"What skills? If she had any good news, she'd have announced it to the whole company by now. She hasn't said a damn thing. That bid is definitely a lost cause." Darcy, inside her office, had no idea about her subordinates' gossip. She kept her head down and worked. It wasn't until almost noon that she remembered she hadn't returned the signed contract to Rowan. She took the elevator upstairs. After handing the contract over, she saw Jethro was also in his office, so she knocked and went in to say hello. She mainly wanted to thank him. Jethro smiled at her. "You look refreshed. I take it the resignation went smoothly yesterday." Darcy smiled too, touching her cheek. "Yes, it went fine."She didn't mention Zane's unwelcome visit last night. She wasn't going to bring personal drama to her boss. Instead, she shifted the topic to the Easemark Ventures project. "I've confirmed that Easemark is scheduled to open the bids in two weeks. Cade and I will go to the site then." Jethro nodded. "I'll go with you." Darcy was taken aback. She bit her lip and said honestly, "I've tried to meet with Mr. Steele privately a few times. He's always brushed me off, saying he's busy. I'm afraid this project is a lost cause." "It's alright," Jethro said with an unconcerned smile. "Cindy told me you helped her secure that old client. And you've been in touch with several potential new ones. I'm very satisfied with your performance this past month. Even if the Easemark project falls through, it's fine." Darcy hadn't expected such high praise from her boss. She felt a little embarrassed. "I was just doing my job." Before she left, Jethro said to her, "Next week, the district is organizing a FinTech Forum. We'll attend together." He took an invitation from his desk and handed it to her. Darcy opened it and scanned the contents. When she saw SummitCore Tech listed among the invited companies on the back, her brow furrowed slightly. Jethro didn't miss the subtle change in her expression. After a moment's consideration, he said, "If you feel uncomfortable..." "It's fine. I'll go with you," Darcy interrupted him, her expression neutral. "No big deal." Jethro's brow relaxed. "Good." ... At SummitCore Tech, news of Darcy's resignation eventually reached Zora and Kaia. At lunch, Zora took Kaia out to eat. She bit her lip, looking remorseful. "I only just heard about Ms. Gale resigning. I'm afraid it's because I was parachuted into the position. She must have felt... slighted. Ms. Gale was vital to the company. Kaia, you two are close. Could you try to talk to her?" When Kaia first heard Darcy had quit on her own, she was so shocked her jaw almost dropped. But after the shock wore off, she felt indignant. Darcy is being so unreasonable! She's just throwing a fit because Dr. Moss got her position. She doesn't even know her own worth, daring to compare herself to Dr. Moss! And she'd heard Darcy hadn't even followed proper procedure. She'd lied, saying Zane had approved her resignation, when he hadn't! Typical salesperson, lies come so easily. And look at Dr. Moss. She has nothing to do with this, yet she's so kindhearted, feeling guilty about it. Kaia couldn't stand it. "Dr. Moss, this has nothing to do with you. People with small minds blame everyone else." Darcy couldn't keep her man's attention. How can she blame Dr. Moss for being too good? If Kaia were Zane, choosing between the two, she'd pick Zora too.Zora lowered her eyes, a faint, fleeting smile touching her lips. Still, she urged Kaia to try and talk to Darcy. Kaia pouted, saying "Okay" with her mouth, but in her heart, she was determined not to contact Darcy. She wanted to see what Darcy could do without SummitCore and without Zane's protection. An older, unmarried woman with no kids—what company would really put her in charge? Zora saw through Kaia's perfunctory act, so after her afternoon meeting, she headed to the top floor to see Zane. "Zane, I heard about Ms. Gale resigning. I think my sudden arrival must have caused a misunderstanding. If you don't mind, I'd like to go and explain things to her in person," Zora said, gently biting her lower lip. Zane was a little surprised, but not entirely. He'd been distracted these past few days, his mind wandering even during meetings. If not for Rex's reminders, he wouldn't have even noticed.His thoughts kept drifting back to Darcy. Sometimes he remembered her in meetings, confidently explaining market prospects. Other times, he remembered her in his apartment, taking care of him—cooking, cleaning, watching him work overtime with that soft, affectionate look in her eyes. His frequent distraction must have sparked rumors, which had reached Zora's ears. But Zora was innocent. She'd been dragged into this for no reason. Seeing her look so guilty now pained him. He got up and sat beside her, comforting her, "This has nothing to do with you. Darcy is just being willful. I had planned to formally introduce you to her when she returned from leave, to clarify your roles. But instead, she came back and resigned behind my back. She just can't make room for anyone."