Cindy clicked her tongue in admiration. Darcy was one tough woman. Seven years of emotion, cut off just like that. When told her ex was deceived, she just said "Okay" calmly—no gloating, no kicking a man while he was down. She just quietly focused on her own path. Such a great girl. Even if she couldn't be her sister-in-law, being close friends would be nice. Darcy studied until 11 PM. After washing up, she lay in bed, scrolling on her phone to unwind. Refreshing her social media feed, a new post from Kaia's alternate account popped up. She wasn't deliberately looking; the platform's algorithm pushed it to her. These algorithms... She sighed, shaking her head with a helpless smile. Her feelings toward Kaia were complicated now. On one hand, she felt betrayed by Kaia befriending Zora behind her back. On the other, they had grown up together, as close as real sisters. Emotionally, Darcy couldn't sever the bond all at once. Plus, her mother wasn't well. She didn't want to add more stress. If possible, Darcy was willing to maintain basic civility with Kaia. "So happy to attend my supervisor's mother's birthday party. Feeling more and more like besties with my supervisor." The "supervisor" naturally meant Zora. But— Darcy zoomed in on the photo and swiped right. Every picture featured Zane and Zora. In some, they stood close together. In others, Zora gazed tenderly at Zane. One showed Zora's mother introducing Zane to guests, while Zora looked down, smiling shyly. She understood now. Zane and Zora were officially together.Zora's mother had used the birthday party to announce Zane's status as her daughter's future husband. They had just broken up a few days ago! They weren't even trying to hide it, unafraid of being called out! All desire to browse her phone vanished. Darcy turned off the screen and tossed the phone onto the nightstand. She hugged her knees to her chest, staring blankly. Four hours ago, she had felt like Zane was a closed chapter in her life. Whatever happened to him was irrelevant. But now, in the deep quiet of the night, a sudden wave of sadness washed over her. She was hurting. Seven years—most of her naive youth poured into this one love. Breaking up felt like someone carving out a chunk of her. How could it not hurt? Tears pattered onto the back of her hand. She yanked the blanket up and bit it, choking down any pathetic sound. She didn't know how long she had cried. Her eyes were raw and red; she felt wrung out. Darcy, you're allowed to be sad. You're allowed to cry. But I'm only giving you tonight. After tonight, not a single tear more for that man. ... On Monday, Darcy took the day off to bring her mother to the hospital for a follow-up checkup. The hospital was crowded. After getting the appointment slip, Darcy helped her mother sit in a chair to wait. Her mother said she was thirsty, so Darcy went to buy water. In the main lobby, she ran into Hugo. Darcy glanced at him but had no intention of saying hi. She walked past him. As she passed by, Hugo called out to her. Darcy frowned. She didn't think they were that close."Are you sick?" Hugo looked down, immediately spotting the appointment slip in her hand. Darcy replied, "Not me. It's for my mother. Bringing her for a checkup." Hugo looked into the distance and saw a middle-aged woman who resembled Darcy. He nodded. "I see." After that, silence fell between them. Neither spoke further. Darcy said, "Sorry, I'm going to grab water." "Sure." She figured that made it clear—she was off to get water, which meant their chat was over. But at the vending machine, when she pulled a bottle from the slot and turned around, Hugo was still right behind her. Darcy's brow furrowed. Hadn't she been clear enough? Even after years in sales, Darcy's nature wasn't confrontational; she was gentle. She didn't snap at him but reminded him quietly again, "Zane and I broke up." "Yeah. You mentioned that last time," Hugo said. Since he wasn't getting the hint, Darcy had to be more direct. "Since Zane and I broke up, I don't think we have anything to talk about. Let's just be strangers if we meet again." Hugo pressed his lips together. "Are you job-hunting? If you're willing, you could join the Sterling Group. Name your salary." Darcy was surprised. She hadn't expected Hugo to offer her an opportunity. Seeing her surprise, Hugo gave a light laugh. "I know your capabilities better than anyone. Having you at Sterling would be our honor." She thanked him for the compliment, but she had no such plans. She shook her head. "No, thank you." "Because you want to avoid the association?" "No. Because I've already found a job.""Where?" "Sorry, Mr. Sterling. That's private. No comment." Hugo watched her walk away, feeling a sense of loss. He was too late. Before leaving the hospital, Hugo made a call. "Uncle, there's a patient I'd like you to keep an eye on for me."