Zora gently pushed his shoulder. "Don't speak of Ms. Gale like that." Zane frowned. "Darcy is just a regular salesperson. Besides, she's resigned. She's no longer an employee of SummitCore Tech." "Shouldn't we try to persuade her to come back?" Zane's words didn't match his thoughts. "It's unnecessary. The company will run just fine without her. Dr. Moss, I believe you can do even better than she did." Zora smiled sweetly, smoothing her long hair. "You flatter me. But, I believe Ms. Gale will come to her senses and return after some time." Truthfully, Zane believed the same. He knew deep down Darcy's resignation wasn't about her position. She had never been materialistic or power-hungry. What she wanted, from beginning to end, was his heart.After some time, once she cooled down, she would be back. Zane was certain Darcy couldn't leave him. "Yeah, probably," he replied flatly. "It's not 'probably.' She'll definitely come back," Zora said. Zane was taken aback. "How can you be so sure?" Did Zora know Darcy is my... "Because of the non-compete clause," Zora said with a light laugh. "All company employees signed a non-compete agreement. Even I had to sign one when I joined. I've read the terms. It covers every firm in the industry. That means, if Ms. Gale wants to stay in fintech, it's basically impossible. Unless she moves to another city." A look of realization dawned on Zane's face. Right, why hadn't he thought of that! He tugged at his tie. "Darcy isn't leaving town. Her mother needs care, and she has just had surgery. She needs rest."It seemed Darcy would return sooner than he predicted! The gloom that had hung over him for days instantly lifted. Zane turned to look at Zora. This woman beside him was even sharper and more clever than he'd realized! Once again, he was captivated by Zora's charm. "Oh, this Saturday is my mother's birthday. I'd like to invite you and your parents," Zora said, handing three elegant invitations to Zane. "Could you pass these to your father and mother?" "Sure, okay." That evening, Zane drove back to the Vance Manor. His father was working late and wasn't home. Only his mother was there. After dinner, Zane took out the invitations and handed them to his mother.Olena opened one. It was for Zora's mother's birthday celebration. She chuckled, "Susan called me during the day to mention it specifically. I've already spoken with your father. We'll both attend." She set the invitation down and glanced at her son. "And you? Are you going?" Lately, Olena and Zora's mother, Susan Parker, had been seeing each other frequently, often meeting for a coffee. Even Susan's husband, John Parker, had started discussing business collaborations with Viktor. Olena understood the Moss family's intention perfectly. They had their eyes on her son. The question was, what did Zane think? If Zane agreed to go, it would signal his acceptance of the proposed alliance with the Moss family. If he refused, it would mean he still hadn't let go of Darcy. Olena didn't press him. She just said softly, "Susan is throwing quite a large party. Many notable figures from the business world will be there. It's a good opportunity to network." Zane was silent for a moment, then nodded. "I'll attend." Olena felt a subtle relief. She remembered running into Darcy with that unfamiliar man recently and asked, "How has... Darcy been lately? The last time I saw her, she seemed to be with..." "She resigned. And she said she wants to break up." "What?!" Olena was shocked. Zane explained, "She's throwing a tantrum because of Zora. She'll come back after a while." "Oh, I see." Still, Olena thought it might be better if Darcy didn't come back. She gave her son a meaningful look and said slowly, "The Moss family thinks very highly of you."Zane stiffened. After a long pause, he said, "Yeah. I know." Then he stood up, left the Vance Manor, and got into his car. After driving for a while, Zane pulled over to the curb. He took out a cigarette case and lit one. The crimson ember glowed and faded in the dark interior of the car. Zane rolled down the window and exhaled a plume of smoke. He couldn't deny it. A part of his heart still belonged to Zora. The simple crush from his youth had transformed into admiration. Moreover, Zora had the backing of the Moss family. That alliance could solidify his standing in the business world and help him gain a foothold in the Vance Group. But— Zane took another deep drag. He had no intention of giving up on Darcy, either. He believed he could juggle both women. He slammed the accelerator. The Maybach disappeared into the night. ... On Saturday, Darcy went to the Quest University library as usual. The environment really did affect people. Her study efficiency here was much better than at home. After an hour of listening to a math lecture online, Darcy felt a bit tired. She took off her headphones and stretched. Her gaze instinctively swept around the room. No sign of a certain someone.