However, Kaia's response was a scoffing laugh. "Oh, right. Darcy's getting engaged to Mr. Vance. Totally slipped my mind." Ione's brows pinched, a flicker of displeasure running through her. "What's going on with you? How can you forget your sister's engagement?" Her tone wasn't harsh, more chiding, but Kaia felt a surge of irritation anyway. Engagement my ass. Zane doesn't even like Darcy. Just wait. That engagement is getting canceled. And Zane will dump Darcy soon enough. Seeing no point in staying longer, Kaia made an excuse and left. ... That afternoon, the housekeeper Darcy hired arrived. Seeing her mother chatting and laughing with the woman put Darcy's mind at ease.She grabbed her study materials and headed downstairs to a nearby coffee shop. Darcy was studying for a part-time Master's degree under Alistair—a program designed for working professionals, leading to both graduation and degree certificates. It was a popular choice for career advancement in recent years. But "part-time" didn't mean it was easy to get into. Candidates had to pass the same rigorous written and interview stages as full-time students, which made admission fiercely competitive. It had been five years since she graduated from college. Over those five years, her professional skills hadn't slipped—if anything, they'd gotten even stronger thanks to her work experience. But foundational skills like quantitative reasoning and academic writing were a whole different ballgame. Especially the math section—so many basic theorems and formulas had long since slipped her mind.Getting back up to speed on them felt like climbing a huge mountain. Fortunately, online learning resources were abundant. Following the video lectures, Darcy quickly began to regain her old academic rhythm. By the time dusk settled and her oversized coffee cup was empty, she had finished her day's study quota. Darcy stretched and looked out the window. It had been a long time since she'd felt this kind of solid, grounded peace. Before, she loved Zane, but he was always distant. She lived in constant anxiety, afraid of losing him. Now she finally got it. Bad love is a thorn; yank it out in time, or every step just hurts more. And once you pull that thorn, every road feels wide open. To immerse herself better, Darcy decided to spend future weekends studying at the Quest University library.After dinner, she did a workout at home. Suddenly, a WhatsApp voice call from Zane lit up her phone. She frowned, about to reject it, but caught her mother's eager, watchful gaze. Reluctantly, she swiped right to answer. "Hello?" At her voice, Zane's quiet heart suddenly surged. He recognized the feeling—a flutter. The kind he used to get, facing Zora in his youth. But for some reason, Darcy's voice triggered it now. Just like this phone call. There was no real reason for it. He just... just suddenly missed her. Badly. Probably because they hadn't seen each other much lately. Another questioning "Hello?" came from the other end. Zane cleared his throat. "Did your mother get discharged today?" Darcy replied, "Yes, the paperwork was done this morning." "That's good. I'm sorry. Work kept me tied up all day. I couldn't come to visit you and your mom." Darcy frowned. Was that even necessary? If they'd agreed to call off the engagement and go their separate ways, what was the point of a visit? Thinking it over, there was only one plausible reason. Zane—or the Vance family—was worried about gossip. You don't ditch the woman who stuck with you through thick and thin. If the public or the media found out Zane had dumped the girlfriend who slaved beside him for years to build his company, where would that leave his reputation? The realization turned her stomach.Even now, he was still putting on an act with her. How disgusting! She forced herself not to speak. Meanwhile, Zane thought she really was angry. She even sent the engagement gifts back. She must be furious. Zane wasn't good with women. In all the years they'd been together, whenever they fought—no matter who was wrong—Darcy was always the one to say sorry first and make things right. So now, he wanted to cheer her up, but had no clue how. For the first time, Zane felt a little impressed by his friend Ines. That guy was a total pro at cheering women up. He pressed his lips together, thinking, then said, "Darcy, I got the gifts you returned. There was really no need to send them back. It's just a temporary—""Zane, sorry! I didn't know you were on a call. I'll come back later." A voice suddenly interrupted from his end. It was Zora's voice. Darcy laughed bitterly to herself. Zane allows Zora to enter his office without knocking. He allows her to call him "Zane" at work. The favoritism couldn't be more obvious. Zane covered the phone's microphone. "It's fine, we're done. We can discuss it now." He was about to find an excuse to end the call when he realized Darcy had hung up first. She's really upset. I need to find time to ask Ines how to properly cheer a woman up. Seeing his somber expression, Zora teased, "What's wrong? On the phone with your girlfriend?"