engrossed in replying to messages on his phone.

On the screen, the name Eleanor pierced Olivia's heart with a sharp pain: [What are you doing?

I'm so bored, can you come over and keep me company?]

[Wait a bit, I'll be right there.]

Jerrell quickly finished his reply and, sensing something, looked up to see Olivia's calm face.

He asked in confusion, "What's wrong?

Is the play not good?"

Olivia shook her head, only saying, "It's nothing."

She looked back at the stage.

Thinking to herself that perhaps, she didn't even count as a lingering passion...

Olivia's heart ached; she felt both ridiculous and pathetic.

After the play ended, they followed the crowd to the theater entrance.

Even though Olivia knew perfectly well that he was in a hurry to meet Eleanor, she still couldn't help but speak up.

"Let's go home for dinner, I bought a lot of your favorite food..."

But Jerrell interrupted her without hesitation: "No, I have something to do later."

"It's just a meal, it won't take up too much of your time."

Olivia spoke up to ask him to stay. She just wanted to have one last meal with him, to put a final period on their relationship.

But Jerrell wasn't willing to do even that.

His gaze was cold and indifferent, no different from any other ordinary day over the past five years.

He said, "Next time. I'll definitely make time for you when I'm free."

At that moment, Olivia finally let it go.

Just like always, she bid him farewell: "Okay, I understand."

She watched Jerrell turn and walk away, hailing a cab with impatient haste before disappearing from sight.

Only then did she murmur softly, "There won't be a next time, Jerrell."

After returning home, the courier Olivia had booked arrived on time. She shipped all the clothes she couldn't take to Germany back to her parents' house.

She then gathered all their photos and couple's items, tossing them straight into the trash.

Before leaving, she pulled out a pad of sticky notes, leaving Jerrell a breakup gift.

She stuck one on the fridge: [Try to finish the vegetables within three days. I put the beef in the freezer; remember to take it out in advance to thaw.]

She stuck one on the washing machine: [Your wool sweaters and suits can't go in here. Take them to the dry cleaners, and never wash different colors together.]

She stuck one on the balcony: [Water the plants on the windowsill at least once a week, or they'll dry up and die.]

...

By the time she put her pen down, the entire apartment was unknowingly covered in yellow sticky notes.

Olivia stared at them quietly.

Over the past five years, it was these very sticky notes that recorded every trace of her love for him.

And Jerrell treated her love just like these notes—glanced at, then casually torn away.

And this would be the very last time she loved him.

With only one sticky note left, Olivia wrote her final message: [Jerrell, happy breakup.]

She stuck this final note onto Jerrell's tablet.

It was all over.

Olivia grabbed her suitcase and walked out of the 'home' she had lived in for five years.

With a soft 'click', the door locked shut behind her, leaving nothing but silence.