It seemed necessary to dig for some information from his grandfather. However, Jethro didn't mention any of this to Darcy. Soon, their ordered dishes arrived one after another. Both had excellent table manners. Apart from occasionally commenting on the food, they barely spoke. After eating diligently for half an hour, Darcy was almost full. Before heading home, she went to the restroom. Coming out of the restroom, she had only taken a few steps when she bumped into someone completely unexpected. Their eyes met. Darcy halted, took a deep breath, and walked forward to greet her. "Mrs. Vance, hello." She never expected to run into Zane's mother here.Olena was also startled, but then a kindly smile touched her lips. "Darcy! I haven't seen you in so long, dear. I've missed you." She stepped forward, took Darcy's hand, and gently patted the back of it. "It has been a while, Mrs. Vance. Are you here for dinner too?" Darcy pressed her lips together and subtly withdrew her hand. To be fair, Olena had always treated her quite well. Unlike other wealthy society matrons who looked down on her background, Olena had often admonished Zane during their relationship, telling him to care more for Darcy and not be so cold-faced every day. The idea of their engagement had originally been Olena's suggestion, saying they were both at the right age to get engaged this year and married the next. Because of this, Darcy remained polite to Olena. But the former closeness was inevitably gone.Darcy's smile was somewhat strained, and Olena couldn't miss it. Her son had probably already told Darcy about calling off the engagement. It was understandable that Darcy would be distant. Over the years, Olena had witnessed Darcy's contributions to the company and her devotion to her son. It was precisely because of this that she had never interfered in their relationship. Many society ladies had tried to introduce wealthy daughters to Zane, but Olena could tell at a glance that none of them held a candle to Darcy. Those delicate, high-maintenance women, meant to be put on a pedestal, were nowhere near as capable as Darcy. She was presentable in any setting, practical, came from a humble but manageable background, and, most importantly, she loved Zane deeply, enough to sacrifice anything for him.What a pity. They just weren't meant to be. Zora was Zane's dream from childhood. Now that the dream had returned, there was no place left for Darcy. If Zora were merely beautiful, Olena might have advised her son not to focus solely on looks. But Zora wasn't just beautiful; she was even more capable than Darcy, and came from an excellent family. So, Olena found she had no grounds to object. With this thought, Olena looked at Darcy with a hint of pity actually surfacing in her eyes. "Yes, I'm meeting friends here. Are you alone?" Darcy shook her head. "I'm with a friend too." After saying this, she turned to leave. "I should get going." When she returned to the table, Jethro had already paid the bill. They walked out together. Outside, a cool breeze swept past, carrying the crisp, desolate feel of autumn. Darcy tightened her casual blazer around herself. The man beside her saw this and, on a strange impulse, almost took off his own coat to drape over her shoulders. But thankfully, reason prevailed. Jethro shook his head with a faint, self-deprecating smile. What am I doing? At the parking lot, they said their goodbyes. Jethro waited, watching until Darcy's car drove away before getting into his own vehicle. "Mrs. Vance? We're heading off now, Mrs. Vance?" A friend's voice pulled Olena from her thoughts.Had she just seen Darcy leaving the restaurant with a man? So, when Darcy said she was with a friend, was it just a regular male friend, or perhaps... A new boyfriend? The moment this thought emerged, Olena startled herself. Impossible. Darcy was utterly devoted to her son. Anyone else might stray, but not Darcy. It must just be a regular friend. Even so, Olena found it peculiar. In all these years, she'd never heard of Darcy being close with any other man. Darcy's life revolved around work, taking care of Zane, shopping with her best friend, or walking with her mother. Her routine was remarkably consistent. After seeing her friends off, Olena got into her car and told the driver to head home. On the way, she couldn't resist calling her son."Have you talked to Darcy about calling off the engagement?" Zane gave a low grunt of affirmation from his end. Olena sighed. "Indecision just prolongs the agony. Making a clean break is better for both of you, and for Darcy too. What do you plan to do about the company?" Zane frowned. "What do you mean?" Olena explained, "Darcy will find out about Zora as soon as she returns from her leave. And your relationship with Zora is bound to progress sooner or later. You surely don't plan to keep Darcy at the company, do you? "In my opinion, it's best to let Darcy go. Give her a generous severance package. It can compensate for all her contributions over the years." When his mother finished speaking, Zane's cold, deep-set eyes reddened at the corners. "No," he stated firmly. "I won't fire her!" He had already told Darcy they were temporarily calling off the engagement. If he fired her too... It would be like tearing Darcy completely out of his life.