But he also knew Darcy would never come back. In a way, Zane brought it on himself. If he hadn't cheated in spirit with Zora back then, none of this would be happening now. Of course, Rex only dared grumble that in his head. Soon, discharge papers were signed. Zane instructed Rex to drive him to the office. On the way, Rex cautiously offered, "Mr. Vance, if you truly want to deal with Zora, you could press charges for assault." From the back seat, Zane let out a cold, hollow laugh. He looked drained. "And have the whole world know I'm a laughingstock, completely outwitted by a woman? Don't worry about me, Rex. And you... you probably won't last long at the company either. Start planning your exit. If you need my help with anything, don't hesitate to ask." Hearing that, Rex felt a complicated mix of emotions and sighed. In the years he'd worked for Zane, he'd seen the man's arrogance and self-interest. But he'd also seen a boss who could be considerate, who understood his employees' struggles. Soon, the car stopped under SummitCore Tech's building. Zane and Rex swiped in as usual, but the turnstile didn't respond. A young woman from the front desk hurried over, wringing her hands. "M-Mr. Vance... Ms. Moss gave orders to—" "Open it," Zane growled, his voice low and dangerous. Terrified by the aura of menace surrounding him, the girl fumbled for a master key card and let them through. They took the elevator directly to the top floor. As they stepped into the executive suite, the employees who saw them froze, their faces a mixture of shock and fear.The already quiet office descended into a tomb-like silence. "Mr. Vance," someone whispered, rushing over. Zane's expression was icy. "Where is she?" "She's... she's in the office. On a call," the person stammered, pointing toward the office with a shaking hand. That office represented power and status. And in just a week, everything flipped. It had a new owner. The former owner stood outside, staring at the door like he could burn a hole through it. When the door was flung open, Zora was on the phone, her laughter bright and cheerful. "Yes, yes, we'll need you to follow up with Voyager's finance department... Absolutely, we'll deliver on schedule." The loud bang of the door made her jump. She quickly made an excuse and ended the call.Turning, she saw who it was. A contemptuous smirk spread across her face. "Oh, you're awake? Faster than I expected." She raised an eyebrow, placing her hands on the arms of the executive chair as if she owned it—which, in a way, she now did. She smiled at him. "Are you fully recovered? No lasting effects? I hear head injuries can cause amnesia. You should have stayed in the hospital longer. As for the company, don't worry. I have everything under control." Zane watched her. A week of enforced stillness had drained the immediate, volatile rage from him. There was no screaming, no wild fury. Just a profound, chilling incomprehension. He'd left Darcy for this woman. He'd stood by her when everyone else doubted her. Zora, why? Why betray me like this? The thought sent a wave of agonizing grief through his chest. He asked the question aloud.If he was going to lose everything, he wanted answers. Zora studied him, then let out a heavy, derisive snort. "Zane, are you really that clueless, or are you just pretending? Sometimes, when you play a role for too long, you forget who you really are. "You say you love me. But let's not forget why you wanted to marry me in the first place! You left Darcy for me because my family background could help you get into the Vance Group, help you and your mom secure your position!" Every word hit where it hurt. She wrapped it up with a sneer. "Our marriage was a transaction from the start. Don't paint yourself as some tragic romantic!" Zane clutched his chest, his face ghostly pale. "And trust?" Zora continued with a sneer. "What a joke. The only reason you endured your family's punishment instead of breaking off the engagement was to prove you hadn't made a mistake. You couldn't stand the thought of being laughed at, of people thinking you'd chosen wrong. Otherwise, you wouldn't have told me to wear a mask when I asked to go see a movie. You pretended not to care, but you cared more than anyone. Zane, you are a selfish, shallow, faithless man!" She took a deep breath, the anger subsiding slightly, replaced by a strange, weary softness. "Honestly, none of that even mattered to me. My motives weren't pure either. A marriage of convenience isn't bad. Chasing profit and dodging risk—that's human nature. I can get behind that. In that sense, Zane, we were a perfect match. But where you crossed the line was trying to fire me. Do you have any idea what SummitCore means to me? To my family?!"