They had been deeply in love, yet they were torn apart because of a feud between their fathers. How could she accept that? "And that's the 'past' you wanted to tell me about?" Darcy asked with a small, cool smile, her gaze fixed on Annie. "It seems you don't understand him at all. If he hadn't moved on from you, he never would have started something with me." Darcy stood up. She had thought she might learn something useful, but there was no point staying. This woman was overly confident to the point of delusion. As Darcy left the lounge and approached the elevators, she heard a ragged, almost hysterical cry from behind the closed door. She frowned. That woman... she seemed unstable. The next day, Darcy went downstairs to give her weekly report to Jasper. Suddenly, her phone buzzed insistently with multiple incoming notifications in quick succession. Jasper raised a brow. "Ms. Gale, we recently reiterated the policy about phones during meetings." Darcy looked down. "My apologies." She glanced at her screen to silence it, but the previews of the incoming messages froze her in place. Photo attachments were popping up. The last was a line of text. "Memories of a youth that belonged only to Jethro and me. Something you can never touch or replace." Darcy's finger twitched. She took a steadying breath, forced her expression neutral, and silenced her phone. After the meeting concluded, she found an empty conference room and slipped inside. Leaning against the wall, she let out a shaky breath she hadn't realized she was holding. It took her a few minutes to calm down. Then, she pulled out her phone and called Jethro. "Are you free tonight? It's been a while since we had dinner. I've got something to tell you." On the other end, Jethro was entertaining clients. Hearing the slight tension in Darcy's voice, he immediately excused himself and stepped outside. "What's wrong? Did something happen?" Darcy managed a soft, unconvincing laugh. "It's nothing serious. Let's talk tonight." "Alright. I'll see you then." As soon as Darcy walked away, Jenna, hiding in a corner, whipped out her phone and called Annie. "That little witch pretends she doesn't care, but her eyes were totally red! Pure denial, I'm telling you. Annie, you need to push harder. Make her back off on her own. "Oh, and she just called Jethro. They're having dinner tonight."Annie's lips curved. "Thank you, Jenna. You're so good to me. By the way, I picked up a few handbags today. Stop by and see if you like any." Jenna's eyes lit up, visions of luxury brands dancing in her head. "Oh, you shouldn't have! But of course I'll help you. We're family! Are you free tonight? I can come over." "Not tonight, I'm afraid." "Right, you've got real business tonight. I'll come tomorrow." After work, Darcy drove to the restaurant. The private room had been booked in advance. She gave Jethro's name, and the server led her in. She sat down and texted him, "I'm here." The man who usually replied instantly was silent. Darcy bit her lip. He must still be tied up. The Blackwood Group was in the middle of a major bid; everyone was swamped.She wasn't worried. She scrolled through her phone, waiting patiently. Unnoticed, time slipped by. At eight o'clock, a server knocked and entered. "Ma'am, would you like to order now?" Only then did Darcy realize how late it was. An hour had passed since her text. A slow frown creased her brow. Just then, another message arrived. Not from Jethro. From Annie. "Jethro is with me. Don't wait. He won't be coming tonight." Darcy stared at the words on her screen. She was about to exit the message and pull up her contacts when her phone rang. She answered immediately. "Jethro?" "Yeah." His voice came through, low and weary. "I'm so sorry. Something came up. I don't think I can make it tonight." Darcy's heart clenched. Her knuckles turned white around the phone. After a long moment, she heard herself ask, "What happened?" Jethro rubbed his temple. "A traffic accident on the way. I hit someone. I'm at the hospital now." Darcy's breath hitched. "Is the person badly hurt?" "Not critically. Don't worry about me. Let me handle things here, and I'll call you back." He sounded genuinely apologetic. "I'm really sorry you waited. I'll make it up to you tomorrow." Darcy's eyes darkened. "Alright." After hanging up, Jethro looked at the hospital bed, his expression detached. Annie gazed back at him, her eyes pools of tender, clinging nostalgia. Her lips moved. She let out a bitter laugh. "So... to you now, I'm just the victim?" His tone was flat. "To me, you became a stranger a long time ago." He turned to leave. "Jethro!" she cried out. "You're just going to leave me here? The doctor said my ankle injury is severe. I might limp for the rest of my life. Can you really bear to see me become a cripple?"