Chapter 5

It was almost dawn when I finally stepped off the train at my hometown station.

As soon as I passed through the ticket gate, I spotted my dad waiting for me, his face lighting up as soon as he saw me.

I slid into the car, and there, on the passenger seat, was a big bag of snacks and my favorite yogurt drinks.

Before we even hit the road, my dad was already grinning, poking a straw into one of the yogurt drinks and handing it to me.

I glanced at the gray strands in his hair, and suddenly, the floodgates opened. Tears welled up before I could stop them.

"Dad… I'm not leaving again. I want to stay with you and Mom forever."

He chuckled, his voice full of warmth. "Silly girl, whether you stay or not, you'll always be our precious Rachel."

I could tell he noticed I was struggling, but since I hadn't opened up yet, he didn't push me.

At home, I took a shower and had a quiet dinner with my parents.

By 10 PM, I was lying in bed, ready to listen to some calming music to help me fall asleep.

But when I opened my music app, I saw several private messages waiting for me.

It was from my closest female colleague.

She was shocked by my sudden resignation and asked if everything was okay, if there was anything she could do to help.

Before I could even reply, she sent me a video.

"Rachel, this video of Alexander and Olivia is going viral in the work chat…"

I hesitated, but curiosity got the better of me. I clicked on the video.

It was from the company's meeting room security camera.

There were only three people in the video: Alexander, Olivia, and the HR manager.

The video had no sound, but I instantly recognized the resignation letter Alexander was holding, it was mine.

The HR manager looked nervous, bowing repeatedly and practically on the verge of tears.

Meanwhile, Alexander sat there, eyes glued to the resignation letter, not even acknowledging the man.

Three minutes and forty seconds into the video, Alexander casually waved his hand, signaling the HR manager to leave. The man practically bolted, bowing as he made his escape.

Olivia, standing behind Alexander, had a sour look on her face, but she quickly pasted on a sweet smile.

She moved in to touch Alexander's shoulder, but before she could, he suddenly jerked his arm back, knocking over a cup of coffee on the table.

The coffee spilled everywhere, but Alexander didn't even flinch. He just stood up, wryly smiling as he paced around.

Then his phone buzzed, and his entire demeanor shifted.

He stood there for several minutes, frozen as he read the message.

The look on his face turned cold, and when he lowered his phone, Olivia hugged him from behind. She was about to say something, but before she could, Alexander suddenly hurled his phone at the central screen in the meeting room.

The screen shattered, sparks flying, and Olivia stumbled back, twisting her ankle as she fell.

Her face drained of color, and Alexander turned to walk toward her…

And then, the video cut off.

I didn't need to see more to know what happened next, Alexander would have helped Olivia up, apologized profusely, and done whatever he could to make it up to her.

I closed the video and sent a brief thank-you to my colleague.

Even though I wouldn't be working with her anymore, I wished her nothing but success.

Four days after coming home, under my parents' care, I felt more refreshed than I had in years, like I was back in high school again.

I met up with two of my best friends from back then, and they couldn't stop commenting on how great I looked, even asking where I'd gotten my rejuvenation treatments.

After a few laughs, my phone rang.

The number was unfamiliar.

I figured it was probably some sales call, so I ignored it.

That evening, after I got back home, the doorbell rang.

I had ordered bubble tea, so I opened the door without thinking, calling out, "Bubble tea delivery…"

But the moment I saw Alexander standing there, my smile dropped.

I had no idea how he'd found out where my parents lived, but one thing was for sure, I didn't want to see him.

Before I could slam the door shut, Alexander's eyes darkened, and he quickly wedged his hand in the gap, stopping the door from closing.

"Rachel, why didn't you answer my calls?" he asked hoarsely.

My mind was spinning, but I still managed to steady my voice.

"We're done, Alexander. Please leave."

When he heard me say "done," he actually laughed. It was a cold, mocking laugh.

His grip on the door tightened as he scoffed, "Done? When did that happen? Why didn't I know about it?"